another rider killed

[Snarley Bill]

a harley rider swerved to miss a deer and went down and hit his head on the pavement, and was pronounced dead on the spot. he was 33 years old. what really bothers me is a very large margin of the harley riders around here and i would guess at least 80 percent wear those crappy non dot approved skid lids. thats like wearing safety glasses with no lenses, and they put their wife or girl freind on the back with the same crappy helmet. not just picking on harley riders cuz i'm sure there are some metric riders that wear them. if you gotta wear a helmet wear a good one. this happened not to far from where i live and kind of hits home. thought about it all the way home from work this morning on my scooter. i feel bad for him and his family. bill

[Marcarl]

a harley rider swerved to miss a deer and went down and hit his head on the pavement, and was pronounced dead on the spot. he was 33 years old. what really bothers me is a very large margin of the harley riders around here and i would guess at least 80 percent wear those crappy non dot approved skid lids. thats like wearing safety glasses with no lenses, and they put their wife or girl freind on the back with the same crappy helmet. not just picking on harley riders cuz i'm sure there are some metric riders that wear them. if you gotta wear a helmet wear a good one. this happened not to far from where i live and kind of hits home. thought about it all the way home from work this morning on my scooter. i feel bad for him and his family. bill

I'm with you on your thoughts Bill, the little lids cover the law but do little for protection.

Carl

[Squidley]

Had a good friend die 2 years ago because he was wearing one of those novelty helmets. Onther guy on a PGR mission same way, they think they are bucking the system, but it's their families that ultimately pay the price....sad to hear

[Eck]

QUESTION...

Would your Life insurance kick in if you dont wear a DOT approved helmet and you were killed????

 

[MAINEAC]

Are we assuming he was wearing a skid lid because he was riding a Harley or because he died? Because some Harley riders wear DOT approved helmets... Not really sure how a helmet gets a DOT approval because the DOT does NOT test helmets... People die on motorcycles every day wearing DOT approved helmets...

 

 

BTW Missouri is one of most dangerous places in the U.S. to ride a motorcycle, according to a published report and they have a mandatory helmet law for all riders.

Edited July 21, 2008 by MAINEAC

[Tartan Terror]

I think what he is getting at is not the Bike but lack of helmet. After I saw pics of Yammers helmet and how it saved him I was cured of not wearing or wearing substandard helmets. I know you will quote it should be a choice and I do agree but the point he is making is that the helmet could have saved the life but I do suppose people should have the right to sacrafice their life if they choose. I happen to choose to wear a good helmet.

[MAINEAC]

I'm sure Bill will make his point clear when he sees my post... No doubt in my mind... thanks for trying to help out Scott and I understand your point.. I was wondering if he had 1st hand knowlege of this particular accident of if he was speculating... I know the non-motorcycling public likes to divulge in speculation but don't expect it from our brethen.

[SaltyDawg]

It is a sad situation for sure. We had a young Marine killed over the weekend on the road I take every day to and from work. An 84 year old women pulled out in front of him. He was killed instantly and all they cited her for was failure to yield. Of course she said she didn't see him. Why on earth would you say different, even if you did see him.

 

I don't know if he was wearing proper PPE or what he was riding on, but I do know that Marines he was a 2nd LT, are required to wear proper PPE to include helmet, jacket, hard sole shoes and full finger gloves at ALL TIMES. And it is possible that the insurance will not pay up if they are not wearing it. I know of some Marines who were not wearing proper PPE and were injured. They ended up having to pay for their medical bills.

[oldandcrotchety]

There's no helmet law here in Arkansas, and I would guess that about 80 or 90 percent of the riders that I see don't wear one. I would probably be dead right now but for the fact that I was wearing one when I had a bad wreck years ago. The helmet was totally trashed, with the right side worn down to almost nothing from sliding on the highway, but my head was totally uninjured. Can't say the same about the rest of me, though. I still can't straighten my right arm out all the way. I always wear mine, but I'm guilty of not wearing any other protective gear except a leather jacket when the weather is cool enough. What makes me cringe is to see a bike go by with the rider wearing no helmet, no shirt and the gal on the back wearing a bikini and flip-flops. I know I'm just as bad in my jeans and short sleeve shirt, but it's just the image I get in my mind when i imagine those folks sliding across the pavement at 60mph.

