Is there any good reason for a motorcyclist not to wear a helmet?

Question

My boyfriend just bought a motorcycle and has told us that he will definitely wear a helmet on the highway but not when he's just driving around the neighborhood. To me, neighborhood streets don't seem any less likely to have careless drivers than highways, just at lower speeds. I hope you guys can give some advice about what you as motorcyclists (or doctors, or just drivers) recommend for motorcycle safety. He also thinks he heard someone say once upon a time that sometimes having a helmet on during an accident means you can break your neck (he calls it, 'an open casket'). I'd love to hear your thoughts, advice, and recommendation. I don't mind that he has the bike, but want him to be safe and careful about it (particularly since my father got a heart transplant from a young healthy man who was in a motorcycle accident). Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

Maybe ask this guy? The crash messed him up for life. Google his pictures and look at him these days. Lusky to not be dead and he would be if not for his money.







Gary Busey, Actor, Is Badly Hurt in Crash

Published: December 5, 1988



The actor Gary Busey suffered severe head injuries after losing control of his motorcycle today, the authorities said.



The actor Gary Busey suffered severe head injuries after losing control of his motorcycle today, the authorities said.



Mr. Busey, 44 years old, of Malibu, underwent two hours of neurosurgery this evening, said Ron Wise, a spokesman for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.



Mr. Busey's work in the title role in the 1978 film ''The Buddy Holly Story'' earned him an Academy Award nomination.



No other vehicles were involved in the crash here, 10 miles west of downtown Los Angeles, a police spokesman, Sgt. Gary McEwen, said. The police said he was not wearing a helmet when he fell off his motorcycle at 11:40 A.M.

Answer 2

I think you can go around and around on the subject of wearing the helmet. Like wether .You could fall when walking out your front door and hit your head and die. It can happen. I was riding with my boyfriend one week-end. Just about 3/4 miles from home. I said . Can I take off my helmet?He says, It's your head.The nextday.I got a call.From a friend.Her son andhis fiance.Had just turned in rented helmets.Just 5 min from home.Was hit by a person who ran a light.she had evry bone in her face broken,crushed skull,callosped lungs,broken shoulders.His face looked like the road. he breathed for her .Till the ambulance got there.They don't know.If she 'll speak again.Time will tell.We pray for her and him.See we all like to ride. People out there. Don't see US!!! We have to be 10 times more careful..I think the helmet helps even when the bugs are out. Full face ones come in handy some days. HA!!!I just got my rights to ride. The safety course. And an ex police officer tld me the story of a young man. Who had his helmet on. And had an accident with a trucker. they found his head . between the wheels of the truck. Now how did this Happen.Was he following the truck that close. Not me. I'm not going there. On a highway.Did he let the trucker know he was behind him??? You can break your neck .When or if you drop the bike for any reason. An Accident.!!! That's what is so scary about Bikes. We are not in cars. Just can't think of these things . All the time. If you decide to ride with out a helmet. It is a decision . That you make . for the freedom of riding at the time. My boyfriend didn't have one on the other day. And I decided too. I have riden without one. It's a CHOICE !!!! Many people don't ..........An Experienced rider doesn't anticipate an accident...

Happy riding ...

Answer 3

My answer is very simple.

NO!!

It is more dangerous around town than on the highway. Highways are limited access roads. No stoplights, no stop signs, no pedestrians, no bicycles, no cross streets, no kids playing in or near the road. No skateboarders, no oily patches of roadway at a stoplight from leaking oil pans.



This is a myth that you will break your neck in an accident if you are wearing a helmet. Please ask your boyfriend to show you studies to support his statement. I will tell you this, they do not exist.

EVERY study shows it is safer to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. Period.

Every motorcyclist should wear a full face helmet every time they ride.

I will tell you this, becoming a SKILLED DEFENSIVE rider is the best way to avoid going down.

Answer 4

Being a former emergency room nurse I would recommend a good insurance policy and an organ donor card for him. If he is on the highway and at full speed he is open to the elements that may kill him as fast as the speed that he is traveling. In the city there normally more traffic and drivers not looking for motorcycles and either way he is still unprotected from the neck down and the head has the least amount of vital organs so it really doesn't matter. I must say that I ride and have ridden motorcycles all my life and the main reason I wear a full face helmet is, if you haven't ridden under a light pole in the evening at any speed on a motorcycle you will very quickly learn to love a face shield.

Answer 5

the broken neck thing is obviously wrong. The sides of the helmet stabiliz the neck to the shoulders, so if anything the neck will bend less in an accident, have him put on his full face helmet and show him this.



helmets decrease the liklihood of fatality in an accident by 50%.

Something like 50% of crashe occur at intersections and within 5 miles of ones house. He's is more likely to die if he's not wearing a helmet near his house than wearing a helmet on the freeway.



If one crashes on the freeway then usually they skid and roll for about 100yards and then hopefully do not get run over when they get up.





If you crash on the street it is usually being rear ended, t-bones, or head on froma non-yielding left turner. In these cases you either get impaled on a wind shield, get a leg cushed and wack you head on the ground or skid and roll 10 feet until you hit something else.



maybe you should move to california. then he may wear a helmet. it's the law.



hey, joe we don't care if you look like a short nazi, and I really don't care if you don't wear a helmet.

