I think his posts can sometimes be depressing and negative because there is such a monumental shift in culture needed. Facing all the shortcomings in how we build our cities can be discouraging. In any case, he's not just a cynic sitting behind a keyboard, he's actively engaged with the community trying to change it for the better. He's taken positive action that few can claim; give him a break if his posts aren't all sunny days.
My view on helmets is maybe a little different than others. The sort of riding I do involves a certain risk of crashing without even factoring in vehicles, which maybe influences my perspective. I'm aware of the data that helmets don't necessarily reduce fatalities, but I'm also acutely aware of how debilitating concussions and other head injuries can be, and helmets can help avoid that when accidents do happen. My reading of the article about the incident in Ayr didn't make it clear to me that the fault lay with the driver. It may well have been entirely the cyclist's responsibility, or not. Regardless, in this case there was a crash potentially involving a head injury; a helmet may help reduce the severity of the injuries.
My view on helmets is maybe a little different than others. The sort of riding I do involves a certain risk of crashing without even factoring in vehicles, which maybe influences my perspective. I'm aware of the data that helmets don't necessarily reduce fatalities, but I'm also acutely aware of how debilitating concussions and other head injuries can be, and helmets can help avoid that when accidents do happen. My reading of the article about the incident in Ayr didn't make it clear to me that the fault lay with the driver. It may well have been entirely the cyclist's responsibility, or not. Regardless, in this case there was a crash potentially involving a head injury; a helmet may help reduce the severity of the injuries.