Motorcycle helmet use declines in the USA

Sorry, but f*ck them. They are too dim to take sensible precautions to protect themselves, the deserve everything they get. It's like these morons you see here riding R1's and S1000RR's in shorts and a tshirt...WHERE EXACTLY is the skin supposed to be graphed from? Dickheads.

Posted: 20/04/2011 at 09:32

n fairness Pagik, cagers could say about bikers "and they expect that £2000 of leather, carbon, a bit of metal, etc will protect them". 

Biking is unsafe compared with driving a car. End of.

Doesn't mean that one cannot try to make it as safe as possible but if i were forced to wear full leathers for every ride I'd just stop riding on the road.

That being said, I personally don't consider these Yank morons to be part of the "brotherhood" of bikers. Most of them have likely never ridden in the rain, don't know anything about MotoGP, and aren't interested in cornering bliss, just straightline and stunt shenanigans. But ultimately safety isn't a black and white issue - its a sliding scale where car drivers are always the winners, so we should stick together.  

Posted: 20/04/2011 at 20:04

Well said Pagik.  I agree 100% with what you say.

Posted: 21/04/2011 at 14:30

Posted: 22/04/2011 at 17:50

Yank moron here - hoping one day you'll allow me into your fantastic "brotherhood" of bikers.

Agree that everybody should be accountable for their own protection on a bike (ie I'm in the fuck'em camp) but why the continual pre-occupation with whether Yanks wear helmets or not?  Just because the nanny states of Europe make you wear a helmet does that mean the US should also? 

Maybe the US way is better at culling the less intelligent who choose not to wear a helmet (you'd call it evolution in action but only intelligent design is allowed over here).

Posted: 22/04/2011 at 18:01

Yet another bloody yank who sees a bigger issue: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in general.

In the United States, according to the Brain Injury Association of America, 1.4 million people will suffer a TBI this year. Two-hundred-eighty-thousand will occur during an automobile accident, leaving 1.12 million TBI's from non-automobile accidents (e.g. falling down and hitting your head, REF: America's Funniest Home Videos). Of those, 50 thousand people will die from their TBI. In terms of health costs this year, it will cost us 60 Billion (with a "B") dollars.

Why are we worrying about the gnat on the elephant's back? If the reduction of brain injuries is the true goal, it's obvious everyone should be wearing a helmet 24 hours a day, every day. I'm reasonably certain y'all Brit's don't walk much better than those of us in the colonies.

Posted: 22/04/2011 at 23:02

Posted: 22/04/2011 at 23:59

Posted: 23/04/2011 at 00:26

I've come off 3 bikes since I've been riding, I'm not the best biker in the world but they've all been for different reasons. Went over a bump, got air and then got stuck to the curb and couldn't get off it. I hit gravel on a new road while taking a corner and slid down the road. The other I had a brief moment when I wasn't paying full attention, had to brake hard but cause I panicked I locked up and went over the front.

Each time I hit my head on the ground and without a helmet I would have probably died. It's the most important bit of protection you can take with you. Fair enough if you don't wear any gear then you'll just lose skin. However if you hit your head on the ground, then you'll probably die. 

Posted: 23/04/2011 at 10:53

Well b3, instead of insults, would you be interested in two perfect countries lobbing missiles at unperfect ones.  

Posted: 24/04/2011 at 00:58

Posted: 24/04/2011 at 09:00

Posted: 24/04/2011 at 19:36

Posted: 26/04/2011 at 14:44

Posted: 26/04/2011 at 17:28

The reason helmet usage in the USA is on the decline is the same reason insurance rates are rising for ages 40 and up. All the middle-aged idiots trying to relive their lost youth buying poorly made, overpriced pieces of s@*t Harleys to go bar hopping. These dullards use their bikes like a woman uses earrings...as a vain accessory.

Don't get me wrong we all like our stuff to look trick but the vast majorities ride because we truly love it not because someone else thinks it's cool.

I see these dopes all the time and love to have discussions as to why they choose not to wear a helmet. The answers are fantastic:

1. Can’t hear
2. Messes up my hair
3. Won’t save me in the event of a crash anyway…
4. etc., etc.

I’ve raced for 20 + years and the wrecks from which both I and others I know have walked away from will forever astound me as to the effectiveness of good gear.

 Bunch of ass hats!!

Posted: 29/04/2011 at 03:58

Posted: 04/05/2011 at 15:01

"blatently tarring an entire nation for the actions of the few is just daft."
 

Makes me think; why is it that most people in the world now think that Americans are stupid? Its bordering on severe prejudice. I knew an American once and, well, yeah she was pretty stupid come to think of it, but Im sure there are a few smarter ones, there has to be.   

Posted: 04/05/2011 at 16:26

Posted: 16/05/2011 at 08:23