Helmet Poll!

[Aviatrixie]

I searched the forum for threads on how we all feel about using our helmets, but only found a thread on what kind of helmets we use. Since some states require thier use and some don't, and since we all have an opinion about their use I thought it would be interesting do a poll on that issue. Personally, I do and I live in Pennsylvania. PA was a "mandatory helmet" state until very recently when they became optional. Many years ago I was involved in a collision with a car that I've no doubt would have killed me if I hadn't been wearing a helmet, but I now see lots of riders without helmets, so obviously not everyone feels the same as I do about them. So... tell us about your relationship with your "brain-bucket", and though we all have strong opinions about them please keep it friendly! ;)

[XPS1210]

the state it's optional... but my job has it's own laws and it's required by them...


but I wouldn't ride without one!
Full face at that...

I rarely use my 1/2 helmet as it doesn't protect much...

[mrklaw]

I was wondering what a poll about a Helmet Pole was until I clicked and saw that it was just about helmets and not about poles. :)

[marylandmark]

I have a 1/2 helmet that I found out a few days ago is not legal.....

I sent a friend up there to get one like her's for me and never asked any questions.

Well it turns out it is a "novelity helmet". It is a solid black peanut shell helmet and the store that sells them gives out "DOT" stickers when you buy one...

Stick the sticker on and looks like a DOT helmet...

[Aviatrixie]

oops!!! Duh....thanks for fixing my typo, Mark... in the title no less. And to think I was the school spelling bee champ in 5th grade! :)

[mrklaw]

sorry to give you a hard time Aviatrixie. I was just being silly. ;)

[mrklaw]

My helmet is a half helmet and it is DOT.

[sooznd]

no helmet law here in Colo but I always wear my 3/4 helmet. I find the face shield comes in real handy--it is VERY dry here so lots of flying gravel & stuff.
I am amazed at all the motorcycle riders on the interstate going > 75 mph with no helmets.
And Erika it is spelling bee :rolleyes: not be

[XPS1210]

getting dogged out for spelling... wow... rough day!

IMO I would not wear anything but a full face helmet... the reason why is that there is a guy I work with who crashed (moose are no fun... his wife hit the moose with the end of her handle bar and he hit her) anyway... He slid to a stop on his shoulder and side/front of his helmet...

The helmet was almost all the way worn through... if he didn't have a helmet on, he'd have lost most of his right side of his face...

No substitute for a real face... I don't need to go through years of fixes to make my face look normal again...

[Aviatrixie]

Hi Jered :)

Yeah, this isn't my day for typing. I could make excuses for my typos... my funky wireless Web TV keyboard, being ill, etc... but those are still no excuse for not proof-reading. So I'll just grin and bear it. LOL

Actually I have 4 helmets. I bought a full face when I bought my latest Motorcycle, but the cheek pad smears my makeup, so I got a 3/4 to use as well. I lost that one at work and bought a replacement 3/4 helmet but then my other one turned up. Lastly, my Vino came with a 1/2 helmet. I could open up a helmet shop!

Erika

p.s. I noticed that dropped "e" in "bee" too, Susan... it's fixed! ;)

[Elliott]

You Can Slide your Brains right out of your Head all over the Highway :D

[King Vino]

As an ex-cop and a leader of a scooter club with 80% young riders, I think it is a safe bet to know where I stand especially since I lost one this year to no helmet.

[scooterconvert]

full face for winter and half for summer

[XPS1210]

I have 2 full face helmets, 1 half helmet...

my kid has a motocross style that the dealer sold me with the scooter... NOT DOT( the jerks!) and a 3/4 we got later...

so I have 5 total... for me and my kiddo...

[hybridrazz]

i use the full face keeps me good in the winter plus i figure better aerodynamics also i think the full face looks cool anyway.

[bmt49]

Here in Kalifornia helmets are required while riding anything wheeled. I don't have a sit down yet, but I do ride stand up scooters quite often and started out with a good bicycle (approved) helmet. Now I ALWAYS wear a fullface MX style helmet. I like the feeling of protection, and would wear a helmet even if it wasn't the law. When I get a sitdown I will get a flip up full face. I kinda like to use my head, if for nothing else as a good place to store my helmet while riding ;)

"HOW we ride today, may determine IF we can ride tomorrow"

[Angelfire]

Well I have alot of helmets for racing snowcross and Motocross well the fact of the matter is in my opinion wearing a Helmet while riding my Zuma would be pretty Lame but on the other hand I wear a Helmet when I ride my Yamaha R1 which would be stupid not to considering it does 100 mph in First gear.

So no I wear some riding glasses and my Hat thats it when I ride the zuma in my opinion people that would wear a helmet in a state where it is optional well then my guess is you don't trust your riding ability that or you are in a heavy traffic area but thats what I think about that heh.

[bmt49]

It is certainly your 'choice' anglefire. With all 'riding abilities' aside we 2-wheelers are still sharing the same space and roads with 4-wheeled cars, busses, trucks and motorhomes. It is their ability that I choose to be cautious about. In any altercation between car vs. motorcycle no matter who is at fault, the cyclist will ALWAYS loose.

