Motorcycle Helmets

[curleyman39]

True story.
Driving home yesterday and a motorcyclist is waving for cars to stop. I'm the second car to pull over and this poor guy is yelling that he can't get a signal on his cell phone and his buddy crashed. Passenger in my car is a nurse and we both climb the embankment. The guy is lying on his back, next to a telephone pole, has a cut on his forehead, jaw is broken and a lot of blood under his head. He has a faint and rapid pulse but doesn't appear to be breathing. An off duty police officer pulls over as does another nurse. They start chest compressions. The guy originally waving down cars is flipping out because nobody can get a signal on their phone so he jumps on his bike and drives off to find help and try for a signal. Long story short, took a bit of time for fire and ambulance to show up and when they do, they put a small defibulator looking thing (you see them on planes) on his chest and get no reading. Couple minutes later and the sheet is draped over his body. Gone. Don't know the true cause of death because he was pretty bruised when his shirt was cut, but it looked like it was from the head trauma. Hence the question.

[KrakeN]

I don't wear a helmet when riding my motorcycle (big, loud, heavy thing)...but when I take out my little brother's sport bike (750 GSXR) I'm in jacket, gloves, helmet, boots.

The only law that should apply to motorcycle helmets is if you're 18 and under - THEY should be wearing helmets. Past that, we don't need legislature to dictate choices that should be our own as individuals.

[2-6]

no hat, no help.

[cableporter]

They should be required until you are 30 years old. Then if you choose not to wear one it is your choice, but you will not be covered by insurance or law suits for any injuries that you incure because of lack of a helmet.

My reasoning is that when you are young you are too stupid to wear one so we will force you too. You should be mature enough by the time you are 30 and if you are not we will let you eliminate yourself from the gene pool.

Further the American "DOT" helmet standard is antiquated. The helmets made to meet this standard are to the bare minimum. The Europeans have a much higher standard. I personally ride several bikes and have a Nolan, and a Schubert (the German Police wear this one) (which, although not covered by the "DOT" standard gives much better protection.) Before purchase of these Helments I sent a copy of the European Standard to my Insurance company and received a letter that since this far exceeds the DOT/Snell/Ansi that they will consider me covered in any law suit and for any injuries incurred, and, if ever fined by the police for improper protection they will sue the Police Department on my behalf because they are looking for a reason to have the DOT revise their old minimums.

So Yes to anyone under 30
and No for the genetically deficient above 30

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

[2-6]

you sure use a lot of words to say what i did

[cableporter]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

that I'm verbose???

;)

[smeegs]

It's required here in VA, and I think it should be required. It's one thing to rely on your own ability to operate equipment, but another to rely on the stupid motherfucker behind you. I got a buddy who never wore one when he lived in Miami. He lived here for awhile and moved back. He was a little older and wiser and this time he decided wearing a helmet was in his best interest. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be here today. Some fucker sped through a red light and smacked into him. He woke up three days later in the hospital. His right arm had to be totally rebuilt and he has no short term memory.

[n2tattoos.lol]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.
+1

you are a fucking moron if you ride and don't wear a helmet.

[Bam-Bam]

I believe everyone should have the choice, but if you choose not to wear a helmet, than you should be prepared to lose your life in an accident.

They call it "thinning the herd".

[Foetus]

its the law to wear a seatbelt, so why shouldnt it be a law to wear a helmet? besides, not wearing one is fucking stupid.

[TheSNakE]

What do doctors call people who drive motorcycles? Donors. Old joke, but true. It's not if you are going to fall, it's when you are going to fall. Everyone who has a motorcycle knows it. If people want to go without their helmet, that's their problem. I feel the same way about seat belts. Meanwhile, I never wore a seat belt until they made it a law, and sure enough that thing saved my life one day. The question is, does the government have the right to tell us what to do if what we are doing doesn't hurt anyone else? They outlaw drugs because they use the excuse that people on drugs commit crimes. If they are going to make everything that could kill us illegal, then they should outlaw McDonald's, all vehicles that go over 20 MPH, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. Right now there is a lot of pressure from uninformed politicians and the radical animal rights groups, to make owning snakes illegal. They claim snakes harm people and if released can harm the environment. Meanwhile cats and dogs send many people to the hospital everyday, while few people are harmed by snakes including venomous ones. Also feral dogs and cats do more damage to the environment than snakes could ever do. The whole country is full of hypocrites.

[KrakeN]

I understand all of the "yes, you need a helmet" opinions...but my point is DO WE NEED TO MAKE IT LAW?

Do we really need another legislative act in the books taking one more freedom of choice away?

[MattBennettShow]

I was driving to work in Branson, Mo last Saturday and was stuck in traffic for a good 20 mins because the police had the road blocked off. When they finally let us go through, we saw a bike on the side of the road but it wasn't too damaged. A little further up there was a body with a tarp over it and an ambulance pulling up.

I agree with most, it's your choice but you're a fucking retard if you don't wear one. Even if it's for a short ride, a tiny crash could kill you. One less stupid person in the world.

[strommsarnac]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Yea man!! Just like we don't need no one telling us we have to wear seat belts and to not ride in pick up truck beds.

(SARCASM).

Personally, even after years of high-speed bicycle racing (25+mph) and many many times where some stupid car/motorcyclist ignored the right-of-way bicycler, not to mention wiping out at 40+ where I bounced off the front bumper of a car, then bus sign, then a tree then slammed into the front of a house hard enough to cause the homeowner to come out to see what made the noise... I still don't own a bicycle helmet.

But oddly, any time I have gotten on a motorcycle I've always worn a helmet. It was the only thing that saved my life when I wiped out going 55mph on a gravel road in Southern Ohio. There was a hole in the back of the helmet when I took it off.

While I don't agree the law needs to force anyone to wear a helmet, I do think people who don't are stupid. And laws aren't meant to protect against stupidity.

[KrakeN]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Exactly...quit protecting the stupid and let Natural Selection do its job!

[BobRogers]

Ive crashed enough to know I would definitely not want to do it without a helmet. Hell, my idea of no gear is wearing a textile jacket. But it also shouldnt be a law. I used to ride my bike to summer classes at school. Rush hour traffic for 45 minutes never getting above 20 mphs. I would've LOVED to ditch the helmet for that part of the ride.

[pisceschef]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

I think we do. Not that I am in favor of the government taking away individual liberties, but when you look at the whole picture, who suffers when some dumbass lays his bike down (or some cat gets t-boned by some little old lady from Pasadena who makes eye contact with him, and then pulls out)? The ambulance comes, possibly even an air ambulance to take him to the trauma ward, thousands up to millions can be spent in a short time trying to save a life that could have been prevented by an inexpensive hat. All of our taxes and insurance premiums then go up.

So if we could let him die on the road, great, no law. Until then, wear the hat!

[BobRogers]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Good, we should ban smoking and any other dangerous activity that people make a choice to do as well. They cost us a ton of money as well.

[pisceschef]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Thanks Bob. It's good to see n00bs bust right in and make snarky comments because they are so much smarter than the rest of us.
I appreciate you pointing out the obvious. Sometimes when we get caught up making bukkake films with your mom it is hard to see the forest for the trees. Of course you forgot to mention that the motorcycle helmet industry has a little less money than big tobacco.
Oh, and TOGTFO!

[BobRogers]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Not saying Im smarter by any means. I just see this argument ALL the time on many different motorcycle specific boards, and I think its a faulty argument in the grand scheme of things.

[pisceschef]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Check out the big brain on Brad!

Your argument is invalid without tits! Post them or get out!

[motownmadness]

The rider should be able to decide for them self. I think its dumb not to wear one but it should be your choice.