For me also, freedom of choice is the biggest issue here. When I went to Florida, yup, the lid came off. After the novelty wore off, I put it back on. Mostly. High traffic days and rides with others, it was on.

The idea of a helmet saving your life is a good one... but there are other things that can happen, even with the helmet on. My life is not going to be important to me if the quality of my life is severly downgraded. If I can't ride, or if I can't work... what good is that kind of life to me? And I've seen it first hand. I'd rather go out completely than be here half way.

Yea, a helmet can save my life. But the impact to the rest of my body is still up for grabs to the pavement, to the deer, to the black dog in the middle of the road at night, and to the idiot driver who didn't see me. Riding is dangerous. Period. I don't want to fall into a false sense of security simply because I wear a helmet.

Emergency room nurse once told me that the difference between wearing a helmet and not wearing a helmet is the difference between a biker coming into the ER with a broken arm and the biker coming into with gray stuff coming out of his nose.
Good enough for me.
One aspect of this discussion that bothers me are those who do not wear helmets making fun of those who do. If you are one those guys this is for you..."If you think you don't need a helmet, you probably don't."

i live in texas so its a choice,most of the time i choose to wear a helmet but not always,depends how i feel,MY CHOICE...  but it is a really cool half helmet!

I do not wear a helmet, unless the situation calls for wearing one, once I get out of the helmet required states. It is a matter of preference.  Being an adult I exercise my preference. I do not say that anyone should or should not wear a helmet because it is up to the person that is riding on or in a vehicle depending upon the circumstances.  
 Interestingly enough many people in the state of California did not realize why the helmet law was authored by Dick Floyd.  Bell Helmets is was located in his district.  The helmet law was a way for Floyd to increase product sales and hopefully create jobs in his district. LOL didn't work out too well. Bell helmets moved their manufacturing overseas and layed off a bunch of people and maximize their profits and bonuses.  Oops not like we haven't seen that one before.  Once you have a large number of people obligated to give you money you have it made.   Humm if I manufactured an Orange vest and got some money hungry polititian to pass a law... Ah forget it I'll keep my dignity and ethics.

normally I don't. South Texas Gulf coast weather is brutal.I know I should but..........

I firmly believe it should be a persons own choice, i wear mine, I am still new and in the fallling down stage lol. With the way people drive I feel safer. I have even had police pull out in front of me.

O.K., that's funny.  46 years on two wheels and I still fall down.


Peace

If you ride like I do, you would be an idiot not to wear a full coverage, well fitted, upper-end helmet.  Then again, you might be an idiot anyway, if you ride like I do.

I live in AZ and CHOOSE not to wear a helmet most of the time.I generally take my full face helmet on long trips and wear my helmet in rain, hail, extreme heat and cold, and sometimes during gnat season. I wrote a paper for a college class and my topic was pros and cons of mandatory helmet laws.The preponderance of evidence that I found showed that helmets do reduce injuries and deaths in motorcycle accidents. Even armed with this knowledge I prefer not to wear one. It's like riding in a convertible car with the top down although, inherently more dangerous. I refused to let my minor daughter ride with me without a helmet irrespective of AZ law which required it, and so she CHOSE not to ride with me. Now she is 18 and can make the CHOICE for herself. I adamantly respect and defend anyone's right to wear one or not.

I'm right there with you JypsyJim. I use mine but defend those that don't because it SHOULD be a choice!

Had one mishap where I was glad I had a helmet on, and I always wear one now. A helmet is NOT the only thing that will save you, no; but it IS part of a total protection package right up there with situational awareness and all. And yes, I do think it should be a matter of choice.

I got a chuckle too. 35 years and I still fall once in a while. I was in CA a couple of years ago, almost at a complete stop in a parking lot when I fell over. I slapped my head on the asphalt and was glad I had my helmet on.

Well thanks,  now I don't feel so bad about  fall over at a stop sign  lol  . 

MD is a helmet state, so yes I wear one. Often find myself riding in states that do not require one, so yes I will take it off, for a while, and enjoy the freedom. When riding on the interstates, yes I will wear it, regardless of the laws. Being a single parent of a minor child I feel it is my responsibility to take whatever measures to provide better protection.

