Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives? Who'da thunk?

[Sailor Steve]

Personally I think that's malarkey. I wear a helmet and it doesn't hinder peripheral vision at all. As I've said to bikers at rallies here in Salt Lake, all the claims about helmets being more dangerous are fruitless and avoid the real issue, which is letting people control what you do "for your own good."

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by MaddogK

The narrowed field of vision tho legal still makes me nervous.

Well, it's a good thing I practice advanced rider techniques, like turning my head frequently.

[McBeck]

So the concern for field of view is greater than having the most important and fragile part of your anatomy unprotected, while driving something as powerful as a motorcycle balancing on 2 wheels?

OK...

[Carthaginian]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Well, it's a good thing I practice advanced rider techniques, like turning my head frequently.

LOL- I was taught that turning your head was a basic technique.
Well, actually I was told: "Have your head on a swivel, or have your [CENSORED] on a slab"- but they both mean pretty much the same thing.

I wear a 1/2.
My Dad wears a 3/4.
My cousin wears a full-face with shield.
My Uncle goes bareheaded whenever he can.

I really don't see what the big deal is about people wanting to ride without a helmet. They are grown men and women- or at least old enough to be tried as adults in the event of a felony- and thus able to know a good idea from a bad one (at least in theory). They should have the right to choose: helmet or no helmet, seat belt or no seat belt. I am not a fan of all this 'we know what makes the world safe for you' stuff that comes from the 'Great and Good' under the Dome in DC.

They are now trying to tell us we must by a product offered by private companies. This sets legal precedent for any number of laws that should never be passed... and it started with little 'for your own good' laws like this.

[Onkel Neal]

I don't know, why do they have laws that specify a person must cross a street at a crosswalk, why do bus drivers tell you to sit down before the bus begins moving, why do carnival operators insist you have the lap bar down and locked before the rollercoaster begins...

Like I said, riding a motorcycle in itself could be considered a bad idea, a stupid thing to do when cars are available, but I choose to do it. I guess if a guy insists on upping the risk factor substantially by going helmetless, I won't say anything. Like a lion tamer who sees a fellow lion tamer go into the cage covered with meat, I have to wince when I see it. Buddy, it's gonna be nasty if you ever come off that bike.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I don't know, why do they have laws that specify a person must cross a street at a crosswalk,

Because they want an orderly traffic flow. That one protects the drivers as much as the pedestrians.

why do bus drivers tell you to sit down before the bus begins moving,

They don't. Buses have grab-handles for standing passengers, and they cram in as many as they can.

why do carnival operators insist you have the lap bar down and locked before the rollercoaster begins...

Because they can be held liable for injuries to riders. They're covering themselves against potential lawsuits.

Like I said, riding a motorcycle in itself could be considered a bad idea, a stupid thing to do when cars are available, but I choose to do it. I guess if a guy insists on upping the risk factor substantially by going helmetless, I won't say anything. Like a lion tamer who sees a fellow lion tamer go into the cage covered with meat, I have to wince when I see it. Buddy, it's gonna be nasty if you ever come off that bike.

I feel exactly the same way. I just believe that I don't have the right to force the other guy to see it my way.

[Carthaginian]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I don't know, why do they have laws that specify a person must cross a street at a crosswalk, why do bus drivers tell you to sit down before the bus begins moving, why do carnival operators insist you have the lap bar down and locked before the rollercoaster begins...

These things endanger not only the person doing them, but others as well.
The driver is put at risk by the jaywalker- they must do illegal things in order not to hit him.
The other passengers are put at risk by the standing person- who the driver must devote precious attention to, rather than the road.
The person standing on the coaster puts everyone on the ride in jeopardy, he upsets the balance of the ride.

Riding without a helmet puts no one but yourself in danger- even though you're already in enough danger- so it's not exactly the same.

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Like I said, riding a motorcycle in itself could be considered a bad idea, a stupid thing to do when cars are available, but I choose to do it. I guess if a guy insists on upping the risk factor substantially by going helmetless, I won't say anything. Like a lion tamer who sees a fellow lion tamer go into the cage covered with meat, I have to wince when I see it. Buddy, it's gonna be nasty if you ever come off that bike.

Riding a bike IS a stupid thing to do!
There are no two ways around it!
I'm straddling 1100cc's of Honda's finest, able to do 140+ mph on level ground, and all the laws of physics state that I am placing myself in mortal danger just by getting in the saddle. It's a fact that cannot be ignored... only bound, gagged, and tossed off into some dark closet in the back of my mind for the duration of the ride. After that, I have to drag it back out to my conscious mind, loose it, lie to it and tell it that I love it and I'll never do it again and that I'm going to take it to dinner and a movie to make up for the whole thing.

I have slid halfway down Red Mountain in B'ham after the back brake locked up on me. Only Almighty God kept me from becoming a greasy spot on 280... but I pulled off at a service station, swilled a bottle of Gator-Aid, smoked only the 6th cig I ever lit in front of my father, and climbed right back on. We made over 600 miles that day- and more than 500 was after that.

I know just how dangerous that it is when my Uncle crosses the Florida line and takes his skullbucket off... but he's 45 years old and frankly, it ain't nobody's place to tell him he's in the wrong as long as his riding doesn't endanger others.

[MaddogK]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Well, it's a good thing I practice advanced rider techniques, like turning my head frequently.

Rgr that, according to a study you turn your head 18.1 deg MORE to compensate for the lost peripheral vision

http://www.ncrider.com/Truth_About_H...1_10-22-04.htm

BTW, I didn't say I don't also "practice advanced rider techniques" like you, I said the lost vision make me nervous.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Because they want an orderly traffic flow. That one protects the drivers as much as the pedestrians.


They don't. Buses have grab-handles for standing passengers, and they cram in as many as they can.


Because they can be held liable for injuries to riders. They're covering themselves against potential lawsuits.


I feel exactly the same way. I just believe that I don't have the right to force the other guy to see it my way.

I was going to say common sense, but oh well.

[Codz]

I certainly agree that people should wear helmets if on a motorcycle. However, like many others here, I agree that it shouldn't be mandatory, just strongly recommended. I do support any law that protects other drivers or pedestrians though(DUI, speed limits, texting, etc).

Originally Posted by mazharch

Its indeed correct . Wearing a helmet can save your head from a serious injury during ride. But buying one is serious problem, here novelty motorcycle helmets you can find helmets of your choice.

people should be free to choose to wear a helmet or not to IMO but promoting "novelty" helmets is something i hate and you should not do something so uncaring as to suggest its a good idea for someone to wear "fake" safety equipt and risk thier lives.

there are so many idiots out there who actually think these helmets will protect them yet they may as well wear a baseball cap for all the protection these "novelty" helmets give them.

a novelty helmet cost the same as the average "real" helmet so why be stupid and buy something fake that will kill you.

just my 2 cents

ps- i have survived 7 bike crashes, 3 of them were scarey and in 4 cases the helmet was no longer usable afterwards

[Herr-Berbunch]

He was spamming for a novelty helmet site (I think) and has been dealt with. That aside I'm in total agreement regarding 'novelty' helmets.

Nice to see you keep getting back on.