Helmets, or lack there of....

[RichDesmond]

I'm no advocate for more government control but if seatbelt laws can be a primary offence how are helmets different....

And there's the "slippery slope" in action. Some level of government control is accepted, so what's the harm in just a little more?? Eventually anything the majority perceives as "too dangerous" will get banned. Like maybe riding a bike at all?

Really, it astonishes me that anybody who rides would use this line of reasoning, proceeding logically down that path leads you to banning motorcycles. It seems to me that the correct response would be to say, "I can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, why isn't it legal to not wear a seatbelt?"

[scratch]

Regulate yourself or be regulated.  You have a choice.

[Elijafir]

Alright, I'll be "that guy."   I don't wear a helmet a lot.  I've been whacked in face with bugs and crap.. and even bled from it. (Rain is the worst.) I've crashed a GSXR 1000 without a helmet on.  I slid across a ten lane intersection on top of the bike. (Minor forearm road rash through my long sleeve shirt.)  A lot of crashing is knowing how to crash.  I knew I didn't have a helmet on so I kept my head up.  Whatever I am riding, I ride a lot more aggressive with a helmet on. And, by that logic, I am MORE likely to get hurt even with the helmet.  Any time I crashed my ATV I was wearing my helmet.  I never crashed it when I didn't wear my helmet. The worst I've ever been hurt in a motorcycle crash was on a 50cc pocket bike at 20mph when the front wheel came off.  I did a "front flip" over the handle bars and landed on my shoulder blade, elbow, hip, thigh, and knee.  no helmet, kept my head up. Wicked road rash all down one side of my body.  I use my "helmet instinct" to decided if I want to wear it or not.  The days I have my helmet instinct, and put it on, weird stuff happens.. like I'll ride through a dust devil or small rain storm.  Helmet's nice for things like that.  I like the feel of the open air on my face and in my hair.  I don't care how I look or what people think of me.  I've also been having unprotected sex with my wife for over 7 years.  Our one child was planned. 
Let the flaming begin.

[lilwoody]

Since you have children and a wife I have 2 words for you......Life insurance, about a years gross salary for your house hold.

[ragecage23]

Let the flaming begin.

You could wear a modular helmet?

[yurtinus]

riding without a helmet is more like having sex without a condom, which is a pretty big difference.

Not sure whose side of the argument that supports. A huge benefit to monogamous relationships is being able to have sex without a condom

Back on topic though... I always wear a helmet (and big goofy jacket... and usually pants) and probably always will. I may argue against somebody who chooses not to wear a helmet, but I'll never argue against their choice. Really, when it comes down to "I enjoy the ride better without it" that's pretty much the end of discussion. I may think it's an unsafe choice for you to ride without a helmet, but there are plenty of folks who think it's an unsafe choice for us to get on the bike at all.

We take on enough risk as it is, there's no sense getting up in arms over that next little bit.

[Elijafir]

We take on enough risk as it is, there's no sense getting up in arms over that next little bit.

Thank You.

[Twisted]

I am glad I live in Australia where it is compulsory to wear a helmet. Sure you can ride around on your bike in speedos, but as long as you are wearing a helmet you are legal. But would you wanna?

Even in you live in a place where it is a choice why risk it? Would you use an angle grinder on a bit of steel without eye/ear protection? Would you weld without the mask? It seems pretty logical to me.

[yurtinus]

The angle grinder and welding analogies aren't that accurate. Nobody finds angle grinding more enjoyable without eye protection. Plenty of people find motorcycling more enjoyable without a helmet, though.

Keep in mind I wear a full face every time I'm on my bike. If any of my friends rode without helmets, I'd have plenty to say to try to convince them otherwise, but ultimately I will still respect their choice and *defend* their ability to choose. Riding with a helmet is simply safer - I don't think anybody will argue that. However, riding without one isn't automatically unsafe. My point here is that it isn't right to assume everybody needs to share my risk/reward threshold.

[Twisted]

The angle grinder and welding analogies aren't that accurate. Nobody finds angle grinding more enjoyable without eye protection. Plenty of people find motorcycling more enjoyable without a helmet, though.

Keep in mind I wear a full face every time I'm on my bike. If any of my friends rode without helmets, I'd have plenty to say to try to convince them otherwise, but ultimately I will still respect their choice and *defend* their ability to choose. Riding with a helmet is simply safer - I don't think anybody will argue that. However, riding without one isn't automatically unsafe. My point here is that it isn't right to assume everybody needs to share my risk/reward threshold.

But serious head trauma is more enjoyable?  
My point was along your lines of it being safer. It is more about the logic of reducing the risk of injury incase you do find your self in the situation of skidding down the road on your melon.

[007brendan]

Consider this.  In college I had a Honda 250 scooter (technically registered as a motorcycle).  During the summer, I would work down at the small beach towns and use the scooter to putter around, mostly because parking would have been impossible otherwise.  Around town, I didn't wear a helmet all that often.  It would have been hot, stinky, sandy, wet, and uncomfortable, I wouldn't have had one for my passenger anyway, and if I did, it would have gotten stolen. 

Remember back when no one used to wear a helmet when bicycling, or skiing, or snowboarding, or any other sport where helmets are fairly commonplace today?  Did we all die because we didn't wear helmets?  No, not at all.  We used common sense.

That being said, I wear ATTGATT now, but that's mostly because I ride the freeway every day and I live in California where people drive like maniacs.  But if I'm back at the beach in DE, it may be a different story.

