[The CyberPoet]

I was driving down the FL Tpke over the weekend (in my car) and there was a mattress in the center lane.

Ah, that's where I left the damn thing!
We were drunk and the Beatle's "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" came on, and the next thing I knew we drug the matteress out somewhere and...
I knew I forgot something. Ah well, needed a new one anyway.



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[skasner]

if you wanna ride by me w/ no lid so be it. i won't tell you to wear one because it is common sense and you have the right to risk your life if you chose to do so. if you are riding pillion with me though it is absolutlely mandatory.

the only time i don't care about wearing helmets (myself or passenger) is if i'm puttering around a campground or something at like 15mph or less. for example, we go camping at this state park and like to take the bike over to the lake to swim. it's about a 1/2 mile ride from the campsite to the beach, and you don't go over 15mph the entire way. in that case lids are optional in my book. also if i'm just putting aroudn the yard or something between the house and shop that is helmet-optional territory.

[tzortn]

...1/2 mile ride from the campsite to the beach, and you don't go over 15mph the entire way. in that case lids are optional in my book. also if i'm just putting aroudn the yard or something between the house and shop that is helmet-optional territory.

I would like to throw out there that Inidan Larry was going about 20 mph when he fell and received his terminal head injury.

I understand your point of view and I am not attacking it, but I figured that I would point that out. Crazy things can happen. Slipping on a lid takes a second to do and can help avoid a lot of pain.

[Yellow2002Kat]

the only time i don't care about wearing helmets (myself or passenger) is if i'm puttering around a campground or something at like 15mph or less. for example, we go camping at this state park and like to take the bike over to the lake to swim. it's about a 1/2 mile ride from the campsite to the beach, and you don't go over 15mph the entire way. in that case lids are optional in my book. also if i'm just putting aroudn the yard or something between the house and shop that is helmet-optional territory.

I hear ya, but IMO 15MPH is no less dangerous than 60MPH. I say this because the human head is much more fragile than most people believe. We've all heard the stories of people slipping on ice, hitting their heads on the pavement and dying from the accident. Falling in the bathtub, etc. Those unfortunate folks were going less than 15MPH...

There are also a number of "one punch homicides" in the US every year. This is when you get into a fight, punch a guy once, he falls to the pavement, hits his head and dies. You didn't mean to kill the guy, but your punch caused his fall and eventual death. Not to mention all the trouble you're now in. Again, the human head is not nearly as strong as we would all like to believe.

I surely hope this would never happen, but let's say you're going from the campsite to the beach and you fall / crash for whatever reason. You are unlucky and hit your head on a large rock, tree, anything harder than your head. Under this scenario, you surely could be very badly hurt (at best) despite your low speed.

I guess this is my way of saying I feel a helmet is a necessity whenever riding. Heck, I even wear a dirtbike helmet when I ride my bicycle (stop laughing everyone) because if I fall not only do I want to live, but I don't feel like breaking my jaw, losing teeth, breaking my nose...you get the idea.

I dunno, better safe than sorry. Good helmets are not uncomfortable, take a few seconds to take on and off, and will save your life in many situations. Why ride without one?

[Jax]

Riding with a helmet on is a personal choice in some states...In CA it is law that you must wear a helmet...in the states that don't require a helmet..I agree it is your choice to wear one but it is my choice not to ride with you...I wear my minimal gear when I ride helmet, leather jacket, gloves, and boots...that is what I consider minimal gear...I should invest in some street pants like the draggin jeans, joe rocket steel jeans, or the icon pants for extra protection but I guess I'm a squid......seriously I think we all should protect our heads at the minimum...but again in those states it is your choice....just my $.02....

[FloridaKat]

About 40 lbs. ago (my new age measurement stick), I was mountain biking on a trail in PA that I had mastered for many years. Went around a turn I had done countless times, but forgot that tree limbs are like ice when wet. I tried to meet the log, perpendicular, only to have a rude return (my slip angle was more like 6-10 degrees).

Did a high side and hit the 'noggin real hard, but had my helmet on. I figure I was going about 10-12 mph, but the fall was hard enough to separate the helmet and had me seeing "spots" for several minutes. I stayed down, had some thoughts about life insurance coverage gaps, and then continued on the novice path.

I gear up, everytime, I leave the house (full-face, gloves and jacket).

[Junior]

It's YOUR choice to wear what you want. It's MY choice to ride with you.

Quote of the Day.


Couldn't agree more.

[slayergsxf1]

...1/2 mile ride from the campsite to the beach, and you don't go over 15mph the entire way. in that case lids are optional in my book. also if i'm just putting aroudn the yard or something between the house and shop that is helmet-optional territory.

I would like to throw out there that Inidan Larry was going about 20 mph when he fell and received his terminal head injury.

I understand your point of view and I am not attacking it, but I figured that I would point that out. Crazy things can happen. Slipping on a lid takes a second to do and can help avoid a lot of pain.

Yeah but he was standing on the seat then he jumps in the air a bit and lands on the seat with his ass,he did it a million times at alot faster speeds then when he died. I grew up in the 70's and 80's and I myself never ever wore a helmet doing freestyle BMX riding or racing...Hummmm maybe thats the problem..

[skasner]

[rant]

We've all heard the stories of people slipping on ice, hitting their heads on the pavement and dying from the accident. Falling in the bathtub, etc. Those unfortunate folks were going less than 15MPH...

There are also a number of "one punch homicides" in the US every year. This is when you get into a fight, punch a guy once, he falls to the pavement, hits his head and dies. You didn't mean to kill the guy, but your punch caused his fall and eventual death. Not to mention all the trouble you're now in. Again, the human head is not nearly as strong as we would all like to believe.

