Are There Still People Out There Who Don't Think Helmets Are Necessary?

[Bob Denman]

I probably could; there's an old saying that goes, "Figures don't lie, but liars can figure!".
I'm not trying to convince anybody that they should HAVE to wear a helmet; I'm just saying that let's all try to keep this obviously emotionally-charged topic down to a dull roar so that we can all leave as friends; right? :thumbup:

Opinions are just like :shocked: uhhhhhh.... NOSES! Weve all got one, and some smell just a little bit better than others...
As for me; I'm gonna go take a shower... Where's my dang helmet??? :roflblack:

 

[flybuddy]

Here lies the fallacy of your argument. Your death does not affect only you. Thinking so is extremely selfish.

Ok---so let's mandate life insurance---it's extremely selfish NOT to have it..Where does it end?? If you re-read what I wrote you will see that I firmly AGREE in wearing a helmet. I'm not selfish enough to mandate my opinion for everyone else because I believe personal freedom is too precious to continually piss away.

 

[madozier]

All I see is high level data that the Insurance lobby would spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to get law makers to pass laws to "legitimately" increase their revenue. I would like to see more data like:

1. How many of the 14,000 died from other injuries than head trauma - they should not be used as part of the data
2. I would like to see a rating attached the accident to determine the survivability ceiling in others at a certain rating point the accident is not survivable with or without a helmet - they should not be used in the data
3. Let's attach a cause to the accident - drunk driving, distracted driving, mechanical failure
4. Let's attach some driver data - experience level, age, sex
5. number of vehicles involved - a single vehicle with or without a helmet will give your point the most merit

At the end of the day I would rather be out the 3 billion to take care of motorcyclist than give anymore bail outs to financial instituitons. What about the insurance companies choice they are not required to sell motorcycle insurance perhaps instead of laws insurance companies sale insurance to us based on whether or not we wear helmets. Like Non smokers and drinkers insurance.

In the Gulf coast states after Katrina, insurance companies quit selling new homeowners policies but people continue to live there perhaps we let the market dictate the course and not enacting anymore laws.

I do wear a helmet, btw.

 

[steve635]

Ok---so let's mandate life insurance---it's extremely selfish for you NOT to have it..Where does it end??

Or perhaps let's just outlaw motorcycles altogether!

 

[steve635]

All I see is high level data that the Insurance lobby would spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to get law makers to pass laws to "legitimately" increase their revenue. I would like to see more data like:

1. How many of the 14,000 died from other injuries than head trauma - they should not be used as part of the data
2. I would like to see a rating attached the accident to determine the survivability ceiling in others at a certain rating point the accident is not survivable with or without a helmet - they should not be used in the data
3. Let's attach a cause to the accident - drunk driving, distracted driving, mechanical failure
4. Let's attach some driver data - experience level, age, sex
5. number of vehicles involved

Alleluia! Someone give this man a Cigar! (oh wait that's dangerous too)
You Sir have an eye for detail (and as they say, the devil is in the details).

 

[d.o.spyder-rts]

Bob, I tend to really love your posts...you always make a lot of sense! :bowdown:

ditto, I also like Bob's "opinion" post Dale

 

[DMENTR]

Where does it stop.. who decides were is the line?

Personal choice to wear a helmet? Based on the FACTS, all states should have mandatory helmet laws...the only way around this is unless the person who's not wearing one signs off on paying 100% of their own medical bills if there is a problem. The numbers speak for themselves. it's not personal choice if the medical bills are in the hundreds of thousands and we all have to pay for it and simply being responsible would've led to a different result?

Bonecrusher, the problem with this argument is that ALOT of people would say that the numbers show that having an accident on a motorcycle even while wearing a helmet is going to cause more injury and be more costly than a similar accident in a car. So, following your argument, shouldn't motorcycles themselves be banned and we all be required to drive the safest car model as defined by the government.


