I have a serious question for any motorcycle lovers that ride and dont wear helmets... WHY?? I have today, for what seems like the millionth time, had to watch someone die and a familys life destroyed b/c this person chose not to wear a helmet on his bike and flew headfirst into a wind shield. The Pt's brain was soooo swollen they couldnt even get the bone flap back on, or stich the dura back together....there was brain everywhere! Out the nose and Ears.. And then the pt's off the OR table only to die in PACU with a waiting room FULL of screaming crying family members..
I am not judging anyone, but rather trying to understand why someone would make the choice to not wear a helmet. Is it the feeling of freedom, or does the helmet restrict your head that much as to the point of discomfort?
Interesting thread! I didn't realize there are so many bikers here!
Well, I do wear a helmet, here in Mich it is mandatory, but in rural areas where it isn't I do not. Why? It feels great having the wind rush through my hair-beyond silly & DH is the same.
I will however always wear a helmet when riding through Miami & Chicago or any big city, we were side swiped by a elderly gentleman in Miami & he didn't even know he hit us, luckily DH kept the bike up.
We have had numerous deer & other wildlife run out in front of us, so I know it's a chance you take...they are donorcycles, but I love em & I do not want the government dictating whether or not I have to wear a helmet.
Though I do agree scraping up grey matter is not cool.
When the government can stop taking money from tobacco lobbyists & enforce a law to stop the tobacco industry from marketing & poisoning my 21 yr old son, I'll wear my helmet ALL the time.
See he is old enough to make his own choices no matter how the government gets involved or self destructive they are-just like mom. But that's a whole nother post!
For those who believe that the government has no right to mandate helmets may I assume that you are prepared to pay for the medical treatment and long term care associated with the TBI for which you are at increased risk? Or will you have to rely on the government (read: taxpayers) to pay for it? If it is the latter I find it funny how it's not okay for the government to "interfere" with your personal choice but it's just fine for the government to pay for the results of said choice. Don't get me wrong, as I posted before I don't think motorcyclists should be singled out. I think anybody with a preventable/manageable disease should be required to take some personal responsibility in their health and if they choose not to then they should have to deal with it on their own.
I am fully prepared to pay my own way. I don't ask the govt to pay for any of my choices. As a nurse, EMTand biker, I've seen what can happen without a helmet. Again, I feel its a matter of choice, but every one is welcome to their opinion. I don't try to dictate what other people do with their lives, and I don't expect anyone to dictate to me what choices I should make.
What kind of bike do ya'll have
I have a rebuilt, 1972 Triumph 750cc Trident. Modified slightly for likes. Real cherry condition though. Has an attachable sidecar for my golf clubs
I ride a little Vespa and even tho its only a scooter, I wouldn't dream of riding without my helmet. I initially had the little 3/4 helmet that Vespa makes, but my son talked me into the full face kind. He's an EMT/firefighter and says he's seen his share of faces left on the road. Its heck on the hair, but it keeps the bugs out and my family happy.
What a brilliant thread, not something I would have thought about because in the UK motorcycle helmets are mandatory so I would never have thought about riding without one. Zippy GBR is quite right though there are many motorcyclist here that ride with helmets and no other safety wear. Personally I wear all the gear all the time, I do alot of riding on main fast roads and ride every day in british weather.
I do have some questions for you that ride without thoug
1. How do you stop insects hitting you and hurting, visor up they make my eyes water can't imagine those insect strikes with no helmet.
2. How do you manage your hair, I have long hair and if a bit sticks out of the bottom of my helmet it gets really knotty and horrid to manage
It's great to find that there are so many motorcyclist nurses out there. I love the freedom of my bike, I don't have any other mode of transport and I am afraid I stick my daughter on the back at times - she loves it too. She also wears full protective gear.
Specializes in MR Peds, geris, psych, DON,ADON,SSD.
A helmet would have not helped on an impact like that . Helmets are only tested for saftey at 13mph. Honestly I'd rather not survive than have brain damage.
AMEN BIKER NURSE HERE TOO!!!!!
84 heritage softail very custom and old school and 2005 sporty 1200
Specializes in MICU, ER, SICU, Home Health, Corrections.
'02 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC here.... and just amazed at the responses here. Def a big debate. I'm a helmet wearer, albeit a half helmet, and yep it's just choice.
Can't imagine not wearing one, though. And when my teens jump on back, they are required to wear full helmets. Period.
As for the other responses, well.... if I'm gonna take a chance, -and non-helmet wearers seem to all agree they are taking a chance-
I'd rather take a chance that I'll live or be less injured in the event of an accident and just wear the stupid thing.
As for the "reasons" for non-use I've read here, it mostly seems to apply to guys, and whatever the words used... interferes with vision, hearing or can't feel the wind, it all translates to 1. My member and 2. My Ego
Quite frankly it's mostly all about the "cool" factor, and helmets just aren't "cool".
