Not sure how ya can do it?

[wildfire]

I think that everyone agrees that been forced by law to wear a helmet is not what we want and that here are so many factors that need to be taken in to account regarding helmets. We all could tell stories of crashes and their outcome but all things been equal I dont think anyone would argue that wearing a helmet is better than not.

Now hitting a wall head on at 90mph compared to hitting the same wall at 30mph are two completely different scenarios.  At 90mph the sheer inertia could indeed damage the brain even with a helmet but at 30 miles an hour it would be highly unlikely. 30mph no helmet could result in death.


 They decided that I was going less than the 35mph speed limit. When I stopped abruptly, from a car pulling out in front of me. (Wearing helmet and full leather suit) I broke my nose, a tooth, impacted my vertebrae in my neck,and broke my skull in 2places, and had pretty major trauma to my brain. Lost a lot of my lifetime memories. And had to carry a mini recorder around, so I could play back the last few minutes so I could remember what just happened.  Without the helmet I would have been dead .
Like I said though. I still on rare occasions, go for a ride without. If it's your time it's your time. You can't stop people from burning their crotch with McDonald's coffee by making everyone else drink cold coffee.


[/quote

How long ago did it happen? Was it a full face helmet or the skull type helmet?

[aviationfred]

This is my 2 cents worth on this subject. 

I had a major accident back in 1990. Going 40 MPH in a corner, I crashed my FJ1100 on Angeles Crest Highway in Southern California. The gear I had on literally saved my life. Full face top of the line Shoei helmet, One piece Dainese leathers, Sidi boots and AGV gloves. Pretty much AMA roadracing spec gear. I landed in rocks and my leathers, gloves and boots saved me from getting cut up. The Doctors said, had I been wearing a Leather jacket and jeans instead. I would have been so cut up, that I would have probably bled out before the EMT's got there. The damage to the helmet was the real scary thing. Not a scratch on it, but there was a single 1/2" diameter hole about 3/16ths of an inch deep. It looked like what a pane of glass looks like after it is shot with a BB gun. I periodically look back and imagine what would have happened to my head had I not been wearing a helmet.

The result of this was a 3 week stay in the hospital with a snapped in half left Femur, broken left foot, severely bruised chest, collapsed lungs, 2 broken vertebrae in the lower back and 7 days in traction before surgery to repair my leg. To come back to the helmet usage. I had zero head injury and zero neck injury.

Fred

[charleygofast]

How bout hitting two cows crossing the highway? ...pitch black outside and black cows! ......     Charley.

That sure as hell beats the black dog on a moonless night.  The cops never beleive that one.  Did you keep a piece of cow to prove it to them?   
Yes PaulG,
There was a bit of skin and hair on the cotterpin on my front axle...I left it there until I put on a new tire 2years later...I actually got up and kickstarted the bike (with a broken fibula)  rode back and called police. One arrived shortly and the wayward cows were still walking the road near the crash site. that and my twisted bike were proof enough. We did find the cows owner and his insurance covered my loss and expense's. The cows however, were never captured.        Charley.

P.S  Helmets... Yes it is a choice in WI. I rode in the helmet rally in the 80s for that right. But I choose to allways wear one.
[/quote]

[fj johnnie]

 I wore only open face helmets as a young rider. My best friend had a 550 Seca, which he was riding one evening and hit a St. Bernard. He was wearing a full face Shoei ER5 helmet. The chin guard area of the helmet was severely damaged from sliding on the pavement. Had he worn an open face helmet like mine at the time he wouldn't have been left with a chin.He broke his collar bone and had severe burns on his thighs from the pipe of the bike. It had landed on top of him and the header cooked his legs to the point he needed skin grafts. His face and noggin were in need of no repair. From that day forward I have always worn a full face helmet.
  These stories are what influences some of us to make the choices we make.

[FJmonkey]

I have always worn full face, my last two incidents (in the last 15 years) would have resulted in damage to the face or chin. Better to have the gear take the damage than me. Not to mention the time I flew through a swarm of bees. What a mess, it was like they were full of honey, juicy buggers.... 

[Firehawk068]

Not to mention the time I flew through a swarm of bees. What a mess, it was like they were full of honey, juicy buggers.... 

I rode through a swarm of bees in Arizona, at freeway speed......................My visor was covered!

[ribbert]

Mine is a simple one, a heavy face plant into bitumen at 180 kph. The RH handle bar clipped a concrete post. Try snapping your bike on full lock that fast at that speed and see how hard you go face first into the road.

