Don't know how many people are still reading this thread... Been thinking about the subject for a while now and I have come to this conclusion. Some of you will find it harsh, most of you will probably think it crazy for anyone to be so uncaring... Well, here it goes... Over half the people on this thread have said they wear helmets. I find this to be a sign that all of the education efforts (by all the motorcycle and non-motorcycle safety entities out there) are in fact succeeding in their crusade to make biking safer for "us bikers". The thing that gets me is the fact that out of about 50 "bikers" I have known personally, maybe 5 of them posses the means to pay for their own medical needs in case of a serious injury. Sure, they all have the usual insurance and they all are experienced, etc., etc., but, they do have the means it would take to face the financial burden of a catastrophic injury and all of the medical expenses- on their own. The other 45 of my "biker" friends, do not. Once the insurance coverage is exceeded, the credit cards have been topped off, the house/car/bikes have been mortgaged or sold... After there is no more money, the rest of us end up having to pay for the luxury of them getting into an accident while not wearing a helmet. An accident, that in all probability, would have been nothing more than a major loss of skin or a few broken bones, had they been wearing a helmet. Try to take the helmets away from the Marines and soldiers in Afghanistan/Iraq under the pretense that it is uncool to wear a helmet. I wouldn't dare... If I had my way, I would make helmets mandatory, for all recreational vehicle drivers and passengers (maybe some water craft too), those that got in an accident while wearing the protective gear would be allowed to receive medical attention beyond their means (insurance, personal wealth, etc.). The ones that chose not to wear helmets, I would have them state that they would not hold society responsible for their choice. That once they were involved in an accident (statistics have it, that if we ride, we will all be involved in at least one accident), and their personal means had been exceeded the "Stupidity Cause Clause" would be actuated. Plug pulled, remains turned over to the medical researchers for study in an attempt to determine what caused that particular "biker" to not wear that helmet which might have saved his ass... It is all about economics to me. It kills me to see my sister and brother in law ride with their helmets strapped to the back of their bikes... When we stopped by Sturgis (our first and hopefully last time), out of all the thousands of people there, my wife and I were the only ones wearing a helmet. We saw thousands of people with helmets but, 99.9 percent of them had their helmets tied to the back of the bikes. How crazy is that?
I guess it is wonderful for all the hard biker wannabes' to have a choice on wearing a helmet or not... I wish, though, they would also have the balls to take the responsibility for their choice when they have their turn at the eventual accident. Why should I, or anyone for that matter, have to bear the expense of "THEIR CHOICE"?
Am I wrong to think this way? Am I going to hell because of it? I just don't know what comes over me sometimes... BE SAFE, BE KIND...

Our health system is so overwhelmed due to having to provide care to those that cannot afford to pay insurance, etc., etc., why should we burden it further providing health care to those that did not care to be prudent. I propose those that choose not to wear a helmet, perform a very simple, inexpensive (yet highly scientific) experiment. Get out on the road somewhere (by whatever means that has the ability to go at least 10 mph), preferably black top, and gently release a small (preferably round) watermelon from a height of about 4 feet. It's a no brainer, the melon suffers...

OK You had to get this going again.

Number 1.  I AND MANY OF MY NOT WEARING HELMET FRIENDS ARE NOT HARD BIKER WANNABES.  I personally have been riding since I was 19. Saying that 'all who choose to not wear a helmet are just trying to look cool' is a major insult to us.  Yes we have the cajones !!!  It sounds to me like you have some biker issue. You have the right to disagree with us but keep your anal attitude out of it. Neither you nor anyone else pays my medical expenses so shut up about it. I am sick of that cry ‘oh, you can’t cost me money.” That is just plain Bull.

Number 2. Using your argument, keeping the head alive while the body is destroyed is more expensive medically than the alternative. In my opinion there are worse things than dying. What is next? How about full body armor? How about air bag suits? How about roll cages. Hell, why don’t we just outlaw motorcycles, and why stop there? Let’s get rid of beer, wine and whiskey. Boy that would save a lot of medical expenses.

