Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives? Who'da thunk?

[flatsixes]

Quiet today, and nothing quite stirs the pot like a helmet law study....

During 2008–2010, a total of 14,283 motorcyclists were killed in crashes, among whom 6,057 (42%) were not wearing a helmet. In the 20 states with a universal helmet law, 739 (12%) fatally injured motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet, compared with 4,814 motorcyclists (64%) in the 27 states with partial helmet laws and 504 (79%) motorcyclists in the three states without a helmet law.

I rode motorcycles for more than thirty years before I finally hung up my pegs about 10 years ago. Came around a blind curve on a country road and found myself staring into the panicked faces of 3 teenagers in a Ford pickup - in my lane. Luck was with me that day. I beat the devil with only a busted collar bone and whole lotta road rash. It wasn't even my worst wreck, but I promised the wife that it would be my last. Funny thing is that, although I started my combo Flying Wallenda/Chinese Tumbler act down the asphalt at about 65 m.p.h., there wasn't a<i>scratch</i> to be found on my helmet when I rolled to shambling heap some 30-40 yards later. Like I said: Lucky.

I liked to ride hard, and I hated bugs in my teeth, so yeah, I would have worn the lid whether or not the law required. But I'd prefer to have a choice - even if I never use it.

What say you?

[Sailor Steve]

The same. I think anyone who rides without a helmet is a fool. I also think anyone trying to legislate someone else's safety is a tyrant. Here in Utah we have a law requiring helmets for anyone under 18. As an adult you get to make your own decisions, smart or foolish. I always wear a helmet, but I like Utah.

[Jimbuna]

Never had the option in the UK because wearing a helmet is mandatory and if I had the choice I would still wear one......been to too many serious injury and deaths involvong bikes during my time as a police officer.

[em2nought]

People that choose not to wear helmets really need to stop making "me" see those "look twice for motorcycles" bumper stickers. Take care of yourself, and I'll take care of myself.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by em2nought

People that choose not to wear helmets really need to stop making "me" see those "look twice for motorcycles" bumper stickers. Take care of yourself, and I'll take care of myself.

The smart motorcycle rider should be the epitome of defensive driving/riding and should expect other vehicles not to see them.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Hitting a bee with a helmet on (the person, not the bee) at 70 mph is bad enough, imagine hitting one without!

[Catfish]

You got it all wrong.
Imagine, you are standing on a high tower, and you have a stocking cap (bobble hat?) and a helmet, in your hands.
Throw it both over the guard railing and guess which one breaks ..

And don't come up with reasonable answers, i am knee-deep in conspiracy theories

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

The smart motorcycle rider should be the epitome of defensive driving/riding and should expect other vehicles not to see them.

Absolutely. Whether on a bicycle or a motorcycle I live by the rule that I'm invisible. Nobody ever sees you, and if someone does it's probably because he's out to get you anyway. If anyone really things drivers should be better at watching out for bikes, just look at how many people pull out in front of a bus or semi without noticing something that big bearing down on them.

Many years ago I was riding in the middle lane of a street that was three lanes each way. Up ahead I noticed a car waiting to pull out into traffic, and a car in the slow lane just ahead of me. Thinking I might be screwed if the waiting car pulled out and the guy just ahead suddenly dodged right into me. So I signalled and pulled over into the fast lane - just a second before the car ahead and to the right did exactly the same thing, obviously taking exactly the same precaution. At the next light the guy who had been behind me pulled up alongside and said "Man, you're good! How did you know that guy was going to change lanes before he did?"

I shook my head and said "I didn't. I just imagined what would happen if he did." You have to do that if you're going to drive a two-wheeled vehicle with no armor at all in traffic filled with steel monsters weighing a ton or more.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

The same. I think anyone who rides without a helmet is a fool. I also think anyone trying to legislate someone else's safety is a tyrant. Here in Utah we have a law requiring helmets for anyone under 18. As an adult you get to make your own decisions, smart or foolish. I always wear a helmet, but I like Utah.

Yeah i've noticed that. No helmet law. Took me by surprise really, i couldn't beleive there wasn't one. Im fine with that, like some old flag/banner i saw in a bar many years ago, "Let those who ride decide".

That said, i think not wearing a helmet is incredibly stupid. I think about the rider, "what, you think your special or something? You think It wont happen to you?" I'll wager that if every motorcyclist was made to view as many accident scene photo's as I have, they'd think twice about not wearing a helmet.