It was on an elevated section of road through a swamp and I was there for about 6 hours before someone found me, and even then I was lucky. It was getting on for last light when a truck driver saw me. He briefly surveyed the situation and continued on to the next town where he reported it to the police, telling them not to hurry as it was no doubt a body retrieval. The cop went out and found me, not having even bothered to call an ambulance. He was stunned to find me alive.

What little was left of the chin of my full face ( my first full face and the first model Bell) was caught on a tuft of swamp grass with my mouth barely above the water level, the rest of me lying in a foot of water.  He reckons (I went to see him when I recovered) a twitch of my head would have seen me slide down into the water and drown (I was unconscious)

Unfortunately the helmet was the only protective gear I had on and the attending doctor said he had treated some of the most horrific motorbike injuries imaginable but he never seen anyone lose so much skin.

Amazingly, I had no other serious injuries. He attributed much of this to me having lost consciousness before crashing. I was lucky, it was evident where the twist grip hit the post, both on the bike and the post, but my knee/leg missed it, which must have been by a whisker.

The only upside was it wasn't my bike. I had borrowed a second hand bike from the local shop (Pratt & Osborne for the locals) to go for a ride as mine was in pieces at the time, they weren't happy.

This was at a time when full face helmets were new and the camp still divided. All sorts of nonsense arguments being put forward about them being the work of the devil, snapping your neck and so on.

Well, my neck didn't snap but I would have been missing most of my head without it.

There have been several other less spectacular circumstances that would also have lead to certain death without a helmet. The one above would no doubt have been fatal even with an open face lid.

I'm a bad example for protective gear, I ride around town (but never on the open road) in shorts and T shirts and inappropriate footwear, occasionally even thongs (flip flops?) but I can't even ride up my driveway without a helmet on.

I don't care whose facts your quoting or how they've massaged them or what agenda they're pushing, helmets save lives and injury big time.

Noel

[ribbert]

I think that everyone agrees that been forced by law to wear a helmet is not what we want............
 

I don't agree and some members here get shirty (not me) when you speak on there behalf without personally surveying them.

Noel

[Arnie]

Noel,

I wouldn't ride up (or down) your driveway without a helmet either!

Yeah, I miss Pratt & Osborne, good guys.  All we're left with is PisserStevens, a KTM dirt bike shop, and G. HD. :-(

Arnie

[FJscott]

I am an AGATT rider. its not a moral thing. its not a self righteous thing. its a selfish thing. I love to ride and if I am laid up healing from an accident it takes away from what I truly love to do.

Other than my Son, I don't preach my ideals to others that don't wear protective gear, helmets being most important. I live in a state where there is no mandatory helmet law and there is a lot of Non Helmet wearing HD enthusiasts. Its just a way of strengthening the gene pool as I see it.

Scott

[wildfire]

I think that everyone agrees that been forced by law to wear a helmet is not what we want............
 

I don't agree and some members here get shirty (not me) when you speak on there behalf without personally surveying them.

Noel

i was not speaking on behalf of anyone . As my first two words were " I think" . The point is been told to do anything is not what most people usually want. People usually want to make up their own mind up about what to do regardless of topic..

[ribbert]

I think that everyone agrees that been forced by law to wear a helmet is not what we want............
 

I don't agree and some members here get shirty (not me) when you speak on there behalf without personally surveying them.

Noel

i was not speaking on behalf of anyone . As my first two words were " I think" . The point is been told to do anything is not what most people usually want. People usually want to make up their own mind up about what to do regardless of topic..

I understand that while you may agree a helmet should always be worn, you don't want the government making it mandatory.

I object to over regulation more than anyone but in this case, considering the cost and the overwhelming evidence, I have to agree that with so many riders incapable of making the right call, the govt. has to step in.

There are basic rules for road use that must be enforced to regulate traffic with a degree of safety, these are matters of safety that cannot be left to the individual to interpret or apply as they see fit.

