Why I wear a helmet

[MelodicMetalGod]

If I don't have a helmet, I don't ride. It's how I was taught and I believe in what I was taught. I once was selling a bike and was "just" bump starting it, not riding it. Well, as I u-turned at the end of the block after the bike started my front tire caught a stick or rock that let the front tire wash for a second. Amazingly I didn't go down, but I tweaked the throttle as I worked to get the bike stable again. Long story short, I wound up running next to the bike trying to get it back under control and never did. I wound up ribs and head into a car parked on the street and the bike wandered down the middle of the road until it fell over...at least that's my best guess. Ya see, I was out for at least 30 minutes until the ambulance showed up and the EMT's started asking me who was president. I awoke to an aching head with a major rasberry on my forhead. I found out that I had tunnel vision (about the size of dime), couldn't say the words that matched my thoughts, couldn't recite the alphabet in order past "C". Oh, and though I knew pefectly well who the president was, I couldn't say the right words (came out something like "see very hear not"). Fortunately I returned to "normal" over the next few hours. Spent a night in the hospital for observation and went home with just sore ribs the next day. I got VERY lucky.

Bottom line: My choice to not wear a helmet for "just bump starting" turned into the most serious injury of my life. Even so, I got lucky as it could've been much worse and permanent.

Ride safe, but ride!

 

[Cat Man]

I picked up a copy of April/May issue of "Robb Report Motorcycling". The editorial piece was about Don Bouchard, a well known author of some pieces in the magazine. Just before this last Christmas, he was riding and hit a chuckhole in Texas. He elcted to not wear a helmet, and because of a low speed wreck, he passed away. The doctor said he would still be here if he wore one. The editor was very clear why helmets should be worn.

That is why I wear mine.

 

[bubbabland]

crushed coyote

crushed coyote

I was riding along in Central Illinois at about 45 mph at about 4:30 p.m. and a rabbit ran across the road in front of me. While looking at the rabbit, failed to notice the coyote that was chasing it. Missed it with front wheel...hit it square with rear. Bike wiggled once, turned sideways, and high sided me right off into the road. Bounced once on my head in the road and landed sliding in the ditch on my butt. Would have been fine...except...I was sliding along and I swear...I THOUGHT I HAD STOPPED! All sense of motion stopped...so I put my feet down to stand up...and found I was still going about 30 MPH. So...several cartwheels later...was a bit more banged up. At least the coyote died!! Without helmit...wouldn't have survived the first impact.

 

[earlfor]

I hear ya. I fell over in my driveway while stopped and hit my head on the asphalt hard enough to crunch a 2" circle on my helmet. (yeah, I really did) Man, I dont even go pottie without a helmet anymore. LOL

Earl

If I don't have a helmet, I don't ride. It's how I was taught and I believe in what I was taught. I once was selling a bike and was "just" bump starting it, not riding it. Well, as I u-turned at the end of the block after the bike started my front tire caught a stick or rock that let the front tire wash for a second. Amazingly I didn't go down, but I tweaked the throttle as I worked to get the bike stable again. Long story short, I wound up running next to the bike trying to get it back under control and never did. I wound up ribs and head into a car parked on the street and the bike wandered down the middle of the road until it fell over...at least that's my best guess. Ya see, I was out for at least 30 minutes until the ambulance showed up and the EMT's started asking me who was president. I awoke to an aching head with a major rasberry on my forhead. I found out that I had tunnel vision (about the size of dime), couldn't say the words that matched my thoughts, couldn't recite the alphabet in order past "C". Oh, and though I knew pefectly well who the president was, I couldn't say the right words (came out something like "see very hear not"). Fortunately I returned to "normal" over the next few hours. Spent a night in the hospital for observation and went home with just sore ribs the next day. I got VERY lucky.

Bottom line: My choice to not wear a helmet for "just bump starting" turned into the most serious injury of my life. Even so, I got lucky as it could've been much worse and permanent.

Ride safe, but ride!

 

[Guest]

it was in refernce to those little half helmets that alot of people prefer to an actual helmet.

you know, one of these jobbies:

that helmet, will basically protect your brain. your nect, face, chin and the rest are going to be exposed. hence the term, brain bucket.

was in reference to kristi's comment on the fruit bowls.

I agree with you! A guy down the street has one of those absurd choppers, must have a turning radius of about 20', and he rides one of those, but it's chrome plated.

 

[uudfourty]

but it's chrome plated.

Ah, well... that makes it all better. That chrome's a real safety feature, what with its aerodynamic properties and superior bashing-against-stationary-object resistance. *

 

[UncleMike]

With chrome, you just slip right off.

 

[uudfourty]

Yeah. It's like wax paper for your nugget.

Plus it covers that unsightly bald spot, does your taxes, gets you laid and makes you invisible to radar.

 

[tkent02]

Yeah. It's like wax paper for your nugget.

