Helmets are mandatory here in Australia , but I feel naked without one anyway . Even while wearing a helmet , albeit with partly open visor , I have been on the receiving end of quite a few nasty stinging insects . I got whacked in the nose once when a young rider . Particularly memorable because my first reaction was to clumsily touch my nose wearing gauntlet gloves , and squished a full dose of bee sting into that appendage . My face swelled up like a pig featured cartoon character , that took me out of public view for a couple of days to de swell !!