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by Executivemom from St Louis

Last Post 82 days, 23 hours Ago


To Helmet or Not
Apr 7, 2008 | 1:50 PM
Category: Traffic
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Finally, dry weather and sunshine! What a beautiful Sunday afternoon I had to take my kids to the ballpark for Kids Opening weekend. I guess when you live in a "baseball town" and have grown up with the same team - many of your fondest memories revolve around those days and I don't my kids to miss out on that.

So, yesterday, we packed up drove out and tried to find a parking spot with a million others dressed in Red. I suppose the thing that caught my attention, though, after a winning ball game and driving home with smiles on our faces and windows open was the group of motorcycles that drove (okay, flew) past us on the highway.

Now, I have to confess, I am not one who pokes along...so here I am doing - let's say 70 to keep me out of a lot of trouble (+ or - 10)...and 3 bikes went whirring past us - they had to have been doing close to 100 with short sleeve shirts and (yep one guy had shorts on) proudly I do have to say that they did have helmets (but JMO but you hit something at that speed - helmet or no - it isn't going to be pretty).

My point, I am not a motorcycle fan. Now my husband would absolutely love a Harley but after spending my college summers working in the X-Ray department in the ER and watching them bring in the guys they had scraped off the pavement - leaves a lasting impression let me tell you!

But, I read a recent article (and sorry can't seem to find it again but was from March 2008) that stated - since the state funding for highways is no longer linked to riders having a helmet, enforcement has dropped tremendously and many states have even let their laws drop (despite this fact: Recent data from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety cites nearly 75 percent of fatally injured motorcycle riders were not wearing a helmet in states without mandatory helmet laws compared with only 15 percent in states with all-rider helmet laws. What’s more, latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates helmets saved 1,158 motorcyclists’ lives in 2003, and that 640 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn them.)

So what do you think? A drivers choice to wear a helmet or not? Or should the laws be enforced like the seatbelt laws? Would love to hear your opinion...enjoy that sunshine and either way- Be SAFE....
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Member Comments Total Comments: 21
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Chelsea123 read my blog view my photos
Apr 7, 2008 | 2:13 PM

the father of one of my good friends in high school was the president of a motorcycle club. The older men didn't always wear helmets, but you better believe they made us girls wear them, and usually leather jackets, too.

good thing: that friend and her boyfriend took his bike to dinner one night when a car cut them off and they crashed. Thanks to the leather and helmet, she only had a few scrapes from her slide across the pavement. her boyfriend had a broken leg.

one of the older members of the club was riding (sans helmet) one night when a shopping cart rolled across the road in front of him. he hit it and was killed. very sad.

but gosh, did we look cool on those choppers....
= )
sarcasticdragon
Apr 7, 2008 | 2:14 PM

If your an adult then its your choice.
You cant fix stupid.

If they cant be bothered to care about their own safety then why should I or anyone else for that matter care?
Chickenkiller read my blog
Apr 7, 2008 | 9:48 PM

executivemom - If they're over 21 let them ride without a helmet with the understanding that they will not be cared for with public funds if they crash.

After all, there is a pretty sizable shortage of organs that are suitable for transplant and motorcyclists contribute a large share of those.
Executivemom read my blog view my photos
Apr 7, 2008 | 10:12 PM

thank you all for your input - guess on one level I have to agree..it is their responsibility and none of us wants to be responsible for our actions so 1) I have to agree...you don't wear a helmet and I'm not picking up the medical bill but 2) if they don't have to wear helmets then why should I be ticketed and have to wear a seatbelt (I do & never would drive without mine but why should it be a "law"? see it as the same in responsibility?) - just asking questions...
michelle4wellness read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 9:05 AM

Hi Executivemom! I would never, ever be on one without a helmet. And yes, I think it should be illegal to not wear one. I suppose the government should try to protect even those who are not-so-bright!
Jimmy-42 read my blog
Apr 8, 2008 | 9:56 AM

I live in Illinois, so a helmet isn't required by law, but, I always wear one. I too worked in the X-ray dept (as a volunteer in high school) and saw the results of not wearing helmets or seat belts.

