i always wear my helmet. cousin died at 16 in atv accident. he even had a helmet on, but didn't strap it down so flew off during crash

 

What the hell are you talking about?

 

When working the grizz in the bush,no helmet. on the roads and anytime moving faster than a crawl , yes I put the helmet on . the shorty style is nice to where when its hot.and a full open face helmet in the winter.

 

I wear one 99% of the time. 1% is 2nd gear idle to warm up for an oil change or to shake the water off after washing.
I don't mind preaching either. If you are riding with me, then put a lid on it cause i don't wanna see your brains. This has been a contentious issue that's cost me a riding buddy...oh well. Heck, hitting limbs on the trail is reason enough for me to wear one!

Saw a helmet save a life Sunday, guy on a 400 endoed and tumbled hard wearing his brand new oneil for the first time. He walked away fine, but that $200 helmet suffered a 3" split right up the back. He might well have died. Same day, another buddy nearly lost a leg when his Raptors footpeg bolts broke slap off. Without ridin boots who knows? First day i met him, he was without helmet and wearing tennis shoes and I encouraged him to get some gear. Glad i did.

On the other hand, I do NOT believe it is the governments job to protect me from myself! What i choose to put on or in, or do to my body is not big brothers business. Mandatory selfprotection is anti'american. Too bad there is no major party left to defend my right to make stupid personal choices. It's a slippery slope, deciding what is best for others and we have lost our footing.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

I wear one nearly all of the time. If I’m backing it out of the garage or something I don’t. I don’t preach to people that don’t choose to though. It is their choice. I’ve spent enough time in a hospital rehab ward with brain damaged motorcyclists and other head trauma patients to know the risks and the horrific aftermath of brain injury. I might point out something as a courtesy once but I don’t preach.

One thing I mention not to preach but to inform is the use or lack of use of adequate eye protection. Many years ago I was riding with a group and one guy had on a helmet and sunglasses. We were riding through a wooded area and a pencil sized twig punched through his sunglasses and impaled his eyeball. Before he realized what was happening the twig had pretty much ripped his eyeball out. We rushed him to the hospital (along with the offending branch which was had part of his cornea and iris stuck to it) but the damage was far too massive to save his eye. He now has a glass left eye.

When I go riding I wear either my full face helmet or use proper goggles with my other helmet. Sunglasses, prescription glasses or even the industrial safety glasses I own just aren’t proper eye protection for ATV riding.

 

THats kind of scary there....even with a good set of goggles one could still loose an eye. Those lenses are thin and actually not designed for the impact of a branch or limb straight on. I have caught myself not strapping my helmet while in a hurry....or asuming I will strap it after we get going so I won't hold up the riding crew. I would like too see a better (quicker) strap set-up with current helmets....the helmets have made progression over the years but not the straps??

 

I thinking about the straps sunday when i was riding maybe i should invent a new design and make a little cash!

 

When I was young I was stupid. Everyone who knew me said I was crazy but in fact I was just stupid with too much testosterone. Anyway, I would ride my street bike with no helmet all the time. In the summer I would ride with nothing more than a pair of shorts and sandals.... stupid!

Now I always wear a helmet because I am no longer stupid but I won't call any adult stupid for not wearing one....it's your choice, even if it is a bad one. I will however, do my best to set a good example for the younger riders because they may be just as stupid as I once was. Also, I want my kids to be smarter than I was because they may not be as lucky. I had many intense very close calls that makes me wonder why I'm still here. To those who say they don't fear death, I have to ask....do you fear becoming a vegitable?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

I bought a buckle for my helmet that simply snaps together quickly and you can do it wearing your gloves easily. However, I was very dissapointed when I got it in the mail because it was made of cheap plastic. I used it anyway until I smacked my chin on my handle bars after a hard landing. The buckle snapped into pieces and I nearly lost my helmet. Don't buy this product...it sucks! There needs to be one made of aluminum...that would be cool.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: fourlix

I think today instead of working for my employer, I will try and dissassemble blackballed's posts using a matrix algorythm, then compile them back into one uniform post to determine whether he actually wears a helmet or not, or cares and what black helicopters are hovering over his house..