I see your point; however let me offer this as derived from DOT statistics:

Of the millions of motorcycles registered in the US, there is an average of 60,000 motorcycle crashes a year, and of those, 2000 to 3000 result in fatalities.

•In 1999, 41 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding,approximately twice the rate for drivers of passenger cars or light trucks;
•In 1999, the percentage of alcohol involvement was more than 50 percent higher for motorcyclists than for drivers of passenger vehicles;
•Almost half (42 percent) of the motorcycle operators who died in single-vehiclecrashes in 1999 were intoxicated. Three- fifths (61 percent) of those killed in single vehicle crashes on weekend nights were intoxicated;
•Motorcycle operators killed in traffic crashes at night were nearly 4 times as likely to be intoxicated as those killed during the day (43 percent and 12 percent respectively);
•Intoxication rates for drivers in fatal crashes in 1999 were highest for motorcycle operators (28 percent), compared to drivers of passenger cars (17 percent), light trucks (20 percent) and large trucks (1 percent);
•Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 1999, 27 percent of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with a fixed object, compared to 17 percent for passenger cars,11 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks;
•Nearly one out of six motorcycle operators (15 percent) involved in fatal crashes in 1999 was operating the vehicle with an invalid motorcycle only license (license suspended, revoked, expired, canceled or denied) at the time of the collision, while fewer (11 percent) drivers of passenger vehicles in fatal crashes had an invalid license;
•Motorcycle operators involved in fatal traffic crashes were more than 1.5 times as likely as passenger vehicle drivers to have a previous license suspension or revocation (20 percent and 13 percent respectively);
•There have been more 40 and over age motorcyclist fatalities in recent years; and,
•In 1999 and 1998, more motorcyclists were killed on rural roads than urban roads, reversing the trend from 1990 to 1997;

I never ride (or drive for that matter) drunk. I have attended the MSF basic and advanced rider’s courses. I am licensed to ride.

I know that I am playing the odds, but at less than 0.15% chance of being killed in a motorcycle accident, I imagine that I would have a higher probability of falling off my roof and killing myself than being killed on my bike. Your perceptions may be affected by the fact that you typically respond to major accidents involving injuries rather than each and every motorcycle crash.

Just my opinion, but I choose to live life - If I didn't, I wouldn't ride....

 

Amen!

 

I wear one only because it's law. Look at Volvo (the cage) test studies show for every one degree your brain temperature goes up your reaction time slows down by two tenths of second. Sometimes that could be just enough time to make a difference.

 

Thanks for the links, especially "The Accident". If that don't give you the fear of God, nothing will. I intend to share it with several of my friends.

Bill

PS. Nice ride!

 

Too much crap in the road, and flying off the cars in DC, MD, and VA... I get hot sometimes, but too many stitches, black eyes, and 80 mph June Bugs that ruin a fun ride. Heck, in the winter I wear a full face helmet. It's quiet, warm, and makes sure my ugly mug don't get any uglier! I have been down a few times too, and when you see your bucket, and what happens to it, instead of your head, that makes you stop and think!

 

Over here in the UK we have had a compulsery helmet law that states you will wear a helmet in the uk except on trikes, this law has been inforce since the early 1970's? if you don't a stiff fine follows.

I always have worn a helmet even before the law was established as english roads are like tracks to your roads and does not give you much room to manouver in cases of stupidity on someone elses doings so I would never go out with out one anyways.

 

What bothers me is the hypocrisy of some bikers. I've seen quite a few guys who rant and rave about not having helmet laws and their "freedom to choose" that won't bother to return my wave or nod at a stoplight because I'm wearing one. I've actually had fellow H-D riders next to me at lights and when I've nodded or said hello they've actually looked at my helmet and then turned away. Well, I agree with them, I don't like helmet laws, but I too have a "freedom to choose" and I choose to wear one. I won't ride without one, and won't take a passenger unless they wear one, but that's my choice.

The funny thing is that I've been riding for over 40 years, more time than some of these arrogant bastards have been on this earth, and to be "looked down upon" for exercising my choice is hypcrosy at it's finest.

 

I don't wear one in town but do when I go out on the highway. For all reasons to wear a helmet, one of the reasons I wear a full face is bugs and rocks at 60+ mph don't feel good.

 

This might sound a little crazy. I have a good friend of mine that is a doctor at a well respected shock truma center. I was just talking to him one evening about how my oldest son was lucky to be a live after going down several times on his Jap bike. Anyhow, I had mentioned that I was going to buy a new $ 425.00 helmet. He laught and said why are you paying so much money for a helmet. I told him that the helmet I was buying was one of the best made.

He mentioned to me that anyone that impacts the head at 30 miles and hour or more, risk instant death. He continued to inform me that the cause would simple be the preasure the brain would have against the skull. The helmet type or cost would have little affect for impact. However, he continued to say that the helmets did help prevent punchure from objects and as we know scrapes.

He mentioned that a helmet that is DOT / Snell approved are perfered, but a $450.00 helmet is not going to offer you more protection than a $ 100.00 helmet if both helmets cary the same DOT/Snell approval. His comment on types full is best, anything else you are just fooling yourself.

I don't know, I'm just a contractor.

 

I have lived in the desert for 14 years & I have to say that in August on Intersate 40 you are in more danger of a heat stroke than an accident. Helmets give me horrible headaches in the summer. One reason I moved away from Cali.