OFF THE WIRE
Morning all:
In fifteen years I can count on both hands the number of times I've shared my opinion about something in bikerbits!
I knew the minute I received an email from my son yesterday with a link to the helmet protestor in NY being killed which included law enforcement's comment.... "It is their opinion that he would have survived had he been wearing a helmet", and he added.... make sure you post this one in bikerbits!!
I knew I had to respond not only to him, but to all!
Because of the sensationalism surrounding this accident the press is going to use this story to drive their point home about mandatory helmet use.
If this situation isn't one of those "I told you so's".... I don't know what it is! Let's be smart as to how we answer when non-riders throw this report in our faces, and keep our senses; and not go off on a tirade; we'll only make ourselves look defensive and bad!
Now I'm no "expert" by any means; however, due to the fact that I've posted accidents injuries and/or deaths daily Monday through Friday for the past 15 years, that fact alone should label me somewhat knowledgeable.
I've seen deaths WITH helmets on, I've seen people survive with NO helmet on! I've posted and read about almost every scenario you can think of, with and without a helmet!! The results are all over the map with no real rhyme to reason!
Does a helmet save lives? Maybe sometimes... does it kill? At times yes! And why is it that a piece of safety equipment that has not been proven to be safe at speeds we ride at is mandated in most states to be worn?
If they could manufacture a helmet that they test and prove safe for speeds up to 65 MPH, then fine~ sure, then say it's a proven piece of safety equipment. But with less than 7% of all helmets manufactured being tested by DOT, and only tested at ONE POINT of IMPACT, and only at an average of 13.7 MPH... except SNELL, their standard testing is at 15 MPH.
How many of us are riding consistently at those speeds? Hardly ever, and only when stopping and starting!
And where are manufacturers these days? Oh... yes, most are abroad to excuse themselves from liability lawsuits! How convenient!
And how many recalls of helmets have their been over the years ... that are effective? Hardly any where they were pulled off the shelves, but more than several recalls!
I remember when our own State Police were donning helmets that weren't DOT approved, yet they were ticketing riders for alleged illegal helmets.
There's no real enforcement or enforceable standards that can be used across the board; and yet legislators mandate we wear safety equipment that's never been proven safe for us!
I truly don't think there's enough SOLID evidence that points to that conclusion. There are studies that have been conducted that "state" they do with a bunch of numbers that they pulled out of a hat and elasticized to show that, but I doubt those are actual numbers.
Each day I post accidents, injuries and/or deaths and now have even begun highlighting the causes, so those that follow that sort of stuff will have conclusive evidence of "causation" and helmet or no helmet use.
Overall, motorcycle safety, education and awareness to both riders and drivers will save more lives than any helmet ever will!
Unfortunately this year it appears rider error seems to play an important part this year with accidents I've posted, so we riders need to be more careful out there especially going around curves it seems!
Does that mean we should be forced to wear a helmet?
Personally, I believe when your time is up, your time is up!!
We all need to take responsibility for our riding; be careful, and we need to educate those that don't ride so they won't continue to take our ROW out there!!
In closing; my personal thoughts are... helmets should be a matter of choice for the adult rider; it was a God given right that's been taken from us!!
Thank you for allowing me to rant here.....Ride Safe, and keep your wits about you out there... take extra special caution going around corners, curves, bends in the road and at intersections!
Gypsy
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