Number 3. WHAT I DO IS MY CHOICE NOT YOURS!!  If the meddling do- gooders are worried about saving money that they fantasize coming out of their pockets due to me not wearing a helmet I have a suggestion where they can really save money. Spend some effort on returning our military from Harm’s way. But that is another subject
Finnally, I notice your profile photo is helmet less.

 

Not sure I can follow that one but here goes.I wear a lid on sunny days,I'm bald and too lazy to put sunscreen on the ole cue ball.

I gotta agree whole heartedly with Rex....It is the right to make decisions on our own! Enjoy that right because the way things are going we won't have it for long.......
I also choose not to wear a helmet and am glad to have the right...again a major reason I joined A.B.A.T.E. and suggest that all bikers should join to support our freedoms as motorcycle enthusiasts.

I always wear a helmet... I value my head and Life too much to risk a probable "life-altering" head injury in the event of a fall (crash) at any speed.

I've seen some pretty ugly wrecks and helmets just seem to make sense (at least to me)... but it should always be the Rider's choice.. not some stupid law!

I always wear a helmet.  I just don't feel right without one.

I do NOT wear a helmet unless I have to. Most times, that means getting pulled over out-of-state for not wearing one. It's my life and I'll do what I want. Gov't safety-nannies and do-gooders can run someone else's life. I got a motorcycle endorsement and I have insurance. Been in 3 bad wrecks over my life and NEVER had a helmet on in any of them. NEVER hit my head. U want to wear a helmet fine. Tell me to wear one and we're gonna have a problem...

I wear a helmet most of the time.  It just feels better and safer.  Totally believe in freedom and everyone has the right to do what they want as long as it does not hurt anyone else.  Wear seatbelts or don't, wear helmets or don't but we all have to agree that it is safer with seat belts and helmets.   BUT the Gov't has no right to tell me or anyone what to do in this regard.  I love the debate item that it costs the Govt (the tax payer!) all this money without these laws... if that was the actual case... then my only question is --- When they pass a seat belt and/or helmet law - Where is my Tax REBATE!  They are SAVING ALL THIS MONEY!!!  Yeah, you guessed it.  The debate item is nothing but bull.... we all know it.  I ride with a helmet .. it feels safer... but its a choice. 

 I wear a helmet, but beleave its your choice, Sept.7.09 I was T-boned on my bike and landed on my head, after looking at my Helmet I would have been in very bad shape with a head injury. but the bruises are gone and I'm walking and riding again. I truly beleave my riding days would have been over if it wasn't for a helmet. ITS YOUR HEAD AND YOUR FUTURE, WEAR OR NOT ITS YOUR CHOICE

On July 17th 2009 I hit a deer at about 55MPH. The bike is now repaired and I don't ride without a helmet, jacket, chaps, and gloves. I thoroughly believe in freedom of choice - and I choose to wear protective gear.

I would like everyone to have the right to choose for themselves, but like florida, if you choose not to wear a helmet you would need medical coverage. and higher than what is mandated in florida. As far as for myself, I wear a 1/2 helmet for the most part, and have a full helmet for when the weather starts turing bad. But, when I was running around in Moab and hitting all the state parks and such, I just wore my cowboy hat.
Of note, in Florida, after the repeal, there was an increase in head related fatalities, but a decrease in the number of neck and spinal cord injuries. (based on numbers compared to rider registration data)

