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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