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[Jacktrician69]

Plain & Simple.....let the rider decide !  Personaly I take advantage of the " no helmet law" (when I can) Because I'm "Forced" to wear one in Massachusetts. Not to mention, to me there is nothing like the feeling of the wind rushing trough my hair, and the feeling of openess all around me, but I respect anyone that makes the choice to keep their faces pretty, and brains in tact.  Somebody here wrote, and I'll quote  " we take risks everyday" anything can happened at any time....but here's something to concider....next time you get on a plane, and elevate to 30,000+ feet....why don't they require helmets on planes??   That makes sence to me....hell...that little seat belt doesn't make me feel very safe, but we all fly anyway, knowing the risk! and one more little tid bit while I'm on a safety issue....why do my kids get on a bus without seatbelts, when my state has a " Seatbelt Law" ?  WHY.....BECAUSE OUR POLITICS ARE RUN BY HIPOCRITES !!!

[Midnight Rider]

Every sport where you participate in the open...kayaking, climbing, cycling, etc, etc...the vast majority of people wear a helmet.  Wearing helmets is on the increase even in snow skiing...i wear one. I have a deep scrape mark on the front of it which would have been my forehead had I not had it on when I face planted on packed powder snow.  I am no novice skier, so anyone can have an unexpected fall at any time.  If I'm participating in any activity where my head is traveling at a speed faster than I can walk or run, I'm going to have a helmet on.

Any argument made to say that a helmet does not help prevent head injury in the event of impact is illogical.  Proponents against helmet laws are making their arguments based on emotions and not logic.  If your head hits a stationary object, even at speeds as low as 10MPH, it is going to sustain some kind of more serious injury without a helmet than with one.  Period.  Your brain cavity is not made to protect it's contents when an impact occurs at a greater speed than falling down from a standing position. Even then it can sustain serious injury. To propel it through space on purpose at great speed (relatively speaking) and not protect it...the odds are against you.  Period.

Everytime anyone gets on a bike without a helmet....just take a moment to think about how it would feel if someone came up behind you and took a half strength swing with a baseball bat to your head...I mean, really imagine how it would feel... and whether you feel lucky today, and whether you want to ride again tomorrow.

Oh, and by the way, the second most likely part of your body to get seriously injured in a motorcycle accident is your feet (obviously your hands will be hurt if you go down)...so when you hit the starter without a helmet on, slip into those sandals as well. Then you can get matching chrome crutches to go with that plate in your head.

It's your choice though...and this is not meant in disrespect of anyone's choices here.  I just care about my fellow riders.

[harleyteam]

I happen to be pro choice in just about everything. I will not call you names or make fun of you if you choose TO-or NOT TO wear a helmet. I wear the smallest one I could find. YES I've been in an accident. Helmet made no difference as I flew OVER a car. smarts helped some. just tucked in a ball and rolled.  Different strokes for different folks.

You want to call me names,, go for it. I do answer to A$$hole and proudly so. I believe I worked very hard to earn that. I've also been a member of ABATE for 25 yrs. Education is first.
 
BUT, if everybody took the attitude some of you have,,, it wouldn't be long before we will all be wearing flourecent orange or yellow padded vests and flourecent colored helmets.

remember ,,, big brother is watching and they know how to read. (my turn)

[Chief]

Can someone post the link for the road rash queen we had several months ago?

I wonder what she would have looked like without a helmet?

[Screamin]

I find it unfortunate that some folks want me to wear a helmet for my and my families own good. The idea of forcing your ideas of safety upon me is repugnant. I'm glad some have chosen to wear a lid and it saved them pain or worse, I'm glad they had that option and it worked. When you speak about yourself and your testimonial that's great. When you talk about me and what's good for me, you just don't get it.

[RedDevil]

I happen to be pro choice in just about everything. I will not call you names or make fun of you if you choose TO-or NOT TO wear a helmet. I wear the smallest one I could find. YES I've been in an accident. Helmet made no difference as I flew OVER a car. smarts helped some. just tucked in a ball and rolled.  Different strokes for different folks.

You want to call me names,, go for it. I do answer to A$$hole and proudly so. I believe I worked very hard to earn that. I've also been a member of ABATE for 25 yrs. Education is first.
 
