De-Helmeted In Daytona

Don't Ring Your Bell

Posted March 14 2008 03:52 PM by The_New_Guy
Filed under: Politics & Legislations

While all you northerners continued to get snowed on, I had the opportunity to go to Daytona Beach during Bike Week. I was actually there to try Pirelli's new "power cruiser" tire, the Night Dragon. As you may be aware, Florida has no helmet law. And, it seems that many people who go to Bike Week from states that do have helmet laws, immediately doff their lids (both literally and figuratively). On top of that, some how or other, we now have 30 states with no helmet law or helmet laws that affect only riders under 20 (or 18 or 17, depending on the state).

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In the two years (2001-2002) after Florida repealed its helmet statute, motorcycle fatalities increased 71% over 1997-1998 and increased 21% per 10,000 motorcycle registrations, with helmetless riders accounting for 61% of the fatalities. Those are sobering statistics. Given that, as someone who has always worn a full-face helmet since my very first ride, I just can't understand how any rational, intelligent adult can choose to ride without a helmet.

And please don't argue with me--I've heard all of the b.s. about the dangers that helmets present (!!!) and how government should keep its nose out of our business.

Helmets save lives.

Period.

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Reader Comments:

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1. I guess cuz you like wearing your helmet everybody should like to wear their's. It is my firm belief that the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a helmet must be universally equal across the board. If choice is the issue, then give everybody a choice. To do less is ridiculous. It sends a message out that only some should be allowed to choose, or live. The federal government's own numbers indicate that people would possibly be better off not wearing a helmet. In 1992, more fatalities were attributed to riders wearing helmets than not. The same report showed that the lowest rate of fatalities per 100 accidents were in states without a mandatory helmet law.

Maineac - Posted March 15 2008 11:55 AM

2. Ignorance is bliss, and your as happy as you could be. Get your figures straight if your gonna spout propaganda on your VIEW not fact. Give me LIBERTY or give me death.

FreedomFighterNC - Posted March 17 2008 10:53 AM

3. I believe that FreedomFighterNC is referring to you, Maineac, and not to me. That said, your information is entirely false. AND, if the 1992 statistic is true, that is only because most states at that time (I haven't researched that) had helmet laws--therefore, almost all riders wore helmets, ipso facto most fatalities were helmeted riders. Further, it says NOTHING to the issue that helmets CAUSED even one fatality. You're using statistics the way that the IIHS uses statistics--not as scientific fact but for the purpose of forwarding an agenda. There is no credible source that will back up your "facts."

The_New_Guy - Posted March 17 2008 02:50 PM

4. It is amazing how little people think of surviving to ride longer out there. Been riding and racing since 67. Seen many brainless splats with out the helmet! Seams that the ego gets in the way of" live to ride and ride to live" or is it stupid is as............. I's still here casue of the helmut on my brain cover. Wished I was wearing it when that drunk driver hit me in my van head on in 99. I'd be still alive casue not much happnen with this brain injury thingy. I really miss racing bikes! My RG 500 much modified now, can't ride it. It sits and waists for me though. If your a veggy theres a long time waiting for the bullet errrrrrrrr fall with out hellmut KO !!!!!!

xsive2x - Posted March 30 2008 03:47 PM

5. This is a topic that always gets folks going. The one thing that will save a person's life is a crash helmet. They save more lives than any other safety device or apparel. I've seen a motorcyclist dead at the side of the road. He wasn't wearing a lid and his brain was several feet away from the rest of him, not a pretty sight. I've worked as a social worker in a rehab hospital too, where a lot of patients were motorcyclists with brain injuries. some in wheelchairs. It is good to be able to choose but before you make your choice take a walk through a brain injury ward first; it's very sobering believe me.

cyclometre - Posted April 8 2008 08:52 AM

6. I've seen my share of crashes, both bikes and cars, neither are pretty. Still, if your over 18, I feel the choice should be yours....I prefer to wear a helmet, but that's my choice. I wouldn't want to be told I have to wear a helmet in order to ride. I'm smart enough to know the dangers of not wearing a helmet and the choice should be mine.
Just my two cents.

corporal - Posted April 24 2008 06:33 PM

7. My question to those who insist on the right to ride without helmet... if you survive the wreck, do you have the financial resources to fully fund your medical care and recovery... and perhaps your lifelong care? If not, then your no helmet decision has an impact on the cost of insurance (if you carry medical insurance) or on the cost of public assistance (if you do not carry health insurance). Either way, your no-helmet injury costs from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars... which we all have to help pay, either through higher premiums, or taxes. Your freedom ends where my wallet begins!

CNY.Venturer - Posted May 1 2008 07:25 AM

8. I work in the electric Utility business & I know its apples & oranges but the safety aspect is the same. The Company & Union supply us with safety gear from dietelectric footware, gloves, hard hats arc proof clothing & testers; Yet every so often a worker decides to take a chance or just has a brain fart. You don't get too many chances with voltages over 600 v.ac. You definitely dont get too many chances in a motorcycle accident. Look at it from a Loved ones position & minimize your chances of severe debilitating trauma.

