We have this reporter that writes for our local paper that seems to cover all of the motorcycle accidents. She seems to bend all the facts around and always winds up making it seem like if we only had a helmet law, these accidents would not be happening. So far 100 percent of the accidents she has covered were caused by Four wheelers violating right of way..I posted one of them here last week. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...per-today.html

Well we just had another on and I wrote this in the comment section and what I want to know is am I out of line here? What are you thoughts on helmets preventing accidents? My point is not survivability of an accident but just plain old prevention. Do any of you know of a case where an accident was prevented because the rider had his helmet on?


This is the guy that set me off.

Posted Jan 14 2009 10:27 PM Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by jprenosil:
What will it take for "tough guys" like him to start wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. I am in no way condoning the actions of the other driver either. His driving record speaks for itself, however, it is not manslaughter either. Sorry for the families involved. My prayers are with everyone.


This is my response:
Boatlvr said
Once again we have a tragedy caused by a Four-Wheeler not paying attention and it gets turned around to the Helmet issue. People want to say "Oh, if only he was wearing a helmet this would never have happened". Wake up! A helmet is not going to stop some kid who shouldn't even be driving in the first place from pulling out in front of you. But , if the kid would have looked twice, then maybe this accident could have been avoided.

I stand by the thought that education is the key to raising awareness of Motorcycles Sharing the road and curtailing these tragic accidents. Money that would be spent on trying to repeal the helmet law would be better spent on a campaign of educating John Q. Public of the limitations of visibility, IE; Checking your blind spots, using signals when you change lanes, not tailgating motorcycles ( we can stop on a dime and if we have to make an emergency stop and you are tailgating , you are going to run over us), looking twice before executing a turn ( three times would be even better, but at least give us a second look). Hang up the phone and drive ( nothing can be so important that you can not wait until you are stopped to make that call). STOP RUNNING RED LIGHTS!!!! It is easy to do so just stop it already. These points as well as others could be made via the media with full page adds in the newspaper, billboards, and T.V. commercials. Incorporate a section on sharing the road with Motorcycles, Bicycles, as well as Big Trucks in drivers education programs. All of these vehicles have different limitations than an automobile which those whom have never dealt with them are clueless, Thus requiring education in order to make the roads safer for everyone.

I challenge the author to come up with one single instance where an accident could have been prevented by the wearing of a Helmet. and I further challenge them to writing an article with the education of the public as a focus without the use of all the sensationalism that I have come to expect when I see whom the author is.

My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Watts. My prayers have gone out to you.

Posts: 2 | Registered: Feb 18 2008

 

IMO it is not too harsh. Helmets don't prevent crashes education does. Helmets reduce the risk of serious injury once someone decides to do something stupid.

I wear a helmet by choice but I believe everyone has the right to choose whether they wear a helmet or not. It isn't some politician or journalist's job to tell me whether I should wear a helmet. It is my choice and I want to keep it that way for everyone!!!!

 

Well stated.
I am a new rider and I pucker at every intersection. The blind spot I can usually avoid, but that car sitting at the intersection with the driver looking the other way makes me extremely nervous.

 

If only people would listen to what you said in your post and do it. Not to harsh at all.

 

+1 I am with you on this one, and I have been riding since the 80's, every intersection I make it my personal mission to plan for that car (even if theres not one there) to pull out in front of me.

 

Everyone has their own agenda. Obviously the reporter is not well informed. It'sjust like the idiots that blame guns for killing people, nt the douche bag with the gun. There is no data that shows helmets prevent accidents.

 

People have their own agendas. Reporters are the same. Most newspaper articles have some slant to them the same as the post here on this thread and others. I see lots of new and old riders that have bad riding skills. Just to read the opinions on here over lane strategy, placement, and situation awareness is disgusting sometimes. Not trying to single you out Txeasyglider but you ride in some really challenging areas around Kingwood. Those idiots run the spectrum---ten thousand ways to die violently. I had the luck of growing up riding and being exposed to old riders who had learned in blood and hide. I still ride with old riders sometimes and I am becoming an old rider. I still learn something new every once in awhile and I have had to be reminded of old lessons. I have seen some of the old men get broke up in their old age from wrecks and have to give up riding. I don't want that to be me. Watch your *** up there.

 

Great post there Dave , while true a Helmet may save your life if an accident happens never heard of a Helmet preventing one unless maybe they design a Helmet with Flashing lights and sirens and call it legal...

 

IMHO, you hit the nail on the head: (Ya jus' wernt animated enuff )

EDUCATION, not LEGISLATION.

IF helmets prevent accidents, then
Guns kill ppl,
Pensils miss spel words,
Cars make ppl drive drunk,
Spoons made Rosie O'Donnell FAT!!!!!!

 

Two things. Thing One: You wrote a very good response. Thing Two: You wrote a response to something that was never said. I read the article twice, but I couldn't find anything that implied helmets prevent accidents. I even cleaned my glasses and finished my morning coffee before I read it the second time.