[lazyrider]

Helmet law

Typically I lurk here as I do several GW boards. But this is one of my favorite subjects. I too prefer to ride without a helmet but am always amazed at the atgatt people and their attitude. If you like your helmet, by all means wear it.:lol: My choice is to experience everything about the ride, if I wanted to be closed in I have a nice truck to drive. Twice I have gone down and neither time was a helmet on my head nor was I hurt. A friend of mine, a retired LEO, was trying to convince me that a helmet could (not necessarily would) prevent me from becoming a vegetable if I crashed. Now, this shows the knowledge level of a lot of pro helmet people. Vegetation caused by head trauma is due to the brain bouncing around INSIDE the skull. I don't know anyone who wears their helmet inside their skull!!! I personally think it should be my choice; I have good insurance and am definitely a donor, which I think everyone should be. I am much more afraid of dying while sitting in my cubicle at work from stress than I am from something happening while riding. I also believe that when my number is pulled from the big hat, it doesn't matter how much gear I have on, I'm toast. So flame on if you must, it won't change my mind anymore than this changed yours . But what I really am interested in knowing, is how much chance of changing someones mind about this do people think when they stoop to calling names and insinuating low iq? Trust me, you have no name that I have not been called worse, and I am more than willing to compare IQ levels as I earned my way through college I am sure I am at of least average intelligence. Riding without a helmet is an informed choice for me, did I forget to mention I turned in a 200 page report on the pros/cons of helmet use in college? Again, flame on if you must, but remember it shows more about you than you may want us to know.

 

[lazyrider]

We have a rider about every two weeks who dies on a bike in Houston. There is one common thread for most. No helmet. So I am glad you have been down and have not been killed. I hope your luck holds up.

Let's do a simple test. Take a 20 oz hammer lift it three feet in the air and drop it own your head. You may not die but your skull will be crushed. Now do the same test with a helmet on. You will scratch and possibly dent the helmet. There is a reason car racers, bike racers wear helmets. You can't fix stupid. But that's your choice and your loved ones may have to live with it.

So how many of these riders can you prove would have lived had they had a helmet on? Hopefully no hammers will hit me riding down the road, but if it is to be?!?!? And yes, racers do wear helmets, Earnhardt still died as do many others. So that is not a good argument. But I still ask why must you refer to me as stupid just because I do not agree with your belief? There is no doubt that helmets will protect from some injuries, I do not discount that. But I am willing to take that risk, it is no different than eating fatty foods or smoking, they both also can kill but most people do them anyway. As for my loved ones, while we all know they would mourn my loss (at least most of them:shock they would all know that I died doing something that I loved. Of course it helps when all of the motorcyclists in my family feel the same way about helmets, even my 70 yr old dad !!!

 

[lazyrider]

The helmet issue is one of the hottest topics and I realize it is your choice by law. I wish is was not.

Actually all arguments are weak as this is much more an emotional issue. But again, you feel that your decision is so correct that you would like to control me :bow: . WHY??? If I wear or do not wear a helmet has absolutely no effect on your life. As far as helmets saving racers, not driving fast (racing) in groups would save every one of them, so why don't we outlaw racing .

 

[lazyrider]

How many... LazyRider, not to flame but that's an impossible request. On the other hand we have plenty of folks on this board that have gone down and have the impact zones shown on their helmets to prove it saved their lives or at least saved them from serious injury. Statistically the face, around the chin and forehead are higher impact zones than other areas. I don't know about you, and it's ok if you don't care how you look, but I want to keep my face looking the same for some time to come.


Live long enough, and we all hope you do, and you'll appreciate the ride just as much with the gear. Just as a car integrated crumple zones to lessen the jarring impact on a passenger thereby reducing their injuries, this is the same throry of helmets... crumples interior shell lining, or shreds outer helmet skin to protect your skin so your head doesn't have to.

