Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Helmets and Gear Helmets vs Looking Cool

Just to toss another wrench in the works... Both those stats you quote have the "if" in there. I mean, there are TONS more cars than bikes, so it makes sense that cars would hit eachother more frequently. Right? I mean are these stats per-capita? Or just like there were X car crashes and y bike crashes? Or like 1 in 17,000 CARS got in crashes and 1 in 89,000 BIKES got in accidents? See what I mean? Like I said before, stats are only as good as the folks who compiled them

The studies I was reading allowed for the differences. The one in Melborne took a focus or control group. U.S. National Safety Council took the total number of cars and the total number of bikes along with reported accident stats. They then did the severity ratings.

My conclusion was, its all junk science but I cannot stand behind my original stance that bikes are more dangerous than cars. I will always stand behind the stance that if you get hit on your bike you are more likely to die. Thats a no brainer nobody should need explained. As you may get hit with less frequency on your bike you may be safer from accidents, however once hit all bets are off.

On Helmets nobody includes the dead ones from massive injury to the body they only look for head injury for those without helmets. I think its fair to probably say a helmet is safer once hit than no helmet. One could also argue the field of vision and sound advantages of no helmet may avoid collision. I dunno. Rode 15 miles today without a helmet. Why? bacause I can lol.

That's interesting they did that study pretty well! Good on them. I agree tho that once you get hit there are FAR too many factors involved to predict anything. Are you looking to the left? Flinching? Etc...

I had a thought. If people do not want to wear thier helmets, then fine. However, I think they should be requiered to check the box on thier drivers liscense for being an organ donor, at least this way someone will benifit from their, uh, coolness.

Mass is working out the bugs of a new helmey law...they currently require the use of a DOT helmet...the new law would no longer require the use of one...but you need to carry a $50k insurance binder for personal injury in addition to your current PI coverage!

a guy I know driving his car to work last week hit head on by a kid passing in a no passing zone, dead instantly.My point is you can interperate stats all day long but some times it is just your time regardless of risks and lifestyle.You don't need stats to tell you that IF you crash you would be better off wearing a helmet, but that does not mean riders that wear helmets don't die and those that don't do.Life is too short to live in a bubble, every individual should choose their own level of risk they want to fulfill their life(providing nobody else is harmed).That being said I don't feel the gov't has any right to interfere with that choice.Just MHO. time to find a thread that is a little serious

Not to be aguementive or anything, but helmets do save lives. Granted if you plow into a car/wall/truck/tree/ other stationary object head on at 60+ mph your dead with or without a helmet, period. However, if you get run of the road, get hit at a light, go down on a curve, or any of the more probable accidents, your chances are better with a helmet. It is the same struggle with seatbelts, your better off with than without. The "I don't want the government telling me what to do" argument is silly, I think. If it is for your own safety, and the good of others (lower insurance rates) then whats wrong with it? Bottom line though, is there are 2 types of riders, those who wear helmets, and those who don't.

Cheers

Well said, Tom.

I also wear a helmet. If the government and the insurance industry and all the monied special interests continue chipping away at personal choice we may someday find ourselves wishing that we had something to ride while wearing our helmets....

Well, a few random thoughts (since it is nearing spring as someone mentioned);

1) Grew up wearing one dirt bike riding. It just feels right. Do you know of any dirt riders who DON"T wear helmets? I think they know what falling without one does to a head.

2) When I see a (I know...my stereotypes)
* clean shaven rider w/o helmet I think Newbie trying to be cool.
* an older, bearded rider I think ok, experienced rider who just doesn't want to wear a helmet. His choice.
* a helmeted rider on a cruiser (like me), I think doesn't look great but at least he is doing the smart thing.

3) Experience - Bicyclists wear them all the time racing...I slammed my head into the ground at 23MPH 5 years ago and my bike helmet was split X&Y. Saved me I believe.

4) I respect a person's choice NOT to wear a helmet.

5) I like my hair matted rather then windblown.

I always wear a helmet and jacket, even in the Mojave's 110 degrees. Like most of the posters here, I respect other guys' decision not to wear helmets, but I sure doubt their intelligence. It always comes down to the worn-out maxim that "It ain't you that's gonna make the mistake, it's the other cagers on the road that will." I don't care how cool I look because I am my own status symbol, yeah BABY!!!

I respect people's decisions, as long as they are made with THOUGHT. I can't even think for a second that a group of 20 bikes riding down the road, NONE have helmets, that they ALL indevidually made that decision and NONE are trying to look cool...

I had an accident back in '81 that would have slpit my head open if it weren't for a helmet. Always wear one now. I just got my first full-face last week (actually a modified, flip-up). Still getting used to that closed-in feeling but the lack of sand-blasting is nice.

But back to cool -- I heard that my half-shell with goggles looks cooler than the full-face storm trooper look. More authentic is what an older (ok, my age) guy told me.