Why?

[Ed62]

I often see adults riding bicycles, and they're wearing helmets. I also often see adults riding motorcycles, and they're not. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Ed

[WayneJ]

Just go down one time and you will always wear one,DAMHIKT
Wayne

[Richard in Smithville]

I often see adults riding bicycles, and they're wearing helmets.

Ed

Not to take away from your post Ed, but what confuses me is seeing a family out bike riding: parents make sure their kids wear bike helmets but don't bother with themselves. What kind of example is that?

[BobSch]

Not to take away from your post Ed, but what confuses me is seeing a family out bike riding: parents make sure their kids wear bike helmets but don't bother with themselves. What kind of example is that?

That's like the mother who drags her kids accross against a red light. Nice lesson there, Mom.

[LinuxRandal]

I believe the laws from state to state, aren't always the same on Bicycles as they are on Motorcycles. A helmet isn't required for riding, it is required for crashing/wrecking.

[DaveS]

I'd say that those that ride their motorcycles without helmets, most likely also ride their bicycles without helmets. (we call this "natural selection" ).

Those that wear bicycle helmets, if they ride motorcycles, would likely wear helmets on them as well.

Regarding parental example: last night we were at car show at a local church.

In front of us, two boys were walking next to their dad, the little one was taunting the bigger one, and the bigger one grabbed the little one and punched him a couple times.

The dad grabbed the bigger one roughly and said "cut that out or I'll beat the he** out of you!". I wonder where they learned that behavior

[Richard in Smithville]

Here in Ontario, the helmet law is absolute. There are no exceptions. A gentlman of certain religious persuasion was fighting the Ontario helmet law where it affected him because of his head wear. The judge in the case ruled that there was no discrimination because of his religion, but the law is in place because of concern for his well being. This law is for everybody and if for any reason a person cannot wear a helmet, they had better revisit what they feel is more important.

[jackellis]

I'd say that those that ride their motorcycles without helmets, most likely also ride their bicycles without helmets. (we call this "natural selection" ).

Those that wear bicycle helmets, if they ride motorcycles, would likely wear helmets on them as well.

I think there's another part to this, which is the way we all perceive risk. I personally am scared to death of riding a motorcycle but I fly a small plane. Others are perfectly comfortable on a motorcycle but would never think of flying in any airplane.

How about the folks who scoot around on scaffolding while building something? Not me, I tell ya.

[LCHIEN]

I asked my friend, a doctor why I should have my kids wear helmets when I was perfectly fine riding around without any when I was a kid.

He told me modern medicine can replace almost anything, now, except the head.

[Hoover]

On a slightly different direction, I had a bad fall in March 2004. I received a double concussion, and a really nasty scar from it. I had double vision and chronic headaches to this day. Please be careful out there. Most head traumas are permanent.

[JR]

I asked my friend, a doctor why I should have my kids wear helmets when I was perfectly fine riding around without any when I was a kid.

When we were youn little kids were allowed to stand on the front seat of the Buick in front of a steel dashboard. We don't do that any more either.

If your friend was an ER doc, he might tell you that 85% of all ER visits involving bicycles report complaints of head injuries.

I often see adults riding bicycles, and they're wearing helmets. I also often see adults riding motorcycles, and they're not. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

The bicycling community demands that helmets be worn. Club rides, charity rides, and races all require it.

As for motorcyclists, see the other thread about "manliness" as it relates to motorcycles.

JR

[dkerfoot]

Here in Ontario, the helmet law is absolute. There are no exceptions.

Of course, in Canada, there is sometimes a slightly different approach to the law than here in the States: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080618...t_080618180800
Sorry - I know that is off-topic, but I was just astounded when I read it.


I used to ride a motorcycle and always wore a helmet. My Dad died on a motorcycle when I was 8, so it is something I have given a fair deal of serious consideration to. Personally, I think helmet laws are worse than useless. If someone is opposed to wearing a helmet and you force him to anyway, he will buy one for $10 at a garage sale. Helmets are good for one impact. A cheap helmet that has not been cared for will do little to protect the wearer, but it does a fine job of reducing vision and hearing. I paid more for my helmet than I paid for my motorcycle.

When I was riding my bike in South Carolina, I had an "ABATE: Let Those Who Ride Decide" sticker on my helmet. I'd get strange looks since it was not a mandatory helmet state.

I believe in good helmets, but not the law. I do however think that helmets should be mandatory when driving a convertible.

[TB Roye]

Both my boy raced road bikes when the were younger and both crashed big time. Had it not been for the helmets they were required to wear one probably would be dead and the other brain damaged. I fliped in a race car a few times and ended up with concusions and I wore a helmet and am around to talk about it. I worked for the CHP for 38 years not as an officer but I did see the reports, pictures and the faces of officers who had to scrape up M/C accident victims brains and then go tell the loved ones that this person isn't coming home. A good helmet is worth it's cost not the cheapo plastic ones I see on many bikers wearing. Should be a law you crash and not have helmet or a cheapo helment insurance should't be required to cover you wether it was your fault or not. My grand kids all wear helmets, I bought them their bikes and also their helmets which they all wear even the youngest one with training wheels. You wear enough it become habit. This also applies to skateboarders.

Tom

[cgallery]

My kids have been so conditioned to wear helmets when riding a bike that they don't want to ride if they can't wear a helmet. This isn't because of anything I've said, it is because of what they see on TV, read in magazines/newspapers, see their friends doing, etc.

I don't wear a helmet when I ride my friend's motorcycle (only ride occasionally). I had a helmet back in the day when I had my own motorcycle, but never wore it, either. I do honestly feel like the helmet restricted my senses and I believe I was a better rider when I wasn't wearing it.

OTOH, I don't think other drivers sharing the road with me were better drivers when I wasn't wearing a helmet. I obviously exposed myself to lots of dangerous situations unnecessarily.

But why don't I use a blade guard on my table saw?

Answer: I'm dumb.

[Rand]

I used to work at Stanford University Hospital. They called guys riding motorcycles without helmets "Heart Donors".

Once the helmet law was passed in California the supply of healthy young hearts got much smaller.