Wearing a brand new helmet saved my life in 1968, before they were compulsory.
It was my second helmet after the first became a bit floppy from daily use for a couple of years.
My spare “pillion” helmet was a smaller size, so when I came out of hospital I immediately bought a third.
When I motorcycled in my younger days, call it the late 1980’s, I wore a Bell Star helmet. Unfortunately I hit a patch of road one day in heavy rain, where some vehicle, presumably a lorry with a loose fitting cap, dumped a load of diesel across the surface. As we know, rain and diesel is a dodgy mix, similar to riding on ice.
Did the Bell save my life? Undoubtedly. After saying bye to the bike, my head hit a lamp-post, splitting the helmet and knocking me out. I came round about 30 minutes later, laid on my back, with a number of kind souls having called an ambulance, tending to my needs.
So, on this occasion a helmet saved my life. When my eldest son was a teenager, I would only allow him to cycle if he wore a helmet. As kids might do, he objected, but I stood firm, and off he went with a mate, who returned 10 minutes later. My son had hit a kerb and destroyed his helmet!
When it comes to helmet wearing, I think it is obvious where I stand.
The reason i said “helmets are a good thing, particularly in winter” is because a helmet also saved my life in the winter of 1971 before they were made compulsory…if it was summer, i wouldn’t have been wearing it!
Can we end this topic it has certainly been flogged to death lets draw a line under it i am sure we have covered every area and more 
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It certainly has and not very MX5. 
Since you are the first poster on this particular iteration (this thread was split out as it was derailing another one) then I’ll process your request to close as the responses have become circular.
Just to say my CAR TAX arrived today for 2025 on my 2019 2.0 ND/RF
pay monthly £ 16.63 year total 199.50
pay 6 months £104.50
pay 12months £190.00
Starting march 14th
so not as bad as I was thinking A lot better than the Polo GTI turbo 1.8 that went up £45.00 