BUT, if everybody took the attitude some of you have,,, it wouldn't be long before we will all be wearing flourecent orange or yellow padded vests and flourecent colored helmets.

remember ,,, big brother is watching and they know how to read. (my turn)

No name calling here...I respect everyone's opinions and desires.  That is one of the great things about this country, we can express that.  Believe it or not, military members have to wear reflective vests, at least while riding on base, and I believe, unless the USMC and the Navy have changed their policies from when I was in (1999 and prior), the vest is required at all times, even out of uniform.   (Remember what they told us, as long as we carry the "green card", we're on duty 24/7.)  They could refuse medical/death benefits if the member is involved in an accident and not wearing the required safety gear.    From what I've seen from most people that are the most vocal about not wearing a helmet, is they simply don't want to be told what they have to do.  Like I said earlier, if it became law in most states that you had to wear leathers and boots, would you then cry that you should have freedom to wear shorts and sandals?  Would you wear shorts and sandals riding a motorcycle?  You want to protect your body from road rash in case of an accident, why would not want to protect that one piece of your body that made you decide that you needed to wear the proper riding gear?  That just doesn't make sense to me.  But hey, it's your life, if you don't want to wear one, that's fine with me.   I'll ride with you and won't think anything less of you for doing it.  
Cheers ,
Red

Here's a link to the Hurt Report:  http://www.clarity.net/~adam/hurt-report.html

[Chief]

I totally agree it is a choice, a very presonal one at that. What I find interesting is the decision not to wear a helmet based on data analysis that a helmet does not provide protection, as if to say, "I would wear one if it would protect me, but since it doesn't, why bother?"

My question to those people is this.... What if they are wrong?

It is a choice, but in using data to support our decisions, we need to consider the bias of the individual / group doing the analysis.

I mostly wear a helmet, but sometimes I don't. In my mind, I am convinced I will be better off with it on my head, but sometimes I decide not to wear one and play the odds. It's more fun without one, but I do feel more exposed and vulnerable.

Chief

[HogBreath]

Motorcycles are dangerous, with or without helmets. When I was 16 y/o I tried my best to talk my dad into letting me buy a motorcycle. He told me he'd rather buy me a double barell shotgun with both barrels pointed back in my face. That may be why at 49 y/o I STILL want to ride. Maybe that's why I don't wear a helmet a lot of times? Because they try tell me I have to.

[mtncop73]

Every sport where you participate in the open...kayaking, climbing, cycling, etc, etc...the vast majority of people wear a helmet.  Wearing helmets is on the increase even in snow skiing...i wear one. I have a deep scrape mark on the front of it which would have been my forehead had I not had it on when I face planted on packed powder snow.  I am no novice skier, so anyone can have an unexpected fall at any time.  If I'm participating in any activity where my head is traveling at a speed faster than I can walk or run, I'm going to have a helmet on.

Any argument made to say that a helmet does not help prevent head injury in the event of impact is illogical.  Proponents against helmet laws are making their arguments based on emotions and not logic.  If your head hits a stationary object, even at speeds as low as 10MPH, it is going to sustain some kind of more serious injury without a helmet than with one.  Period.  Your brain cavity is not made to protect it's contents when an impact occurs at a greater speed than falling down from a standing position. Even then it can sustain serious injury. To propel it through space on purpose at great speed (relatively speaking) and not protect it...the odds are against you.  Period.

Everytime anyone gets on a bike without a helmet....just take a moment to think about how it would feel if someone came up behind you and took a half strength swing with a baseball bat to your head...I mean, really imagine how it would feel... and whether you feel lucky today, and whether you want to ride again tomorrow.

Oh, and by the way, the second most likely part of your body to get seriously injured in a motorcycle accident is your feet (obviously your hands will be hurt if you go down)...so when you hit the starter without a helmet on, slip into those sandals as well. Then you can get matching chrome crutches to go with that plate in your head.

It's your choice though...and this is not meant in disrespect of anyone's choices here.  I just care about my fellow riders.

Of all sports that you could make the arguement that a helmet would do no good is skydiving, yet most professional skydivers wear helmets.
Personally, I love the feel of the wind through my hair, but am nervous enough about the feel of asphalt through my hair that I wear a helmet. Is it a pain sometimes? Yea, but so is being in a vegitative state or worse. JMHO
Rick

[Midnight Rider]

No name calling is going on here, so please, nobody take it that way.  And nobody is trying to tell anyone what to do with regards to what's best for them or their family.

This helmet/no helmet thing spills over into folks getting all into emotions/feelings/freedom to choose/control/non-control.

Do what you want to do, but make decisions about your safety based on logical/rational facts, not emotions or rebellion.  If you then choose not to do the minimal things to protect yourself, and you would rather "feel" a certain way...go for it.  I may personally think you're crazy as a Road Lizard, but I sure as hell won't try to force my way of doing things down your throat.