(I were a helmet all the time)

 

[HICKORY]

Everyone that wants mandatory helmet laws for safety reasons need to sell there motorcycle and drive a large Volvo. The people that are arguing about safety lets look at bodily injury in a motorcycle accident with a helmet vs a car accident with a seat belt. The car is safer so I guess we should outlaw motorcycles! Do you also wear a life jacket at the beach? Where does it stop?

Just read the post above, we were thinking along the same lines

 

[azrn8285]

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't but I do have my organ donor card signed and advanced medical directives up to date.

 

[oldbaldguy]

Wow, this topic always generates strong feelings. I respect each of yours. Just finished 7 nights covering radiology for 5 hospitals including a trauma center. Saw numerous CT scans for falling, fighting, gunshot,as well as car, ATV, scooter and motorcycle crashes. There are so many things we can't avoid or do anything about, it just makes sense to me protect our "squash" when we can. Just an opinion.

 

[Mainiac]

I probably could; there's an old saying that goes, "Figures don't lie, but liars can figure!".
I'm not trying to convince anybody that they should HAVE to wear a helmet; I'm just saying that let's all try to keep this obviously emotionally-charged topic down to a dull roar so that we can all leave as friends; right? :thumbup:

Opinions are just like :shocked: uhhhhhh.... NOSES! Weve all got one, and some smell just a little bit better than others...
As for me; I'm gonna go take a shower... Where's my dang helmet??? :roflblack:

:roflblack: Thanks Bob. I knew if I followed this thread long enough, i would get to the punchline. Discussing an emotional topic and leaving it with a smile on my face.:clap::bowdown:

 

[Arr MiHardies]

I'm going to bow out now before I start saying things people will hate me for.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sarge707]

The problem with No helmets is the 15-20 MPH crash (Where you were Not on you Best Defense) and you come up short stopping when the "You Know What" pulled out in front of you? You Could Die from a 15 MPH Head Plant very easy!!!! But your physical injuries may be only mild to moderate? NOPE YOUR GONE!! Bye, Bye, So Long!!!!

I don,t wear a Helmet as Much for the High Speed Crash (Good luck even with a helmet). I wear it MORE for the Close Call that got Too, Too, Close and I,m on the ground alive with hopefully only moderate injuries.nojoke

 

[Jeriatric]

The problem with No helmets is the 15-20 MPH crash (Where you were Not on you Best Defense) and you come up short stopping when the "You Know What" pulled out in front of you? You Could Die from a 15 MPH Head Plant very easy!!!! But your physical injuries may be only mild to moderate? NOPE YOUR GONE!! Bye, Bye, So Long!!!!

I don,t wear a Helmet as Much for the High Speed Crash (Good luck even with a helmet). I wear it MORE for the Close Call that got Too, Too, Close and I,m on the ground alive with hopefully only moderate injuries.nojoke

This exact kind of incident happened when I worked at Riverside Raceway back in the 60's. When we arrived on scene the boys head was being held together with a corduroy shirt. He and I were very near the same age at the time. Attending to him on the way to the hospital left an imprint on me that'll be with me forever. Like you said. He didn't have to die. Young he was....he chose his destiny.

 

[IGETAROUND]

:shocked: Are we having fun yet?? :shocked:
Let's all relax for a minute and let the nerves settle down a bit...
Now... helmet usage; why do or why don't you wear one? (Let's hold back the judgement of others for right now;Please...)
I wear one and will always wear one for several reasons:
My folks spent a ton of money on an education for me; I don't want it leaking out into the roadway!
Even though I've already got a face "Made for Radio", I don't want things to get any worse!
I don't want my Missus becoming a "Meryy Widow" just yet; I'm not done making her miserable!
seriously...
I sell insurance, so I see the accident reports; Helmets seem to keep things from getting any worse than they already are when your World has just to :cus:. :yikes:
Helmet Laws???
Mulltiple issues are at play here.
Who has to take care of the biker who's in a long-term facility because he (or she) didn't feel that they had anything worth protecting between their ears?
If it's going to fall to the rest of us to foot the bill, (Increased health care premiums or taxes), then perhaps society does need to step in and set some guidelines. (Sorry!)
BUT...
If the biker in question can "fly or die" on their own without anybody else paying for the dance; I don't need helmet laws!
I'm off the soapbox new...[/QUOT Nicely stated Bob!! The voice of reason is again among us:bowdown::bowdown:

