Motorcyclest please wear leather and a proper helmet

myheaven · #1 07/09/12, 09:58 AM

My dh is on a scene (was passing by) motorcycle vs deer. They both had helmets. But the girls looks to be knocked off. The helmets saved them. The helicopter is there to get them. Where they were not wearing leather is mangled. He may loose a few toes. Possible a foot due to wearing loafer type shoes and they flew off from the impact. Her tennis shoe is missing and her foot is messed up. She has a massive gash to her head. Massive road rash to the face. I know it's hard when it's hot to wear leather. But it just may save you. Here in wisconsin it's optional to wear a helmet. But they are rather important. Please pray for this couple. They have a long road ahead of them.

jd4020 · #2 07/09/12, 10:52 AM

I can't agree more with you. I hope this couple heals well.
Our son hit a deer with his bike a couple months ago whilst riding his motorcycle. Fortunately, he was only a little bruised and sore, completely gutted the deer, totaled the bike.
When we had a bike years ago we also had full face helmets.
Yes, helmets. Wise investments.
jd

BillHoo · #3 07/09/12, 10:57 AM

Government should not abe allowed to determine whether you ride without a helmet say protestors:

New York Rider Dies Protesting Motorcycle Helmet Law - ABC News

This happened around this time last year,

beowoulf90 · #4 07/09/12, 11:02 AM

Sorry I agree that a smart rider would wear leathers, but the helmet is another matter..

Oh and before you condemn me and say I've never been in a motorcycle accident.. I can say yes I have.. Yes my leathers and a helmet saved me, but I've also seen a helmet kill. My cousin was killed when he was hit by a drunk driver, mainly because his body slid down the road at a different rate then his helmet, thus snapping his neck..

As to my accident I didn't slide down the road.. I was thrown 57 feet and an ingrained instinct to do a PLF took over, even though I had a shattered left upper leg.. The helmet took the brunt of the impact when my head hit the ground and only allowed a minor concussion, and the leathers kept my left leg from being torn off.

Oh it too was the fault of a drunk driver. It destroyed my 1985 Honda Goldwing Aspencade, which was just getting broke in at over 108,000 miles on it...

watcher · #5 07/09/12, 11:02 AM

Wear a FULL FACE helmet. Wearing a turtle on your head may make you legal but if you go down you stand a good chance of having your ears, nose, lips, cheeks and the rest of the exposed areas GROUND off by the pavement.

watcher · #6 07/09/12, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillHoo

Government should not abe allowed to determine whether you ride without a helmet say protestors:

New York Rider Dies Protesting Motorcycle Helmet Law - ABC News

This happened around this time last year,

I agree with them, even though I ride with a full face helmet no matter the weather. If I want to take the risk of winding up in a wheel chair with most of my face scar tissue I should have that right. On the other hand if that does happen I don't have the right to demand someone else pay for my care.

ErinP · #7 07/09/12, 11:12 AM

Add me to the list.

My dad was on his GoldWing about five years ago, westbound. A kid in an elCamino in the east bound lane didn't see him and turned directly in front of him.
He hit the box of that car doing 65mph. It launched him over the back end of the car and he said he can vividly remember watching the pavement rush up to meet him thinking, "Well, it's been a good life."

He hooked his foot on his windshield as he came off, and it did some damage to that foot. He also tore his rotator cuff on his right shoulder when he landed.
His leather jacket was torn up and his helmet cracked. They hauled him away in the ambulance and he spent three days in the hospital.

He then spent a few months in a rehab. boot for the foot, and surgery and PT for the shoulder. Five years later, you would never guess my dad was in a motorcycle wreck that would have been fatal without his helmet.

He and Mom are, at this very moment, touring New Mexico on their replacement GoldWing.

Wear your helmets and leathers!

Maura · #8 07/09/12, 11:20 AM

I once dated a motorcycle maniac. My sister married one. They always wore helmets (Michigan law) and leather jackets and motorcycle boots. They didn't start out with leather jackets and proper boots, but learned the hard way why it was the best fashion. All of the guys in that group, I'm thinking five of them, had injuries from bike riding, but no bad injuries.

I also wish bikers would wear bright color or have bright colored bikes because they are sometimes very hard to see.

