Helmets Part 1,489,348 - To Wear Or Not To Wear

[marty]

Bicycle, Motorcycle helmet laws - BAD
Seatbelt laws - BAD
Use of helmets, seatbelts all GOOD
More education, less laws please!
Go here to see how I fight a seat belt ticket http://sukkahs.com/seatbelt/ticket.htm It worked! Judge liked it. Got a "Adjournment on in contemplation of dismissal" That means be a good boy for 6 months and nothing will happen.

Getting to many seatbelt tickets? Go here http://www.buckleoff.com

 

[Kyle]

Marty,
I think that you are on right on target.
Just like in Avalanche Safety, The best thing is to not get caught in one in the first place: "do every thing possible to prevent accidents."

" 6. Safety engineers have recognized that the benefit of a safety device that is suppose to protect an individual from a danger might actually increase the risk a person might be willing to take, thus defeat the very purpose of the safety device. Studies have shown that when a state passes a mandatory seat belt law, the number of accidents have increased. Critics of seat belt laws have contended that the reason is that they alter driver behavior in ways that increase the hazards for other users of the streets and highways. In particular, some drivers wearing seat belts may feel more assured of surviving an accident, and hence tend to drive more aggressively, thus raising the risk of collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians. This is known as risk homeostasis, or risk compensation.

If there is even the slightest chance that this is true. The defendant feels that the best way to prevent injuries in accidents, is to do every thing possible to prevent accidents."

My reasoning for wearing a seat belt is that by stay behind the steering wheel when things get crazy, I have a chance of staying in/or regaining control and proactively avoid an accident in the first place.

 

[knightmb]

Bicycle, Motorcycle helmet laws - BAD
Seatbelt laws - BAD
Use of helmets, seatbelts all GOOD
More education, less laws please!
Go here to see how I fight a seat belt ticket http://sukkahs.com/seatbelt/ticket.htm It worked! Judge liked it. Got a "Adjournment on in contemplation of dismissal" That means be a good boy for 6 months and nothing will happen.

Getting to many seatbelt tickets? Go here http://www.buckleoff.com

There are a lot of sides to the seatbelt law. I agree that it should be up to the person to decide to wear it. I do disagree that a seat belt can increase your chances of injury or death though. The best place to be in an accident is in your car. Some types of accidents you will die in no matter what protection you have (e.g. Semi-truck flattens your vehicle).

But since most of the accidents that do occur are everything from minor fender benders, all the way up to high speed crashes, it's best to let the vehicle take the brunt of the crash instead of the driver. I wish I could get some friends on the forum to give their side of the seat belt story and how they feel they don't need to wear them, but unfortunately all the people I knew with this view point have died in automobile accidents over the years.

About the closest thing recently was a step-mother last month who hit head on with her little car against a pickup truck. Her car was flipped 4 times, spun, then landed upside down in a ditch. She walked away with some scratches. She's always been a strong believer of wearing a seatbelt. The person in the truck was ejected 100 feet head first into the pavement and died in a very disturbing way. Police report said he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. It's a real shame because his truck was not really that damaged as the little car was.

But this isn't to make jest of your belief or story, all this irony is true and presented only as such.

 

[TylerDurden]

So Tyler,

Are these reasons for rethink those laws? or Not?

I believe that is what you were asking for.

What is your reasoning for your last comment?
I don't follow how your comment is any but BS.

As for BS,

Spare us the specious arguments and anectdotal hearsay.

If helmets or seatbelts were shown to cause more injuries, even secondarily or collaterally, the insurance companies would lobby the shit out of every legislature to get laws changed. No industry does more research into safety than the insurance industry. They are behind seatbelts and helmets 100%, because they have to pay.


As W.C. Fields might say: "An idiot wearing a helmet is still an idiot".

Safety laws help protect reasonably intelligent people from greater risk.

:lol:

 

[TylerDurden]

Hospitalized N.J. gov. off ventilator
By GEOFF MULVIHILL,
Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 38 minutes ago

CAMDEN, N.J. - Gov. Jon S. Corzine was breathing on his own again Friday after doctors removed a breathing tube he'd been using since he was critically injured in an April 12 high-speed crash, his spokesman said. Doctors removed the tube shortly before 12:30 p.m. Friday, spokesman Anthony Coley said.

Breathing unassisted moves Corzine closer to having his condition upgraded. He has been listed as critical but stable since he was brought to Cooper University Hospital last week.

Corzine broke a leg and several bones in his chest, including 11 ribs, when the sport utility vehicle he was riding in wrecked on the Garden State Parkway north of Atlantic City. He was placed on a ventilator to ease the pain of breathing, doctors said.

