Motorcycle Helmets

[crokett]

If there wasn't a law in your state saying you had to wear one, would you? MN doesn't have a law and I see an awful lot of folks riding around risking their noggins. Personally I don't agree with helmet or seat belt laws but would still wear one even without a law. Statistically I will live longer if I do.

[HarmsWay]

When I moved to B.C. in 1986 there was a brief time when our motorcycle helmet law was not enforced (successful challenge in court, later changed back). I had a close friend working in ER during that period. The ER staff started calling them donor-cycles because of the extraordinarily high rate of brain dead motorcyclists in their 20's. She still shudders when she drives through states (like Idaho?) where helmets are not required. In B.C. as of 1996 bicyclists are also required by law to wear helmets. I remember the year because my helmet saved my life that year. I asked one of the surgeons how I would have fared without the helmet. He said there was not even a slight chance I would have been anything other than an organ donor. So obviously I would wear a helmet even if it wasn't law. However, at the risk of turning this political...since I believe in a public health care system, I also believe helmet and seatbelt laws are appropriate.

Bob

[Richard in Smithville]

Re: helmet laws, yes I would wear one. A good friend of mine was riding with his wife when the chain on his bike broke. It managed to get tangled in the drive wheel and stopped them rather quickly. They were going around a corner when everything locked up and they were thrown a good distance. The hemets saved them from serious injury. They were bruised and sore, but their noggins were intact.

[gary]

I always use all safety equipment when riding. I worked my way thru college as a motorcycle mechanic. I've seen enough to never get on one without a helmet, armored jacket, gloves, chaps and boots. I'll do that no matter how hot it is.

[tommyt654]

Having professionally raced motocross in the 70s only a fool would ride without 1 on the street. They flat out save lives!

[dielectric]

All the gear, all the time. Heck, I don't even like open-faced helmets, I can't even conceive riding without one. I've "used up" two pedal-bike helmets (unfortunate meetings with cars) but fortunately I've worn out all of my m/c helmets.

I'm somewhat opposed to helmet and seatbelt laws. It seems like a waste of time to try legislating out stupidity.

[Hellrazor]

PA requires helmets for rookie drivers. After a set amount of time you don't have to wear one.

[cgallery]

WI doesn't require them.

I had one, but rarely wore it.

They undoubtedly save lives in accidents. No argument there.

But wearing one, I developed the worst case of helmet syndrome (staring straight ahead, not turning my head at intersections, etc).

Next time you're watching a group of cycle riders with mixed helmet usage, watch how much more the guys riding w/o helmets are turning their heads and looking around, compared to the guys wearing helmets.

[jackellis]

I don't ride a motorcycle but I do bike (at least on occasion) and I wear a helmet.

I'm not a fan of mandatory seat belt or helmet laws because I don't like the idea of a nanny state. On the other hand, idiots who ride without cost me in higher insurance premiums and tax dollars that go to waste trying to save their silly butts when they crash. So, I swallow hard and support some mandatory safety device laws because it is in my economic interest to do so.

Same goes for cell phones, by the way. On the rare occasions when I make a phone call while driving (cell phone is usually turned OFF), I use my headset.

[dbhost]

I haven't ridden a motorcycle for probably 15 years now. I lived in Arizona last time I rode and if I recall correctly there was no helmet law there at the time. I am not sure because I ALWAYS wore a helmet when I rode. Specifically a full Face Bell with adjustable ventilation. Made it much easier to keep the bugs out of my teeth.

If I still rode, I wouldn't care one bit about helmet laws, nor do I care about seat belt laws. I ALWAYS use the safety equipment on my vehicles...

[germdoc]

I wear a helmet while riding my bike--bicycle, that is.

I see people who are brain-damaged or killed all the time as part of my job. In fact, we're in the middle of the trauma season. It's one thing to be killed instantly, it's another to live on permanently disabled and a burden on your family and society.

[Uncle Cracker]

Not long ago, the helmet laws in the State of Florida were repealed. Ironically, the woman who organized the most influential effort to have them repealed subsequently died of head injuries after a crash (no helmet). Sometimes you have to at least try to protect people from themselves...

[Tom Slick]

I absolutely would wear a helmet if there was no helmet law.
I'm a dirt bike rider that rides on the street occasionally. A dirt bike ride is a long, controlled crash. There are only two riders in the dirt; those that have crashed and those about to crash. I ride with more protection than a linebacker as do my riding buddies. I know how much a crash in the dirt hurts. The street is much less forgiving but unless someone has crashed they don't know what they are missing.

Besides that the wind noise with no helmet is annoying after awhile and can damage your hearing, as are the bugs hitting you in the face.

[RodKirby]

Having resumed riding (after 50 years), I can't imagine riding without a helmet - for me, it's comfortable and protects me from bugs, wind, rain etc. I hope I can avoid a crash test

I'm always moving my head and my peripheral vision is good.

In Oz, if you are on two wheels, on a road, helmets are compulsory.

[gerti]

Helmets are like blade guards, they protect. Actually they are more like blade guards on a saw in a shop with 20 monkeys running around. You may be able to pay attention for yourself, but all the other folks out there?