>do you wear a helmet while skateboarding?
no. it's not a bad idea to wear a helmet. when you are still new and don't know what to expect. when i do something dangerous or something i have not done before or when i feel like it then i do, otherwise not.
i've never been injured skating. i had one absurdely dangerous fall. i was riding very fast (not downhill but still fast) free skates and a particularly unfortunate configuration occured where a large pebble was whirled up by the wheels, got stuck in between the skate and the wheel, blocked the wheel while my weight was on it and the skate just broke off the path i had intended for it to go. so i was on one wheel while my weight was on the wheel that was drifting to the side.
and then this thing happens what you lovely involuntary celibate gentlemen are still in denial about and call me schizo for: time slowed down. and since time was slowing down i took my time and have a debate on how to handle the situation. i was calmly and carefully weighing all my options and decided to extend my arm upwards, swing it forward, and make a roll like sonic. WORKED PERFECLTY! from full speed i suddenly toppled over arm first, then the head then the back. basically breakdance quality move. i rolled over, dispersing all the momentum into a roll. no injury, all i did was scratch the top of my shoe a bit.
onlookers must have believed i died when they saw the speed with which this must have happened outside of the slowdown but of course nothing happened. i got up, got back on the skates and continued my ride as if nothing happens. lol similar things have happened quite a bit. when people see me fall, they always think it is dangerous catasrophe and rush towards me believing i must have suffered catastrophic injury, but no. the injury from skating does rarely come from accidents, it is always from overconfidence.
when you progress slowly, not doing stuff that is too risky and focus on developing a sense of balance then accidents barely happen because you can see them a mile away and you have plans for everything and if you don't then time still slows down when you need it to.