Who wears a helmet; an informal casual study

[jrdudas]

On a trip north bound on I-71 in Ohio I noticed an unusual number of motorcycles on the road, so I conducted an informal study. I counted the number of riders who were not wearing a helmet. Here's the data:

Time of day - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM - Sunday
Weather - Clear and partly cloudy
Temperature - 87 degrees
Traffic - heavy

Out of 200 bikes the riders on 63 were not wearing helmets, so that represents between 31 and 32 percent of the total.

Out of the 63 without helmets the overwhelming majority (85%) were riding either a cruiser or a standard bike. Only 15% of those in the no helmet category were riding sport bikes. Of the 63 without helmets roughly 5% were women riders.

I was in the vicinity of the Mid-Ohio Race Track and there may have been a bike event there today that would explain why there were so many bikes within a relatively few miles.

Many of the riders were in groups (any number more than 2) and the helmet/no helmet trend seemed follow a group dynamic. I saw only one group of sport bike riders (5 or 6) where none of them had helmets.

Is this an accurate study of the percentage of riders who don't wear helmets: who knows. I just thought it was an interesting exercise.

JR

[Locopez]

I live in California....helmet are the LAW! But when I was on a 15 trip...I finally got to experience life riding without a helmet...a few times. That a different feeling....really liked...since I just got my hair cut...it felt like a massage for my head!

[t_bonee]

Wow. I live in Ohio and though I've never done a count, your helmetless riders seems low. The vast majority of riders I see around here are helmetless regardless of the style of bike they ride.

[m1a1dvr]

I dont understand how people could ride without a helmet. I gave mine to my first passenger and it was no more than five min into the ride that I could not see. The wind was so bad that I had to slow down. When we atopped to turn around I had tear streaks across my face. That is the last time that I ride without one.

[ZooTech]

I dont understand how people could ride without a helmet. I gave mine to my first passenger and it was no more than five min into the ride that I could not see. The wind was so bad that I had to slow down. When we atopped to turn around I had tear streaks across my face. That is the last time that I ride without one.

Sounds like you weren't wearing glasses suited to the purpose. My glasses have foam gaskets around the inside perimeter that keep out the wind and bugs. I have also worn googles which work even better. I broke my night glasses earlier in the season and have been using my prescription specs in the meantime and, yeah, you can tear-up pretty quick, but it's not all that bad.

[jmillheiser]

out here the helmetless rate is more like 85% regardless of the style of bike

cheyenne has a higher than average helmet usage rate for wyoming because we have a military base in town and military personnel must wear helmets.

in colorado helmet usage is nearly zero, its even common to see child passengers with no helmet (colorado has no helmet law of any kind, wyoming requires those under 18 to wear a helmet).

helmet usage does seem to trend by bike type around here. Cruiser riders pretty much never wear helmets here, sportbike riders are about 50/50 though a lot of the helmet wearing sportbikers are doing the shorts/flip flops thing, most dual sport riders wear helmets here (usually a motocross helmet), BMW riders seem to nearly always wear helmets

[Beach]

If I had to guess, I would say we are about 70% helmetless here in central FL. I road a couple of miles without one once, and didnt exceed 45 mph. No doubt in my mind that riding is more comfortable with a full face helmet, at least while moving. It also comforts me to know that if I crash, I do have some protection. I value my brain, without it I just wouldnt be myself.

[Outlaw]

I wear one because a junebug at 70 mph in the middle of my forehead just doesn't appeal to me!

[VermilionX]

it's the law here.

but i'd still wear a helmet even if it's not requried by law.

[DirtyD86]

GA law requires wearing a helmet, when im in a state that doesnt require it i will admit to not wearing one, out of curiosity. helmetless is definitely more exciting and fun as a whole. however bugs, rain, sand, dust in the air, wind blasting your face, the sun beating down on your skin, hair looking like youve just been struck by lightning when you get off, these are the reasons i wear a full face. plus i met a guy that cleans highways for a living and he made me promise him that hed never have to clean my busted skull off the side of the road