I only want to adda bit about helmets, since I think it is a libertarian issue and we can wear or not wear them as we choose.

The idea that non-helmet wearers 'raise the insurance costs' for the rest of us is chimaerical; because some company will come along that offers lower medical insurance for those people who use this equipment, just as I have lower medical insurance costs since i do not smoke.

But to the helmet issue specifically. People OVERESTIMATE what helmets are supposed to do. They are designed to prevent a MINOR accident from having MAJOR impact on the sides of your skull. Thats IT. They are not designed to do much more prevent a low velocity accident from doing damage that could have been easily prevented. Mountain climber wear helmets and I hardly think they assume it will help them in a major fall down K2; instead, they are hoping that loosened rocks and gravel will not make for a bad hair day.

I have worn a helmet from my first tour and from day one. Not only are they better for your head from a safety standpoint, they can be aerodynamic and they are positively geeky, which should be the goal of every biker.


roughstuff