Example

Just my 2 cents..
Joe

Well Joe, I know I am not an old timer, only have been riding 35 years. And I never even implied that those who want to wear a helmet should not, I said that my preference with my experience makes me enjoy the ride more without one. What about the fact that not one time has 50% or more helmets passed the mandatory testing to fulfill the DOT requirements? How do you know that the one you bought has? If you look at the testing; price, brand, style not even color guarantee that your helmet meets the DOT standards for safety. That silly little sticker on the helmet just says that when the manufacturer tests his helmet he certifies that it passed, but then we know the manufacturer would never lie to us!
Nothing can guarantee we will not be injured or die while riding a motorcycle, if we are that scared, we should not do so. And for the real cause of Earnhardt dying, I understand very well living in the heart of Nascar country, but it is one more time that the helmet did not save someone. I hope no one ever gets hurt while riding, with or without gear. But my preference is without because I enjoy the ride better. My only gripe is that those that prefer helmets feel they are superior to me and should make my decision as I am not capable. Yet none of them offer to make my bike or insurance payments, just want to tell me what to do :shrug:.

 

[lazyrider]

Here in Southern California you’ll see a rider or group of riders every 30 seconds. Therefore we hear of several MC accidents per day, 1.25 deaths per day (about 500 last year). None of the deaths were due to head trauma. He have helmet laws. If not, the yearly death toll would be in the Thousands.

And what concrete evidence would prove the yearly death tolls would jump from app 500 to THOUSANDS? Sounds like government math to me :lol:

 

[lazyrider]

Thanks cycledude!!

The truth is, no matter what any of us believe, it is unlikely that these discussions will change anyone's mind. But the one thing I do know for sure is that the discussion is a lot more fun than the work I am supposed to be doing!

 

[lazyrider]

According to the interns (students) the head trauma victims are in a State home because their families have given up on them. Which happens in the overwhelming majority of the cases. And in the land of helmet laws, the overwhelming majority of those residents “Are” from riding and crashing a motorcycle without a helmet.

I am not discounting the seriousness of this issue. But when you have a trauma unit, they tend to get people with that kind of injury. Most patients in a burn trauma unit are injured by fire. The term "majority" is ambiguous at best, if there 10 patients, 6 would be the majority and if 10,000 then it would take 5001 to be the majority. Also, if you are in the land of helmet laws, why are they riding without a helmet? Still, I would want to know how many were there as a result of not wearing a helmet opposed to those there that were wearing a helmet and then all of the above compared to how many riders are active in the state? Even though 1 is too many, the percentage would then need to be compared to the percentage of people who have this trauma from other reasons. Just saying that helmets save lives/injuries or anything else does not prove anything. As the old Wendy's commercial said "Where's the beef?"

 

[lazyrider]

Another thing not given near enough attention when saying motorcycle deaths have increased is the number of new, inexperienced riders out there. Every year more people join us, go buy the biggest fastest motorcycle they can afford and think they are a motorcyclist. Don't get me wrong we can all make a mistake, every day :lol:. But there have also been studies showing that there is a high ratio of deaths caused by inexperience. If I pay for the study, then the results will be what I want. The government, hospitals and most of the organizations involved in these studies do control the outcome. So, where is that grain of salt? How many people avoided the crash in the first place because they were not wearing a helmet, oh yeah, we can't calculate that because they did not crash. round and round we go

 

[lazyrider]

Motorcycle Deaths Rise as Helmet Laws Slacken


http://z.about.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/M/J/-/-/JoeRaedle_GettyImages_1280.jpgOne particularly compelling case study is Florida, where motorcycle deaths rose significantly after helmet laws were repealed.

Media sensationalism at work, deaths (not all attributed to riding without a helmet) rose 67% while number of registered bikes rose 87%. Pre-algebra math still works out to a decrease even if every additional death was caused by not wearing a helmet, which is a statistical impossibility!

 

[lazyrider]

need i say more?..........................in europe there is no choice
no helmet is NO driving

One more reason I would not want to live there.

 

[lazyrider]

Most accidents happens within a coupe/few mile from home.[/B]

That must be why my wife wants to move

 

[lazyrider]

Don't forget to outlaw ex-wives, they can be deadly :shock:

 

[lazyrider]

TXREALTOR,

One thing I have to disagree with on my part, I do not think anyone who wears any amount of gear they feel is valuable is stupid, I just get tired of being called stupid by them because they disagree with my beliefs. Unfortunately at 18 degrees, while I don't consider myself a fair weather rider, it is too darn cold for me to do anything other than play on this silly computer. I sure will be glad when it gets warm (50 degrees will do)