 

[IGETAROUND]

Wow, this topic always generates strong feelings. I respect each of yours. Just finished 7 nights covering radiology for 5 hospitals including a trauma center. Saw numerous CT scans for falling, fighting, gunshot,as well as car, ATV, scooter and motorcycle crashes. There are so many things we can't avoid or do anything about, it just makes sense to me protect our "squash" when we can. Just an opinion.[/QUOTE

And I'll wager that you don't have to think too deeply or have a internal debate about the wisdom of protecting your squash with whatever safety equipment is availabe to you to use in whatever conviance you use to move about in.:dontknow:

 

[mxz600]

Motorcycle helmet laws save lives, but not very many

Well this is about as touchy of a subject as politics, religion or what oil one should use.

Michigan just recently repealed it's helmet law and I'm all for it. It should be a choice, and I chose to wear mine. I don't wear a helmet just to protect my melon, although it can't hurt. I wear it also to cut down on wind noise, keep bugs off my face, and to use my communicators to talk to my beautiful wife. And it's just so cool looking.

As far as statistics go, you can twist figures to prove your point no matter what side of the fence your on.

To each his own, it isn't worth arguing over people. We all chose to throw our leg over the saddle and partake in one of the most dangerous things most of us will ever do in our lives. I know a lot of people that think we are all crazy for riding, period, with or without a helmet. Motorcyclist in general raise everybody's cost of living. Maybe our Government should abolish the use of motorcycles altogether.

Below is a link to an article that was a good read even though it is just another persons opinion.
http://reason.com/blog/2008/04/01/motorcycle-helmet-laws-save-li

 

[Smokinspyder]

As much as I want to say you should wear a helmet all the time .. .I do understand the personal choice thing . On a 2 wheeler I would be more inclined to say yes you should 100% wear one all the time .On our machined I would be less inclined to say wear it 100% of the time .Had you asked me before getting the spyder and when I was on sportbikes I would totally advocate you being a fool for not wearing one . Having gotten the spyder i have lightened up quite a it . Like if you dont like something either A deal with it and go away or change the channel, or go around or blah blah . After rambling a bit if you want to wear one go for it , if you dont go for it .

 

[bone crusher]

And bob the insurance man can probably roll out studies that show how many people are injured or die each year in the home that could be prevented if you just did a few simple things. You never answered the question, do you have non-slip surfaces in your bathroom. I bet those national injury statistics can be just as opening and shocking. Fix your own life before you try to fix someone elses. JMHO

You're funny. I do have non-slip surfaces in my bathroom...for obvious reasons. Please show me the studies about non-slip surfaces and traumatic brain injury/death due to people who do not have them....and the associated costs...

Again, we're talking about known facts and numbers here...not speculation or emotional attachment to an issue.

 

[bone crusher]

Personal choice to wear a helmet? Based on the FACTS, all states should have mandatory helmet laws...the only way around this is unless the person who's not wearing one signs off on paying 100% of their own medical bills if there is a problem. The numbers speak for themselves. it's not personal choice if the medical bills are in the hundreds of thousands and we all have to pay for it and simply being responsible would've led to a different result?

Bonecrusher, the problem with this argument is that ALOT of people would say that the numbers show that having an accident on a motorcycle even while wearing a helmet is going to cause more injury and be more costly than a similar accident in a car. So, following your argument, shouldn't motorcycles themselves be banned and we all be required to drive the safest car model as defined by the government.


(I were a helmet all the time)

Nope...my point is as follows: ride a motorcycle without a helmet and NEVER rely on someone else to pay your hospital stay (if you survive). I'm all for personal responsibility and if people want to do the foolish thing, then they should be 100% responsible for such.

I'm all for the choice issues, and I don't want too much gov't intervention (trust me) provided that that you cover all associated costs of your 'choice'.