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OH i agree that it should be the individual's right. i also don't like seat belt laws. it's just odd to see it now. i dont think i ever even gave it a though until i started riding.

i definitely DID see some riders in PA and OH with helmets, but not many.

It's not a threat to other vehicles, but who pays the EMTs and police who respond? Who pays the guy that cleans the brains off the road? Who pays the coroner? If he survives, who pays for the hospital if he doesn't have insurance? Who pays for the doctor's lost time? Who pays for the courts' lost time when the unpaid bills or insurance cases end up in court? All could have been saved by wearing a helmet.

That said, I have ridden without mine on a handful of occasions (literally a handful), and I don't like it if I have to go more than 30mph. If I'm wearing my glasses, it feels like they'll get blown off, and if I'm not wearing my glasses, the wind dries out my contacts and makes my vision a bit less than 20/20. It's the helmet life for me, even though I wear a 3/4.

Cruiser riders generally don't wear helmets in NE Ohio where I live. I would say about 50 - 60% of the standard/sportbike riders wear one.

I was out riding today when it was around 85 degrees, and I saw tons of people riding in tank-tops and t-shirts with no helmet. Usually wearing sneakers too. Whatever. Saw a guy on a Ninja with the dummy uniform of tank-top, shorts, and sandals. I can't believe how often I see that. How could a person not foresee a problem with wearing sandals on a bike?

It was a little hot at the red ights with my full-face and textile Firstgear jacket, but I was very comfortable while moving.

I can't say here in the UK no-one ever rides a motorcycle without full gear, but it's not that common except among a few, mostly younger riders.

I've just come back from India where I was riding with 150 other British guys. It wasn't summer out there, but it was still bloody hot. Yet not one of the riders I was with was riding without a helmet, boots and body armour of some sort - even though they didn't have to.

I wouldn't ever ride without my gear. I've had a couple of spills and I know that I wouldn't have quite so many body parts left if I hadn't been wearing my lid and leathers at the time.

This whole thing is cultural, I guess. But the common habit of riding without proper gear in many parts of the U.S. makes me squirm.

Tower18CHI wrote:It's not a threat to other vehicles, but who pays the EMTs and police who respond? Who pays the guy that cleans the brains off the road? Who pays the coroner? If he survives, who pays for the hospital if he doesn't have insurance? Who pays for the doctor's lost time? Who pays for the courts' lost time when the unpaid bills or insurance cases end up in court? All could have been saved by wearing a helmet.

The same place that pays for all the uninsured idiotic people that drive thier cars like maniacs and get in wrecks. Your argument sucks.

NightNurse wrote:
The same place that pays for all the uninsured idiotic people that drive thier cars like maniacs and get in wrecks. Your argument sucks.

+1

It freaks me out as well.

When I visited Nalian and Veda in Boston the other month we went to NH and there where helmetless riders. I was spazzing big time. I'd never really seen it before to pay attention and my mind kept assuming they had helmets on. I just didn't believe what I saw. So I gawked big time.

It still gives me shivers.

bumble bees have given me some good welts befo'

Tower18CHI wrote:It's not a threat to other vehicles, but who pays the EMTs and police who respond? Who pays the guy that cleans the brains off the road? Who pays the coroner? If he survives, who pays for the hospital if he doesn't have insurance? Who pays for the doctor's lost time? Who pays for the courts' lost time when the unpaid bills or insurance cases end up in court? All could have been saved by wearing a helmet.

The same place that pays for all of the welfare, food stamps, and free clinic health care. Many of those could have been saved for the price of a pack of condoms. Heck, those are given out free.

I agree, this is kind of a dumb argument.

As my name suggests I have experienced a very good reason for wearing a helmet aside from the obvious safety reasons in a crash. I was truly amazed at the amount and size of the bugs that slathered themselves all over my face shield this past saturday. I was, however, one of the fools who wore nothing but a muscle shirt and jeans so when I hit a rainstorm at 65mph I experienced pain like few times in my life. I had nowhere good to stop on the interstate so I basically slowed down and rode through it... can't even imagine that without a helmet. I would say less that half of the bikers I see regularly in my part of PA wear helmets.