"His respiratory function will be closely monitored to ensure that he can continue to breathe on his own and cough efficiently," Coley said. "Doctors do not entirely rule out the possibility that the breathing tube will need to be reinserted."

The SUV, driven by a state trooper with Corzine in the front passenger seat, was traveling 91 mph and the governor was not wearing his seat belt, officials have said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_re_us/corzine_crash_recovery

The driver and another passenger were wearing seatbelts and suffered only minor injuries.

 

[Miles]

As for BS,

Spare us the specious arguments and anectdotal hearsay.

If helmets or seatbelts were shown to cause more injuries, even secondarily or collaterally, the insurance companies would lobby the shit out of every legislature to get laws changed. No industry does more research into safety than the insurance industry. They are behind seatbelts and helmets 100%, because they have to pay.

Tyler speaks for me, too.

 

[Kyle]

Come up with any good reason why a helmet law is bad.


The 25% who wear Helmets have 40% of the head injuries.

By the way this info came from the helmet lobby.:lol:

Come up with any good reason why a speed law is bad.



The Oregon State Police Chief said: "We have to rethink the 'Speed Kills' thing. It's 'Speed Variation' that kills."

You did say "any" good reason.

These Laws have Unintended results.

I'd say that a Law that takes bikers off the streets and makes it more dangerous for the remaining bikers is a Law that needs a second look.

 

[Kyle]

was traveling 91 mph

I say you just proved my point:
The Oregon State Police Chief said: "We have to rethink the 'Speed Kills' thing. It's 'Speed Variation' that kills."

Thanks

 

[j3tch1u]

Just got back from the hospital after having my head stitched up. Luckily X-rays showed no fractures but I need to watch for signs of concussion.

Tonight, some friends and I were riding the bike trails along the river here in taipei (it's quite scenic). I hadn't ridden in the past few weeks due to inclement weather. The temperature was perfect tonight so was I was in a good mood, throwing caution to the wind and show-boating more than I should have. I saw a nice grassy knoll about 80 feet ahead with what looked like a 3 foot jump. Looked harmless enough..so I decided to see if i could catch some air on my 34kg bike. It was pretty dark and only one of my lights were on (forgot to charge some the batts). Visibility was low on the grassy knoll adjacent to the path. I accelerated to about 45kph and took the jump. I only got a few inches off the lip but I landed reasonably well. Suddenly I saw a 6 foot wide, 5 foot deep ditch immediately ahead! The ditch was totally hidden from my perspective. I slammed on both disk brakes (203mm on the front), skidded at least 8 feet on the moist grass and somersaulted into the ditch. My bike flipped over and hit me square in the head (it was either the right rear dropout or swing arm). You can imagine the momentum of a nuvinci hub on a 3 inch wide wheel. My friends were calling out to me but I couldn't utter a sound due to the pain that I was in. I didn't black out but I remember hearing the metallic "whack" and ringing in my head a few seconds after the impact. I also remember the look on my girlfriend's face when she came running up to see if I was ok. I was also really moved by the genuine concern of my friends. I am just sorry I ruined their evening.

To make a long story short, always wear a helmet. The gash I got was only 1 inch away from my temple...things could've easily ended up more serious. I am an experienced bmx rider so I am used to taking risks. But on the halfpipes I will always wear gear. I rarely ever wear gear when i'm on my electric. Tonight, I got a stern reminder that anything can happen when lady luck runs out on you.

 

[Ypedal]

Whoa.. .. Glad to hear you are ok ( all things considered .. )

So, not to be heartless here.. but .. How's the bike ?! :lol:

edit to add : I went to a full face Giro last year... i love that cap ! :wink:

 

[j3tch1u]

So, not to be heartless here.. but .. How's the bike ?! :lol:

no offense taken...that was the first thought that crossed my mind too. it was after i checked my bike that i noticed blood running down the side of my face.

bent the mounts for my fork mounted cree lights. no damage aside from that. i think my head cushioned the bike :?

 

[dogman dan]

Yup wear the helmet! When I went over the handlebars last summer, I broke both collarbones, but would have popped my head on the curb like a grape if not for the helmet. It was all crushed on one side. But I have to say, only an idiot takes a jump without checking out the landing first. Glad you made it, and now you'll wear the bucket and spot the landings first. Shit like that happened to me a lot in my youth when I rode dirt bikes. Your favorite road would suddenly have a ditch eroded across it by a flash flood last week. WHOA!

 

[The Stig]

Hope there was no concussion!

