Center for Disease Control Considers Helmetless Motorcyclists an Epidemic

[Yammer Dan]

Here's the problem, I agree they ( the goverment ) should not have to make it a law not to ride without a helmet, not to work in a work zone without a hard hat, not to text while driving, not to drink and drive, not to speed in school zones or in towns. But a lot of people don't have common sense, freedom isn't doing anything you want. Laws are made to protect the many from the few.

 

AMEN!!

 

 

That'll warm things up!!

[steamer]

please pass the popcorn. oh, and another beer please. This is getting good.

[playboy]

[Guest scarylarry]

please pass the popcorn. oh, and another beer please. This is getting good.

 

I'm out of butter

[saddlebum]

Individuals who smoke probably know by now that smoking is a serious health risk. I don't need to tell them that. Folks who ride without a helmet probably know what will happen in even a minor accident when their head hits something. I don't need to tell them that either. Making the argument that we all will share in their increased health care costs for dangerous/unhealthful behavior opens the gate to a mighty slippery slope. Tying behavior to health care costs allows the government to regulate almost all behavior from drinking sodas (See New York city), to what we eat, wear, ride, drive. This list could be endless. For myself, I really do not want that intimate of a relationship with my government. As an adult, I want to be able to make my own choices and live with the consequences, both good and bad, of those choices.

But what if the consquences of your choice affects others? You would have no problem, risking putting your family members, in the position of having to give up their lives, to care for you the rest of your life, in the event of a brain injury? Freedom or not I see that as a bit of a selfish act.

 

Now I realize one could ask, then why ride a motorcycle at all? Fair enough. That is a fair question to which I would have a hard time coming up with an acceptable answer for. But why increase the risk if there is no real need? Would it not better to protect oneself and their family from bad results as much as possible, when indulging in a higher than normal risky activity?

 

I myself gave up riding while raising kids for this very reason. I am not saying everyone should. This was just my personal choice. Now that my kids have grown and are able to look after themslves, I have returned to riding, and may I add love every moment of it. However, I will still wear a helmet to reduce the chances of them having to care for me prematurely.

 

I would love to ride with the wind going through my hair as much as anyone but maybe because there is little of it left wearing a helmet has become an easier decision.

Edited August 4, 2012 by saddlebum

[saddlebum]

 

Coming to town near you, if you are in a wreck and they pull your phone and you are texting you will NOT be covered..

That is coming in the future for Ins policies according to my agent at Farm Bureau..

Works for me something needs to be done to discourage this deadly practice.

 

I MYSELF think texting and driving should be treated like a DUI...Riding a lot at night I see more lane weavers and you know what they are doing cause you can see that bright phone light in the car..

I myself believe it is even worse than DUI and should be treated more harshly then DUI

[Guest scarylarry]

Who was the member here that a texting teenager took out a few years ago, he lived in Va. is all I can remember of him

[rickardracing]

I wear a brain bucket simply because it does not feel natural for me to ride without one. If my wife had not been wearing one when she went down on her 750, she would have died at the scene. She hit the pavement with her head and shoulder at the same time. Results, survived with a concussion, bruised shoulder (she was wearing her leather), torn acl in left knee and broken toe. NOW, this is my feelings. If I go down on my scoot and the helmet keeps me alive but I end up either a parapalegic or a quadrapalegic.......I hope my helmet either comes off or splits in half and I die at the scene. I would not want to live the rest of my days in a wheel chair and will not. But that's my feelings nobody elses and so be it.

[Yammer Dan]

 

Works for me something needs to be done to discourage this deadly practice.

 

 

I myself believe it is even worse than DUI and should be treated more harshly then DUI

 

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that::sign yeah that:

[CaptainJoe]

:sign yeah that:That was saddleums post but I also agree!!!

[Bones]

It has been said there are more head injuries of automobile occupants than motorcycle riders in any given year. Should we not then be wearing helmets in car's to prevent those injuries?

 

-------> Throwing another 6-pack on the table...

[CaptainJoe]

The way the streets are getting anymore?

 

 

Absolutley!

[saddlebum]

I wear a brain bucket simply because it does not feel natural for me to ride without one. If my wife had not been wearing one when she went down on her 750, she would have died at the scene. She hit the pavement with her head and shoulder at the same time. Results, survived with a concussion, bruised shoulder (she was wearing her leather), torn acl in left knee and broken toe. NOW, this is my feelings. If I go down on my scoot and the helmet keeps me alive but I end up either a parapalegic or a quadrapalegic.......I hope my helmet either comes off or splits in half and I die at the scene. I would not want to live the rest of my days in a wheel chair and will not. But that's my feelings nobody elses and so be it.

With regards to the above statement, the three people I mentioned earlier escaped bodily injury outside of a few scrapes but because of not wearing a helmet they suffered severe brain injury. I myself over the course of 40 years have had two road accidents (not my Fault) and two bad wipeouts while motorcrossing (definitly my fault), all of which I was fortunate enough to walk away from with nothing more than some bad scrapes, because I had worn a helmet. Helmets are not foolproof but they do make a difference.

[Yammer Dan]

With regards to the above statement, the three people I mentioned earlier escaped bodily injury outside of a few scrapes but because of not wearing a helmet they suffered severe brain injury. I myself over the course of 40 years have had two road accidents (not my Fault) and two bad wipeouts while motorcrossing (definitly my fault), all of which I was fortunate enough to walk away from with nothing more than some bad scrapes, because I had worn a helmet. Helmets are not foolproof but they do make a difference.

