We each have a choice: do we choose to wear a helmet, or other gear?
Do we have any right to comment on whether others wear protective gear?
Yes, if we care about our fellow riders, and simply want to give them the benefit of our experience.
No, if we want to impose our views on them… unless their choice directly affects us:
(1) If they don’t wear protective gear, might this lead to high profile injuries, and a call for compulsory helmet wearing, or even a ban on unicycling? I believe in some jurisdictions, bicyclists are already obliged to wear helmets; I guess these laws would apply equally to unicyclists. Specific legislation for compulsory helmets for unicyclists is unlikely. Unicycling is such a minority sport that a call for a ban on the sport is also unlikely. So I’m not too worried about the possible legislative consequences of some unicyclists not wearing helmets.
(2) The cost to the tax payer. This is a difficult one. A serious head injury can cost the tax payer many thousands of Pounds/Dollars. But as someone pointed out, physical activity is good for your health and therefore saves the tax payer money.
Our biggest killers are (in only rough order): heart disease (made more likely by lack of exercise); smoking related illnesses (another argument entirely! And not for this forum); and road traffic accidents. I have sought medical attention only once for a unicycle-related injury, and that was (is!) a minor one. There are many long term patients with more serious self-inflicted or lifestyle-related injuries and disease.
But… we’d have all the health benefits of unicycling irrespective of whether we wear helmets, so the question becomes: would there be fewer unicyclists if helmet wearing was compulsory? The answer is ‘probably’, but those we lost would be mainly the type of person who buys it, tries it and then leaves it in the shed for 20 years. So the effect would be minimal: they wouldn’t get much health benefit from unicycling, but they wouldn’t be at great risk either.
(3) The effect on our image, collectively. Does our image matter?
Yes, in that we all prefer to be treated as skilled practitioners, rather than “just clowns”. (Even the clowns are skilled practitioners.)
Yes in that we all dislike being ridiculed or abused by the public.
Yes, if we accept that recruitment to the sport is a Good Thing.
So, is recruitment to the sport a Good Thing?
Yes, within certain limits.
I suspect we all cherish the fact that we have a minority sport.
If the sport got too big, it would change: prices would go up, and the market would become fashion driven, with overdesigned overpriced equipment dominating, and good quality reasonably priced stuff being driven from the shops (compare bicycling, motorcycling, scuba diving… etc.).
If the sport got too big, it might attract the attention of the legislators, with access bans, enforcement of no riding zones, and so on.
But if we never recruit, the present market for equipment would decline. We’d be back to a few cheap basic models, and a few very expensive custom made models. There’d be fewer people to ride with.
So, I guess a gradual but steady recruitment to the sport would be a Good Thing.
So, does the wearing of helmets improve the image of the sport, from a recruitment point of view?
Yes, in that it is fashionable to wear all the gear, even if you have no idea (compare bicycling, motorcycling, kayaking, scuba diving…).
No, if your community generally regards the wearing of safety equipment as ‘nerdy’.
I think the reality is that for every 100 people who buy their first unicycle, only 10 - 20 ever ride more than a few yards, or keep at it for more than a few weeks.
Of those 10 - 20, I suspect that most get the uni out occasionally and ride for half an hour or so.
Only a few of us actually take up unicycling as a sport in its own right, choosing to concentrate on MUni, or trials, or speed, or distance, or whatever. We are the minority.
And those of us within this minority probably care enough about our sport to make the right decision about safety equipment. And that decision will be slightly different for each rider.
So, I wear a helmet except when performing. I wear gloves (or wristguards! ahem!) except when performing. I sometimes wear other pads, but seldom. My choice. I’m neither right nor wrong, and I doubt that my choice directly affects any of you. Each to his or her own.
), I will be buying one the two sorts.
You seem to be ignoring the fact that there are no peer reviewed, whole population studies which prove that a helmet is beneficial to a cyclist, but some do show slight negative effects. The whole helmet debate is very emotive and really isn’t helped by insulting cyclists who do not conform to your own view (like life in general really).