I hadn't ridden in the past few weeks...

I think that was your downfall

Seriously though, jumps are fun, but least you can do before a jump is check the landing, the jump, and the run up, and do some low speed jumps.

A full face is probably a good idea for high speed off roading/trail riding. They make you braver, which is a good and a bad thing. :wink:

 

[Dee Jay]

So, not to be heartless here.. but .. How's the bike ?! :lol:

pfft... spoke like a true biker...

I wiped out on my Yamaha 2 stroke RD 400 once. Owie!

For safety, I only rode my motorcycles on the weekends in good weather, purely for fun/recreation because I'm more alert than when trying to get to work in the mornings on the weekdays.

But one drizzly morning, I was late for work and had to ride one of my RD 400's because I crashed my 72 Datsun 510 hoopty a few months prior ... and slipped on an oil slick just several yards before a stop sign. Rain water and engine oil in asphalt is a bad combo...

All I remember was applying both rear and front brakes evenly.. next thing I knew I was on the ground sliding on asphalt on my left side past the stop sign. I quickly looked around to check for cars coming at me. I waved off some drivers that slowed down to let them know I was OK-I couldn't speak because the fall knocked the wind out of me.

I laid on the ground for a few minutes to catch my breath then hopped up on two feet to pick my bike up but my boots were slipping and sliding on oil! Many old cars must have dripped oil on that spot for years, my hoopty included. Not even the most experienced riders could've survived that oil slick.

The only damage was my gear lever which I bent back into shape and off I went.

But you know what I was concerned with the most ? That I scratched my beautiful red Shoei helmet ! Grr...

J

 

[John in CR]

A helmet reminder is fine, but how about a reminder not go and try to make jumps when you don't know what's on the other side, especially at night and with insufficient lights? A helmet is not a license to do stupid stuff.

Glad to hear you're ok.

John

 

[mikefish]

[youtube]YdoE2YCvwdM[/youtube]

 

[heathyoung]

Meh - its been law here in Australia to wear a helmet for at least the past 30 years - all of this is a normal consequence of changing conditions.

When everyone wears one, there will be no change to the distances cars travel etc. It will take time, and in the interum - this is what happens.

The number of vegetables produced by bike accidents in this country has sharply decreased. I cant believe it isn't a law in the US!

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Lock]

So, as a rear "rack"... how much lithium can one stuff in a childs rear bicycle seat? Throw a dummy head and childs helmet on top...

 

[Zoot Katz]

So, as a rear "rack"... how much lithium can one stuff in a childs rear bicycle seat? Throw a dummy head and childs helmet on top...

My fantasy is to tether a toddler size doll to a spring loaded ejection seat.
Launch the baby and keep going.
Leave the morons behind to figure out who-hit-who.

Retrieve. Reload. Repeat.

Consider it a hardcore mental speed bump.

Using a plastic petrol container for a battery box could get you more room too.
. . . of course you may find drivers slowing down and asking if you need a lift the gas station.

 

[Zoot Katz]

Saturday evening I heard the rumble of a diesel creeping up my ass.
Shoulder check - dreaded black dually dresser.
I'm holding my line in the right tire track of the right lane. The curb lane is full of parked cars. Faster traffic is in the left lane.

It's downhil so I'm doing a casual 30kmh and gaining speed at the point when dude slices into the left lane.
Shoulder check and the guy has something black in his hand as he pulls alongside.
He's not concentrating on passing, he's pacing me! WTF!

"Can I take your picture?" "That's the coolest helmet I ever saw!"

I was wearing the helmet pictured in my avatar . . and a dayglo fluorescent hot pink jacket. (no wig tonight)
It's not the first time I've been shot from a moving car.

This helmet causes many people to do a double take, point and stare. It's bright in all light conditions.
It's impossible to remain in a funk after strapping it on. It makes people smile. . . all kinds of people.

 

[deronmoped]

Meh - its been law here in Australia to wear a helmet for at least the past 30 years - all of this is a normal consequence of changing conditions.

When everyone wears one, there will be no change to the distances cars travel etc. It will take time, and in the interum - this is what happens.

The number of vegetables produced by bike accidents in this country has sharply decreased. I cant believe it isn't a law in the US!

I guess we still have a touch more freedom here in the US.

Not for long though, the government must pass a new law every second. Makes me wonder how many laws I break as I sleep at night.

Deron.

 

[mikefish]

the video says women get more space.

it forgets to mention the distraction they can create as well

 

[Link]

 

[heathyoung]

the video says women get more space.

it forgets to mention the distraction they can create as well

DAYUMMMM>>> 8)