Originally Posted by
Rocky1405
Guys & Gals: After 60 years of riding w/o a mis-hap and after wearing a helmet ever since helmets became available and affordable, last week I made a simple mistake on a curve at about 20 MPH and fell hard. It happened so fast I can't even tell you what all happened but I can tell you that when I fell, my head got slapped onto the ground so hard it left a big dent in the back of my helmet. The fall involved going off a trail and side-swiping a trail sign that spun me around and literally bounced my head onto the ground like a basketball. Once the world stopped spinning and I started to do damage assessment, the first thought in my mind was how glad I was because I had been wearing a helmet when I went down. I have no doubt my life as I know it would have been over if I hadn't have been wearing that "Brain Bucket". So, wear one if you want to but if you don't wear one, realize that you are risking EVERYTHING! Best of Luck, and keep the rubber side down!
Rocky1405
I had a motorcycle crash back in 1992 at about 60km/h. I went end over end a few times. the bike went end over end too. I lost a big piece of skin on my arm and had a broken rib. But I was able to get up and had all of my senses.
After getting home from the hospital I examined my helmet and noticed the massive damage to the right side. Had that been my face I would have to spend the rest of life looking like the phantom of the Opera.
That was the day I came to the simple conclusion: Some protection is better than no protection at all.
The helmet didn't protect me entirely. I lost a big piece of skin and had a broken rib but I did save my face and most probably my brain as well.
I've never argued that a helmet is 100% effective but it's better than the 0% effectiveness of a bare head.
As for freedom of choice? I disagree. There's a reason airbags and mandatory in cars these days. There's a reason seatbelts are mandatory. There's a reason motorcycle helmets are mandatory in many places. I believe the same will and should happen to bikes.
We're already half way there. In most provinces in Canada it's mandatory for kids under 16. It's only a matter of time until it's mandatory for everyone. And I'm all for it.
"oh my god, I've lost an important part of my freedom. Facists!" - anti-helmet people.
Oh cry me a river, it's not like we're going to put you on the terrorist list because you're not wearing one; unlike trying to bring toothpaste in a carry-on on an airplane. Just wear the damn helmet. If it happens to work so much the better. If it doesn't you just lost a few bucks you cheapo.