 

 

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that:Again!! I have about three helmets that I know have saved me great harm. It seems every time you go down hard that mellon smacks something. I rode hard for a lot of years and walked away from a few I shouldn't have needing another helmet.

 

I don't ride like that any more!!! Ask the Warden.... I'm not good at All The Gear All The Time but I wear a Lid!!

[saddlebum]

It has been said there are more head injuries of automobile occupants than motorcycle riders in any given year. Should we not then be wearing helmets in car's to prevent those injuries?

 

-------> Throwing another 6-pack on the table...

Percentage wise or in shear numbers ......Don't forget the number of cars on the road far out number the number of motorcycles by an extreme long shot.

[XV1100SE]

I agree that to a certain extent individuals should have their freedom to choose how they want to live... but....

 

Seat belts in cars - occupants thrown from cars was one of the reasons mandatory seat belts was started, as well as the fact that in a crash it helps to restrain occupants from being thrown thru the windshield or bounced around inside the car and becoming injured. Air bags prevent the driver from being thrown against the steering wheel for example.

 

At one time some "expert" suggested seat belts on bikes.... obviously not a rider. Airbags on bikes sound like a weird idea but if they save a life, why not?

 

Helmets - doesn't take much to sustain a head injury and they do reduce the impact to the head (spread out the impact across a broader area to dissipate the force). Bicyclists were shown to experience fewer head injuries due to helmets and they don't go nearly as fast as motorcyclists. Riding (even in a parking lot) doesn't feel right without a helmet to me. When I've been in States where helmets were optional I still wear one.

 

Leathers - I think it is stupid of people I see wearing shorts or sandals on a bike but I'll ride in a t-shirt and jeans when it is hot. Tests show that jeans will only last about 6' in a slide at 60mph. Am I protected by jeans ? NOT. There has been talk over the years about making leathers mandatory biker equipment (proper motorcycle leather will last 80' in a 60mph slide) but it has never gone forward. Should leathers be mandatory? Could use the same argument for mandatory leathers as they do for helmets. I think more of us on this site would argue against mandatory leathers than we do for mandatory helmets but the same safety factor applies. Do leathers provide 100% prevent road rash - no - but road rash isn't a killer. Helmets cannot provide 100% protection but they do reduce the likely hood of brain injury or death.

[rickardracing]

I agree that to a certain extent individuals should have their freedom to choose how they want to live... but....

 

Seat belts in cars - occupants thrown from cars was one of the reasons mandatory seat belts was started, as well as the fact that in a crash it helps to restrain occupants from being thrown thru the windshield or bounced around inside the car and becoming injured. Air bags prevent the driver from being thrown against the steering wheel for example.

 

At one time some "expert" suggested seat belts on bikes.... obviously not a rider. Airbags on bikes sound like a weird idea but if they save a life, why not?

 

Helmets - doesn't take much to sustain a head injury and they do reduce the impact to the head (spread out the impact across a broader area to dissipate the force). Bicyclists were shown to experience fewer head injuries due to helmets and they don't go nearly as fast as motorcyclists. Riding (even in a parking lot) doesn't feel right without a helmet to me. When I've been in States where helmets were optional I still wear one.

 

Leathers - I think it is stupid of people I see wearing shorts or sandals on a bike but I'll ride in a t-shirt and jeans when it is hot. Tests show that jeans will only last about 6' in a slide at 60mph. Am I protected by jeans ? NOT. There has been talk over the years about making leathers mandatory biker equipment (proper motorcycle leather will last 80' in a 60mph slide) but it has never gone forward. Should leathers be mandatory? Could use the same argument for mandatory leathers as they do for helmets. I think more of us on this site would argue against mandatory leathers than we do for mandatory helmets but the same safety factor applies. Do leathers provide 100% prevent road rash - no - but road rash isn't a killer. Helmets cannot provide 100% protection but they do reduce the likely hood of brain injury or death.

 

 

 

Yeah, I want to wear full leather on a 90 degree day. I do not wear shorts and sandles. Jeans and riding boots. But full leather? In the summer? Let's see.....07' Venture with matching trailer for sale..............................

[Squidley]

Folks this is a hot issue, and one that has been hashed out here before. We all have our views, and for the most part, we are very passionate when it comes to anyone forcing their will on us. I see feathers getting ruffled right now. This thread is still here because it hasn't got ugly yet, but I see some tempers already rising. Please keep it civil and dont start any personal attacks....dont forget that your burning your popcorn.

[XV1100SE]

... This thread is still here because it hasn't got ugly yet, but I see some tempers already rising. Please keep it civil and dont start any personal attacks....dont forget that your burning your popcorn.

 

 

Don't think tempers are rising on this. I think we all agree that we all need personal freedom to choose what we think is best for each of us. I wear a helmet but if someone else chooses not to that is their choice.

 

My comment on leathers was directed at myself. I wear a helmet but don't wear leathers when its hot. Leathers provide more protection than denim but I still choose not to wear leathers unless it is cold out. Double standard on my part.

 

Should government enforce leathers ? I hope not ! Should States/Provinces enforce helmet use? If I say yes then I am being a hypacrite when I say no to leathers considering both provide protection.

 

From what I've seen being in States where helmet use is not mandatory, the majority of riders had helmets. Just saying but don't have "official" stats on it.

[Bones]

Percentage wise or in shear numbers ......Don't forget the number of cars on the road far out number the number of motorcycles by an extreme long shot.

 

Sheer numbers of course. You actually make the point that because there are more cars then there will likely be more head injuries perhaps mitigated by helmet use. I wonder how all the automobile operators will like having to wear helmets if it were instituted. If there is a great number that would agree to it and like being protected then why do they not already wear them... hmm.