Helmet Crash data damage %
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 933
Likes: 4
Well even if that was true, why not extend your chances? I have heard this same debate about seat belts in autos. Working on emergency scenes, the ones not wearing them are the ones we usually have to transport, or air lift to the hospital. My view is, life is dangerous, why not protect yourself the best you can?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 3
From: Home of the World Champion Steelers
BTW, it matters. If you don't think so, stand up, run across whatever room you are in at full tilt, and hit the opposing wall at full speed, face first.
Hurts? Of course. Nowhere near the damage at 25, 30, etc. and a fall to pavement or kissing a mini-van.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
This isn't the result of a scientific study or anything, but if you are really curious....
On 3/22/75 I was a full time college student, in my senior year as a pre-law major. I was also the Asst. Mgr. at a Pizza Hut. That evening, well at 3 a.m. the next day actually, I closed the store and went home to bed. I got up at 5 a.m. and loaded my Suzuki into my truck and went out to compete in a desert race.
3 months later I awoke to find myself in a hospital bed. I asked my mother, who was sitting beside the bed, "why am I in a hospital?". She said "you had a motorcycle accident". I then asked "how's my Honda". I had a CB500, which was a really nice bike. My recovery is a long and possibly interesting story, but for brevity's sake I will only offer the high(?)lights.
I has lost 4 years of my life's memories, had to relearn to walk, talk, write, etc.. I was unable to return to my job at Pizza Hut, and my speech and writing weren't really good enough to pursue my goal of attending law school. After 3 years of recovery I returned to college, earned a degree in computer science, and worked as a programmer analyst.
My life turned out OK, but I would trade any of it over the last 34 years to be able to return to my life making pizzas, riding dirt bikes, and the social life I had back then. After you, at least I, became unable to do the things most people take for granted, my embarrassment caused me to push away my old friends and not really allow anybody new to get close to me.
You asked 'at what speed a helmet makes a difference'? I would only offer this, based on personal experience. A blow to your head can have effects you can't possibly imagine until it happens. And then it is too late to reconsider your choices. Wear a helmet, or don't, it doesn't concern me either way.
But consider this: A head injury can occur regardless of speed. And if that happens whatever job you currently do may be beyond your new capabilities. Of course it may be possible to be retrained for something you can do. You may not like it, I didn't really like working in an office, but sometimes there aren't a lot of options.
Afraid of "living as a veg"? I knew a guy that fell while mountain climbing. He went from being a boxer, army paratrooper, and a new cadet on the local police force to being a "veg". He couldn't talk, but he and I would play chess. That was really sad, a sharp mind in a body that was little more then a lumb of flesh. After a few months he had enough and used his police revolver to check out.
I realize this post will upset some people, I'm not sure if it scares them to hear about something that none of us would like to think about. But it is out there and the OP asked a question.
Ron
On 3/22/75 I was a full time college student, in my senior year as a pre-law major. I was also the Asst. Mgr. at a Pizza Hut. That evening, well at 3 a.m. the next day actually, I closed the store and went home to bed. I got up at 5 a.m. and loaded my Suzuki into my truck and went out to compete in a desert race.
3 months later I awoke to find myself in a hospital bed. I asked my mother, who was sitting beside the bed, "why am I in a hospital?". She said "you had a motorcycle accident". I then asked "how's my Honda". I had a CB500, which was a really nice bike. My recovery is a long and possibly interesting story, but for brevity's sake I will only offer the high(?)lights.
I has lost 4 years of my life's memories, had to relearn to walk, talk, write, etc.. I was unable to return to my job at Pizza Hut, and my speech and writing weren't really good enough to pursue my goal of attending law school. After 3 years of recovery I returned to college, earned a degree in computer science, and worked as a programmer analyst.
My life turned out OK, but I would trade any of it over the last 34 years to be able to return to my life making pizzas, riding dirt bikes, and the social life I had back then. After you, at least I, became unable to do the things most people take for granted, my embarrassment caused me to push away my old friends and not really allow anybody new to get close to me.
You asked 'at what speed a helmet makes a difference'? I would only offer this, based on personal experience. A blow to your head can have effects you can't possibly imagine until it happens. And then it is too late to reconsider your choices. Wear a helmet, or don't, it doesn't concern me either way.
But consider this: A head injury can occur regardless of speed. And if that happens whatever job you currently do may be beyond your new capabilities. Of course it may be possible to be retrained for something you can do. You may not like it, I didn't really like working in an office, but sometimes there aren't a lot of options.
Afraid of "living as a veg"? I knew a guy that fell while mountain climbing. He went from being a boxer, army paratrooper, and a new cadet on the local police force to being a "veg". He couldn't talk, but he and I would play chess. That was really sad, a sharp mind in a body that was little more then a lumb of flesh. After a few months he had enough and used his police revolver to check out.