Slickswede - Posted May 16 2008 09:23 AM

9. Many riders, not all, believe that not wearing a helmet makes them look macho like the 1%ers. I believe that it's a "state of mind". Many people want to look like a biker and because there have been movies made about the 1%ers and "bad bikers", people think that in order to be a biker, you have to look like the actors in these movies. Wearing my helmet has become part of riding to me, like wearing my boots. I'm just not part of the bike if I don't have my helmet on. Many people started riding before there were any helmet laws, so they feel that they are not riding when they wear a helmet. There are many reasons why people don't wear helmets. I believe that everyone should wear a helmet, but that's just me.

Otter - Posted May 30 2008 06:51 AM

10. I belive we should have the right to chose,ialso belive that lack of ride time is a large factor in the number of accidents that we see out there.I fear that with increased fuel prices you will see the yuppies on there scooters scattered or splattered on the roadways this will give the gov.more numbers and helmet laws will become strictor in all states.

newty - Posted July 5 2008 05:01 AM

11. Do you think that fatalities can be attributed to faster motorcycles? Nah. How about the legion of midlife-crisis, baby-boomer dentists and pediatricians buying a Harley and having the salesperson teach them how to shift before they take off? Couldn't be. It must be helmet use. Otherwise, you can't really polarize a complex problem.
BTW - Helmets certainly do provide a bit of protection for your brain,
"A helmet that can take one of our headforms through these 2 impacts unscathed could probably handle a single impact somewhat greater than 17.3 MPH, but certainly no more than 23 MPH." - Snell
but that extra weight of the Snell approved lid may be enough to snap the neck. It may not be a good life, but at least it will be long.

Don't go here: http://www.bikersrights.com/statistics/goldstein/reviews/reviews.html
And definitely don't go here:http://www.bikersrights.com/statistics/marylandstats.html
If you find out Maryland's death per accident rate went UP after a mandatory helmet law was instituted, you might have to reconsider (Oh Noes!)

motorcycle_madman - Posted July 5 2008 12:10 PM

12. >Florida has no helmet law

I wish the author had bothered to get his facts straight. Florida law says you can ride without a helmet if you have the required medical coverage and are old enough.

regards,
Joe in Florida

sloowpoke - Posted July 27 2008 08:23 AM

13. If you ride without a helmet you're a fool. I have no problem with fools getting killed.

I do have a problem with intrusive government regulation and the nanny state mentality so prevalent in the US today; the idea that government exists to protect people from themselves via regulated behavior offends me.

So I'll never support helmet laws even though I wear one 100% of the time.

abenson - Posted August 14 2008 08:55 AM

14. I read a very in depth report on single rider motorcycle deaths. They concluded that it was a 50/50 shot. I wear a helmet for comfort and to prevent a crash. I have been hit by an acorn at 70 mph. Ouch! Your neck is the weak point at any rate. That is what has killed most race car drivers. Oh and all you sport bike riders. Do you realize what kind of jerk it makes you look like when you have a helmet but the chick on the back doesn’t?

Kormster - Posted August 22 2008 06:31 AM

15. Choice or no choice, it is good common sense (which waved bye-bye to several in this blog) that one should wear a helmet. You want STRAIGHT FACTS, here's some. In my years as not only a miliary helicopter pilot/field medic and a civilian air-evac pilot/paramedic I have seen the results of both helmeted and non-helmeted crashes. Helicopters and motorcycles are somewhat alike that when there is some kind of danger it is not over until you hit the ground, HARD!! Believe me I've been there. In my career I have responded to 18 helicopter crashes. Military crashes where you are required to wear helmets even though some did not survive less than 1% had any type of major head trauma, death was by other means. I have responded to 1 civilian sector helicopter crash, no helmet , no chance. The top of his head was gone, end of story. I have responded to 1 on base motorcycle crash, head first into the pavement with the bike laying on top of him and had skid for about 20 yards. I have responded (not all by air) to 213 major civilian motorcycle crashes. Out of that, 184 had helmets, 73 were open face or skull caps. From that number only 8 died of actual head trauma, 7 were open face. 23 died from body wounds and broken bones. The remaining survived, only a handful had any type of head trauma and most were open face. As for the reamining 29 helmetless victims 2 survived. Not wearing a helmet in traffic is like slinging chicken livers in knife throwing battle. Your opponent (most times a vehicle) may get messy but it's your brains that did it. Now there's STRAIGHT FACTS. If you feel the government is sticking there nose where it doesn't belong, well I can put you in touch with a few open face and helmetless crash survivors that wish they had a nose to stick in somebody's business. USE YOUR HEAD FOR THINKING, NOT TO PAINT THE PAVEMENT RED. MAYBE SOME OF YOU ARE HARD HEADED ENOUGH TO BE ALRIGHT. THE REST OF YOU, WELL I MAY BE FLYING YOU SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME. HOSPITAL OR MORGUE, IT'S YOUR DECISION.

roaddoc - Posted August 18 2009 03:43 AM

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