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DOT & Helmet Laws

and from the same site you quote, Mainah "The Family Caregiver Alliance" :
Prevention

* Motorcycle helmets provide protection for motorcycle drivers for all types and locations of head injuries, and, contrary to a popular misconception, are not associated with increased neck injuries.21
* Studies indicate that the risk of brain injury in hospitalized motorcyclists is nearly twice that for unhelmeted motorcyclists and that unhelmeted drivers had acute care costs three times ($30,365) that of helmeted drivers 22, 23
* In California, the first year's implementation of the 1992 helmet law resulted in a 37.5% decrease in statewide motorcycle crash fatalities over the previous year; those likely to sustain TBI-related impairments decreased 34%. California has demonstrated a more than 99% compliance rate in helmet use. This suggests that, with adequate enforcement, unrestricted helmet laws can achieve nearly 100% compliance.24, 25, 26
* As many as 74% to 85% of bicycle-related head injuries could be prevented if bike riders were to wear protective helmets. An average of 140,000 head injuries per year are attributed to children and adolescents in bicycle accidents.18, 19
 
My state does not require it, but having a 13 yr old daughter, I wear one to show the safety aspect to her. Personally tho, for me its like seat belts, now I'm so used to wearing one that I feel weird without it. Like leaving the house without your wallet in your pocket.
 
Mainah and Pauld illustrate two perspectives from a single document...imagine that is why there are forums like HDTimeline to get both sides and everything in between "aired out". Bottom line, like it or not WEAR THAT HELMET especially if the LAW says to. If you choose not to, you accept the risk on your own AND make that decision without those around you, including your loved ones objections...trust me I have plenty of family and friends who weigh in heavily on THAT decision besides "JUST" my decision, as I am already undertaking a "dangerous sport", and introduced my significant other to the same. Your ride, you decide.
 
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Religion, Politics and motorcycle helmets, three things to never discuss in a bar or around any living things.
Anyone can copy and paste, and find what ever they want to see, studies show 99.999 % of prison inmates ate white bread as a child, after I read that I stopped giving my son white bread, NOT! I believe in choice because of personal experience and personal experience only. Yours might be totally different or you might not have any at all. I would not want someone's death on my hands because of my beliefs no more then I would want someone's family to have to nurse them for the rest of their lives because they are paralyzed from the neck down, I'd rather be dead myself, That's my choice, because I love my wife & family. Please do not respond to this post because there is nothing I or you can say to convince the other, or would I really want to, because I respect you, And I respect this forum for allowing both sides to be heard, that's what a true forum has to be.

And speaking of 1992
It is my firm belief that the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a helmet must be universally equal across the board. If choice is the issue, then give everybody a choice. To do less is ridiculous. It sends a message out that only some should be allowed to choose, or live. The federal government's own numbers indicate that people would possibly be better off not wearing a helmet. In 1992, more fatalities were attributed to riders wearing helmets than not. The same report showed that the lowest rate of fatalities per 100 accidents were in states without a mandatory helmet law.

Here's a link to a site that gives a lot of helmet info, I'm not posting this because I want you to think like me or be like me, I do want everyone to make the best decision for themselves and know what states they better wear helmets in.
50 State Helmet Law Review
 
I've always worn a helmet, because I'm required to in my state. I did ride for one day without one at Laconia. I was surprised at how strange it felt. More than likely because I've always worn one. During warm months I use a 1/2 DOT helmet, and just this past fall I bought a full face (non modular) for cold weather. It's taking a while to adjust to it. It absolutely does force me to move my head more. i.e., looking down or backing up. It's a pain to back into the garage when my car is in there. I've started taking the helmet off first. I don't find it limits my normal riding peripheral vision though. It does make it so much warmer on cold days, which is the main reason that I bought it. Wind noise is much less as well


BTW.. I bought the Shoe FR-1000. It's very comfortable, once it's on. A bit tight sliding on and off over my ears. That still hurts a bit. I've been told that it will get better with time.

ShoeiFR-100001.jpg
 
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I found a clearance helmet that just happened to fit my head, was high tech Carbon Fiber HD made by HJC DOT approved one, so much less than MSRP I couldn't pass it up and am completely satisfied! So shop around at your local HD dealer, you may be surprised! :bigsmiley11:

HDCarbonFiberHelmet.jpg
 
I live in Florida too. Although on occasions when I've picked up my S.O. for lunch, or ridden to Daytona for the day and I gave her mine to wear before we bought her her own, I've always ridden with a helmet. When I was in the Air Force I flew with a helmet, when I raced in the SCCA I wore a balaclave and a full-face helmet, and on my bike I used to wear an old, obsolete for car racing, full-face helmet, but now I wear the half-helmet. It's a Bell and obviously DOT certified. Actually, in the heat of summer down here sometimes it's cooler to have that helmet on than have the sun beating down on my skull.
 
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