Hey Dwight, no need to apologize ! This is not a pissin match. I guess what I was asking in my original post is by not wearing a helmet, does this this mean I dont have any brains ? I wear my hat 90% of the time and the 10% that I dont has nothing to do with ego or image. I leave for work at 5:00 am and that is when I got nailed by the bug. It is dark at this time and there is no one on the street to see me if it were an ego thing. 99% of the 10% that I dont wear is going to work cuz everyone is still sleeping and the only cagers I see are the fuzz. Remember that term ? "here come da fuzz"
Seat belts ? It's a habit that I dont think about. Driving in my cage gives me no sense of freedom. I had a friend that flipped his van and ended up on it's top. 30 mph on a sandy road and just over on one side and upside down. He had his belts on and when the authorities cut his belt to free him from hanging upside down he broke his neck. Sure, poor planning on the autorities part but because of the nature of the rollover I think he may have been better off without the belts, maybe, maybe not. Who is to know ? We have a seat belt law here in NM and if the fuzz catches you not wearing them you get a ticket. We have no helmet law.
By not wearing a helmet does not mean that I dont care if I live or die, now that would be stupid. If I dont have a hat on it's not to look cool. Hell, I look cool enough riding a Triumph with a hat Right ?
Ride safe Dwight !

Budster