Why do or don’t you wear a motorcycle helmet?
I’m giving a speech on the use of motorcycle helmets, and I would love to hear what you have to say about it. Just give me some reasons why you wear a helmet or why you do not wear a helmet.
Feel free to say whatever is on your mind.
Thanks,
Joe
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I wear one because head injuries are the #1 cause of death for motorcycle riders and i have a family that is dependent on me to live to provide them with home and shelter.
If you ride often, it is not a matter of ‘if’ you drop your bike, it is a matter of ‘when’.
Even the most experienced drivers cannot control the idiot drivers in much bigger, heavier cars and trucks.
I had a cycle accident in 1974. I slid face down on the pavement for about 60 ft. If I didn’t have my helmet on my face would not be here today.
I always wear a helmet.
Even if it isn’t required in your location you should ALWAYS wear one.
Try this
Find a large immovable object like a large oak tree or a brick wall.
Stand about 30 paces away from this large immovable object
Run as fast as you can towards this large immovable object
As you get close to this large immovable object place your hands to your side, put your arms to your side, and put your face up, continue running as fast as you can.
Notice how it feels when you hit this large immovable object while you were running as fast as you could.
Most people can run about 15 MPH (24 km/h)
You are still in first gear with most motorcycles. With many motorcycles you can’t get them out of first gear at this speed.
Think about how this impact would feel if you were going 4 or 5 times faster. By the way, did you notice that I suggested you hit this item face first? This is why you want a full face helmet.
Don’t really try this test. I just use it to get my point across.
You never plan when you will have an accident
It is better to be wearing a helmet and not need it than to need a helmet and not be wearing one.
Survival- wearing helmets helps survive minor to medium spills, falls, crash into left turning cages.
i completely don’t agree with this i will always wear a helmet but ive heard some older guys say the do not wear helmets because it decreases visibility idk if its true but even if it is id rather see less than crack my head on pavement
I wear one because I want my brains to stay inside my skull where they belong.
My state does not require me to wear a helmet, I wear one because I think its a good idea.
If nothing else it protects my head from 70 mph Junebugs. I like the visor and its more comfortable than a baseball cap. Also, its a good place to put helmet stickers.
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~john/vfr/hurt.html
Why wear a helmet: It protects you noggin!! Keeps you warmer in cold temps, shields you from road conditions. Lessens the otherwise loud noise of wind over your ears while riding on the highway.
Why not to wear a helmet: Some half and full face helmets impede peripheral vision. Muffles sounds and can make you less situationally aware of your surroundings. Helmets get HOT in the summer. Doesn’t let you “feel” the air rushing past your head.
For the record, I ALWAYS wear a helmet now. I didn’t when I was younger and glad that I’m still around to wear one. I have had a couple friends die in motorcycle accidents both wearing and not wearing helmets. It really depends on how you ride and the severity of the accident god forbid you get in one, but I wont take chances not wearing a helmet. I’d rather give myself the benefit of the doubt and use that extra layer of protection. Just my $0.02
Anyone who argues against wearing a helmet is a fool period. Your speech should go something like this. “If you don’t wear a helmet you are a dumb &%$.”
Hope that helps
My son has a shelf of old helmets in his room that he keeps on display. He races mx and sx and the reason for wearing the helmets is sitting on that shelf and seen in the condition of the helmets. Those helmets have saved his bacon on that many occasions and much better the helmet than his head. Yeah they cost money and every time he destroys another one it hurts to have to replace it but what is a persons head worth!
I know you are probably referring to road bikes but impact is impact and stacking after a car has run into you certainly warrants the need for a helmet.
I would wear a helmet if Im traveling long distance or high risk area.
I wont wear a helmet when im just driving around town or over to the country side where there are VERY LITTLE inhabitants.
Sorry to break reality to some of you “pro-helmet” guys,however….
1.) some people like to PRESERVE FREEDOM in this country.
If I want to drive without a helmet, that’s MY PROBLEM, NOT YOURS….PERIOD!!!!! It’s NOT YOUR job to enforce MY safety and enjoyment of a ride….that’s MY JOB……
Im tired of people having these uptight liberal views on everything, and acting smug just because THEY think everybody should wear a helmet!
NOBODY CARES about your opinion!
A REASONABLE person would say this…..
