What would you do?

[Rebel73_imp]

No helmet required here. I may skip a jacket, I may skip gloves, I may skip armored pants. I never skip a helmet. The only piece of equipment designed to actually save your life. the rest just prevent scabs and broken bones.

Not entirely true. A lot of fatalities are due to internal organ trauma, and an airbag jacket/vest greatly reduces the chance of that, so yes, it can also save your life.

I'm honestly surprised they haven't caught on more than they have. It really is an ingenious invention that greatly improves your odds of survival. I'd say it would come in a close 2nd to a helmet.

 

[ChipBeck_imp]

Gentlemen,

When I was younger I always wore a helmet while dirt biking but I didn't wear one while street biking. I never had an accident but not wearing a helmet still did a lot of damage. I did so much sun damage to my face and forehead that skin cancer treatments are a once a year procedure for me and the wind blast past my ears has severely damaged my hearing, I'm over 90% deaf in my left ear and not much better in my right. I wish I could go back in time and do that over. I obviously wear one all the time now.

Chip

 

[Redbird_imp]

I have always worn a helmet since I first started riding motorcycles in the 1960s. They were not required then, but I have worn them anyway. I've had one helmet really scraped up - glad it was on my head!

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I had my hearing checked by my audiologist today. Very sad. I had her make me another set of molded silicone ear plugs while I was there -- $150 and well worth it.

 

[oldscool_imp]

In New Hampshire, with no helmet law; I wear a full-face most of the time, a half-helmet on hottest days. I never wore the full-face on my old Triumph; yes fashion is admittedly a large factor.
I see mostly Harley riders without helmets; full sun, cold, drizzle or june-bugs; those guys must be tough.

 

[kvdv_imp]

In New Hampshire, with no helmet law; I wear a full-face most of the time, a half-helmet on hottest days. I never wore the full-face on my old Triumph; yes fashion is admittedly a large factor.
I see mostly Harley riders without helmets; full sun, cold, drizzle or june-bugs; those guys must be tough.

"Tough" is one word for it, I suppose
Washington has a helmet law, but when I was a younger lad the law did not yet exist. I'll admit that I occasionally rode my Honda VT500 Ascot without my helmet back in the day, as might be expected of a 20-something male who really doesn't think about their own mortality, much less know anything about life or how the world really works. I think back on that now that I'm 55, and it almost takes my breath away how stupid I was back then. At least I was extremely lucky too, or I wouldn't be around now to still be riding (an awesome 2014 DLX!) and typing this message.
It has been full-face-full-time ever since I returned to riding about 11 years ago after a hiatus. So far, so good...knock on plastic and foam!
Whatever you choose, be safe out there and enjoy what time you have on two wheels...what a privilege it is!! - Karl

 

[rotor]

Automobile occupants should wear helmets.

Two primary arguments for helmet laws: 1) save lives, and 2) to keep health care costs down for all of us due to those who survive motorcycle crashes and who need medical rehabilitation.

However, what is never reported is the number of persons in automobile accidents who die due to head injuries (even though they were wearing seat belts), and those who survive car crashes and require lengthy medical rehabilitation due to closed head injuries.

When a motorcyclist is involved in a fatal accident, it is immediately reported whether or not a helmet was being worn. When a car crash occurs, it is reported whether or not a seat belt was being worn, but no details as to the cause of death or injury.

Since there are far more deaths and head injuries caused by car crashes (even though seats belts were used) than motorcycle crashes, would it not be more effective, and hence more humanitarian, to require automobile occupants to wear helmets?

This illustrates that the motivation for motorcycle helmet laws is primarily political, not practical.

My position is based on discussions with physical therapists and nurses that I have known.

BTW, I always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.

Any trauma doctor will agree.

It took a long time to convince Detroit to put belts in automobiles. The industry moguls knew seat-belts would save lives, but resisted them because they simply hated anything that would remind people that driving a car can result in serous injury.

It was reasonable to legislate the seat-belt being part of the new vehicle, it was wrong to make their use mandatory. Wearing a helmet in an automobile does not require any action on the part of car makers or legislators, it requires only a modicum of common sense on the part of vehicle occupants. That day will come...

