Helmet vs No helmet ----medical issues no debate.
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From: Potsdam, NY
Seems to me the neck injury argument is very flawed. First of all, the study to have found that is from 1986, when helmets were far different than they are now and there were fewer riders on the road to use as sample cases.
Further, the neck injury study was conducted by a lone economics professor in Maine, not a research institution.
Stack that against the John Hopkins U School of Medicine study released in 2011 and sampling 40,000 motorcycle collisions from 2002 to 2006. If found that use of at least a DOT helmet not only made a rider 22% less likely to suffer cervical spine injury than those without helmets.
It also found a reduction in risk of traumatic brain injury in helmet wearers (65%) and decreased odds of death (37%).
Studies aside, it's pretty common sense that wearing a helmet is safer than going without. Some, not all, but some just won't accept that because they don't want to admit that they are rolling the dice big time by not wearing a helmet.
For me, it's a pretty simple choice. The helmet just feels better on the bike. Not because it makes me feel safe, even though I am safer with it. But because on my rides over the years it has blocked out white noise, debris, winged creatures, excessive heat, cold, rain, snow, and all manner of crap.
A good full is now the best option for me. No lift like a 1/2 helmet and if you pick the right one, all the open feel of a 3/4.
YMMV. But please don't make up silly arguments that wearing a helmet is more dangerous. We all know it's not.
Further, the neck injury study was conducted by a lone economics professor in Maine, not a research institution.
Stack that against the John Hopkins U School of Medicine study released in 2011 and sampling 40,000 motorcycle collisions from 2002 to 2006. If found that use of at least a DOT helmet not only made a rider 22% less likely to suffer cervical spine injury than those without helmets.
It also found a reduction in risk of traumatic brain injury in helmet wearers (65%) and decreased odds of death (37%).
Studies aside, it's pretty common sense that wearing a helmet is safer than going without. Some, not all, but some just won't accept that because they don't want to admit that they are rolling the dice big time by not wearing a helmet.
For me, it's a pretty simple choice. The helmet just feels better on the bike. Not because it makes me feel safe, even though I am safer with it. But because on my rides over the years it has blocked out white noise, debris, winged creatures, excessive heat, cold, rain, snow, and all manner of crap.
A good full is now the best option for me. No lift like a 1/2 helmet and if you pick the right one, all the open feel of a 3/4.
YMMV. But please don't make up silly arguments that wearing a helmet is more dangerous. We all know it's not.
The NHTSA recently reported, in 2013, a 10x difference in fatality rates between helmet law states and no helmet law states. Track stats would be much, much, much higher, due to the fact only ECE FF helmets are used and there are no cars, park benches, trains, or other large, immovable stuff that would kill you regardless if you used a helmet or not.
My point is the isolated effect of a helmet on mortal head injuries, particularly a FF helmet, is much, much, greater than 37%.
Last edited by fat_tony; May 22, 2014 at 06:46 PM.
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From: Vegas, baby!
'Mortal' injuries are irrelevant IMO.
Last edited by rjg883c; May 22, 2014 at 09:37 PM.
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From: Pacific Northwest
OP: See what I mean? One mention of helmets, in any context, leads to a raft of BS from all the "I'm right and you're wrong" types.
Ten pages and still going with the same tired arguments from both sides.
Never ceases to amaze me.......
Ten pages and still going with the same tired arguments from both sides.
Never ceases to amaze me.......
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 213
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I'm all for choice. It should be the individual's call to wear a helmet or not. My perspective was formed by 25 years on a major metropolitan fire department. During that time I rolled on numerous motorcycle accidents and one point that was graphically driven home to me is that the various components that comprise the human head tend to come apart on contact with pavement or obstacles at relatively slow speeds if they are unprotected. I wear a helmet. It is no guarantee but I'll take any assist I can get. Like I said... it's your choice to make.
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