The other side of helmets...

[yellowfz]

Coming from a racing background , you always wore a helmet or you did not race , period , end of story .
Have ridden for years and thousands of miles , I can say a helmet is my friend .The old helmet can kill is a thing and was used to sway Congress to pass the no helmet law .

 

[Nastybutler]

i'd say that helmets also help improve motorcyclists' visibility on the road to other motorists. and, promoting helmets also promotes wearing riding gear. that is, if u wear a helmet, then u should wear a riding jacket. if u wear a jacket then u should wear gloves etc etc. it's a compounding effect. so, helmet safety goes beyond just protecting the head.... ***

Every time I'm in AZ or NV I'm amazed at all the squids wearing shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirts... and a $400 Shoei helmet that matches their bike perfectly. They only wear the helmet because it's the law. I'm thinking your compounding effect is wishful thinking.

 

[Spunky99]

Every time I'm in AZ or NV I'm amazed at all the squids wearing shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirts... and a $400 Shoei helmet that matches their bike perfectly. They only wear the helmet because it's the law. I'm thinking your compounding effect is wishful thinking.

I don't believe they are required to wear a helmet in AZ......

 

[Nastybutler]

I don't believe they are required to wear a helmet in AZ......

Maybe it's California?? One of those warm Southern states next to Nevada...

 

[MiltonDorkenhoff]

Maybe it's California?? One of those warm Southern states next to Nevada...

It probably was CA.

I'm torn as to whether helmets should be required or not. Sure, it's about personal freedom - you can wear what you want. But what happens when you crash and become a vegetable and then leech off of society for the next 40 years?

 

[Spunky99]

CA used to not require a helmet at least until 1974 when I went in the ARMY.
Got to wear a helmet here now.

Amazingly I found this tidbit.
Helmets not required in these states with certain limitations on some.

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware (1)
Florida (2)
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky (3)
Louisiana (4)
Maine (5)
Minnesota
Montana
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio (6)
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania (9)
Rhode Island (7)
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas (8)
Utah
Wisconsin
Wyoming

1 Required for riders under age 19 and helmets must be in the possession of other riders, even though use is not required
2 Required for riders under age 21 and for those without $10,000 of medical insurance that will cover injuries resulting from a motorcycle crash.
3 Required for riders under age 21, riders operating a motorcycle with an instruction permit, riders with less than one year"s experience, and/or riders who do not provide proof of health insurance to county clerk. (insurance provision repealed effective July 15, 2000).
4 Required for riders under age18 and those who do not have a health insurance policy with medical benefits of at least $10,000. Proof of policy must be shown to law enforcement officer upon request.
5 Required for riders under age 15 years of age, novices, and holders of learners permits.
6 Required for riders under age 18 and first year operators.
7 Required for riders under 21 and first year operators.
8 Required for riders age 20 and under and those who have not completed a rider training course or who do not have $10,000 medical insurance coverage.
9 Required for riders under 21 and age 21 or older who have had a motorcycle operator"s license for less than two years or who have not completed an approved motorcycle safety course.

 

[linkgt]

Wear a helmet. End of story. A good helmet will give you a good amount of vision. I still cant believe there are people out there who advocate NOT wearing such critical piece of safety equipment. And as someone pointed out here, it's usually by those have "years of experience" (old dudes) and by luck have not gotten into an accident.

 

[kevin8198]

Wear a helmet. End of story. A good helmet will give you a good amount of vision. I still cant believe there are people out there who advocate NOT wearing such critical piece of safety equipment. And as someone pointed out here, it's usually by those have "years of experience" (old dudes) and by luck have not gotten into an accident.

Very true. Head VS Pavement = losing battle!! Even falling off your bike at a stand still it's gonna hurt. It's amazing how easily a skull can fracture. And if it doesn't fracture your brain will bounce around in there causing concussions/brain damage/if not death. Just ask your local ER doctor.

I guess this is America and you should be free to ride in your boxer shorts only if you'd like. But tax payers sometimes have to pick up the bill when you are bashed and bruised in the hospital with no-one else to pay the bill.

I personally have always liked the whole look and appearance of a good full faced helmet. Looks F%^&ing cool and saves your melon at the same time. If someone anyone was to take my advice I'd say wear the damn thing. If you don't want the advice don't do it. I wish you the best of luck. Statistically you are going to need it.:thumbup:

 

[Deleted member 9794]

Sorry but if helmets cause peripheral distractions and hearing impairments then how do the drivers of 40 plus automotive racing organizations manage to do so well while wearing them?

If helmet-less was the way to go then I'm pretty sure NASCAR and Formula 1 would've adopted the practice long ago.....but what do I know, I'm just one of those helmet wearing hippies :thumbup:

 

[BrueThru]

Saying your not going to wear a helmet because its a "safety hazard" is about as smart as not wearing a condom because she "looks like" she doesn't have herpes.

Maybe I should edit my sig..."Life sucks. Wear a helmet AND a condom."

 

[Deleted member 9794]

Amazingly I found this tidbit.
Helmets not required in these states with certain limitations on some.
...

Your list is missing Illinois, there is no helmet law here (also Iowa and Colorado). I think this is more recent/complete:

50 State Helmet Law Review

I think I could get behind Florida's law:

"(b) Notwithstanding subsection (l), a person over 21 years of age may operate or ride upon a motorcycle without wearing protective headgear securely fastened upon his or her head if such person is covered by an insurance policy providing for at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries incurred as a result of a crash while operating or
riding on a motorcycle."​

...which I interpret as saying: Hey, you can be stupid if you want to, but we're not covering the bill. I assume if your bill is over $10,000 for a head injury you're not gonna be able to function?