-Motorcycle helmets ARE a good idea, but SHOULD NOT be forced.
It is up the INDIVIDUAL whether or not he should wear head protection.
Like I said, if someone isnt wearing a helmet and dies….OH WELL, that’s the risk they took…..myself included!
Im honestly WILLING to live( or die ) for that small freedom.
People need to stop being so “communist” and “controlling”.
You’re killing the very thing this country was FOUNDED UPON!
Oh yeah, i don’t have to wear a helmet, because THE LAW SAYS I DONT!!!!!
If the LAW says I don’t, then there MUST be a good reason behind it!
OH YEAH….ITS CALLED FREEDOM OF CHOICE!!!!!
Dont like it? MOVE!
Because I can list ONE THOUSAND more fatalities on motorcycle where there rider WAS wearing a helmet V.S. NOT wearing one.
I’ve had my head saved a couple of times by helmets – so I can honestly say they work.First time I head butted a rock at 70mhp when I ran off the road to avoid an animal.Second when I ran into a tree during a enduro – the guy in front made that much dust i missed the sharp turn in the road and smacked a pine tree at full throttle.Both times the hemets were destoyed,but as I am still here to tell the story I can say a good helmet is worth every cent.I NEVER ride without a helmet or gloves.
I agree that the law should not compel Mike to wear a helmet if he doesn’t want to. I will wear one, and I will steer clear of guys like Mike, who are too stupid to be trusted with any matter that is important to me. I would not ride with him, I would not trust him to do any kind of work for me, I would not employ him, I would not work for him, I would not let him date my daughter, I would not buy anything from him, I would not vote for him for public office. I would, however, be happy to sell him anything. “A fool and his money are soon parted.”
I wear a helmet because I see better, it’s more comfortable and quieter, hate that ringing ears thing after a day of riding.
I don’t wear a helmet when the weather is nice and I’m just tooling around town, going on short errands when I don’t wanna deal with wearing a helmet. Pretty stupid for sure, but I would rather be free to be an idiot than have other idiots tell me what I’m allowed to do.
It is all about freedom. It’s all about laws. It’s all about having adequate medical insurance coverage or becoming a publicly supported vegetable.
Should laws be passed to protect the stupid from themselves? Are we a “Nanny State” or do we allow freedom of choice? Pretty good arguments all…
I’d rather ride in traffic without a helmet, for the obvious reasons of sight and sound, yet that same traffic can crush me (and my skull), like a grape…I’d rather ride on a hot sunny day without a helmet, for the obvious reasons of comfort, yet s*** can happen anytime, anywhere, and crush me like a grape…
A helmet saved my life. That’s all the argument- and law, I need, thank you very much…
I wear a helmet because it is the law.
In the U.S., roughly half of all motorcyclists ride in States with mandatory helment laws; the other half are considered adults capable of making their own decisions. In the States that do not require helmets some significant percentage of riders do not wear helmets.
*IF* helmets actually were effective in preventing deaths *then* the States that mandate helmets would have a significantly lower death rate per motorcycle accident. The truth is that in the States that mandate helmets the death rate per motorcycle accident is insignificantly *higher*
The claim that motorcycle helmets save lives is not supported by statistical evidence. Motorcycle helmet LAWs save lives by reducing the number of motorcyclists.
i wear one because its the law where i live but i would wear one any ways because on time i got hit by a car and my head bounced like a basketball on the road that helmet saved me from brain damage
My choice not to wear one..called freedom.
I wear one when I feel like it.
Rain, snow, cold, holiday traffic, and any other time I choose.
There are also times that I don’t. Those are also of my choosing.
When I travel out of state, it’s mandatory.
Buster may not wish to ride with me either. That’s ok, it’s his choice to make. At the same time, I’ll state that I will not ride with any person that would rather force their view down my throat than consider another.
I support the right to choose. I support individual freedoms (they do not come at the expense of others).
On a side note, there are those that scream “insurance!”
I carry it. An injury to me will NOT cause another to pay for my hospitalization, as they claim.
