Well, motorcycle accidents are up in 2003.

Why do helmuts seem to be a thing of the past?

Snowmobilers have choices on wearing them, but I am concerned about the motorcycle deaths and accidents.

I have been a helmut wearer in the past, but many
tell me wearing helmuts cause more serious injuries from the helmuts? I talked to a couple
one day many years ago and they ride Harleys.They
told me more chances of a broken neck wearing helmuts? Any input out there to wear or not to wear?

I think it should be the choice of the rider.I`m sure if every rider and passenger wore a helmet there would be less inguries. If we all wore helmets when we drove our cars , there would be less automobile fatalites. The same goes for bicycle riding,horseback riding,anmd even walking for that matter.
One of the reasons the death rates of motorcycle accidents keep rising ,is that there are more and more people are riding both motorcycles and cars.
The more crowded it becomes on the roads , the more chances there are of accidents.

Helmets are required by law in Wisconsin for any rider or passenger on a motercycle under the age of 18. I have never found a helmet rated for a crash over 35 mph, yet. Most of my time is spent on highways and byways going faster then 35mph. My sons helmet fell from the seat on my bike while it was parked in the driveway and broke. A three foot fall. That did nothing to encorage me that they would help at any speed. My life, my choice. I carry my own insurance so thoose who think they would pay for my docter bills incase of an accident need not worry. I agree, more people on the road means more accidents. Also MOST riders today are what I call new riders. Just in the last ten years or so has it become COOL, to be a rider, however $15000 and 15 mil;es does not make a person what I call a Biker.

_________________
Spay or nueter your pets!!!!!!!

My brother is a motorcycle racer who competes nationally and in Canada. He has ridden bikes all over the world. He says any rider who does not wear a helmet and proper gear is a fool. I'll take his word for it.

_________________
Nell

More women die of lung cancer than breast cancer. If you smoke, quit. If you don't, don't start.

Friends never lets friends drive drunk.

NruseNell,

Your brother is 1000% right!

And as far as I am concerned it goese for both bicycles and motorcycles.

Greetings,
Well get ready, here comes my complete unbiased opinion on helmet use..
As an emergency services provider for nearly 15 years (where does the time go?) I must strongly advocate the use of helmets in all types of riding sports, not only those dastardly motorcycles. Skateboarders, equestrian sports, rollerblades, bicycles, are all to be included in that group of "high risk" brain injury sports. If you look at the anatomy of you brain and skull, there is only a thin fluid filled space between the brain and the skull to cushion any type of blow to the head. It does not take much of a jolt at all to lead to brain injury of irreversable damage. Oh did I mention that when you injure or damage a brain cell, they do not "grow back"? Granted we do not use all of our brain cells (some less then most) we probably want to protect the ones that are doing something important, like breathing! Any advantage you can give your head is one that can make the difference of living a full life or being fed by tubes.

Granted the person who crashes thier motorcycle at 130 MPH has a poor prognosis for not being injured in the first place, however, the same person without the helmet is 100 or more times likely to die as a result of the crash.

Now I know there are those who claim that this is an individual choice and that "I have insurance" that will cover them should they be injured. Guess what - that is living in a fantasy world. This impacts us all as a huge matter of public health. So ok, lets talk insurance. Auto insurance covers the first $1000 - well with the ambulance ride and ER charge, thats gone. "I/my spouse has health insurance through work" you say. OK, after a year (or less) of not working, your insurance will no longer care for you, and just try to get insurance with a pre-exisiting condition of serious debilitating brain injury. "So then I'll go on medicare/medicaid." Fine, seems like a good plan to me. However, you need to realize, the ambulance, hospitals, doctors offices, and clinics only gets about 1/3 from medicare or medicaid what it actually costs to care for a patient. Where do you think the rest of the money comes from? Well from you and me through our taxes, and skyrocketing healthcare and insurance costs, thats where. Where do you think your family is going to come up with the money once your insurance runs out? It breaks my heart everytime I see a collection jar at the gas station for us to "help cover the costs" of Joe Blow's extended hospital stay. Frankly, there are insurance providers that will not cover the long term costs of rehabilitation becuase of an injury of this type. Sure its your choice.

So while you lie at Golden Age Nursing Home (or worse yet, have to visit or care for someone who is), with your food going in one tube and your wastes coming out another for the rest of your natural life (what are you now 30 - 40? Life expectancy is 72-76 for a male these days), you then can tell me that helmet use is not going to save anything.

Of course thats just my opinion, I may be wrong..

<small>[ July 18, 2003, 08:01 PM: Message edited by: MedicDVG ]</small>

_________________
*** The opinions expressed herein are uniquely MY OWN and should not be construed as an endorsement of any sort by my employers or of any professional associations to which I hold membership. I can dig myself into holes just fine without their help, thank you very much***

Definitely. I always wear a helmet when I ride my bike. There are a lot of skateboarders and roller bladers where I live, I seldom see them wearing helmets or protective gear, they should.You only have one brain and brain tissue doesn't regenerate so it's best to protect it.Our chief of police here in St. Paul is a motorcyclist. He would prefer to ride without a helmet but his wife won't let him. Two summers ago he was riding on Hwy 8 in WI, a lady ran a stop sign and hit him. He'd have been dead or in a persistant vegetative state without the helmet, and that's straight from his mouth.

<small>[ July 18, 2003, 11:26 PM: Message edited by: NurseNell ]</small>

_________________
Nell

More women die of lung cancer than breast cancer. If you smoke, quit. If you don't, don't start.

Friends never lets friends drive drunk.

Well said MedicDVG...For all those that choose to not wear a helmet, for whatever the lame reason....I only have this to say....Please have your donor sticker on your driver's license....others will appreciate the life you gave them, by ending yours so stupidly.....

<small>[ July 19, 2003, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: allbutashy1 ]</small>

Smart, Dumb, or indifferent, I still believe in individual freedom to make your own decisions without some lawmaker or do-gooder looking over your shoulder telling you every move to make. It just iritates me that every time a group of people decide they don't like some thing or don't agree with what you are doing the first thing they want to do is pass a law and control eveyone's life.

The people who ride motorcycles are for the most part intelligent adults (there are a few who I wonder about

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

Did I really spell goes, goese?

Old Scout, I basaically agree with you. But the problem is that it effects us all in higher insurance and medical costs.

Does everyone think that the government should mandate that you have to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle?
And if so............
Why stop with motorcycles? They really should include automobiles,bicycles,jogging, and every other activity that wearing a helmet would prevent possible injury.
Should all deer hunters be required to wear bullet proof vests? That too, would save many lives every year.

The concept is based on the greater good. In those areas where there are significant adverse effects on the majority because of the irresponsible acts of the minority, government intervention is likely to take place. Fact of life rather we like it or not. Another fact is there is no right or wrong involved. It’s politics, they only have to have the votes.