[yama916]

well helmets make you feeeeel safe but really your not... ive lost a best friend that way and he wore a helmet. i guess my point being wear a helmet and feel safe but if you ride like an idiot, or not, its still a very dangerous sport and our life could be ended any day.

without risk though.. its just doesn't feel like living.

[Angelfire]

They don't always losse hehe I watched a Geo Metro hit a Harley Bagger and the Metro lost bad lol.

[bmt49]

Helmets are designed and only ment to protect your head and its contents. No matter what kind of cycle thing you ride, the rest of your body is still unprotected from the forces of gravity, asphalt and 3000+ lb of moving metal.

You can survive and ride with just one arm. You could survive, maybe even still ride with no legs. But you CAN'T survive, or most certainly ride if your brains get scrambled because you were to 'manley' or too stupid to choose to wear a helmet.

Helmets are like fire extinguishers and seat belts. We hope to NEVER need them. But I choose to have and use them.......just in case ;)

[sooznd]

Here's my take on helmet vs no helmet. It is survival of the fittest--it's the universe's way of weeding out the stupid:dunce: riders. ;)

[Angelfire]

This is true I don't really like seat beats either in cars due to the fact 4 of my friends were killed in a car crash all wearing seat belts and the only one that was not wearing one lived so it is a 50 / 50 chance.

[sooznd]

Angelfire--the seat belt thing works both ways. I had a friend who was preganant with her first child and she was killed in a car accident--she would have been saved if she had worn a seatbelt. Also know another young mom who died in a car wreck she was thrown from her car & would have survived if she'd fastened the seat belt.

I doubt anyone who received any head or face injuries with a helmet on would have been better off without a helmet

[XPS1210]

Not sure where I put it... but Indian Larry died for a fall from standing on his seat... if he would have had a helmet on... he'd be alive to tell us about it....

instead died from a brain injury...

[bmt49]

I am sorry if I came off a little....harsh. I may be 55 but I come from a background in stand-up scooters where the message boards are populated by predominatley addolesent 14 year old boys who think that they have such mad riding skillz that they don't need to wear a helmet because they could never go down ;no Or that helmets are 'gay' and unsafe because they somehow impeed your ability to see and or hear. :---

I am new to this board and have not yet earned the right to even suggest that you should choose to want to protect yourselves by wearing a helmet. I will try to keep my ::handleba passions contained.

[hybridrazz]

i think full face helmets look cooler then ,no helmet at all anyway,also i would always wear a full face why protect only half of your head or face.

[XPS1210]

i think full face helmets look cooler then ,no helmet at all anyway,also i would always wear a full face why protect only half of your head or face.
YEP...

[Lennox]

here we go again.....Anglefire, quit while your a head..... no pun intended :jesta:

[Angelfire]

hehe :(

[AmazingRotundo]

I wear a half helmet, DOT approved and my girlfriend wears a 3/4 DOT approved when riding with me. I have to admit a certain amount of it is that I dont like full helmets aesthetically. Plus its hot here in Los Angeles in the summer, so they're uncomfortable at times, and I havent upgraded my scooter, so I'm going around 40. Not that 40 won't peel my face off, but somehow it seems less likely I'll be in that position.

[bigb9582]

i always were a helmet. even when puttin through the back yard. i were a full face helmet because it makes me feel more secure knowing that my whole head is protected. i also were a motocross helmet when im out ridin my 85 honda atc250sx 3 wheeler.

[XPS1210]

I rode around my block in a 15mph area and put a helmet, gloves, and all the rest of the important stuff...

Just makes since... example... you can die from sitting on your scooter, it tipping over, pinning you leg on the way down and you hit your head on the pavement.... oops... brain damage... now your dead!

it's so easy to hurt your head when dealing with 2 wheels... it only makes since...

Yes, lennox... this one hits me... I can't stand seeing anyone who would willingly play russian roulette with their life...

[bmt49]

There used to be this kid in our neighborhood named Shane Rooney. He was a wild child, always getting in trouble in school. One day he was riding a Razor push scooter on the sidewalk in front of his house....and he was NOT wearing a helmet. Without looking, he darted down the drivway and out into the street, right into the path of a neighbor driving her car down the street. She was not speeding, but did not have time to stop, and she hit him, knocking him down and under the front bumper. He was dragged about ten feet, leaving a long red skid mark on the street, and a piece of his bloody skalp hanging from the front bumper. All of this happened right in front of his Mother and a few of his friends. He was rushed to the hospital where he remained in a coma for a few weeks, until he died of his head injuries.

I only relayed this story because like Jered said, we never plan to get hurt, and we can get hurt severly, even doing the simplest things. But we can improve the odds while riding on the street by wearing a good helmet.

[Iceman]

It's the law in NC and common sense says full is best. My view on scooters is that even though you may be going slower, the laws of physics still rule. When you bounce there are forces inflicted in your landing. We had a saying when I used to sky dive about taking chances "If you are going to be stupid, You better be tough".

[zumaman]

Iwear a helmet too.i also have the make up problem! ha ha he! just kidin.

[ratboycom]

its the law in WA, but you dont need to have insurance, funny thing is that Idaho, about 15min drive from my appartment, you dont need a helmet but you need insurance to ride,
eh either way i ill ride with insurance and a helmet, insurance is only $88 a year without my multiple vehicle discount