WTF does this stuff have to do with riding through a park w/o a lid? I supposed you grind down all sharp edges around your home and wrap your head in protective foam wherever you go to right? I mean hell... a panel may fall off a airplane flying overhead and smack you right on the noggin! I better run out and get my helmet right now incase I trip and fall on my way to the backroom and hit my head on the pisser.

Yeah but he was standing on the seat then he jumps in the air a bit and lands on the seat with his ass..

Thank you for saving me the trouble of typing that. Please don't compare my scenario to the late Indian Larry's psycho-hippy-stuntman-bull$hit actions. He was an idiot that just happened to make cool choppers and got on TV a few times.

As for the rest of you... yes you mention valid low speed situations where a helmet would be handy. HOWEVER... it's a FREAKING CAMPGROUND! I'm not doing anything more than you do going through a parking lot. Sure... something could happen... but I could be walking down the sidewalk and have a comet fall from the sky and hit me in the head too.

If I followed some of your logic i'd be walking around like a short bus kid with a football helmet on 24/7. Live a little people.
[/rant]

[Yellow2002Kat]

[rant]

We've all heard the stories of people slipping on ice, hitting their heads on the pavement and dying from the accident. Falling in the bathtub, etc. Those unfortunate folks were going less than 15MPH...

There are also a number of "one punch homicides" in the US every year. This is when you get into a fight, punch a guy once, he falls to the pavement, hits his head and dies. You didn't mean to kill the guy, but your punch caused his fall and eventual death. Not to mention all the trouble you're now in. Again, the human head is not nearly as strong as we would all like to believe.

WTF does this stuff have to do with riding through a park w/o a lid? I supposed you grind down all sharp edges around your home and wrap your head in protective foam wherever you go to right? I mean hell... a panel may fall off a airplane flying overhead and smack you right on the noggin! I better run out and get my helmet right now incase I trip and fall on my way to the backroom and hit my head on the pisser.

[/rant]

It was to demonstrate how fragile the head is. However, since you didn't get the point and apparently walk through parking lots doing 15MPH you don't need a helmet ever. A helmet serves no purpose if it's not protecting anything.

[ironmark]

Skasner, I work with the Short Bus kids with the football helmets. Let me tell you that a helmet works at any speed.

One my individuals had a seizure while walking the other day and put his teeth through his lip. Nothing was done to break his fall, as he was seizing, other then for him to have his helmet on. The helmet saved him from getting a severe concussion and breaking his nose.

I also learned from my accident to wear your gear. Road rash sucks at any speed, which makes showering suck.

[skasner]

It was to demonstrate how fragile the head is. However, since you didn't get the point and apparently walk through parking lots doing 15MPH you don't need a helmet ever. A helmet serves no purpose if it's not protecting anything.

I am well aware of how fragile the head is, and if I could walk 15mph that would be awesome. I was simply stating the fact that you are comparing apples to oranges in order to force your personal opinions about safety upon someone else.

Any time I am doing any riding other than the scenarios i had previously mentioned I wear a helmet. If I choose not to do so during what I feel is a VERY LOW RISK situation, then that is my right, and I see no need to have someone else who may or may not be overprotective try to tell me that my head contains nothing to protect. I am a well educated person and just because my opinion differs from yours does not make me any less intelligent than you are. That was lame.

Skasner, I work with the Short Bus kids with the football helmets. Let me tell you that a helmet works at any speed.

One my individuals had a seizure while walking the other day and put his teeth through his lip. Nothing was done to break his fall, as he was seizing, other then for him to have his helmet on. The helmet saved him from getting a severe concussion and breaking his nose.

That was a beautiful story ironmark, but once again it is taking the scenario in my post completely out of context. I did not say I ride through a campground without a helmet while seizing. If I had seizures I wouldnt ride at all... ever. That would be suicidal.

[Yellow2002Kat]

[rant]
WTF does this stuff have to do with riding through a park w/o a lid? I supposed you grind down all sharp edges around your home and wrap your head in protective foam wherever you go to right? I mean hell... a panel may fall off a airplane flying overhead and smack you right on the noggin! I better run out and get my helmet right now incase I trip and fall on my way to the backroom and hit my head on the pisser.
[/rant]

No, that's lame. My opinion differs from yours so you SUPPOSED I grind down all sharp edges and wrap my head in protective foam wherever I go.

The sad thing is you still don't get it. I was comparing apples to apples. In this instance potential head injury to potential head injury. I was also pointing out the overwhelming benefits of wearing a helmet whenever riding - bicycle or motorcycle. I was never trying to impose my will on you and never said the YOU have to wear a helmet. You just came out swinging for whatever reason after a friendly opinion, not an oppressive insistance on helmet wearing. That's your problem, not mine.

[skasner]

i guess i did come out swinging on my first reply to you yellowkat, my apologies.

i do not discount the protective values of wearing a helmet in any way. it just seemed like you and others were reaching out into left-field to defend your view that helmets should always be worn no matter what. it's all a matter of your personal aversions to risk.

sorry for venting on you.

at least i'm not riding around like this guy...

[Yellow2002Kat]

Apology accepted, no harm done. I'm certainly an "always wear a helmet" guy, but I firmly believe in choice. I know how nice it is to ride without a helmet - most of us have done it - but I just can't do it anymore. I've got a wife and kids who kinda need me around you know, so they can eat and have a house and stuff... I'm at the point now where I've gotten so used to wearing a helmet I would feel like I was missing something if I were riding without one.

BTW - why not ride like that guy? Maybe he's only taking a short trip I'M KIDDING!!!!!!!!!