Yes I wear a helmet regardless of the law. Two reasons, first I'm military and it's a requirement. 2nd, I value my noggin and on the one in a million chance I leave the upright position I'd prefer not to be a vegetable for what would be the rest of my life. However, to each their own. So if you like to feel the wind in your hair, the bugs in your teeth, and cry while you joyously ride down the road, have at it!

It's all about safety for me really... but like all things in this country it should be your choice to ride with a helmet or strap yourself into a seat belt... if it has wheels it is inherently dangerous and prone to failure, faults and all manner of calamities, so being as safe as you possibly can and being prepared are always the best way to stay prepared for whatever happens.

I know this is an old post but for those interested go to http://highwaysafety.org/research/fatality_facts_2009/motorcycles.html                                               By the way I don't wear one but your choice.

I choose to wear a full faced Snell approved helmet at all times. I ride with some friends that often don't wear one in the summer. I've noticed most sport bike riders consider their helmet an important part of their gear and bike, and spend lots of money on them.
I tend to go overboard compared to most. Even in the hot summer heat I wear a Joe Rocket mesh jacket with shoulder, elbow, and spine pad. Actually, it makes you feel cooler. It blocks the sun, yet the wind flows freely.
To each his or her own. Mine is a personal choice. I'm in my 50s now and want to avoid the road rash etc. if I can avoid it.

Washington is a required helmet state. I am not fond of others telling me what to do. As for the helmet law in and of its self. I have no real complaints. The facts bear out that Helmets are over rated as a safety device. 1st D.O.T. regularly pass helmets that fail the required testing. 2nd the D.O.T. test less than 50% of the marketed helmets each year. 3rd The number 1 cause of death amoung riders With or With out lids IS DRINKING AND RIDING. number 2 is speeding. These numbers alone are at least 3xs what the death rate of helmetless rides are. Yet the D.O.T. isnt on some crusade to stop it. 4th The best isnt always the best. In some states the requirement of a leagle helmet excludes the testing from Anssi, Econ, Aussie Anssi, And Euro Testing and only reconises the D.O.T. FMV numbers as real testing thus makeing all others ileagl as a real helmet. In others the word helmet is regularly brought in to question. As to give a definement of whats leagle as a lid. In the long run its muddie the waters so badly law inforcement in thses states regulary just look the other way.
5th there has been no long term studies as to the effect of wareing a lid on things as to smells from the glues solvents and foam. The damange to the neck and upper back from the weight slaming up and down on the spine.
6th The leagle blocking of helmet manfactures from lawsuits. This is a well knowen fact to anyone that asks about helmets in the first place. You are not really protected by the lid. Becuse D.O.T. fails lids each year yet becuse the manfactures may have already built thounds the D.O.T. still allows the sales of failed runs with a D.O.T. stickers on them. So you buy a bad lid. You fall and die in a slow speed slip and fall. Your famlie can not sue the manfacture for allowing the sales of a all ready questionable helmet in the first place.
7th The miss repsenting of facts. THE D.O.T.s favorate passtime. The number of deaths rise in states where the helmet mantory is repealed. I cant denie it. But factor in the number of riders who now chose to ride with out The numbers are nearly the same. The DOT admits that in the past thay have squewed numbers and out right lied to get the public to see it there ways. In at least 3 states the DOT admits that just to keep the state as a Mandated state thay have tolded out right lies to keep the genural public on the side of there helmet laws. Ive wondered just how many deaths where guys wearing black tee shirts! if the numbers bear out that wearing a black tee shirts your more likely to die. Should we ban black tee shirts????
8th Why reglate helmets in the first place? Why not spend the money on getting the public to see us??? For years the bucks have been spent on the hole helmet thing. With no real resalts to speek of. My mother said for years this saying. To contune to do the exact same thing each time and expect a driffant resalt. is a sure sign of insanty.
So why not take the money the DOT receives each year and move on to a new tack. like stoping drinking and riding? Where at least we might see some movement in saving lifes!!!! Spending wisely not expecting the same as usal!!

If you ride without a helmet in Az you may be interested in a blog I posted a few months back. Go to my profile and check it out.