Just be thankful we don't live in France:

Hi Vis clothing is now mandatory on all bikes over 115cc
A full set of globes must be carried, even if replacement is a dealer job.
Having a radar device fitted will cost you a one year ban, which commences on the spot, that is, you can't even ride your bike away from the side of the road.
GPS units with speed camera locations will land you in almost as much trouble.
Blood alcohol levels are so low a single glass of wine or beer can tip you over the limit.
High level drink driving carries a two year jail sentence even if not involved in an accident.
Personal Breathalyzers must be carried at all times (x2)
30kph or more over a posted speed limit will see you in serious trouble.
On the spot fines will see the bike confiscated until the fine is paid.(the Police don't take credit cards)
If visiting from a country that drives on the other side of the road you have to tape up you head light if the glass pattern is not symmetrical and even if it is, you're advised to get a letter from a local retailer or importer of your model bike to that effect, or risk the cop making his own call on it.
If the bike is not yours, you need to carry a letter of permission from the registered owner at all times.
You need to not only carry your drivers licence but your passport, insurance and registration papers at all times.
If you are visiting from the UK, you need to have your current MOT certificate with you.
A separate fine applies for each piece of documentation you are not carrying.
Lane splitting is illegal and the Police frequently accused of slowing up traffic to encourage bike riders to do it.

All of the above is actively enforced by the Police.

This information is from a reputable motor cycle travellers guide, 2013

I don't know about you, but I might stop whinging for a while.


Noel

[giantkiller]

I think that everyone agrees that been forced by law to wear a helmet is not what we want and that here are so many factors that need to be taken in to account regarding helmets. We all could tell stories of crashes and their outcome but all things been equal I dont think anyone would argue that wearing a helmet is better than not.

Now hitting a wall head on at 90mph compared to hitting the same wall at 30mph are two completely different scenarios.  At 90mph the sheer inertia could indeed damage the brain even with a helmet but at 30 miles an hour it would be highly unlikely. 30mph no helmet could result in death.


They decided that I was going less than the 35mph speed limit. When I stopped abruptly, from a car pulling out in front of me. (Wearing helmet and full leather suit) I broke my nose, a tooth, impacted my vertebrae in my neck,and broke my skull in 2places, and had pretty major trauma to my brain. Lost a lot of my lifetime memories. And had to carry a mini recorder around, so I could play back the last few minutes so I could remember what just happened.  Without the helmet I would have been dead .
Like I said though. I still on rare occasions, go for a ride without. If it's your time it's your time. You can't stop people from burning their crotch with McDonald's coffee by making everyone else drink cold coffee.


[/quote

How long ago did it happen? Was it a full face helmet or the skull type helmet?

It was October of 90 an yes it was a full face arai. Mike  reminded me, that I didn't tell the whole story. My neurosurgeon told me he went through the intersection at time. Ad he pulled up to the paramedic. Who was directing traffic at the time (because the cops hadn't gotten there yet) and asked if he could help out. He said the paramedic turned and looked at me laying on the ground and said "no there's nothing more we can do for this guy". My friend said they finally put me in the ambulance and were just sitting there. He said I started moaning and they slammed the doors and took off. I've been told that they have to go through the motions until a doctor can pronounce you dead.

I also shattered my elbow, broke my hip, tore my lung in 2places, tore my liver, my kidney, my spleen, and my lower intestine in 2 places. They said they took more blood out of my chest cavity than a human being is supposed to have. And I left 2 big puddles on the road.
I was kinda large at the time 280lbs bodybuilder/powerlifter. In the 2 1/2 months I was in the hospital I dropped down to 220.

Or how about the time I had a guy go down in front of me at some where around 135mph and we both walked away. Wearing helmets jackets and jeans I had a sprained ankle and a slight concussion. And he had a little road rash were his jacket pulled up.

Or how about the time my rear tire caught a small chunk of a tire laying in my line in a corner. And the last thing I remember is my front wheel coming around to catch up to the back wheel in the ditch. Then the next thing I remember is running down the road trying to stop. My freind said he came around the corner and I was running down the road and my bike was 20ft in the air over my head. (I was wearing tennis shoes and shorts and sunglasses. All I got was some cuts on my face road rash on my side and back with poison ivy in it. Push my bike off in the ditch. Got on the back of his bike went and ate. Then went to the hospital after to get the road rash cleaned out.

Or this forth of July. I go on a ride with fifty some Harley guys. And killed a deer with my chest. I have was the only one wearing a helmet that day.
Like I said if it's your time it's your time.

[PaulG]

Just be thankful we don't live in France:

I am .....   ,  I could go on but......

A perfect example of Orwellian over regulation.  If I were King of the World....

[Burns]

Just be thankful we don't live in France:

I am .....   ,  I could go on but......

A perfect example of Orwellian over regulation.  If I were King of the World....

for those who advocate criminal sanctions for failure to self-protect to a mandated level: remember the frog in the hot skillet vs the frog in the slowly heating pan of water.

Regulatory creep is real.