[Eck]

 

Not really sure how a helmet gets a DOT approval because the DOT does NOT test helmets...

 

 

The DOT simply sets the standards, and allows manufacturers to do their own certification.

If a manufacturer determines that their helmet meets the DOT standards, they can put a "DOT" label on the helmet.

Shame on them if the DOT label is on the helmet and the helmet does NOT meet the DOT standard...Someone could end up with some $$$...

[Eddy]

There seems to be as lot of motorcycle accidents this year in our local area. All of the serious injuries and deaths have been head injuries and none of them were wearing helmets. I know they're hot in the summer but my wife and I wear Full face helmets, textile jackets with armor, gloves and over the ankle boots and hope we don't need them too often.

Eddie

[MAINEAC]

O&C maybe in your riding circle it's 80 - 90% no helmet or at least it seems that way.. But I think most Helmet Law Free states report around 50% Helmet use.. I think it's mostly educated guessing as some riders wear them sometimes... Maybe they go by accident reports... I'm not sure.

[Squidley]

I would like to think that anyone that has every been down on a bike knows the importance of a good helmet. I doubt that I would be here today if I wasn't wearing one the 2 times I have been down

[Carbon_One]

I would like to think that anyone that has every been down on a bike knows the importance of a good helmet. I doubt that I would be here today if I wasn't wearing one the 2 times I have been down

 

I'll 2nd Brad here. My very 1st bike accident happened as a teenager. broadsided a car that ran a stop sign at 40mph. No helmets for me or my younger brother who was a passenger. We we lucky that day. I rolled over the car hood and other than bruises was fine. Brother had a broken ankle and mild concussion. Since that fatefull I have always worn a good quality helmet. As others here have said it's saved at least my noggin several times after going down over the years. Now if I would ever wear all the gear all the time I'd be better protected. But the mind don't like the body overheated so off come the layered clothes.

Larry

[MAINEAC]

There seems to be as lot of motorcycle accidents this year in our local area. All of the serious injuries and deaths have been head injuries and none of them were wearing helmets. I know they're hot in the summer but my wife and I wear Full face helmets, textile jackets with armor, gloves and over the ankle boots and hope we don't need them too often.

Eddie

 

From the KY Post refering to motorcycle fatalities in KY so far in 2008:

Of the 38 motorcycle fatalities, 21 were not wearing helmets.

 

http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=215690d4-7340-4c27-b2c9-28dfb568e75d

 

 

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story... eh Eddy

[wizard]

I really would'nt say it was the type of helmet that kills, but the lady that turned in front of the biker, or the deer that ran in front of him, or the tire that that failed to grip in the rain. I'm sure we all have had friends die on bikes, wearing helmets or not.

[Snarley Bill]

I'm sure Bill will make his point clear when he sees my post... No doubt in my mind... thanks for trying to help out Scott and I understand your point.. I was wondering if he had 1st hand knowlege of this particular accident of if he was speculating... I know the non-motorcycling public likes to divulge in speculation but don't expect it from our brethen.

don't think i said what type of helmet he was wearing. i was making a totally different point from my personal observations. this is major harley country i would guess probably 75 percent of all the bikes in my area are harleys ,and most of the harley riders in my area are wanna be bikers and think ya got to be a bad ass to ride one. i know some good harley riders. i've had 4 harleys and would buy another one if they had something to offer that i like. it's the weekend warriors that ruin it for all the good harley riders.i rode harleys in the early sixties and belonged to a motorcycle gang. so i know all about the wannabes. i was also anti helmet. good thing missouri passed the helmet law cuz my wife would probably be dead or a vegetable now. we hit some gravel and she hit her head on the pavement, tore her shoes off, and tore the back out of her ski jacket. caved the back of her helmet in. i know so many anti helmet people that have been there done that and swear by helmets now. i care about my wifes well being and i care about mine because i owe it to her to be there for her and not in a box. maineac, i think your looking for an argument and as far as i'm concerned you just don't have one. i've been around many a block on all kinds of bikes, and had to learn alot the hard way. snarley bill

[Guest texasyamahamama]

My Dad always told my sister, brothers and me to spend on a helmet whatever you think your head's worth. Nobody else may think mines worth much, but I like it. So I buy the best helmet I can afford.