Now, I believe that for adults, helmets and seat belts should be optional. But, if you don't use them, you get no public or insurance funds to help cover your medical expenses.

I think it quite odd that in Illinois, a child has to be in a car seat when in the protection of a car. But, put that same child on the back of a motorcycle and they don't even need a helmet.
snoopydad24 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 11:47 AM

First lets dispelled a few myths. Helmets do not prevent brain injuries but can possibly reduce the severity of brain injuries.

Second helmet do not prevent injuries to the neck that are in many cases cause by the added weight of the helmet. So the helmet may have saved a life but now the rider is paralyzed from the neck down. I call this the Christopher Reeve syndrome. Mr. Reeve was wearing a helmet while riding his horse but the injury was to his neck.

Third there is no consistent standard in manufacturing motorcycle helmets. Some helmets can be a WWI German Officers helmet with no padding or face shield, can be an early style football helmet, or has flexible plastic and padding with face protection. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) approves all three helmets.

Bicycle helmets and Equestrian Riding Helmets all meet the same standards and are approved by Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Snell Memorial Foundation. All seatbelts, car seats, or other safety restraints are governed by the NHSTA and manufactures have to meet these standards before it can be sold to the public. Motorcycle helmet standards vary from state to state. There is no list of “approved” motorcycle helmets by either the NHSTA or any state DOT.
snoopydad24 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 11:47 AM

But no matter how much protection you wear safety begins with the person first. When riding something you take on and must be aware of inherent risks associated with what you are riding. Especially using a riding device to perform “tricks” or do something that is not necessarily within the original design of the device. Example: Have you ever seen Tony Hawk without a helmet while riding a skateboard or a pair of in-lines? NO! Tony Hawk did not get where he is today by bonking his head on concrete – then again maybe he did. Even when I had my accident the first question the police officer asked was I wearing a helmet despite my leg being in two pieces? The ten or so people along with me said Yes. By the time the officer got there I took the helmet off because it was raising my head and I could feel myself starting to go into shock. Yes I was getting lightheaded lying on the ground.

This response is not about whether you should or shouldn’t wear a helmet it is about choices. We shouldn’t need common sense laws to FORCE people to be safe. However, there are consequences to the choices we make. I wear a seatbelt because it may help reduce or eliminate injuries in a car accident. I choose to wear a helmet while riding my bicycle mostly because of low flying branches and golf balls when riding in Forest Park. Plus I have found I usually get a “little” more respect than the days when I was not wearing a helmet (many years ago).
snoopydad24 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 11:48 AM

As far as the insurance goes I pay for my auto insurance and if I get in an accident I should be entitled to the money needed after the accident to cover expenses. If I chose to ride without a helmet but pay more for that privilege then the insurance should pay without question. If the policy says I should wear a helmet and do not then yes I should not get any insurance money to cover any expenses related to the accident.
Play nice and share the road.
kurkel read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 3:15 PM

OK....I will speak from the hospital end....
I understand what snoopydad is saying BUT the serious head injuries come from those who do NOT have their helmets on...we dont get serious head injuries WITH helmets on...so I guess they MUST be doing some good...

SECOND...Insurance is fine and dandy...but let me tell you for a serious head injury it goes WAY beyond what YOUR insurance will cover! AND guess who picks up the tab? Wether we want it or not it is OURS!

And wether you all think you are picking up that EXTRA tab or not ....YOU ARE! In rising medical costs ...insurance etc. When someone gets injured seriously and depletes the insurance co they are using ...what do you think happens> INSURANCE PRICES go UP.... so we ALL pay for THAT serious injury.

SO ALl that being said...I think they should be MADE to be worn, just like seatbelts. Stupid or not..I dont want to pay for stupids injuries....LOL...more than jmo :)
slcpdexplorer read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 11:22 PM

Its just stupid not to wear a helmet. I dont see what the big deal is. If you choose not to wear a helmet and I hit you, I dont want to be responsible for your brain injury because you chose not to wear it. Yes I may have been at fault for the accident, but you could have helped prevent the injury as well.
kurkel read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 11:24 PM

oh yeah another point that I didnt bring up, lol....thanks!
Jimmy-42 read my blog
Apr 9, 2008 | 9:12 AM

Snoopy, there are standards for helmets. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has a standard (which is not very good). There is also the Snell Foundation, which is a non for profit organization that tests and rates helmets. Their requirements are very stringent. All my motorcycle helmets are Snell certified. Snell has certification programs for many types of helmets.
Executivemom read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 9:38 AM

Thank you all for the great information.

