I wear my helmet and pads whenever I do go out riding. Main reason why is because I’ve had issues in the past where I crash. I had vertigo in my teens and there are times where I will lose my balance when riding. It’s weird, but it’s becoming less and less of an issue. But, it does sometime happen as I’m riding, and have fallen and gotten bruised up a few times, but I always wear protection because of it, and that has probably saved me once or twice.