Rex... Sorry... It feels like i poked you in the eye by starting this discussion "again". Freedom of speech is also MY right... Anal? Me? Man, I was just expressing an idea... I also started bike riding young.. Been doing it since I was 12... I am now 61 and getting back into it after almost 30 years of not riding... As a matter of fact, the wife and I just did a 5 week, 10,600 mile trip from coast to coast and a bit of Canada too... After racing motocross and riding crazy for all the young and stupid days of my early days, I quickly realized that my wearing a helmet is the only reason I survived all those crashes and broken bones. In any case, you missed my point. I have nothing against bikers... Love them all... No reason not to... And I sort of wonder what the girls that ride without helmets have to say about your "we have the cajones" statement. Are you implying that they have them too? Not physically I hope...? I never thought that those of us who wear helmets, wore them because we didn't have "cajones"... Hmmm... As for me, I guess my 23 years in the Corps, Viet Nam, Drill Instructor Duty (two tours), and countless other little skirmishes which left me a bunch of scars, took away my "cajones"? Interesting concept. Oh, on the helmet thing... It is hard to see but, both my feet are on the ground... We had just arrived from a 400 mile trek on the first leg or our trip and, we were asked to take our helmets of for a pic... I was playing with the wireless intercom mic right then, the confounded thing just kept sticking out and I didn't want to damage it...
In any case, if anybody cares to read the small print on most insurance policies (bike insurance in particular) they would find that there are money caps. The insurance will only pay up to a certain amount, which in most cases will not even begin to cover the medical expenses, resulting from a catastrophic head injury... Our laws, as they are written, require the medical establishments to provide care, regardless of the ability of the patient to pay. Where do you think the moneys, to cover those expenses which exceed the ability of the patients to pay, come from? Take the time to check it out, the figures are staggering...
I am in no way interested in enacting so called "paternalistic" laws which infringe on the free choice of any individual. I strongly believe that if people want to ride naked, clothed, with or without helmets, it should be the right of the individual to do so. (However, body beautiful and all, I hope i don't get an opportunity to see too much of that...)

GaryTJ brought up a good point in that the State of Florida had in fact done away with the helmet law, with the exception of persons under 21 where helmet wearing remains mandatory... Even though they did in fact raise the coverage requirement, they have found that it is not nearly enough... What follows is a portion of the "Final Report: Evaluation of the Repeal of the All-Rider Motorcycle Helmet Law in Florida" written in 2005, 5 years after the law was eliminated. It makes for some interesting reading and is available from the National Technical Information Service in Springfield, VA.

"Abstract

Effective July 1, 2000, Florida eliminated the legal requirement that all motorcycle riders wear helmets. State law now requires helmet use only by riders under the age of 21, or older riders who do not carry at least $10,000 of medical insurance. Observational surveys and crash reports indicated that helmet use dropped substantially following the law change. Motorcyclist fatalities increased by 81 percent comparing 2001-2003 to 1997-1999, compared to +48 percent nationally. Non-fatal serious injuries began increasing in the first six months of 2000, increased by 32 percent in the first year following law repeal. There was a 40 percent increase in the number of injured motorcyclists who were admitted to hospitals. Admissions for head injuries increased by 82 percent. The average head injury treatment cost increased by almost $10,000, to $45,602. In 1998 and 1999, the acute care hospital charges for head-brain-skull principal injury cases per 10,000 registered motorcycles were $311,549 and $428,347 respectively. The comparable figures for 2001 and 2002 were $605,854 and $610,386, adjusted for inflation. Time series analysis showed a statistically significant increase in fatalities while controlling for changes in motorcycle registrations. Similar analyses also showed significant increases for Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. Florida crash reports also indicated that helmet use declined markedly among riders under age 21, who were still covered by the law. Fatalities in this age group nearly tripled in the three years after the law change. Comparing the 30 months before and after the law change, there was an increase of 55 percent in the average annual number of motorcyclists killed (181 to 280, respectively). Registrations increased an average 33.7 percent in this time period. Some of the increases in fatalities and other injuries in Florida were probably due to this increased ridership. The expected number of motorcycle fatalities as a result of the increase in registrations was 242. The actual number who died in 2002 was 301, 56 (+24 percent) more motorcycle fatalities than expected as a result of increased registrations alone. Nationally in 2001 and 2002, motorcycle miles of travel declined compared to earlier years. Given the large registration increase in Florida, it is unlikely that this national pattern held in the State."

