Tell The Truth- Do You Always Wear A Helmet?

[Galapagos]

Justy as a footnote and to tell how great a Bell helmet is I have a true story. I was riding my Husqvarna 400 in a heat and was presented with hitting the mud or climbing a small hill through the brush. I chose the brush. Then I found out that someone had left a cement block in the brush.

I remember hitting the block and it got quiet.

I remember looking over at my bike and watching it slowly turning over in the air.

I remember the hard crash that rang my bell when my head hit that block on desent.

I remember getting up and dusting myself off and running to the bike to shut it off.

I remember looking at my Bell helmet with the horrible gash in the side and thanking the Almighty for breathing another day.

 

I also am a fan of HJC helmets.

[Yama Mama]

Thanks for all the great stories about how a helmet has saved you from serious bodily damage. I wear my helmet all the time now, however there are times when my head is so irritated by it that I have to take it off for relief, this is usually in the high temps. I have been wanting to get me a new one, but it has not happened as yet. There are still times that Moped decides he is not going to wear his helmet, usually on short shopping trips. He always wears it when we are on the Interstate however!

Keep the stories and opinions coming.

Yama Mama:223:

[twigg]

Thanks for all the great stories about how a helmet has saved you from serious bodily damage. I wear my helmet all the time now, however there are times when my head is so irritated by it that I have to take it off for relief, this is usually in the high temps. I have been wanting to get me a new one, but it has not happened as yet. There are still times that Moped decides he is not going to wear his helmet, usually on short shopping trips. He always wears it when we are on the Interstate however!

Keep the stories and opinions coming.

Yama Mama:223:

 

Here is a little info for your other half

 

Most accidents happen within three miles of home. A blow on the head at as little as 10 mph can kill.

 

Might help persuade him.

[Jus Monkeyin Around]

Tried not wearing one once didnt like it....So YES I always wear a helmet and any passenger of mine will to...

[revinger]

YES. hit a dog about 20 years ago running 40mph. went over handlebars and airborne for some distance. taekwondo and judo fallbmode kicked in. I tucked and rolled purely instinctively and tumbled down the road a fair distance.

 

last thoughts were, this is going to hurt. I remember bouncing down the pavement and counting my head flopping back hitting pavement 3 distinct times. the nicks in the helmet from the asphalt said it all.

 

I was sore, got an ambulance ride out of it, every muscle in my body was sore for a week and was on crutches from both ankles being seriously sprained. but my brain was intact and still in it's container.

 

bob

Marshall

[turbota2]

I never used to wear one. A few years back I decided to start wearing a helmet. Now it is 100%.

I lost a close friend that got hit by someone crossing lanes to get off the hiway. He was wearing one of the "German war helmets" with the snap clip to hold it on. When he was hit the snap came loose and the helmet took off. Except for the head damage Dick only had brusises. Had he had a good helmet on he would be alive today.

Wear a good helmet.

Wayne

[thughes]

Required in NY but I would wear all the time anyway, got a 12 y/o daughter and would like to be there to give her away at her wedding someday.

[Guest RBLR Dave]

I have to wear a skid lid - its the law in the UK and mainland europe

[Galapagos]

Always. Even when I'm sitting in the garage making those vroom vroom noises in the dead of winter...

 

I know the feeling. Sitting on the bike in the garage.

Bouncing up and down on the seat.

Two big fans blowing on you to simulate the wind.

Steppenwolf 'Born to be Wild" playing on the CD player.

Your girlfriend using a slingshot to shoot bugs at your facesheild.

 

AHHH, garage riding in the Ohio winter.

 

 

BTW, I do wear a helmet 99% of the time.

 

MoS

[Guest Swifty]

interesting twist of irony...and fate:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j5QJwnHv-tPuOjeymCAL6yDtFRQw?docId=c8cd24dbcab84836a8a396bbb6bca410

[Yama Mama]

Thanks Swifty that was a sad but ironic article to say the least.

We were at a motorcycle rally for the last four days and I would have to say more than 80% of the riders I saw there did not wear helmets.

Of course, Ohio and Kentucky are not mandatory helmet law states.

Thanks for the post!