I'd be willing to bet that nearly half of motorcycle *owners* are Wild Hogs. aka, Posers. And their antics and accidents reeeeeally skew the numbers for the average motorcyclist/biker/insert-your-term-here. Inexperience in a risky situation is bad, just ask the NTSB or check their website and see how many people die within a very short time after getting their private pilot's license.
I also agree with a lot that was said here. Good points on both sides, but I'll stick to my prefs of wearing! I've been a medic and I've seen people lying in a pool of blood with brains on the ground having fallen from a *standing* position.... and I've heard all the "if he was wearing a seatbelt, he'd be dead." stories.
So the point is, it's all a moot point and every incidence is totally circumstantial. Helmets save lives, Jesus saves souls, drinking and driving don't mix, speed kills, crack kills and I've decided that I'll kill myself with sausage and gravy, unless the bike [or a cager] gets me first, so there.
'87 Harley Custom Softtail (that now sits in the garage)
There was a study done years ago--I think it was called "The Hurt Report" (either at USC or UCLA--I'll have to dig up a copy) --it had all kind of stats about the weight of the helmet on your c-spine and the problems it causes in a crash...also the limited visibility with the helmet on...that paramedics don't know how to remove it without causing more damage (although, I'm sure that's changed since then)... the injuries from the angle of the neck after your head hits the pavement....hearing is impaired with the helmet...But the biggest concern was that the helmet manufacturers had moved their companies out of the USA, so they can't be held liable for damage..hey, if your product is so good, and so safe, I feel you should stand behind it...AND they put stickers inside of the helmets that read something to the effect of the helmet not being guaranteed in a crash over 25 MPH...most bicycles can go downhill THAT fast...I don't know of too many bikers who constantly ride under 25 MPH....here in Calif, there was a legislator who pushed the helmet bill through after he had a run in with some bikers....that's about the time Doug slowed WAY down on his riding......just hated the helmet, wore it only because it was the law, but when he was in a state where it wasn't mandated, it came off...(something about the wind in his hair)
He was in an accident in 1998, where he caught some gravel with the back tire while turning and dumped the bike (about 5 MPH), I was in the truck in front of him, saw him go down, (like it was in slow motion), got out, had some of the guys lift the bike off of him, called 911, they transported him to the ER 30 miles north of where we were, (instead of 25 miles south, which was closer to home), got him in the ER, dx fx (shattered) R humerus (surgical neck),
(now, you have to get the picture here..Doug, at the time was 6'2", 415#, grey hair halfway down his back, full grey beard and mustache (he was a professional Santa, but looked like the 'Biker from Hell', wearing full leathers, club colors--you get the visual??)
the ER doc came it, "were you wearing a helmet?"
'yes'
the ER nurse came in--"were you wearing a helmet?"
'yes'
(about this time, Doug looks at me and says, "I'm gonna DECK the next SOB who asks if I was wearing a helmet")
Right on cue, in walks a CHP and asks "were you wearing a helmet?"
I held my breath--
'I fell on my arm--not on my head!!' (thankfully, he didn't hit him, but I knew he wouldn't--that wasn't his style)
The CHP was a motor officer, laughed and left..(sigh)
I think it's a personal choice..just like so many of the readers have pointed out--you can't legislate everything and that we, the taxpayers, get stuck with the bikers bad choices--look at the admissions to the ER for CHF after Easter ham, diabetics after the candy, MI's from too much fat, whether it's McD's or their own kitchen...
It's been said, "a helmet makes for a pretty casket"
As for the brain damage, a very good friend of mine, a CHP officer, had a horrible accident with his CHP mustang, broadsided it into a pole, had neck, back, and brain injuries SO severe, first, they didn't think he'd survive the night..he did and ended up in a vegitative state for 10 years before he died......doubt if a helmet would have saved him. (missing you, RT)
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MsPiggy
134 Posts
Interesting thread! I didn't realize there are so many bikers here!
Well, I do wear a helmet, here in Mich it is mandatory, but in rural areas where it isn't I do not. Why? It feels great having the wind rush through my hair-beyond silly & DH is the same.
I will however always wear a helmet when riding through Miami & Chicago or any big city, we were side swiped by a elderly gentleman in Miami & he didn't even know he hit us, luckily DH kept the bike up.
We have had numerous deer & other wildlife run out in front of us, so I know it's a chance you take...they are donorcycles, but I love em & I do not want the government dictating whether or not I have to wear a helmet.
Though I do agree scraping up grey matter is not cool.
When the government can stop taking money from tobacco lobbyists & enforce a law to stop the tobacco industry from marketing & poisoning my 21 yr old son, I'll wear my helmet ALL the time.
See he is old enough to make his own choices no matter how the government gets involved or self destructive they are-just like mom. But that's a whole nother post!
-Ms.P