Tell The Truth- Do You Always Wear A Helmet?

[rosebud]

Id be interested to see the Poll reflect if that helmet is a Novelty helmet or actual DOT leagal helmet too.

 

Helmet worn 100% of the time.

DOT helmet always.

[Scooter]

I know of two times when a helmet has saved my life. I never ride without one.

[Iowawegian]

:sign busted:Don't wanna tell the truth (feeling guilty about it)but I will, the only time we wear helmuts, is on the interstate. I know...I know...

[MasterGuns]

For the few that replied that they don't wear helmets for whatever reason (and a persons right to choose is in my mind lame), let me ask you a question that I use to ask students that were attending a mandatory MC Safety Foundation Course they had to attend, and pass when I was an instructor in the Corps.....If a little angel, bird, ghost of a gone loved one, or whatever, appeared before you just before taking off on your sled and told you that this was the day that you was going to be involved in a serious motorcycle and they was giving you this warning for you to prepare for this impeding accident, would you:

 

1) Defy even the after world warning you and still not wear a helmet?, or

 

2) Not wear your helmet because you had a choice not too? or

 

3) Wear a half helmet? or

 

4) Were a full face helmet with face guard? or

 

5) Where your knee high 300.00 leather m/c boots, long jeans, leather jacket, shoulder pads, leather gauntlet gloves, hip pads, knee pads, rib protectors, mouth piece, elbow pads, call your insurance company to lower your deductible and increase the other coverages and ask the little angle or whatever exactly where on the map your accident was going to take place so you could have an ambulance pre-staged? or

 

6) 3 though 6

[REDRIDER52]

After a accedent several years back I saw what a road could do to a person my helment (full face shild )was scrached from front to rear would have toren up face and head

[GunnyButch]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I do wonder though when I see someone all armoured up taking a cigarette break, kind of an oxymoron IMHO.

[Gold Rush]

You only have to let a helmet save your noodle one time to make a believer out of you.

 

I went down in gravel September 1978. My helmet split like an egg shell but the padding held together and I'm sure saved me from serious injury. My face looked like I had been in a knife fight without a knife and I broke the pinky finger on my right hand but I'm here to talk about it today.

 

Since that accident I've ridden maybe 200,000 miles and every one of them with a helmet protecting my bald head. To this day that old helmet and the accident report have a prominent place on the motorcycle safety bulletin board at the Air Force base I was station at. If it saves just one life (besides mine) then that pain and suffering was worth it!!!

[MiCarl]

Full face DOT helmet 100% of the time, even when test riding a motorcycle in the parking lot at speeds up to 10 mph. I also have on boots and gloves.

 

When I leave the parking lot I also have the armored jacket (mesh when hot, leather when cool) and leather chaps. 100% of the time.

 

I know way too many people who went down hard at high speed and walked away to do anything else.

[Holly]

About 50/50 and when I do it is a Snell approved, cost a little extra but much better than a DOT. Snell are tested and must meet specs, DOT follow guidelines enforced by manufacturer.

 

[PBJ]

About 50/50 and when I do it is a Snell approved, cost a little extra but much better than a DOT. Snell are tested and must meet specs, DOT follow guidelines enforced by manufacturer.

 

A little over a year ago Motorcyclist magazine published a very informative article about Snell and DOT testing procedures. They found that the harder snell standards actually made an injury in a snell helmet more probable because the harder shell didn't absorb the impact energy soon enough by breaking . The studies conclusion was that helmets with a balanced amount of give distributes impact energy better and that in the future motorcyle helmet might actully be softer than present helmets. Weird but interesting,

[heatonmt]

I wear may helmet or pay for it if Teri finds out I did not. I gauss she loves me.

 

[Jethroish]

I wear a helmet 99% of the time. Either my full face or 1/2. The 1% is riding around the neighborhood just down the street 1 mile to the convenience store.

[wkoepke]

i wear a helmet all the time,and anyone who rides with me. bounced my head off the dirt to many times in my youth to go without it. also wear steel toe boots!