Doesn't take a brainiac to understand what it is I am referring to... No helmet-No problem... However, there should be a requirement for higher insurance premiums (for no helmet riders, as in Florida) to cover the luxury of that "free choice" in case of an accident... That is all I am saying...

One last thing, before I get off of "my soapbox"... On the cool, uncool thing... It is hard for me (in my limited, "no cajones" mental capacity) to believe that the fear of being UNCOOL, doesn't come into play when intelligent, prudent, people decide to wear a helmet-or not... C'mon... The wife and I, and only a handful of people, were wearing helmets at Sturgis... Of the tens of thousands of people there, only a handful of us drove around wearing a helmet?!?!?!?!? Oops, I almost forgot... There was this other guy who had 3 foot long longhorn horns sticking out of either side of his... I find it hard to fathom the idea that, all those tens of thousands of bikers, were riding around Sturgis without helmets- ONLY because they were exercising their freedom of choice... Peer pressure being what it is, my friend, sounds like a whole lot of lack of "cajones" problem to me... Thank you for allowing me my precious right of freedom of speech, and for allowing me the opportunity to debate this very important topic... Ride safe, far, and forever...

kbaydave
I am glad your response was short.

Quoting your first post... "If I had my way, I would make helmets mandatory, for all recreational vehicle drivers and passengers (maybe some water craft too),"

But in your second book you state "I am in no way interested in enacting so called "paternalistic" laws which infringe on the free choice of any individual. I strongly believe that if people want to ride naked, clothed, with or without helmets, it should be the right of the individual to do so. 

Now which is it?

You further missed my first point. I was incensed (being polite)  when you stated all that choose not to wear a helmet are merely wannabes and lack cajones.

Thanks for your time in the military especially Vietnam (welcome home brother), I also wear the green, yellow and red ribbon and am retired USAF.

Red and I wear helments when we ride 99.9% of time, we do agree that it should be a matter of choice. If we are in the Hill Country on back roads we have been know to ride with out. Again Choice,

I ride with a helmet 99% of the time, I have seen hair, teeth, and eyes on the pavement too many times!

I am also a member of ABATE and dont wear a helmet when riding local but I do when on the interstate i have been down both with and without a lid and recieved stitches in my head with and without the lid so I say let those who ride decide

I wear one and I don't care what anybody else does.

Always wear a helmet including on a bicycle. Wore one before they were required. Always wear long sleeves, long pants, lace up hi boots & gloves w/ fingers. Recently started wearing a slider jacket & it has payed for its self once when I dumped while riding on gravel. -
This past year was made aware of a 10MPH fatality when a moped rider hit his coconut on the edge of a curb.
Still have gravel in my hands from a bare handed, slow speed dump on gravel 40 years ago.
Once managed to stay upright after a blowout by taking careful dabs w/ my USN boondockers - had I been wearing sneakers I would have gone thru them.

For those of you that have the attitude "It's my head I will do w/ it as I want"
I agree w/ you as far as that goes. - If you want to ride around your farm nude, wearing flip-flops. - fine w/ me - maybe not your neighbors but ok by me.
Sadly we all have to share public roads. Sometime, sooner or later I will have an accident. I might be driving my truck when I have my accident & you might be the one I hit. - You or your estate will sue me. - I will resent to all hell if I have to pay out for major damage to your gourd when had you been wearing your helmet you could have walked away

For my 2 or so cents, at this point I always wear a helmet, prefer my half helmet and glasses to my full. In Pa, I can not wear one, since I've passed the safety course, but right now I like the half and glasses. Protects most of my head but still gives me good rotation to look wherever I need in any position. I do support one's decision to not wear one if they choose, it's thier life not mine; unless your a passenger on my bike and under 21. Most guys going w/ out helmets dont bother me, mostly just the guys in sportbikes w/ wife beaters and an open flannel w/ aviators no helmet and riding like ... well not safely.