I do both , not very smart but I dont always wear one during the daytime unless I am on a long trip, on the interstate, or getting on it. I always wear one at night mostly because of the bugs, nothing worse than going 120 and have a moth hit you in the eye! Also at night animals like to run and they will run right in front of you, this happened to me last summer coming home from work about 10:30 pm going 55 mph down a blacktop and a dog ran out at me I ramped over him lost control was thrown off and the first thing that hit the road was my face shield, slid and rolled about 175 feet. Good thing I had my helmet on as I was uninjured,dog was not so lucky.
This topic comes up, at lest once a week or more. It’s always the same, pro helmet crowd, calls the non-helmet crowd stupid. The non-helmet crowd, spouts freedom of choice. The truth is as always, in between.
I do both, I use and do not use a helmet when riding. On the snowmobile, I always use a helmet. Unless I’m just riding a short way, around the house. On the snowmobile, the benefits of a helmet. Out weigh, the benefits of not.
On a bike, this is not so. It’s about 50/50 of so. On the bike, I wear a helmet only in the rain, snow, or cold weather. In the rain, I keep the visor up with safety glasses on. So I can see, no wipers on a helmet.
A helmet will only save your life, if the helmet. Hits something at less, than 35 mph. After that, forget it, your most likely dead. Mind you, if your going 25mph and the car that hits you. Is going 25mph, that’s a 50 mph crash. That’s way past, 35 mph.
The facts are, that the percent. Of lives saved by helmets are low, about 8%. Injures are much harder to figure, but seem be around 60+%. Maybe more, or less. Because the data doesn’t reflect, all of the crash data. Just because the helmet, was damaged. Doesn’t mean a head injury. The data doesn’t show, how badly a helmet was damaged. Or what that damage, even was.
Finally, safety starts and ends with your brain, not a helmet. Helmets do in fact obscure, both your eyes and ears. With a helmet on, I have to turn my head and body. Far more than I do, with out one. With a helmet on, I mostly can hear only what’s below me. Almost nothing to the side or behind me. No ones, going to run me over from below me.
I also find a helmet, to be distracting. Uncomfortable to wear, hot and itchy. Taking my attention, away from the road.
The point is, I’d rather not get into a crash, in the first place. Than get into one, because of a helmet.
Motorcycle helmets save lives, there is ample proof that they do.
However they (and other protective wear) might also promote speed at the expense of prudence, there are claims and statistics that demonstrate that too. Will a naked rider ride slower or faster than he or she would if dressed as they normally choose to?
But those statistics and proofs are clouded – the situations have massively changed since helmets were introduced for the general public, traffic conditions – there is a huge percentage increase in the number of road users; while the suspension, speed and braking capabilities of motorcycles have improved; so have road surfaces and conditions (as have helmets).
In places where there is choice and a section of riders choose not to wear helmets, do they ride as fast as they would if they wore helmets? – that is impossible to predict or measure.
Whether, when given the legal choice to wear or not to wear, a rider decides not to wear a helmet does that equate to freedom? – not one bit.
There is that old solution to temper the behaviour of drivers, if a huge spike was mounted on the steering wheel, will the fear of impalement give them the incentive to slow down and drive more considerately?
There are also huge underestimates of the impacts that helmets will protect you against – 35mph for example is, I suspect, a figure plucked out of the air – I will not claim that the dozens of accidents that occur at race meetings every weekend would have been fatal without helmets – there is clearly no way of proving that one way or the other – I think I can claim that over 50% of them start at speeds over 35mph. To which the pedant will respond that the racetrack is different to the road – which is true but the initial impact with tarmac is exactly the same.
>where there are VERY LITTLE inhabitants
Elves or pixies?
Indian Larry would be with us today if he had worn one the day he died. On private property it is entirely up to you, he felt his stunt would not be as awe inspiring if he wore a helmet, too bad, he was a good dude!
I wear one because things happen that you have no control over, the same reason I buckle my seat belt every time I drive.
With laws what they are, there is no motivation/penalty for cagers to even look out for you on a motorcycle. You may be entirely correct and well within your rights in the accident they caused, but if you don’t live afterward, what is the point you are trying to make by not wearing a helmet?
If there is a chance a helmet could save my life, I am willing to endure the discomfort as long as I am riding on 2 wheels, and I have been riding a good long time, thank you!
Wear it because the helmet Nazi’s say I have to.
Don’t feel like constantly getting pulled over and paying tickets for not wearing one.
Claustrophobic. Hate helmets.