{RhinoOffRoad} It's funny how you think that by someone stating as opinion, that it's suppendly "oposing their will", or "judging you". Gee..if someone states their opinion to me, or thinks I'm an *** or whatever.. you know.. if I disagree I'll simply ignore them, or tell them to **** off. I don't feel any can "impose their will" on me, unless they have some kind of power to enforce it. The Govt, yea they can impose their will on me... but your average joe... who cares what they think? I will listen to logical reasoning.

Unfortunately, you have not presented one logical reason to support your stance on this... are helmets/goggles REQUIRED 100% of the time the bike is running? No, of course not. I've never said they were. Do "I" feel they should be worn when "riding"? ... most deffinately YES. Do I think that people who ignore common sense when riding, driving, racing, walking, or doing anything are stupid ? .. most deffinately YES!!

btw.. Do I think that I am safer while racing my sportbike on the track, with all my usualy gear on, then you are riding your ATV wihout a helmet and goggles? Most deffinately yes! My experience has been that .. racing is FAR SAFER then driving to the grocery store, riding your motorcycle on a highway, and especially safer then riding without the proper gear... under ANY conditions. I've been racing for 35yrs, and have had my share of wrecks/accidents doing so.. but have yet to be injured more then a some bruises. Why? SAFETY GEAR!!

I NEVER said I was invincible, or "it won't happen to me"... totally contrary... I am always looking for it to happen to me!! .. I don't trust anyone else out there with me, or their equipment ... and THAT is why I am prepared to deal with "accidents". ANYONE who has raced for a number of years knows what I'm talking about... You are looking for anything and everything.. assuming that the bozo in front of you will screw up and cut you off, or his tire will blow beside you, , or whatever.... Always prepare for the worse, but hope for the best. I trust my training and my abilities .. I trust my equipment because I check it before each use, and maintain it in better then new condition... and I maintain and trust my SAFETY GEAR!! And in my 35 yrs of racing, this has NEVER let me down yet!! My dad has been racing for 50 years, and he will tell you the same thing!!

 

Vengeance you are soooo off the mark....of course it is wise to always wear a helmet....but to suggest that wearing a helmet makes everything ok, is quite misleading....i would much rather be on a quad with someone using common sense and not wearing a helmet, than to be on one with someone who wears a helmet but has no common sense....put it this way...my wife has a baby on the way...if i want to be around to see it which of these options would i choose...bumping around a cornfield with Rhino at 20 mph without a helmet... or on a bike with you at 150 mph WITH a helmet....don't you dare get the gall to so stupidly suggest that Rhino isn't the safest option...i don't care how good a driver you are.

 

Buck Mark

It's not a matter of if, but when, will I have a significant crash ?
I think aside from all the personal choices, EVERYONE SHOULD WEAR A HELMET AND THEY NOW IT, OR THEY WOULDN'T BE SO DEFENSIVE!!!

As to what you asked for, which was our thoughts, I think everyone here has good ones.
Everyone I ride with wears a helmet. It's not even an issue. It's just right.
If you ride at 150 or even 5 mph there is always a chance that you life could be changed because you aren't properly protected. I flipped my sportsman over backwards trying to climb a hill last year and now have a GROOVE missing in the back of my helmet. If it weren't for the helmet I know I would be dead. We were way to far from any medical help.I WAS HUNTING AT THE TIME!!
As to hunting I wear an open face with a quick release that was purchased from JR Graham for a mear $7.00 and the helmet cost a wopping $45.00 . A small investment to make sure I can come back and hunt next year. Personally, I thank God I made that choice.

I also think that none of us wants or doesn't care if a fellow rider gets killed while enjoying something we love. There is a reason we are all on this forum. It's our passion and we love the company of others that feel the way we do.

With all that said, lets all get together for a BBQ and have a great big hug!.

I LOVE YOU MAN
Jes [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

I still think someone needs a hug. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Jes [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

I know a guy who was climbing a small hill on his scrammy 500 and it ended up flipping on him. He is now blind in one eye and has double vision in the other...... oh by the way he was in his yard moving at about 5 mph with no helmet. The bike didn't even get a scratch. He now can't provide for his family and will forever wish he had his helmet on.
Don't think I am trying to impose my views on anyone here but anyone who has been injured before almost always wishes they had done things differently.
If you don't want to protect yourself then by all means go for it. But if you do get hurt I hope we don't lose our riding privelegdes because of lawyers wagging tongues and pointing fingers. Don't think it can't happen ... it already has ... remember 3 wheelers?