Concrete and steel do not give. Spill your bike, and your head can crack open like and egg, throwing the contents of said metaphorical egg all over the road. Serious as a heart attack, if anyone wants to see what their head will look like, just throw an egg at a street like your trying to skip a stone across a pond.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

The smart motorcycle rider should be the epitome of defensive driving/riding and should expect other vehicles not to see them.

Not just bikes, but cars too. I don't know what the cars are like in A Merica, but here in Europe they're all striving to get a good rating in crash testing. This means the A-pillar (between windscreen and door) is becoming thicker with each new model. In my seven year old car already I can not see a whole car about 15 metres away at a certain angle. People just don't know to move their head to double-check what's hiding behind it as they are so set in their ways.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Not just bikes, but cars too. I don't know what the cars are like in A Merica, but here in Europe they're all striving to get a good rating in crash testing. This means the A-pillar (between windscreen and door) is becoming thicker with each new model. In my seven year old car already I can not see a whole car about 15 metres away at a certain angle. People just don't know to move their head to double-check what's hiding behind it as they are so set in their ways.

Oh no matter what vehicle I happen to be operating I assume that others "sharing" the road are under the control of Chimpanzees(that is actually insulting to real chimpanzees) and plan accordingly.The newest vehicle that I own is from 2000 so I don't have much trouble with the A-pillars well I have work truck that has tool boxes on the sides so that has lots of blind spots I have had several people drive into that truck usually at stop lights where they where not paying attention and my truck stopped them before their cars brakes did the job.That being said most every four or more wheeled vehicle has a blind spot.I personally question the true safety of newer vehicles sure they might be very "safe" in a single crash but what happens when you get hit more than once? Your screwed because all the crumple zones have been crumpled by the first crash and pile ups are very common ask any cop or first responder all will have seen many pile up crashes.

I turn my head to look if I change lanes my daughter calls it "fighter pilot check six".

Another thing that really bugs me is how poorly many people drive during poor weather at least half of people do not turn on their head lights during rainy conditions even though it is the law in many states and many people just keep going 70 or 80 MPH though they can only see a few hundred feet down the road in a hurry to the morgue and foot tag I recon.With the reduction in the margin of error that you get with every MPH and the increase in attention that many drivers pay to their 4G smart phone walking into a mine field is safer.You know they could play Angry Birds by not wearing their seat belt and crashing.

I've always been called 'Stupid' or a 'fool' for jumping out of aircraft while serving in the 82nd AirBorne.

I served my time to protect freedom of choice.
Now if I exercise those rights ?
Again, I'm called a fool or stupid.


I ride without a helmet when the whim stikes me.
I also ride with a helmet when I see fit to do so.

How many proclaiming me a dolt are probably texting or on the Cell phone disregarding those they are about to kill?

I'd tell you all to compress your insights to bullet size and shoot them up the backside of your anatomy in a more expressive way but I'd get some brig time if not worse.

Your opinion is like an arse hole. Everyone has one.
Freedom of choice must be protected even if the choice made could cost your life.

Grow up and stop protecting me!

Or do you want to out law climbing mountains, hang gliding, surfing, and other such dangerous past times?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by privateer

Or do you want to out law climbing mountains, hang gliding, surfing, and other such dangerous past times?

I believe that everyone should wear a helmet when driving in a car. I also believe cars should have roll cages. I also believe bathtubs should have little plastic doodads and we should have inspectors come around and give us tickets if we don't have them. We should not be allowed to make any choices. Someone else always knows what's best for us.

[Herr-Berbunch]

If it was just you on the road I wouldn't complain, all those sports you mentioned would be either on your own or with a handful of like-minded people, when you go out on the road on your bike in sixty minutes you could pass hundreds if not thousands of blind, self-centred, safe-in-their-cages pricks!

I think the only easy to educate these towards bike safety is to get everyone on two wheels for a couple of years before four.

[mapuc]

It probably comes as no surprise when I say that more research results
show that we are not geared for today's high speed and intensity.
Our mental part of us can not handle it.
As a psychiatrist once said in a Swedish TV program "traffic department"
Our brains are still in the time where we rode the horse and cab.

A person who bicycling may show contempt for motorists and the applicable traffic rules. This same person may ride in a car later, and may show contempt for cyclists

A little funny story about double morale In a Swedish newspaper, you could a few days ago, read that 3 out of 4 drivers would like to see a strong increase of the fine rate, to drive to fast for road works and schools
Another study by the Swedish Road Directorate (Vägverket) showed that 8 out of 10 drove too fast for road works and by the country's schools

Markus