Jimmy42 will have to check out the Snell certifications. Good stuff.
Executivemom read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 9:38 AM

Thank you all for the great information.

Jimmy42 will have to check out the Snell certifications. Good stuff.
snoopydad24 read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 9:42 AM

Kurkel I am surprise at you. What drives up medical insurance are the millions of people who have heart disease, cancer, or any number of lung diseases. Plus more people over fifty use health insurance more than younger people. That is what drives up the cost of health care not the say couple thousand people who are involved in a road accident.

Slcpdexplorer if you hit me and it is proven to be your fault you, actually it will most likely be your insurance company, will pay for my injuries whether it is a brain injury or not. However when it comes to settlements a reasonable person would be wearing a helmet while riding. So the amount of the settlement for the motorcyclists may not be as much because the rider played a part in his/her head injury by not wearing a helmet.

Let me put it this way we as adults know that now (and always has been) smoking is bad for you but many still choose to smoke. Those who continue to smoke are more likely, not a guarantee, to get one or more lung diseases. The same with wearing seatbelts where it is a law but people still do not wear them. Just because a motorcyclist does not want to wear a helmet while riding is his/her CHOICE. Motorcyclists also understand that if they get in an accident they may be severely injured or killed. But that is one of the many inherent risks that riders face while riding and accept these risks when they start up their motorcycle. Again this is about a CHOICE, if I choose not to wear a helmet I should be able too.
snoopydad24 read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 9:55 AM

Jimmy42 the impact rating for Snell differs from state to state. Also here is an interesting article about the making of helmets and how manufactures use the Snell rating as a marketing device.

"The Snell sticker," continued Newman, "has become a marketing gimmick. By spending 60 cents [paid to the Snell foundation], a manufacturer puts that sticker in his helmet and he can increase the price by $30 or $40. Or even $60 or $100.”
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_he
lmet_review/index.html
stephan read my blog view my photos
Apr 11, 2008 | 12:50 PM

When I was young, dumb and full of.... Living in California I loved the feel of wind in my hair as I rode up the coast... Ahhh good memories. But I grew up and wear a helmet. My 1960 pontiac was made without seatbelts (so its grandfathered and legaly cannot get a seatbelt ticket) and only slow cruise in it depite the 389 under the hood....
PSylvester20 read my blog
Apr 11, 2008 | 4:19 PM

I wouldn't ride a motorcycle without a helmet. But the government shouldn't be in the business of protecting people from themselves. Same goes for seat belts.
Jimmy-42 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 1:09 PM

Snoopy, I read the article you mentioned, which was quite interesting, although I would question the logic involved in some of the statements made. I didn't see that it mentioned anything about Snell ratings varying from state to state. And, the 60 cents is a fact, a helmet manufacturer is required to pay this to display the Snell logo on their helmet. But, the helmet is also required to meet Snell's standards in order for the logo to be displayed.

People can say what they want about helmets, one of mine either saved my life or at the very least prevented severe disfigurement.
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Executivemom

Welcome to ExecutiveMom's Blog.I have the body of an 18-year-old, but it's in the trunk of my car and it's starting to smell. I am smarter than my 5th grader but getting dumber every day. I am here to share my thoughts, analyze situations, & try to figure people out a little more. But, please remember that I am writing to entertain myself. I really enjoy reading your stories and responses to what has been written, but if you feel that you must send me something hateful…again, remember this is a personal blog and while I understand you may disagree with me on many topics, there is an obvious difference between disagreement and hate. Before typing - Please take a step away from your computer and take your pills. I take mine! Enjoy… www.kimberlycheryl.net / www.execdeftech.com

Member Since: 3/5/2007


 

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