I agree with you but in case it wasn’t clear this was just an informal get together, not an organized course. This group is 95%+ cruiser riders and without passing judgment we all know what that means when it comes to gear. A situation not helped IMO by Ride Like A Pro where t-shirts and fingerless gloves are the norm. But if you are barely in control of your bike (like that woman was) and you choose to wear a cowboy hat while leaving your helmet on your sissy bar, well I’m not sure what to say. I make my choices and I let others make theirs but don’t expect me to cry at your funeral. If I was responsible in any way for their safety (or if I had been one of the organizers) then I would have insisted on helmet use at all times.
Slightly different topic but I also have a different philosophy when it comes to group riding. This group insists on riding like a pack and is terrified of the group being split. This means they ride in tight parade formation (even at speed) and use blockers at junctions, all stuff that I hate. I consider that riding dangerous and want no part of it. If you notice in the video I am way off the back and don’t mind when a car gets between me and them. I ride as an individual, not as part of a collective, but I don’t think they are unique in the way they ride. I’ve seen those guidelines published in many websites. I consider that at least as dangerous, if not more so, than riding in a parking lot without a helmet.
I’ll get off my soapbox now