Since my last visit, laws have changed that require you to wear a helmet while on a moped. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the freedom in riding a moped around a huge crowded city for hours, not knowing where I was going, or where I'd end up. It's somewhat ruined now with the helmet law. Nearly 100 degree weather wearing a helmet isn't so fun.
Hopping on a moped and heading anywhere, parking anywhere really is quite enjoyable. It is unfortunate north american cities are not well suited to it.
Being from Toronto, the cold and snow are big deterrents. But safety is the biggest concern for me, even riding a bike in a bike lane is really dangerous. Cars don't look for you when making turns, they just go.
I was hit once cycling when someone made an abrupt right turn without signalling. My handlebar dug into the side of their van and somehow I was able to stay on my bike. They screeched to a halt and started yelling at me about how I hit them. They turned directly into me and I was in a bike lane!
Riding a scooter here feels so much safer - drivers are aware of them and are cautious at the appropriate times.
Safety... yeah, you're probably a bit safer than on a bicycle, but you have to watch out. The first night I had mine I hit some tram tracks and felt the back wheel skittering around, which was not a fun feeling. Kept it up, though.
I suggest you suck it up and wear one regardless of the heat if you either: use your head for a living, or just value your life.
Helmets seem to be all or nothing. If there is a law forcing them, 95% of people wear helmets. If there isn't, 95% of people don't wear a helmet.
You would expect people to carefully consider it and make a decision on their own. For some reason people can easily rationalize not wearing a helmet in two seconds and roll with that for years.
I'm not sure about that. The law in Delaware is that you must have a helmet on your motorcycle for each person on it (I guess they don't want there to be a monetary cost to wearing a helmet.), and it seems like the majority (2/3?) of people I see wear them, but definitely not all.
To some extent it comes down to culture/how aware people are. I think in America, at least half of people would wear them regardless (and in a lot of states, there's either no law requiring them, or the law only applies to new riders).
Sorry about your friend.
Also, this reminds me of a quip one of the SportsCenter anchors made back in the day: 'The NHL has made helmets optional. Injuries are also optional.'