 

[emptysea]

LOL... that day will never come.. .not in our lifetimes. I'm not much of a betting man, but I'd put up $1,000 against your $100 that helmets will not be used (certainly not required) for any enclosed automobile driven in the US or Canada within the next 10 years. Make it 15 years if you think you'll still be on the forum by then.

 

[Blockhead_imp]

I always wear a full face helmet although not a requirement here in Pa.

About half the riders I see wear them. Of those I would say maybe 20% of those go ATGATT

 

[flynrider]

LOL... that day will never come.. .not in our lifetimes. I'm not much of a betting man, but I'd put up $1,000 against your $100 that helmets will not be used (certainly not required) for any enclosed automobile driven in the US or Canada within the next 10 years. Make it 15 years if you think you'll still be on the forum by then.

With the seat belt requirement and proliferation of air bags in every corner, I don't see helmets being required in automobiles. On top of that, I don't know many women that would be willing to muss their hair styles every time the wanted to go somewhere.

I take my helmet with me when I go flying. I had a forced landing / crash about 20 yrs ago where it would have come in handy. Got a concussion and about 60 stitches in my forehead. Now I keep it behind my seat, just in case.

 

[Jim_imp]

I'm from Colorado and rode there from 1968 til 2004. There was a brief period where helmets were required, but mostly not. And I never wore a helmet if I didn't have to. Then I moved to Missouri where helmets are required. In 2011 I got in a BAD wreck. They almost amputated my right foot. And I am certain that I would have died without the helmet. I hit the pavement HARD. And you know- if I ever move back to Colorado I'll probably ditch the helmet. Go figure... but hey, at least I don't' smoke. And you WON'T be allowed to smoke at my funeral

 

[Elipten_imp]

Yes but they smoke a new product in Colorado now and that helmet might be good to ward off the affect of their degraded driving.


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[T30_imp]

Younger me never wore a helmet when I would rent scooters in Hawaii. Current me would rock one now no matter what. I'm just happy I didn't die back then!

same here

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Yes but they smoke a new product in Colorado now and that helmet might be good to ward off the affect of their degraded driving.


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There's actually quite a bit a truth to this statement.

 

[MikeD_imp]

Back when I was in the Army, one of my squad members asked me to help him bring his bike back to Ft. Bragg from his home in Massachusetts. Another member of our platoon who was heading home to NY drove us. We both rode the 920 Virago back, taking turns riding pillion. There were 2 or 3 states that didn't require helmets, so we didn't wear them. It was the first and last time I rode without one. On I-95 South, just north of Richmond, a semi that we were passing decided to come over onto us. We were probably moving at about 65-70 mph or so. We were able to merge into the emergency lane, which kept the semi from running us over. Unfortunately, we were coming up to an overpass very quickly. We couldn't slow down fast enough. My friend locked up the brakes, and we went down on the left side. I remember pushing away from the bike with my feet on the passenger pegs, and not much more.
I came to, hearing someone yelling my last name. I remember seeing stars in the sky, as I was laying on my back in the grass at the edge of some woods. I don't think I was unconscious for long. I got up and walked out towards the highway looking for Thompson. He was coming up the hill from the overpass(He and the bike both went down the hill) with a cracked helmet, and one lens missing from his sunglasses. We decided that we were mostly alright, and pushed the bike back up the hill. It was pretty banged up, but we got it up the hill, bent a few things back into place, and rode to the next exit-where we were lucky to find a station with some red tape, a brake light bulb... We also became pretty sure that Thompson's leg was broken. We had to make formation the next morning, so we got Thompson on the back and I drove us back to Ft. Bragg. We made formation, and Thompson went to the aid station. His leg was broken and he had a little road rash. Other than going out for a couple minutes, I only had a little road rash on my left side. Thankfully, It was November, and we had multiple layers on. I ruined a field jacket and some jeans.
I am very grateful that we didn't come off the bike in one of the states that didn't require helmets.
Now that I'm older, and hopefully wiser, I don't get on the bike without boots, gloves, armored jacket and armored jeans, and of course, a full face helmet.