"YOU" is not a direct reference to anyone other than John Q Motorcycle Rider...

[RedDevil]

No name calling is going on here, so please, nobody take it that way.  And nobody is trying to tell anyone what to do with regards to what's best for them or their family.

This helmet/no helmet thing spills over into folks getting all into emotions/feelings/freedom to choose/control/non-control.

Do what you want to do, but make decisions about your safety based on logical/rational facts, not emotions or rebellion.  If you then choose not to do the minimal things to protect yourself, and you would rather "feel" a certain way...go for it.  I may personally think you're crazy as a Road Lizard, but I sure as hell won't try to force my way of doing things down your throat.

"YOU" is not a direct reference to anyone other than John Q Motorcycle Rider...

Couldn't have said it better myself Terry.
Cheers ,
Red

[Bagger]

No name calling is going on here, so please, nobody take it that way.  And nobody is trying to tell anyone what to do with regards to what's best for them or their family.

This helmet/no helmet thing spills over into folks getting all into emotions/feelings/freedom to choose/control/non-control.

Do what you want to do, but make decisions about your safety based on logical/rational facts, not emotions or rebellion.  If you then choose not to do the minimal things to protect yourself, and you would rather "feel" a certain way...go for it.  I may personally think you're crazy as a Road Lizard, but I sure as hell won't try to force my way of doing things down your throat.

"YOU" is not a direct reference to anyone other than John Q Motorcycle Rider...

Terry, please jump down my throat if you feel I'm off when I say this.  The highlighted passage may be what some people want, or do not want to do.....and they should be free to do that.  Would it not be a fair assessment to theorize that if a rider wants to shun logic, embrace the irrational, and ride without a brainbucket because he simply feels like it (emotion) and/or because he wants to thumb his nose at "The Man" (rebellion), then shouldn't he be allowed to do so?  It is a free country.  To date I've lost 16 friends and learned of 22 injured in order to preserve my freedom........and your's........and everyone else's.  If a rider wants to be emotional and/or rebellious, rock on....Brother.  Heck yes I care........I care about every last one of my friends, and that includes the fine folks in this forum, but it is not for me, or anyone else to dictate how another free American lives his or her life.  I might protest about a decsion a friend makes.......but in the end.......it IS their decision.......and that person is the one who will deal with the outcomes of that decision.  JMHO

[VaEagle]

Can someone post the link for the road rash queen we had several months ago?

I wonder what she would have looked like without a helmet?

Chief here is the link to the thread I started about her. It contains the link to her. Once there if you click on her name you can go to her Myspace website.http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php/topic,8598.0.html

[Midnight Rider]

Terry, please jump down my throat if you feel I'm off when I say this.  The highlighted passage may be what some people want, or do not want to do.....and they should be free to do that.  Would it not be a fair assessment to theorize that if a rider wants to shun logic, embrace the irrational, and ride without a brainbucket because he simply feels like it (emotion) and/or because he wants to thumb his nose at "The Man" (rebellion), then shouldn't he be allowed to do so?  It is a free country.  To date I've lost 16 friends and learned of 22 injured in order to preserve my freedom........and your's........and everyone else's.  If a rider wants to be emotional and/or rebellious, rock on....Brother.  Heck yes I care........I care about every last one of my friends, and that includes the fine folks in this forum, but it is not for me, or anyone else to dictate how another free American lives his or her life.  I might protest about a decsion a friend makes.......but in the end.......it IS their decision.......and that person is the one who will deal with the outcomes of that decision.  JMHO

Henry, please note that I emphasize a rational thought process related to safety, which is a rational concept in itself. The other things mentioned are, by definition, non-rational, as they involve emotions and feelings.  Certainly, everyone is free to follow whatever course of action he/she chooses, within the limits of personal beliefs, society and/or the legal system.  Public safety IS a function of government, and even if we don't like it, it is generally grounded in a rational, reasonable premise, such as helmets protect your head, seat belts save lives, etc.

As I mentioned, I respect anyone's choice not to wear a helmet, or to wear flip flops when they ride.  I just don't want to hear a bunch of whining when their head gets bashed in, or their foot is mangled beyond repair.  Make the choice...live silently with the consequences, if any.

[Billy]

One problem with statistics is you need all the info. Have gone done on my bike at 20 and 45 miles per hour. The helmet definitely helped no injuries other than minor bruises. Now no one has put my info into data base because i got up  picked up the bike and made my way home. No report to anyone except my wife. So no one knows how many people actually have been saved by a helmet. Besides not wearing a helmet is what they call natural selection in the animal world Billy