[hig4s]

A little over a year ago Motorcyclist magazine published a very informative article about Snell and DOT testing procedures. They found that the harder snell standards actually made an injury in a snell helmet more probable because the harder shell didn't absorb the impact energy soon enough by breaking . The studies conclusion was that helmets with a balanced amount of give distributes impact energy better and that in the future motorcyle helmet might actully be softer than present helmets. Weird but interesting,

 

Wasn't quite that cut and dry,, Snell helmets actually were more protection against blows from square edged objects and penetration. Some DOT were better against flat objects. And some DOT helmets were just crap.

[Schlepporello]

Back in the late 70's (I believe 1977), Texas passed the no helmet law the first time. Six days later, I decided I'd make a little run down to Pier 1 Imports on my Yamaha 175 Enduro. I walked out without a helmet, mom came chasing after me with helmet in hand and informed me I was going no where without a helmet. I put the helmet on and took off. I went around the corner where she couldn't see me, took the helmet off and secured it to my luggage rack and took off again. The last thing I remember was driving down Van Buren Street by the Jr. College. But the accident I had happened on Wolflin Street, which I don't even remember getting on. I woke up in ICU with a fractured skull and road rash on my back.

 

Fast forward to now.

Thanks to that pesky Jimmy Olsen who kept sneaking green Krytonite into my lunchbox for laughs, I'm no longer bulletproof. Even though Texas has once again passed the no helmet law, I believe I'll wear one now. But whereas I used to wear a full-face, I now wear a 3/4. I've thought abought a half helmet, but really like the 3/4 better. Especially since I found one that fits good. The missus wears one too when she rides with me.

[spear]

Here in Australia it's compulsory to wear a helmet. (Damn - don't the OMCGs hate that!)

Stats have revealed a decrease in bike crash related deaths and head injuries.

Just like mandatory seat belt wearing introduced in the 1970's. Done wonders.

 

No helmet - no brains!

 

(Think about it!)

[EddyG]

No helmet law in Kansas where I live.

I wear a helmet 100% of the time, My last accident ( got broadsided by a Deer ) My wife had a full face helmet and no damage to her pretty face, I had a open face with a shield on , I have a nice scar across my chin that took "More stiches then I could count" quote from the plastic surgion in the emergency room. ( he had to layer stich from the inside out.)

I will always were a full face now.

Thing is you never know when an animal or a car will do something stupid.

[RedRider]

100% of the time I wear one, now.

 

My wife passed me in her cage once when I was not wearing one (at the time I wore it about 1/2 of the time). When I got home, the SHTF (last word is Fan).

 

She advised me if she ever saw me riding without a helmet again, she would take all her riding clothes, throw them away, and never ride with me again. She was widowed once (non-motorcycle related) and didn't want to go thru that again.

 

Besides, I like her in the leather chaps .

 

I will be upgrading to an Aria full face next year. Spent all my fun funds for this year. Were a modular HJC now. ATGATT is the word.

 

RR

[GlennTuc]

100% of the time. DOT Certified and full helmet.

 

Glenn

[IH Truck Guy]

:sign busted:Don't wanna tell the truth (feeling guilty about it)but I will, the only time we wear helmuts, is on the interstate. I know...I know...

 

Please don't feel guilty...It's a matter of choice...Your choice and nobody elses.......

We only wear helmets when they are required or rain and cold weather...

[BoomerCPO]

100% helmet use.....And I dress for the crash not the ride.

[padavidj]

I always wear mine. Working in healthcare you always manage to see someone who doesn't wear a helmet and tries head bunting a tree or a car at about 60mph and loses the hard way.

 

Dave:rotfl:

[wizard]

Wow, I used to know some that did that, a tree up in the mountains, had a helmit on, but only doing 50 or so, died instantly. Another, drunk, no helmit, head first into a semi at about 70, died instantly. My brother used to be head of special procedures at the AV hospital, he won't ride a motorcycle, and thinks that anyone who does is a fool. He calls me a fool everytime I see him. It gets kinda old.

[Stanman]

I wear mine 99.5% of the time. The .5% I don't is going across town to my current employment, less than a minute at 15 mph. The helmet is in the trunk in case I decide to go for a ride after work. I don't do this very often as I usually walk it.

[Lobo Hurfiano]

Always-DOT-1\2 in summer,full in winter. I value the few brain cells I've managed to hang on two.