 

[Fenixgoon]

Your list is missing Illinois, there is no helmet law here (also Iowa and Colorado). I think this is more recent/complete:

50 State Helmet Law Review

I think I could get behind Florida's law:

"(b) Notwithstanding subsection (l), a person over 21 years of age may operate or ride upon a motorcycle without wearing protective headgear securely fastened upon his or her head if such person is covered by an insurance policy providing for at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries incurred as a result of a crash while operating or
riding on a motorcycle."​

...which I interpret as saying: Hey, you can be stupid if you want to, but we're not covering the bill. I assume if your bill is over $10,000 for a head injury you're not gonna be able to function?

i'd think it's gonna be a lot more than 10k if you bust your head open...

 

[leprecaun jon]

i play paintball, i ride.. i do a lot of hobbies, my paintball mask allows me to see almost 175 degrees of vision along the playing field... ( dye I4) which is amongst one of the highest and best on the market... most masks only give you 100 or 120.... some motorcycle helmets do only give you like 155 degrees of a visual field... however you can turn your head.... if your not looking then its like driving a car and not checking your blind spot. now didnt we have a thread about ear plugs? and how they help you hear more of your surrounding? what would the guy at the beginning of this post think of that? it would be barbaric right? hes been riding for 60 years? man when does he ever get off to take a shi*t.... his bones must be stuck in riding form thats like saying ive been driving for 60 years so im a pro... my gfs dad says hes been cooking for 30 years...he never took formal classes and frankly he cant cook for a monkeys ass.... i have been cooking since i was like 7 i took cooking classes all through middle, high and some collage corsses.. it doesnt matter how long you have been riding... if your not doing it right your not doing it right lol

helmets must be as dangerouse as seat belts and air bags right? whats the servival ratio.. between crashes with and without helmets?

"37% increased survival rate when wearing a helmet vs. NOT wearing one
67% increased prevention of brain damage when wearing a helmet vs. NOT wearing one Riders are twice as likely to be in fatal a motorcycle accident in states with no helmet laws vs. states with helmet laws"

Motorcycle Helmets | whocanisue.com

 

[leprecaun jon]

lol sorry tried to fix the spelling but i failed epically..

 

[CrazyCawi]

Did the person who wrote in have the middle name Darwin?

Its okay every you don't have to wear a helmet...self selection is a great way to thin the world out with an already extremely large populous.


Id rather have a helmet and no jacket....then a racing jacket and sunglasses.

I love the duechers rollin down the highway at 80 with there sweet IGOG's from Holiday gas station with there Alpine stars leather jacket and tennis shoes on lookin sweet. How the hell can you see with the wind, it makes my eyes water like crazy even going around the block at 5mph with the wind.

 

[madmike]

Whoever wrote that letter believes anecdotal evidence he's heard is somehow fact. In other words...he's a moron.

A helmet does not significantly affect your peripheral vision.

And it certainly does not reduce hearing enough to create a hazard. FACT: A helmet does less to reduce noise levels than does the windows and surrounding metal in a car. How many auto accidents are attributable to the car reducing noise levels? Exactly zero.

Besides, accident statistics don't support either of his "theories". The greatest cause of motorcycle accidents is car drivers not seeing motorcycles...not the other way around. And I believe the largest category of fatal accidents is cars making left turns into oncoming bikes. None of which is blamable on helmets noise or peripheral vision.

And of course the #1 leading cause of death for motorcyclists are brain injuries. Helmets tend to help those.

Unless that letter author sees a lot of motorcyclists swerving into cars in their blindspots, he's an idiot and a liar.

 

[MistahT]

For what it's worth, I put off riding for so long because I thought it would be uncomfortable to wear a helmet and limit my vision. Well, I started riding and found a helmet that fit well and guess what? I can barely feel it and my vision is not impared at all (that I can tell).

I've never even gone a mile down the road to CVS without my helmet on.

 

[dart1963]

I found his source, from 1997:

Helmet Laws kill Bikers

sounds like a complete rebuttal to the HURT report (excerpts here: Hurt Report Conclusions) with no backing proof whatsoever, just "lets just say exactly the opposite, with no study"

and apparently, John Hopkins has just done a new study: a brief statement, but I can't find the study http://www.lawhancock.com/blog/2011...cycle-helmets-cause-more-harm-than-good.shtml

 

[madmike]

^That letter is even more frustrating. I would love to debate any of these dumbasses in the open in frnont of an audience.

I am always bothered by this myth about the dangers of helmets causing neck injuries. If you crash and the helmet hits and twists your head enough to damage your neck, that accident WILL be fatal if you don't have the helmet on, due to your head impacting the pavement. If their argument is that they would rather be dead than paralyzed, simply refuse medical treatment or have a loved one pull the plug. Stupid.

 

[FitZ6R]

i'd think it's gonna be a lot more than 10k if you bust your head open...

Yeah, I agree with the spirit of making un-helmeted riders responsible for the consequences of their choices, but $10k won't even begin to touch the first day's bill for transport, emergency dept, and scans. Add neurosurgery, ICU, and rehab, and it's very easy for a brain injury to become a million-dollar patient.