[Elijafir]

Haha.. I ride without a helmet.. have sex without a condom.. I have used angle grinders without eye protection (without the shield on it, too.)  and I've done oxy/acetylene welding with nothing but sun glasses / shorts / t-shirt.   My Body, My choice, and you know what, I'm no worse for the wear from it all.  I'm sure I am the exception, and not the rule.  Don't be like me, kiddo's. You could get HURT or DEAD! zOMG. 

[mister]

If the center of the steering wheel had a great big bloody spike on it instead of an airbag, would people drive differently?

Nothing to do with helmets, just throwing it out there.

Michael

[twocool]

If the center of the steering wheel had a great big bloody spike on it instead of an airbag, would people drive differently?

Nothing to do with helmets, just throwing it out there.

Michael

LOL...........

I use to have a VW microbus.....you sat in the front, with just one layer of thin sheet metal between you and the outside world....People drove very carefully in these!

I often thought we should take it one step further and mount the dirver's seat completely outside the vehicle, on the front bumper!!!


Cookie

[twocool]

Hey, I'm all for this freedom of choice concept.  If you don't want to wear a helmet...go for it.  Freedom let's one be incredibly stupid if he wants to be.

But with freedom comes responsibility too..........

When a helmetless bike rider gets creamed in an accident... It takes some of MY tax money to "rescue" him, and it raises MY insurance rates too........

I guess you could use the same arguement for motorcycles in general.....that they are by nature very dangerous, helmet or not..........

But I think the helmet does offer some level of protection, with almost no down side....

Cookie

[royced57]

I'm a pretty confirmed libertarian and I have a huge problem with seat belt laws, helmet laws and the like.

But I always wear my seat belt when driving or riding in a car and always wear a helmet when riding.

Just because an activity is dangerous - or even stupidly dangerous with crazy odds for self injury - does not mean it should be illegal.  Just don't endanger anyone else and I have no problem with it.

In addition to riding a bike, I also hunt and go on wilderness backpacking and canoe trips.  These activities are dangerous - in a different way, but dangerous none the less when you don't have a cell phone to call 911 and you're portaging 100lbs of gear over a slippery bolder field.  Take the risk.  Take the consequences.  Then don't whine about it when the odds beat you.

I also fear the slippery slope.  There are lots of State Empowered Nannies that would love to take away our right to do just about anything fun or remotely dangerous - whether it be owning a firearm for self defense, riding a motorcycle or eating a freakin' cheeseburger.  And they do their nanny business one little incremental step at a time.  I despise them.

Choice --- Responsibility.  There is no other way and maintain our rights as adult citizens.

You guys that don't wear a helmet.  I utterly respect your choice and right to do so.   It's not for me though.  And I hope that you have the "Organ Donor" check box filled in on your license.

[Elijafir]

http://www.alivetoride.com/motorcycle_riding_tips_reaction_time

I give up.  Everyone should be required to wear a helmet.  I don't mean while riding. Motorcycles should be illegal.  In fact, all personal transportation should be illegal.  (Just look at that link I posted!!!)     You should be required to wear a helmet as part of your every day life.  Have you seen the statistics for how many people fall and die in the shower at home?  While we're at it... Guns, Knives, Power Tools, Heavy Equipment, and basically anything that could be consider "dangerous" in the work place should be STRONGLY REGULATED and ONLY used under TIGHT GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION.  Don't even get me started on Sugar, Caffeine, Aspirin, Pesticides, and the other countless man made, highly processed chemicals that are slowly killing us from the inside out.  We also better give up electricity and natural gas/propane.. it's far too dangerous of a thing to have in our homes.  Have a swimming pool?  That's going to have to go, too.  Have you seen the statistics of how many little children drown in those things?  Sex should definitely be illegal.  Reproduction should be highly controlled and only happen by Artificial Insemination.  It would only take a generation or two to get rid of ALL STD's if people didn't have sex anymore!  And think of how great our planet would be if only intelligent, educated, responsible people were allowed to breed!! 

I could go on ALL day.  Hire the safety experts.  Increase the 'special police' forces.  Install Cameras in every room in every home and every street corner.  I can't wait to have a nice safe, responsible life free from the burden of choice.  Sign me up!

[ragecage23]

you forgot about pencils and pens...and butter knifes too. oh the horror! we should live in bubbles maybe, yeeeeees bubbles. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Where do I sign?

[twocool]

There is obviously got to be some middle ground here.....between personal freedom, and regualtion for your own good an the good of otheres...and overregulation.......just hard to figure where the middle is sometimes.

Here' s an extreme scenario.......

You choose whether to wear a helmet or not........

Ambulance squad decides whether or not to pick your sorry ass up off the road after an accident or not...

Hospital decides whether they want to admit you or not......

Doctor decides whether he wants to operate on you or not........

Insurace company decides whether they feel like paying or not....

Cookie

[johnny ro]

I'll sum it up like I normally do. If I get in an accident, no matter who's fault it is, and get messed up, they'll say one of two things. If I'm wearing my gear they'll say, poor guy did everything he could to protect himself, if I'm not wearing my gear they'll say, dumbass was asking for it and never stood a chance. Same with wearing a seatbelt in a cage. Plus if you start off with at least gloves and a helmet like I am with my wife and son, you'll never know any different, and will feel weird without them.

This is true.