Yama Mama

[AKRefugee]

I have lived in states that have the helmet laws and I have lived in states that do not have helmet laws. I have lived in states that did not have them and then got them and I have have lived in states that had them and then got rid of them. No matter where I lived I have ALWAYS ridden with a helmet. A short ride or a long ride doesn't matter. Close to home or far away, it doesn't matter. In town or on the interstate, it doesn't matter. If you go down your helmet will reduce your injuries PERIOD.

 

When I was 11 I got a hold of a Honda 50 mini trail. My folks didn't really like that I had bought it but they knew I would ride it with or without their permission so they relented. My dad only had 1 hard rule, no matter what I had to have my helmet on before i even started it. One day I went to move the minibike from the front yard to the back yard and I started towards it without my helmet. My dad seen me and made me go get my helmet (grumble gripe complain stupid parents it's only a few feet etc). As I was coming around the back corner of the yard the dog ran out in front of me and i swerved to the left right into a chuck hole. I went over the side and my head struck a rock about the size of a cantaloup. I was going so slow that I could have almost walked faster than I was riding. Anyway my head struck that rock and my helmet split, no not dented or cracked, it split from front to back. Lesson learned right there. A six foot fall onto your head can take you out for good. It is not the speed that does it it is the "sudden stop". A helmet will absorb a lot of that 'sudden stop" and save your noggin.

[CJ8]

Used to wear one part time. After sliding head 1st into a curb the 1st wreck and hitting the pavement with my head on the 2nd wreck I always wear one. Thank God I was wearing my helmet both times. I had a car pull out in front of me both times.

[twigg]

The thing that always gets to me when I hear folk attempt to justify not wearing a helmet is this simple idea:

 

Are you prepared to put your life in the hands of every other motorist you encounter on the road?

 

If we didn't have accidents caused by others then you would be in control of your own destiny, and I would get it. That's not how it is and I. for one, don't trust 'em!

[CaptainJoe]

My view on motorcycle riding is: "Hope for the best but plan for the worst"

 

I wear a full face every time... and yes I have crashed a few times and am a true believer in their power to save you...

[friesman]

Glad I was wearing mine today, got cut off by an old guy that couldnt see over the wheel, and had to brake hard. Woulda been fine but there was a slippery manhole cover in my path and at about 10 or 15 mph i went down. My helmet has some nasty scatches and gouges, but i am sure happy I had it on.

The only time i have not worn a helmet was in Cody this summer, and that was only because i had sunburnt my head and couldnt wear one.....

 

Brian

[Yama Mama]

We recently purchased new helmets for us. We bought the Scorpion 1/2 helmet like in this photo.

They are very comfortable.

Yama Mama

[Guest]

I havent worn my helmet since April 2011 and I refuse to. At least not while the bike is up on the stand.....

[MikeM]

For the members in the states that do not require bike riders to wear helmets, how many always wear a helmet. I usually always wear mine; however Ron only wears his on a trip on the interstate.

I was just curious.

Mama:322:

I wear a full face helmet when it's raining or cold(keeps my face & ears warm).

Sometimes I'll wear a 1/2 helmet but most of the time I don't wear a helmet.

When I was run over by a 18 wheeler back in 82 I didn't have a helmet on and never even lost my ball cap. Almost lost a leg and my life though.

A couple of years ago when my Goldwing was murdered by a little ol lady that turned left in front of me at the last second I didn't have a helmet on. My face was flattened and nasal cavities crushed either by the bikes windshield when I flew through it or when I slammed down on the pavement. I think a full face helmet would have helped and maybe prevented the reconstructive surgeries but a 3/4 or 1/2 helmet would have been no help.

Until they can get a crystal ball to work, We take chances every day and just enjoy life. Who knows,I may be the next victim that gets hit in the head by falling space junk while I'm walking down the street. A helmet might help then too but I choose to walk without one.

[dacheedah]

always on the interstate, almost always in town, we have been on some ride events where we did not wear them while on an escorted ride

[alwrmcusn]

Every time I get on the bike. Even if I lived in a "helmet optional" state, I'd still wear it.

[woody071585]

Never!!!!

[GolfVenture]

Everytime I go on a public road. I live on a private road and sometimes I will go up 1 block and turn around if I'm testing something on the bike.

[Ride2much]

Me always, my wife never..

[Pegasus1300]

Utah is a helmet optional state but I still have always worn one.Riding very far ( over a few blocks) or at any speed it is just not comfortable for me.Besides after going down twice last year and destroying 2 helmets I see their value every day.