Cracking down on novelty helmets

[Rollie]

I would never wear a helmet with frills or a spike on the top. If I am sliding along the ground or pavement , I do not wish for my helmet to stop suddenly with my head and neck attached to it , and my body still moving along down the highway.

 

[Casabalvr]

I have been riding motorcyes for over fifty years both on and off road. I don't appreciate having my life dictated by more and more government imposed rules and regulations. That being said if any motorcycle rider doesn't feel the need to wear proper safety gear to ride that should be a matter of personal choice. Party hats...if you have a ten dollar head wear a ten dollar helmet. I do believe however that if a rider decides to take the additional risk the state should require them to carry sufficient medical coverage (should pertain to all riders for that matter) so my insurance company isn't responsible for the cost of their injurys.

 

[vmax1968]

I wear my helmet 100% Living is South Florida is a choice but I don't see no difference from wearing a seatbelt in the cage. Click it or ticket should apply to helmets IMO. Wear it or ticket (let's the debate begin he he) unk:

 

[Fire-medic]

Two FL guys weigh in on the subject. Leesburg FL is HD Central & they have their own big rally which attracts the HD contingent primarily. FL requires insurance if you don't wear a helmet but if you do they don't require it! One of the reasons I live in FL is I can have multiple 1000 cc+ bikes and not get raped on insurance.

Anyone who rides without a helmet has more faith in their fellow drivers sharing the roads than I do!

 

[mzbk2l]

As to the studies and statistics, that is how decisions are made in business, government, and sports, at all levels. Being an academic, I constantly compile and evaluate program issues using statistics. It's what I do, it's what controls decision making and it's what my bosses expect of me.

About statistics, I'd honestly like to know the percentage of deaths of people that don't wear helmets to the percentage of deaths of those that do wear helmets.

I purposefully didn't mention 'societal costs,' how much caring for a severely injured rider totals to for the cost of healthcare. There are people in government and the business of healthcare administration who do consider these things.

A few quotes here that bring up a question I've had for a long time, but I lack the data to find an answer.

Using valid statistics, I'd like to know who costs more in "long term care societal costs" - helmeted or helmetless riders.

I live in AZ, where helmets are optional. My anecdotal evidence from newspaper reports seems to indicate that helmetless riders frequently die in car-bike crashes, while helmeted riders (also frequently die, but) often survive with serious injuries.

It would seem to me that the helmeted riders who survive with serious injuries are going to cost more than the dead helmetless riders, so anyone making the helmet argument based on "costs to society" should be arguing for no helmets.

(AZ may be an anomoly, as most of our roads here in the Phoenix area are laid out in a straight square grid and are in very good shape, with few railroad tracks or other impediments. Therefore, the majority of bike accidents involve collisions with cars, and are likely more dangerous to the rider than a single vehicle crash on a twisty or potholed road.)


Disclosure: I wear a helmet next to never.

 

[timpilot]

I live in the Phoenix area where helmets are optional and I NEVER ride without a helmet, armored jacket, and padded gloves. I ride every day of the year; whether there's frost on the windshields or 115+degrees outside. Everyone has his or her own level of comfort when it comes to safety gear. And whether or not to ride a motorcycle for that matter.

 

[mvmccreary]

I agree with Kyle, to each his own. I bet some war veterans would roll in their grave if they knew how much control our great nation has on our everyday lives. Did any of you read the comments at the end of the article? This was the first one I saw...

“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”
Ayn Rand

That about sums it up for me.

 

[Blackcloud]

I live in WA- about 15 minutes from ID. Obviously I see lots of folks over there not wearing helmets. I rode once over there from one car lot to the next without my helmet on. I did not like that feeling at all.
That being said- I think individuals should have the choice to wear a helmet or not; with a caveat. If you choose to not wear a helmet and get injured- you're on your own. Don't expect the rest of the tax paying public to pay for your choice. Your choice your consequence.

I feel that way about a lot of things though....don't ask about cell phone laws....

 

[Hellboy]

It's funny/strange to me how we, or society seems to always choose a level of decision making or personal choice that we are willing to help with in the case of injury or personal loss. There are many, many car drivers who think that if you chose to ride motorcycle at all, with or without helmet, that it was your choice and they shouldn't care or help if you get hurt. Then there are people who think anyone doing any outdoor sport or activity should be on there own, ie: mountain climbing, why should the public pay to fly a hiker off a cliff to save his life? he chose to go up there he should just crawl out or die. Sailors, private pilots, 4 wheel drivers, campers ( you know Grizzly's and such getting lost)People who choose to live in a tornado zone etc... etc... I'm guilty myself to a level, I think bicycles shouldn't be allowed to "PLAY" the roads. And yes, I think that all of these riders that are riding in all there Tour De France wanna be gear on the weekends are playing. I pay my taxes, registrations and have a licence plate that can be used to identify me, all in order to be able to use the roads and have them maintained, bikes don't. There, I had my rant and I'm sure that will start a whole new debate.
My point is, We are all motorcycle riders and most of us love it for all the same reasons but yet we still choose to decide that what we think is best, is best, and if you don't agree then screw you if you happen to get hurt. What if you're riding with a helmet but not a good jacket, or no gloves, poor maintenance etc...? Do the rest of us still wish you ill will? Not me. Where do you draw the line on someone else's decision making as to when you don't care about what happens to them or there families?

