Whenever someone on a bike dies and happens to not be wearing a helmet, there is much noise about how stupid the individual was. Yet when a person dies on a bike that has been wearing a helmet, no one notices.
A helmet should be a personal choice, not something that is pushed on to you buy one persons irrational fears. I have a background, that includes seeing first hand how safe you are wearing a helmet. Helmets did not save the life of the man that was run off a highway and hit head first into a concrete barrier. Or the teen that was pushed off an overpass, nor one of my friends that was run over, literally ran over, by a woman driving an SUV. His head was never touched, just his chest crushed.
I have seen men and women brought in, after a fatal crash. Their injuries are similar, weather or not they have been wearing a helmet. Not too much difference in full face or beanie. Unless a motorcyclist rolls over the road, or lays down and thumps their head, helmets do not necessarily save lives. They will lessen the amount of brain damage that can occur with a head trauma.
Helmets and personal freedoms are not at issue. It is the way the biker and the 4 wheelers drive. I have been pushed up onto sidewalks to avoid people that don't check to see if their was anyone coming down the road. I watched a friend get hit because a teen girl decided there was no need for her to stop at a stop sign. We have hit the back of a car because the driver suddenly decided he was going to stop in the middle of the road, for no obvious reason. People talking on cell phones do not take the time to look over their left shoulders to check for blind spots before they merge into our lane. I have kicked many cars because of this lack of respect. Sometimes I wish I wouldn't get into trouble for carry a chain with me on the bike. A quick whip would alert the other drivers.
The next time you hear a story about a motorcyclist dying, and they were not wearing a helmet, try not to harp on it. It was their choice, not yours. And more times than not, the death was caused by a caged driver.
I ride topless, and proud.
I'm s'mitten'
1 hour ago
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5 comments:
A helmet doesn't prevent a broken neck, either.
We sold our motorcycle a couple of weeks ago, hubby figured we're getting old enough that riding is dangerous. We've been in mourning ever since, and now we're shopping for another one! How stupid is that?
Too bad WA. state doesn't give you the option of not wearing a helmet. They seem to know what is best for us in alot of other ways too. I can't wait to ride without one someday......in general the people who crash and die are going way too fast.
bikerchickz
Yes, I agree that it's a choice, and one I support even though I do choose to wear a helmet. (Even in states where I didn't have to.)
But it simply isn't true that nobody notices when a killed rider was wearing a helmet--I get dozens of news alerts about people having bike accidents that don't mention helmet or no helmet. I think that they just seem to make more of a point when the person was helmetless.
It's more likely to hear the bog standard "speed may have been a factor" which absolves journalists from actually reporting accurately that the car driver cut the biker off, for example.
I wish there was more effort to make drivers (of cars) more aware of the bikers on the road. I always watch out for bikers and keep my eye on them.
Donna, not stupid at all. I can't image never having a bike. Good luck on your search.
Becky, come to Kansas, our abate keeps the government in check ;)
Linda, allow me to qaulify that statement, here no one notices. It is only big news when the rider is topless. Our media pushes helmet laws. if he had a helemt and didn't die they mention that, if he had a helmet and died that don't say weather he was wearing one or not.
alrescate, we are pushing motorcycle awareness here in our area in the highschools. It needs to be taught before anyone is allowed to drive, IMO.
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