Put a lid on it!... or not?

Howdy fellow riders, a side topic from another forum raised the subject of wearing helmets. If the law of wearing a helmet was dropped how many riders would ride sans helmet. So I thought it would be an interesting discussion on here.

Who would ride without?

All the time or just short ride outs?

Personally, as a rider for >20yrs, I wouldn't even ride to the shops without mine. I've had four tumbles and in all of them banged my head. I can honestly say I don't think I would be the same person now if I wasn't wearing my helmet.

Plus my helmet stops big bugs hitting me in the face, plus it helps shield my ears (with ear plugs too) from wind, keeps my head dry in the rain.

And,purely vanity I know but, I like the look of my lid

And yet I hear of people who would rather not wear one.

It would be interesting to see everyone's opinions.Experiences of lid's saving lives etc

So what are you opinions folks? Yay or nay?

Those idiots who say they would ride without one probably don't have a brain that needs protecting.

I'd continue to wear the same gear as I currently wear a.k.a all of it all of the time as you can never tell when you will have a spill and the seriousness of said spill and let's face it a lid keeps you from eating protein bullets

So no from my view point it wouldn't change a thing

A motorbike I'll always be lidded up and in full gear. I feel weird even riding the bike a short stretch on the drive to check the operation of the brakes without being suited and booted.

But there's potentially an argument on residential type roads if you're only on a moped for it not to be so important. That's not to say I definitely would go without if legally allowed, but if you're doing 20-30mph I'm not sure it's as risky as you think.

Those of you who think that statement above is terrible might want to look up the rate of incidences of head trauma in car crashes and then start wearing a helmet in a car too.

IMHO Helmets save lives....end off. I had an accident some years ago after colliding with a car that pulled out from a parking space, basically the driver didn't look! My head hit the road with a fair old bang, hard enough to warrant the need for a new helmet. I have no doubt that had I have not been wearing said helmet, I would have suffered an injury more serious than just bumps and bruises. No one will ever convince me that helmets don't save riders from serious or even fatal injury.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 1,700 motorcyclist lives were saved due to helmets in 2015, based on estimates. Research shows that helmets lower the chances of a fatal motorcycle accident by 37 percent and the CDC states that hundreds of lives could have been saved in 2015 had all motorcyclists been wearing helmets. Even when an accident does not result in a fatality, there is a long list of hardships that motorcyclists may have to endure after a collision, from a serious injury to financial problems." (cortezlawfirmpllc, 2017).

Never go without a helmet been riding with one for so long it would feel very strange.

I certainly wouldn't ride without a helmet. I've just scraped the remains of a multitude of insects off mine from yesterday's ride, there's no way I'd want that lot hitting me in the face. In terms of safety it's a no brainer, and I prefer the type of helmet that protects your face rather than open front.

I certainly wouldn't ride without a helmet. I've just scraped the remains of a multitude of insects off mine from yesterday's ride, there's no way I'd want that lot hitting me in the face. In terms of safety it's a no brainer, and I prefer the type of helmet that protects your face rather than open front.

There is a easy way to prevent insects to hit your face. open your mouth...

Saves you on meals

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

It's interesting to see the differences between states in the USA ... https://www.valuepenguin.com/motorcycle-helmet-laws

It's interesting to see the differences between states in the USA ... https://www.valuepenguin.com/motorcycle-helmet-laws

Yeah, but look at their president...

I have very occasionally not worn a lid on a funeral. The rest of the time I'd go further & say wear not just a lid but the best lid I can afford

I would always wear one law or not! .. I had a small stone get thrown up and hit my helmet when I was doing around 60mph, if I had no helmet on then I'm sure it would have been nasty! .. I always keep my visor down for the same reason!

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

I'm surprised you can remember that far back

Till late 80’s 50cc bikes helmet was not mandatory in that time Yugoslavia. So I did ride around 4 or 5 years without one.

As well renting motorcycle on Hawaii helmet wasn’t required and we went everywhere without it.

Anyway where temperatures goes over 30 degrees Celsius From 8 in the morning ,only jet helmet is an option.

Same with protection gear. Once you spend 2,3 months in climates like that, safety standards rapidly goes downhill.

I am old enough to have ridden without a helmet legally, although it was a very rare occurrence, maybe if I was nipping to the local shop (about 1/2 a mile)

Other than that always wore a helmet. Now I wouldn't ride ever without one.

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

I always wear a helmet, but I’m pro choice & anti compulsion.

Luckily the helmet law has thus far not led to the compulsive use of protective gear ( again I choose to wear protective gear , mostly) or other stuff such as airbags, leg protectors or BHP limits, not for the want of various nut jobs trying to enforce their unfounded dogma & rebuffed thanks to the likes of MAG.

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

 

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

If they take up more of the limited health resources in this country those resources are not available

For someone else. Maybe.

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

 

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

 

If they take up more of the limited health resources in this country those resources are not available

For someone else. Maybe.

Best stop riding altogether then ....

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

 

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

Why, because they are obviously not to be trusted in any shape or manner.

Bit like the audi and bike doing at least a 100mph and accelerating in a 50, he wasn't catching the audi either.

I was riding for 2 years before the law came in in 1973.......and occasionally I did ride without one.....usually to dry my long hair after washing it. But I never went more than a mile or so like that.

I remember going to work without a helmet on the day the law came in........because I'd forgotten about it. Went home that evening slipstreaming a slow moving lorry in case Plod was about.

But remember those days were nearly 50 years ago.....we lived in a different world then.

Motorcycle Safety was something that no one ever thought about......because if you look back at old vids you'll see plenty of people without helmets.

Anybody who would choose to ride without a helmet today (given the knowledge and awareness that exists now) is a danger to himself and everybody else.

 

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

 

Why, because they are obviously not to be trusted in any shape or manner.

Bit like the audi and bike doing at least a 100mph and accelerating in a 50, he wasn't catching the audi either.

Don’t understand the Audi reference

Why would they be a danger to anyone else but them selves?

 

Why, because they are obviously not to be trusted in any shape or manner.

Bit like the audi and bike doing at least a 100mph and accelerating in a 50, he wasn't catching the audi either.

 

Don’t understand the Audi reference

No concern for others safety.

Why, because they are obviously not to be trusted in any shape or manner.

Bit like the audi and bike doing at least a 100mph and accelerating in a 50, he wasn't catching the audi either.

 

Don’t understand the Audi reference

No concern for others safety.

Not wearing a helmet is about your own safety not someone else’s, unless you are proposing that someone who chooses to not wear a helmet is more likely to take other risks that might put others in danger ... if so please provide your peer reviewed evidence / data to support your assertion.

If they take up more of the limited health resources in this country those resources are not available

For someone else. Maybe.

Best stop riding altogether then ....

Absolutely and let’s never leave the lounge again.