Matt

 

[brad bruggeman]

I just think the government should be consistant with the laws.If seatbelts need to be worn,so do helmets or vise versa!Just bewilders me that it's a law to wear a seatbelt with all that metal around you to help absorb the impact but yet on a motorcycle no protection and that's OK???Go figure!!

 

[Hellboy]

Why not make it a law to wear a jacket, gloves and boots. And while you're at it, Helmets in cars if you really want to try and stop as much injury as you can, race car drivers wear them, it must be safer. That's my point, just because YOU think THEY should MAKE us then you want them to force it on everybody. We're not supposed to live in a dictatorship. How many things do the government have to dictate to us before we have no freedoms at all. Children can't even do cartwheels at school anymore, at least here. Once again, Just because I don't want to wear a helmet doesn't mean that I think you shouldn't either, but for some reason you helmet wearers (not all) seem to think you have the right to force us to think and do the same as you because you are right and we are wrong. Live your own life and let me live ( or die) mine. There are many things that kill people and the chance of me first crashing my motorcycle and then actually dying due strictly to not wearing a helmet is almost unmeasurable.

Matt

 

[brad bruggeman]

Why not jacket,boots and gloves?Because a cracked skull has by far greater chance of death than road rash or a broken ankle!I understand your right to choose.I am just saying that the government is being hypocritical or has a double standard when it comes to seat belts and helmets.IMO.

 

[Hellboy]

I think that it would be safe to say that most people would agree that seat belts do not hinder any of your senses when driving. They may be uncomfortable to some and I wouldn't mind at all if they weren't required. I think Hypocritical is saying that you have to wear helmets on a motorcycle but not in a car. I can assure you, if they tried, the main argument would be that they interfered with your vision, hearing, were uncomfortable, and expensive, That's hypocritical. There is no politician in the world that would take on the masses on a subject like that no matter how many more lives it saved and it would save many thousands no doubt. About 55,000 people die every year in the U.S. in car accidents. Don't get me wrong, I don't think you should have to wear a helmet in a car either, but if you wanted to, you'd get a ticket I bet, and it would be for obstruction of vision or something like it. It either does or doesn't reduce visibility and if it doesn't, and you can save lives by forcing car drivers to wear them, Then why not? Because car drivers don't want to, and there are to many of them to bully around, that's why. If you want to save motorcyclist lives make it illegal for those idiots to talk on there phone while driving. you will all be glad to hear that I'm done on this subject, again. You helmet loving ones just can't seem to say O.K., you live your life how you want and I live mine. It seems almost impossible for most of you to just say," I don't care if you wear a helmet or not", without adding a "but" in there before you're done.

Matt

 

[brad bruggeman]

Affect vision?Not for me but I don't wear a full face.Hearing-possible but no more than loud pipes.Expensive-cheaper than most any add on or goodies I have added to my vmax!

 

[liptoss]

Thought...
If you have a $10 head... then wear a $10 helmet.

 

[brad bruggeman]

Thought...
If you have a $10 head... then wear a $10 helmet.

I would love to have a nice expensive Arai helmet.They make a good one,but they don't make one to fit me.Gotta big nogen,it's hard to find one to fit.I did find a vega that works.Better than nothing.I guess some people are so HARD headed that they don't need one.I have a good reason to wear a helmet.In "87" i witnessed my dad hit a station wagon in the side when it made a sudden left turn in front of him.He had a punchered lung,sliced liver, shatterd left wrist and a CRACKED HELMET but NO head injuries. He was in ICU for 4 days and off work for 10 months.Yes,he still rides.So i would not have a father today if it was not for a helmet.So yes,I am a believer in helmets and i am sorry if i offended anyone.I just don't want to see any fellow rider go through what i have witnessed.

 

[blaxmax]

$10 heads.

 

[Fire-medic]

 

[Dragmaxster]

+1

 

[Redbone]

I was talking to a coworker yesterday where her husband is a second year rider who rides without a helmet. I told her to ask him to jump in the back of his pickup with the gear (or lack of gear IMO) then run it up to 40 -50 mph then have him jump off onto the pavement. I said ask him what gear he would want to wear doing that.