Plus it covers that unsightly bald spot, does your taxes, gets you laid and makes you invisible to radar.

Chrome also acts at least as well as aluminum foil to prevent alien thought control and government mind reading

 

[seuadr]

Yeah. It's like wax paper for your nugget.

Plus it covers that unsightly bald spot, does your taxes, gets you laid and makes you invisible to radar.

holy crap. i might start wearing one then! \\/

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Chrome also acts at least as well as aluminum foil to prevent alien thought control and government mind reading

holy crap. i might start wearing one then! \\/

Yeah...MAYBE...but ONLY if it fits under my full face helmet. :-D

 

[uudfourty]

Chrome also acts at least as well as aluminum foil to prevent alien thought control and government mind reading

Ah, nah. You've got it all wrong:
Chrome and Aluminum amplify the signal. That's just disinformation.

 

[seuadr]

Ah, nah. You've got it all wrong:
Chrome and Aluminum amplify the signal. That's just disinformation.

:shock: or is it?:shock:

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Ah, nah. You've got it all wrong:
Chrome and Aluminum amplify the signal. That's just disinformation.

:shock: or is it?:shock:

Did you reach your conclusion with or WITHOUT your chrome helmet in place? Hmmmmmmmmm.......? :-s

 

[Hvycrzrtim]

I hate helmets....with a passion. Used to not even own one (Used to be no helmet law in Louisiana). I still hate helmets, but I wear a Simpson Bandit these days along w/ an armored jacket. It's pure misery down here on the Gulf Coast in the summer in all that gear, but w/ Baton Rouge being #3 in the nation for motorcycle accidents, I still put on the gear every time I leave the garage. Sweat is cheaper than blood.

 

[seuadr]

I hate helmets....with a passion. Used to not even own one (Used to be no helmet law in Louisiana). I still hate helmets, but I wear a Simpson Bandit these days along w/ an armored jacket. It's pure misery down here on the Gulf Coast in the summer in all that gear, but w/ Baton Rouge being #3 in the nation for motorcycle accidents, I still put on the gear every time I leave the garage. Sweat is cheaper than blood.

definitally.

 

[Smokinapankake]

I originally started wearing a full facer to keep the wind out of my eyes.
I still wear a full face to keep the wind out of my eyes, along with bugs, rocks, asphalt, small animals and every other flying object you encounter on the road.

Riding my bicycle one day along a heavily trafficked route, wearing a helmet, I look up just in time to see a rock kicked up by some redneck's 44 inch bogger tires come sailing right at me. With only a gnat's hare reaction time, I got nailed right in the middle of my forehead, just below the helmet. No permanent damage, but it did draw blood and hurt like he!!. How much worse would it have been at 40 mph on a motorcycle? Probably a hole straight into my already feeble mind....

 

[Nick]

I was riding along in Central Illinois at about 45 mph at about 4:30 p.m. and a rabbit ran across the road in front of me. While looking at the rabbit, failed to notice the coyote that was chasing it. Missed it with front wheel...hit it square with rear. Bike wiggled once, turned sideways, and high sided me right off into the road. Bounced once on my head in the road and landed sliding in the ditch on my butt. Would have been fine...except...I was sliding along and I swear...I THOUGHT I HAD STOPPED! All sense of motion stopped...so I put my feet down to stand up...and found I was still going about 30 MPH. So...several cartwheels later...was a bit more banged up. At least the coyote died!! Without helmit...wouldn't have survived the first impact.

sounds like that coyote shoulda wore a helmet.

But yeah from reading all of these stories I'm determined to find a good one. I hung out with my ex girlfriendx3 yesterday and turns out she has one that her and her dad dont need. I'll see if i can snag a pic of it next time i see her.

 

[cbrophy22]

If not smart, you better be tough!

If not smart, you better be tough!

this happined to my brother, Dave. the first day he got his tags for his suzuki DR400 dirt bike, (and the bike had nobbey's on it). he was flying down a backroad and a jack-rusle ran into the road in a hard right hand turn. he went wide and washed out on gravel. then he rode and slid about 25' into a ditch (he slid inbetween a pole and a gide wire). then the bike slid on top of him and broke his back in the impact. with the bike laying on top of him and having road rash. It took about a half an hour to wiggle free of the bike. Now came the the cry for help, after a hour of sreamming at the top of his lungs and it was getting dark, he picked up some rocks and started throwing rocks at cars. I think it was the fith car or truck that stoped (the driver slamed on his brakes, jumped out and was looking to beat the face in of the rock thrower.)Dave said f*#k-you call 911. the guy still wanting to kick my brother ass. ran over to him, after he figured out what was going on he called 911. after all that we looked at his helmet, like right above your right eye would be, was a crack all the way through the helmet, from the front to the back. Three weeks later after his surgury (rods+bolts) he was riding around in the backyard with no helmet in his backbrace. How stupid can someone be?