[SilvrT]

My Dad always told my sister, brothers and me to spend on a helmet whatever you think your head's worth. Nobody else may think mines worth much, but I like it. So I buy the best helmet I can afford.

 

 

ahem!... now let's see... according to that, my head is worth $99

 

:rotf:

[MAINEAC]

Bill everytime I post to your threads you think I'm looking for an argument.. I thought this was a disscusion Forum where people exchange views and opinions.. I guess I mis-read your post by thinking you were insinuating the rider was wearing a skid lid... But I bet I'm not the only one who connected the dots.

 

BTW I'm not Anti Helmet... I'm against the government telling me I have to wear one...

 

With your accident I can see why you wear a helmet... I'm just not sure why you care if I wear one or not... Alot of these "weekend warrior" accidents could be avoided with some proper training... No helmets in the world can save some of these bad riders.

 

For the record... I've got over 2 million miles on 22 - 2 wheels and everything in between and have owned a few Harleys too.. Not sure what this has to do with the discussion but you brought up the History... So please don't try to dismiss me like I'm some kind of greenhorn..

Edited July 21, 2008 by MAINEAC

[FJR Rider]

are wanna be bikers and think ya got to be a bad ass to ride one. i know some good harley riders. ..... early sixties and belonged to a motorcycle gang. so i know all about the wannabes.

 

Bad ass in the 60s and 70s didn't necessarily mean Harley. Those of us who've been around long enough know that many of the bad ass bikers of the 60s, 70s, and even the early 80s rode chopped Triumphs, BSAs, and when the Honda 750 came out, chopped Honda 750s. Yes there were some HD loyalists back then, but bad ass bikers rode what they could get cheap or steal,....HD didn't really become the "thing" until Regan put the tariffs on the Jap bikes and the HD Marketing group cranked up the volume. Don't believe me, start pulling out some of those old chopper rags from the 60 and 70s and see how many bad ass bikers wearing colors are astride something other than an HD.

 

Curt

[Black Owl]

Bad ass in the 60s and 70s didn't necessarily mean Harley. Those of us who've been around long enough know that many of the bad ass bikers of the 60s, 70s, and even the early 80s rode chopped Triumphs, BSAs, and when the Honda 750 came out, chopped Honda 750s. Yes there were some HD loyalists back then, but bad ass bikers rode what they could get cheap or steal,....HD didn't really become the "thing" until Regan put the tariffs on the Jap bikes and the HD Marketing group cranked up the volume. Don't believe me, start pulling out some of those old chopper rags from the 60 and 70s and see how many bad ass bikers wearing colors are astride something other than an HD.

 

Curt

 

Well Curt, I'm never going to admit that I recall the early 60's, but you are right on target.

 

Funny thing, Sonny Barger has stated publically, that if it had been up to him, the bike of choice for the Hells Angels would have been a Honda.... Go figure. My choice back then was the Triumph 650 Twin.

 

But you folks are muuuuuuuuch older them me.

 

Edited July 22, 2008 by Black Owl

[Squidley]

But you folks are muuuuuuuuch older them me.

 

 

By like what.....4 days

[Black Owl]

By like what.....4 days

 

 

He77, even an hour would qualify.....

 

[Orrin]

I think most of you know how I feel about helmets and protective gear. I always wear it. I don't have a problem with the government telling us we have to wear a helmet. The government tells us we can't drive drunk, too.

 

It is not just the cost to the rider, but also his family, friends, and amount we spend on his health care if he or she is not killed. Please think about it. Motorcycles leave us awfully exposed, so why not use all of the protection you can get.

 

Just my 2 cents.