I realize this post will upset some people, I'm not sure if it scares them to hear about something that none of us would like to think about. But it is out there and the OP asked a question.
Ron
A perfect example of just how precarious life is. Then you hear of the guy who has had several rather serious crashes and walked away from them all. So the debate continues.....but you have to weigh the possibilites and the consequences and decide is it worth it?
rjg, I'm not so sure 'sorry for your plight' is appropriate, but I surely feel for you.
There is really something to the phrase'when its your time.....', and really, when it comes right down to it, does it matter, when its your time, where, what, or why? But, (theres that little word), but if you don't die, then.......I truly believe thats one thing you cannot dispute.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,235
Likes: 65
From: Joliet, Illinois
... but, in reality, there are far to many variables and factors, in all manners of death and injury, to narrow survivability or injury level down to a single statistic or number. A lidded rider dies in a minor crash, a lidless rider survives a horrendous crash... a guy gets shot in the face 6 times, point blank, and lives - a guy gets hit in the head with a champagne cork and dies...
The only common sense fact one might apply in their decision to wear a helmet or not wear a helmet, would seem to be the idea that knocking your lidless noggin against something hard is more likely to hurt, and cause injury, than knocking your lidded noggin might. Outside of that, it's all pretty much a crap shoot.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 376
Likes: 27
From: Weeki Wachee, Florida
This debate is as old as motorcycling. Many of the opinions already stated are clearly biased toward a certain conclusion. It is inarguable--wearing any type helmet offers more protection than not wearing anything. I have seen numerous crashes where the damage wasn't from blunt trauma, but from friction. If your face, chin, or cheek touches the pavement while you are moving, it's gone. This is all common sense, but alot of folks inject the "macho" or "freedom" arguments into the discussion. Fair enough, that's legitimate. I don't care what you do. I have over 500 military parachute jumps...and I wore a helmet every time. I wore my helmet when the **** was flying too...why give chance an advantage?
My point is, do what you want. You accept the risk, and that's fine if you really are willing to accept the consequences. Testosterone is a dangerous hormone.
Again, do what you want...don't wear a seatbelt, drive drunk, speed in curves on a wet road, screw barflies without a condom, dive headfirst into a murky stream, run with scissors, climb a rock face with no belay/anchor, swim with the Great Whites without a cage...I don't care! Some of you may have someone depending on you...consider that as well. It's not a matter of being macho, in my opinion it's a matter of being smart. Ramble over....
My point is, do what you want. You accept the risk, and that's fine if you really are willing to accept the consequences. Testosterone is a dangerous hormone.
Again, do what you want...don't wear a seatbelt, drive drunk, speed in curves on a wet road, screw barflies without a condom, dive headfirst into a murky stream, run with scissors, climb a rock face with no belay/anchor, swim with the Great Whites without a cage...I don't care! Some of you may have someone depending on you...consider that as well. It's not a matter of being macho, in my opinion it's a matter of being smart. Ramble over....
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 659
Likes: 2
From: Lansing
What I found interesting is that the force needed to kill a fifty year old man was about what you would get if you fell 6 ft. While there are many factors that determine survival in a crash, we can't avoid the fact that the brain is floating in your skull and only needs to be jarred just a bit to injure or kill. One of my good friends died when he was 18 years old when he dropped his BMW on the way home from work. He got back up, drove home and later died in his sleep. I don't allow myself to think to hard about all this though. We all die soon. But frankly I hate the noise from not wearing one. I wear a snell approved 3/4 bucket. I am saving my pennies for a flip front full helmet.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 20
From: Driftless Area
So you giving death an edge too? He doesn't need your help.
BTW, it matters. If you don't think so, stand up, run across whatever room you are in at full tilt, and hit the opposing wall at full speed, face first.
Hurts? Of course. Nowhere near the damage at 25, 30, etc. and a fall to pavement or kissing a mini-van.
BTW, it matters. If you don't think so, stand up, run across whatever room you are in at full tilt, and hit the opposing wall at full speed, face first.
Hurts? Of course. Nowhere near the damage at 25, 30, etc. and a fall to pavement or kissing a mini-van.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 3
From: Home of the World Champion Steelers
The point I was trying to make is we all hear of accidents with and without helmets, there's always the debate about why or why nots of safety gear. Personally I wear a helmet, but there are no guarantees. I agree most people don't intentionaly decide to check out early. Maybe its fate, like stepping off a curb and breaking your ankle. Myself, I have gone down twice and walked away, after checking out the scene, I guess you could call it luck that I did walk away. Had many friends say someone must have been looking out for me.
(and yes, there are always exceptions. Some do luck out.)