>"Many more motorists and pedestrians die in traffic collisions per year than do bicyclists. We don’t see them wearing helmets."
Hey. Maybe if they did wear helmets, fewer of them would die. Ever think of that?
TLDR: 5x more dangerous in car than bikes per billion km. Less dangerous in countries with more bikes per capita, despite fewer helmets.
So, I agree with OP's point that perhaps cyclists are being over regulated. I bet that there is a high correlation between type of bike and deaths. Perhaps we should be all required to ride one of these: http://www.denmanbikeshop.com/thebikeshopblog/wp-content/upl... Fewer deaths would ensue.
The most interesting quasi-claim is buried: helmets protect your head, but cause more damage to your neck. That's an empirical claim that I doubt, but at least it's better than "I don't think I look good in a helmet."
The best way to protect yourself for the 60-mph-auto-collision is to not get hit by a car at 60 mph.