quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
1. Yes, because they do reduce the incidence of head injuries. And, I'd prefer to leave a good looking corpse.

2. No. Same reason I don't believe that seatbelt use should be mandated. The government has no place in telling me how to take care of myself. They can make suggestions, but ultimately the decision should be my own.

YakTrax reduce the number of falls on ice and hence the cost of medical treatment for fractures and head injuries. Should we pass a law requiring people to wear them?

It seems as though many people still forget that it is a privilege to drive a motorized vehicale on a public street or highway and as such the state has the right to tell you to wear a helmet or seat belt. Why should the rest of us have to pay such high insurance rates because bikers do not want to wear helmets?? As soon as the state of Mi. passed the no helmet needed rule my insurance did go up and I do not ride a bike. Tell me why I have to pay higher rates.

Since we have public health care, we have corresponding helmet laws. In a place with private health insurance, I believe it should be a choice. Seriously, we always talk about letting stupid people Darwin themselves out of the gene pool, and motorcycles are no exception.

I used to ride 50/50 depending on the mood, past few years I've been wearing one 95% of the time.

Due to riding dirt bikes and racing motocross for 30+ years, I can not comfortably ride a street bike without a helmet on, just does not feel right - I have separate helmets for dirt and street (high quality full face styles). Have put some good scrapes and broken visors on my dirt bike helmets over the years, wouldn't want the pavement to do that to my head. Is my choice for me.

No, I do not think they should be required, is your choice.

I wear a high quality full face helmet when I ride. I also wear all of the other protective gear. I have had big pieces of gravel hit my face shield while travelling 70 mph. If that had hit my face, it could have been disastrous or at the very least, hurt like a bitch. Even when bugs hit my neck, it stings pretty good.

I always wear a helmet, jacket, and gloves even in the summer when it is hot as hell. In Texas, you are not required by law anymore to wear a helmet. I do find it odd to require car drivers to wear a seatbelt and not require a motorcycle rider to wear a helmet or to not allow car drivers the choice. I always use my seatbelt in my vehicle, but I think seatbelts and helmets should be a person's choice unless they are a child.

It's been 5 years since I've been on a bike. I always wore a helmet, armored jacket, gloves and boots.
Back in 1986, I totalled a friend's bike and if I didn't have the gear on, I would have been dead. Guaranteed.

I can see the comfort side of things, but I'm just not sure it would be worth the risk. I might feel differently if I rode every day.

quote:

People who routinely didn't wear helmets were much more likely to not have insurance.

Don't wear one and don't fit that class. Neither do any of my friends who ride without one.

As far as insurance, some states, this one included don't require insurance.

A lot depends on where I'm riding as far as wearing the helmet. Last year my bike was totaled and it was one of the rarer times I had a helmet on. Didn't go down but it was odd.

You hit a area that is very valid. Drugs/alcohol can play into the stats. I find it odd the younger sport bike rider is under represented. I guess you broke it down into fault at some point? How many of those mva';s were the fault of another driver's lack of attention, or impairment on their part?

that said, there is little downside to wearing a quality helment.

I wear a helmet sometimes, especially on the freeway and in heavy traffic.

No, of course it shouldn't be required.

And the person who first started and those who perpetuate the idea that driving is a privilege should be beaten with large sticks in the town square, vigorously and repeatedly.

I go full ATGATT.

Studies show the chin is 40% of all head impacts, so full face for me. 40% is by far the highest percentage of impacts charted in head impacts.

I also wear full leather, pants zipping to the jacket, 100 joule armor and high end shin covering race boots and armored gloves with the last two fingers joined. This keeps the pinkie from taking a 90* bend in an unintentional dismount.

All the gear all the time.

ATGATT for me in Montana, but helmets are not required here.

quote:

Originally posted by rscalzo:

quote:

People who routinely didn't wear helmets were much more likely to not have insurance.

Don't wear one and don't fit that class. Neither do any of my friends who ride without one.

As far as insurance, some states, this one included don't require insurance.

A lot depends on where I'm riding as far as wearing the helmet. Last year my bike was totaled and it was one of the rarer times I had a helmet on. Didn't go down but it was odd.

You hit a area that is very valid. Drugs/alcohol can play into the stats. I find it odd the younger sport bike rider is under represented. I guess you broke it down into fault at some point? How many of those mva';s were the fault of another driver's lack of attention, or impairment on their part?

that said, there is little downside to wearing a quality helment.

Fault didn't have any bearing. The paper solely looked at whether helmets would have mitigated the outcomes or not. In PA the healthcare system AKA people who have healthcare insurance absorbed $45 million (per 100k motorcycles registered in the state) for helmetless related crashes. In 2012 PA had 400k registered motorcycles....you can do the math on that one. So average Joe lunch box working his 9-5 job with healthcare insurance who has never sat on a motorcycle has to subsidize 180 million dollars annually because people don't want to wear helmets. The real tragedy isn't when people die from head injury without a helmet it's when they live. Long term care facilities saw a spike of about 87% increase in non-elderly residents within a year or two of law change. These sub-acute places charge like $5-10k a week. TBI patients are very costly. the way I see it if you don't want to wear a helmet fine...but if you don't have healthcare or motorcycle insurance coverage (or not covered by other parties involved) you should be an automatic DNR.

He alcohol part you mentioned is very telling. National statistics bare the same fruit. Unhelmeted riders are more likely to be involved in single vehicle accidents, at night, with alcohol or drugs onboard. Cruisers, not sport bikes, are much more often involved.

I'm puzzled by the folks who wear the leathers, armor pants, etc. but no helmet.

Here in NY we are required to wear them. Back in the late 80's I was glad they did! I always wore a full face, and was involved in an accident. According to the helmet's condition, it did a marvelous job of keeping my face from disintegrating into an ugly visage! That is, if I would have even lived through it.

I always wear a full face helmet, jacket with protection, boots, and jeans. I think helmet should be required, although I can say I have never ridden without so not sure what I am missing I guess. I have not taken a spill on a road, but had a bad accident on a dirt bike where the helmet got cracked on a rock. They seem to work.

I have been hit several times going 70+ with rocks, big ass bugs, etc. I can't imagine getting hit on the face without a helmet.

The first answer is 'sometimes'. Depends on where I'm going (long ride vs. around town) and if the bike has a windshield or not. Can't vote, as you have to fill in an answer for both questions.

The second answer is 'no'. As I also think wearing a seat belt should be a personal decision. Just like ones choice to carry a firearm for protection.

I always did wear a full face helmet when riding.
I had one accident while on my motorcycle. I simply lost control on some loose gravel, traveling at 20mph. The damage to my helmet was extensive to say the least, I did fracture my sternum that day, enough said.

I wonder if wearing a helmet were to be made mandatory thus saving lives, medical costs and lowering the cost of insurance would benefit more motorcycle owners overall.

Not just helmet (a full-face one), I always wear boots, pants, jacket and gloves.

Do I think it should be the law? No, but as mentioned above, true freedom means personal responsibility, yet the govt. has placed medical responsibility on the taxpayers and that sucks (for the public to be forced to pay for someone else's stupidity,
-er "freedom").

No longer have a scooter, and don't think it's any of the gummint's damn business if scooter enthusiasts wear a helmet or not. Effing busybodies.