I would venture a guess, that those ten people who died, allegedly to wearing helmets would have died any way. I my 10 yrs of working the road as a medic. I would give you much better odds of surviving with a helmet. The people who think they are invincible keep my job safe.

 

I don't care if other people wear helmets or not, I just don't like having to pay extra taxes to support the system that keeps their vegged-out bodies alive after they eat it in a wreck. If there were a legal way for someone to waive their rights to unlimited medical care if they choose not to wear a helmet when they ride, I would support it in a New York minute.

 

And when it happens to one of your loved-ones, you'll be sorry you ever said that.

My neice and her husband have a daughter that is effectively brain-dead, but one notch higher than that, where her brain does have a lot of activity but nothing ever happens. She basically just exists.

I am perfectly happy paying taxes that can help them get what they need ... and others like them.

Look at the percentages - how much of a percentage of your taxes go to actually keeping some motorcycle veggie alive?

Darn it, I said I would stay out of this before...

 

Just my personal experiences from riding...

On a poker run with several friends about 10 years ago. My best friend, still fairly inexperience, was unfortunate enough to take a simple 30MPH bend first, and ran across a patch of loose gravel. He nearly saved it, but ended up going over the handlebars. The damage to the helmet was severe, enough so that it HAD to be replaced. He walked away with a headache. Had he not been wearing a lid, most of his cranium would certainly have remained at the scene until mopped up.

I myself lost it once, coming around a corner (too fast for road conditions, I knew better), and began fishtailing while in a hard lean. By the time I corrected and regained control, my back tire grabbed the shoulder. The bike flipped me instantly, and I rolled out through the woods about 15 feet. Had to replace my helmet, and my leather, but I walked away with just the wind knocked out of me. The helmet looked like it had been bowled through the woods. Oh yeah, it was.

So, as far as I see, not wearing a helmet is a far greater risk than, say, not wearing a seatbelt... Accidents are usually more severe when on a bike, and can quite often turn fatal due to the lack of protection. Personally, I see the refusal of some to wear a helmet as their own little way of rebellion against "the system", and they feel somehow bigger and better for it. Good for them.. If such a small effort such as wearing a lid can increase my chances of reducing injuries, I'll take one.
Do I feel that it should be mandatory, no. Should you get a ticket if you chose to ride without one, no. Should the officer instead pull you over and test his nightstick on the back of your head in a demonstration of physics, sure.

 

about 10 years ago a friend of mine riding beside me decided to pop a wheelie and pull ahead of me. i turned my head and when i looked back up he had hit a deer and was skidding down the road. his helmet was strapped on the back of the bike and received several scratches although his head had none. he hit 2 more deer before he decided to give up the bike riding...............

 

just my little bit of input

i used to have a few freinds who worked as first responders for accidents and what not and they have told me about people wiho were decapitated bye a chin strap, and as far as seat belts i have personlyy seen two people who were litterealy cut in half buy there seat belt now lets not be stupid here comparing race driving and day to day driving is just dumb okay you wrecked on the track or doing tricks well no crap you wrecked its an inherent part what you are doing, if you race profesionally or semi pro and havent wrecked its either because your just that good or you dont push it. now getting back to the road if you know your limitations and ard riding defensivly you can easily avoid most collisions you may still lay your bike down or ride off the road but avoiding the collision will save your life.

but if you want to see retarded and restrictive try what the U.S. Army makes you do to ride a motorcycle on post you must were a dot approved helmet, a traffic vest, long sleeved shirt, over the ankle shoes or boots made entriely of leather, long pants, gloves, and of course eye protection.

but in the end it is easy safety is an illusion, you cant controll the idiots in the four wheelers around you who are more worried about answering there phone adjusting there radio or bsin with there buddies.

 

Decap'd by chin strap? DOT and Snell helmets have a chin strap standard that requires the strap give way under, I think, 300lbs. What were they wearing, German issue metal helmets with a chain chin strap......?

Seat belts cutting you in two? Well, yes, if you're going fast enough to do that, your way beyond seatbelt help.

Seat belts causing injury if worn too high or behind your arm--sure, every day.

There are always a lot of "stories" about "more harm than good comes from safety equipment..." Most is nonsense.

Go dig up the Hurt (Dr. Harry Hurt) Report out of UCLA from about 20 years ago, and his update of a couple of years ago. Nowhere will you find a fatality caused by a helmet.

 

the guy who was decapitated came around a cornerto a semi jacknifed in the road he laid his bike down and slid under the trailer at somepoint his head got cought and pulle d back they found his head in the helmet hanging under the truck bye the chin strap.

 

Well, that don't mean the strap decaped him.


Also, "laying the bike down", with rare exception, is a poor thing to do. Bikes stop quicker with the brakes and tires doing their jobs.

Laying it down is already an accident.

 

Maybe it is just me but i don't understand why people wouldn't want to take every safety precaution they could if riding a motorcycle. I mean obviously helmets are going to help you more than hurt you. I know some people claim it the freedom and it makes me look cool.Which i have heard many many people say. To them i say GROW UP if your more worried about what others think than your own safety then you have serious problems.

 

i ride stunts....i also ride on the street....i have only ate it 1 time on the road due to a moron driver and this was in my 1st year riding street....i have been ran into the grass, up onto medians, into other vehicles, into oncomming traffic, and many other moronic things because 4 wheelers arent watching their surroundings...why havent i ate it more on the street?? because i believe in god for 1 and 2 because i got loads of real time riding experience that allowed me to forsee and or avoid the accident. I have been on 2 wheels since i was 6 years old when i started on an old Honda XR75, and i have allways worn a helmet...thats MY choice...if you dont wanna wear one please dont....no one will make you and i believe its your right to live or die you're an adult after all.....but i know that mine has saved my hide more than once and my life 4 times for sure......i think the stories about the people that fall off bikes never hit their heads are strange....is it because they are laying it down at the time and are sliding?? because it seems to me that most accidents i have seen (and believe me ive seen more than most of you here unless you work at a crash test facility) have the guy hitting their dome at least once during the event.....or at least scuffing it on the asphalt....but like i said and others here have please...please....do what you want to...dont wear them who cares?? i dont its not my family member or friend im gonna have to carry to a hole.....so with that said freedom of choice gives you the right to choose.....staying alive for your family should help you make that descision for you.....either way ride safe and be careful out there on those bikes

 

During the years that I rode, I never wore a helmet on the street, but, in my youth, I believed I was immortal and did MANY stupid things. I have heard it said that those with a brain seek to protect it and those without don't care.... a decision for each to make. I only went down once on the street and suffered no head injuries, but I had to lay on a table while they plucked pebbles out of my back. I went down many times on TT tracks and trails and credit the helmet with preserving my incredible good looks.
Dono