"I think your argument of having to lug one around is part of why many don't wear one. Also I hear many say that if the accident is bad enough to need one do I really want to walk away. There are helmets now that have a slot for your ulock, which is what I use. I cycle from Brooklyn to Manhattan 6 days a week and I enjoy wearing a helmet. Even at low speeds hitting a pedestrian or getting door'd could cause me to miss some serious time at work and not having a helmet would make it worse. The bike lanes in NYC are almost pointless given the amount of trash, pedestrians not looking, and taxis/rideshares popping into them for pickups and dropoffs. It's much safer to hold your own and take a lane for yourself at a moderate pace. The law technically considers you a vehicle and you do not at any point need to be in bike lane. "