Answer 6

Lots of good answers. PLENTY of good advice. Several testimonials that are fantastic. Why a person would NOT wear a helmet is beyond comprehension. What you also need to tell him is how easy it is to total a helmet. The newer ones can be ruined just by dropping them. Tell him to NEVER BORROW ONE OR BUY A USED ONE!!!!!!! They could have been dropped or may not be formed correctly to his head. In that case they may be just as bad as not wearing one at all. Buy new and as good (reputable) as he can afford. I have a full face I wear on the highway and a half helmet I wear on the back streets around town. I always worry about a crash and the protection of the half helmet should I do the "swan dive" as mentioned. It offers NO protection to the chin area and that could be disastrous

Answer 7

Tell your boyfriend to go outside on the street and fall back on his bare head on the pavement without using anything to break his fall.



Did he say, "Hell No!!" ?



That's the reason why he should wear a helmet at all times when riding a motorcycle.

Answer 8

I keep an old polycarbonate open face helmet in the garage to remind people why they should always wear one. I was riding through a small town and the old lady driving the Ford ahead of me signalled right and pulled over to the shoulder so I passed her. Naturally, she turned left. I caught her front fender and did a perfect swan dive over hood to a one point landing on my head. The only injury I suffered was a couple of pavement burns to my knees. The helmet absorbed the full impact of the one pointer and split in half. I was left sitting in the middle of the road wearing just the foam helmet liner.

To this day I won't even start my bike until I have my helmet on.

When you make the decision to ride without a helmet, ask yourself. Do I want my next ride to be a blowtube controlled electric wheelchair w/attached respirator or should I just put on a helmet.

Answer 9

it is as much as the state in the event that they choose the regulation or not yet indexed right here are some exciting info......... greater beneficial than eighty p.c. of all motorbike crashes effect in harm or death to the motorcyclist. in line with mile pushed, a motorcyclist is sixteen situations greater probable to die in a crash than an motor vehicle driving force. wearing a motorbike helmet reduces that possibility via exceptionally much one-third (29 p.c.). Head harm is a optimum clarification for death in motorbike crashes. Riders who do not placed on helmets and who adventure a crash are 40 p.c. greater probable to take care of a deadly head harm. motorbike helmets save lives. motorbike helmets shrink the severity of injuries. State helmet use regulations effect in lots of greater human beings making use of helmets, and whilst greater human beings use helmets, the fees to relatives and society by way of fact of motorbike deaths and injuries bypass down. whilst helmet regulations are repealed, fatalities improve an expected 20 p.c..

Answer 10

What he didn't tell you is that if he hits his head with sufficient force to break his neck if he is wearing a helmet; then if he is NOT wearing a helmet that is sufficient force to pop his skull open and he will suffer serious brain injury or death.

Tell him that and see what he says.

The highways are much safer than around the neighborhood. Check with your auto insurance company on those states. they will tell you the truth.

Answer 11

Tell him this NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO there is NO good reason to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

And this is for you IF he is that stupid you might as well look for a new boy friend right now.You don't need a boyfriend that doesn't have a brain and you do sound like you are smart and make sure its a full face helmet bugs can put out your eye, truth.

And Joe B. you won't have them long.LOLOLOL

Answer 12

The only feasible reason one may opt out of wearing a helmet that I can think of could be a lack of visibility when wearing a full faced one. Yet, this reason is negligible if your head winds up smashing into the pavement.

Answer 13

there's no excuse not to wear a helmet I have a full face that I wear for commuting and a half helmet for just putting around the neighborhood but I always wear one

Answer 14

All novice riders for 5 years should wear helmets.



Not wearing has to do with freedom. Not safety.



Ive been riding for over 40 years, and still wear a bucket.



I dont like to, but I cant control the numbers of stupid drivers not paying attention.

Answer 15

A rider is more likely to be hit on a city street than anywhere else, and even more likely to be hit within a three mile radius of home. If he is that lame, make sure he is an organ donor, and pre-puchase the plot and casket, or get the burial insurance. Also, pre-plan who decides to pull the plug.

Answer 16

just buy him a cool looking helmet and make a big deal about it, he will wear it if only to make you happy.

Answer 17

I see no reason why he wouldn't want to wear a helmet. Its an unnecessary risk not to wear one. The only reason I can think of as to why he wouldn't want to wear one would be that he doesn't like how it looks or he thinks that it isn't "cool."

Answer 18

maybe he just doesnt like wearing one! the only person who could possibly get hurt from this is him so its his choice.

You are very lucky to have such choices, here in UK we are told what we must do in all aspects of our lives by our wise all knowing government!

Answer 19

ouch after reading some of these answere i should have worn my helmet today !

Answer 20

indian larry was going less than 10mph when he received the head injury which caused his death

Answer 21

I am a very good looking handsome man, many people tell me i look like Mel Gibson, I have baby blue eyes, long natural hair and a perfect body, 5' 11". 165lbs

wearing a helmet hides my good looks, its a waste, or a sacrilege to cover up my pretty face by wearing a helmet

Answer 22

Not wanting to is good enough reason for me. I don't anybody telling me the pros and cons. It's my body and I'll do what I want with it. So there!

Answer 23

get a new boyfriend. your current one is a

moron.