 

I always wear a helmet while riding offroad. Open face with a long Troy Lee Designs visor (to keep the mud off my face) and a pair of Scott goggles with the long (no longer for sale) facemask. It's a must for around here with all the brush and branches we have to go through, and all the mud flyin'. Also keeps your face warm this time of year.
Had a nice ride yesterday, might be heading out in an hour or so, and definitely riding tomorrow since I have the day off work! Gotta love it!

 

Gotta go with Vengence on this one. Why? Glad you asked !! By the way, I'm really slow at typing this- I have two broken arms... I feel very fortunate to be able to tell my story, and I can BECAUSE I WAS WEARING A HELMET !! I backed off in a ditch at less than 5 mph. Uh, no, I didn't plan to. I had an unforseen occurence when my brakes failed as in nothing, nada, none. I really try not to do this sort of thing, but it was reaonable to assume that my brakes would work as well as they had all day. They didn't. I think I tried to unass the machine but didn't do a good job (obviously) and it slammed me in the back of the head with the speedometer, mashing my motocross helmet into the dirt and trashing my visor. The goggles kept the dirt out of my eyes. I took inventory of my injuries and decided that my legs were ok and proceeded to get out of the ditch, where I took inventory again and decided that my right arm was broke (the angle was all wrong). I thought maybe my left was just sprained bad. So, I walked about a mile before I met another rider that took me back to the office (I was at a local off-road park). At the hospital, X-rays confirmed the worst; two broken arms, BUT!- NO HEAD OR NECK INJURIES! I have a cast on the right arm (two broke bones), and a splint on the left (one bone broke). You know what? I am blessed with time to enjoy 4-wheelin' again, to enjoy my Granddaughter,my friends, this world!! So from my rather biased standpoint, wearing no helmet IS stupid ! I will have a new one before I ride again- the old one is trashed. Now go ahead and flame me for my opinion !

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: Castr8r
Gotta go with Vengence on this one. Why? Glad you asked !! By the way, I'm really slow at typing this- I have two broken arms... I feel very fortunate to be able to tell my story, and I can BECAUSE I WAS WEARING A HELMET !!

Glad to see you are ok, and will be able to enjoy riding again!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

After reading through this entire post, I still can't figure out where RhinoOffRoad got the impression where I thought I was invulnerable to accidents?? I clearly stated in more then one post that I've had MANY MANY crash's.. but that the gear always protected me from serious injuries... like in your case, I've broken arms, ribs, hands, fingers, sprained knee, sprained ankle, misc cuts and bruises.. but never a serious injury. I guess when you've been into serious motorsports and racing for over 35yrs, like I have, it just becomes second nature to gear up.

btw... we went riding Sunday... it was cold and icey, but we had alot of fun. Out of 8 riders, 2 didn't wear helmets and goggles. They had on ski caps and ski sun glasses. Both ended up coming back to the trucks with cuts on their face, and one had a nasty black eye from flying frozen dirt and ice. And these are both guys who call us 'whimps' for wearing our gear.

And the examples keep coming......

 

Because my experience has shown me that I am... did you even read Castr8r's post above.. he was only doing 5mph !! I've seen WAY too many people get hurt innocently doing 5-10 mph and not wearing their gear... by contrast, I've NEVER seen a single rider get seriously hurt dumping a bike on the track!! I've heard of it.. but I've never seen it or known anyone who has seen it. In the thoughsands of miles I've raced at high speed, I've never had a serious injury. All of my injuries were going below 40mph, and ALL OF THEM were sustained in the dirt!!

Like I said earlier Rhino.. you have no clue what your talking about when it comes to racing!!

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: DaRiot
I know a guy who was climbing a small hill on his scrammy 500 and it ended up flipping on him. He is now blind in one eye and has double vision in the other......

I don't mean to make fun of someone else getting hurt, but wouldn't that just put him right back to normal?!?

Incidently, my dad flipped his scrammy too, and got the crap beat out of him. Fortunately, it was his helmet that cracked open, not his skull. As for me, i've been EXTREMELY lucky and never had a serious wreck. I KNOW that i'm way overdue for one. I wear my skid lid 100% of the time, because my face is just too pretty to get messed up! I've tried the "easy ride" thing, and I ALWAYS end up at full throttle!