Over time, I have worn a helmet more and more frequently, in a greater variety of situations and pursuits. This has been helped along by responding to accident scenes where a helmet would have probably saved lives.

I started out wearing a construction grade hard hat while caving -obviously useful because you are always scraping your head and you also need a place to fasten your light. I bicycled and climbed for years without a helmet, but I eventually changed.

My oldest daughter suffered through two hospitalizations resulting from injuries incurred while riding sans helmet. After the second event, I told to wear head protection. "It's too dorky," was the response, and she gave up cycling. Later, after a career in the ER, I notice that her kids do indeed wear bike helmets, which are available in an increasing variety of protective and attractive styles - so much for "dorky."