Ardie/WI · #9 07/09/12, 11:24 AM

When I see a so-called biker speeding down the highway wearing a tank top, shorts and flip-flops with no helmet, I say a prayer for the fool!

ErinP · #10 07/09/12, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maura

All of the guys in that group, I'm thinking five of them, had injuries from bike riding, but no bad injuries.

We grow up riding motorcycles in my family. My dad, riding for about 60 years now, always says it's not a matter of if you'll lay it down, but when and how bad.

texican · #11 07/09/12, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beowoulf90

Sorry I agree that a smart rider would wear leathers, but the helmet is another matter..

No, a smart rider would be in a car, better yet, a one ton truck.

Riding a suicide machine and 'smart' (imho) hardly go together.

Fortunately for everyone, we live in a supposedly free country, and if one wants to kill themselves, it is allowed.

My pet peeve is we have a shot load of nanny state safety regulations for cars (disallowing numerous small ultra super efficient micro cars from being imported) because they are "un-safe"..... yet, we allow suicide machines, with less than zero safety features, unless you count uber-loud mufflers (been told this is so four wheelers can hear them coming

) and brakes. Ha!

.........no one mentioned the deer wearing a helmet???

Yvonne's hubby · #12 07/09/12, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

We grow up riding motorcycles in my family. My dad, riding for about 60 years now, always says it's not a matter of if you'll lay it down, but when and how bad.

Yeppers, I have owned and ridden lots of bikes over the years... and havent had a single one that I havent had to throw down a time or two to teach it who was the boss.

I do appreciate being asked politely to wear a helmet.... I might even consider that piece of advise.... someday.... but I sure nuff hate to be told I have to.

It has to be tricky putting a helmet on a deer.

TNnative · #13 07/09/12, 12:39 PM

I was sitting at the stop light the other day when a couple on one of those 'ninja' bikes turned at the light. She was perched behind him on the fender (is that even a seat?) wearing shorts and flip-flops. All I could think was how bad that was going to hurt if the bike went down.

This is not the first time I have seen a girl perched on that back fender over the wheel. What keeps the fender from collapsing and dropping her in the road?

beowoulf90 · #14 07/09/12, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

No, a smart rider would be in a car, better yet, a one ton truck.

Riding a suicide machine and 'smart' (imho) hardly go together.

Fortunately for everyone, we live in a supposedly free country, and if one wants to kill themselves, it is allowed.

My pet peeve is we have a shot load of nanny state safety regulations for cars (disallowing numerous small ultra super efficient micro cars from being imported) because they are "un-safe"..... yet, we allow suicide machines, with less than zero safety features, unless you count uber-loud mufflers (been told this is so four wheelers can hear them coming

) and brakes. Ha!

.........no one mentioned the deer wearing a helmet???

Call them what you will.. I will still ride when I can.. To me the little tin cans many call cars are unsafe.. You can't get away from them in an accident and then get trapped in them. Which would be bad if on fire or underwater, then add the seat belt which holds you in place so the police/fire fighters/EMT's know just where to look for the body. The government would hate to make these folks look for the body, so they require us to fasten it to the cage...

But hey, to each their own.. I prefer 2 wheels over 4 most days.. Since they won't let me drive a tank everyday...

Ardie/WI · #15 07/09/12, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNnative

I was sitting at the stop light the other day when a couple on one of those 'ninja' bikes turned at the light. She was perched behind him on the fender (is that even a seat?) wearing shorts and flip-flops. All I could think was how bad that was going to hurt if the bike went down.

This is not the first time I have seen a girl perched on that back fender over the wheel. What keeps the fender from collapsing and dropping her in the road?

I guess the advantage is that it cleans up the gene pool!

wogglebug · #16 07/09/12, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

.........no one mentioned the deer wearing a helmet???

No! I did a double-take, and then had to think hard before I managed to sort out that the intent was to mean "both" (rider&pillion).

MOgal · #17 07/09/12, 01:38 PM

I would be perfectly happy if every motorcyclist were allowed to ride in their own choice of attire UNDER THE CONDITION that if involved in a serious accident, they wouldn't seek health care, rehab, lifelong institutionalization or even benefits for their surviving children at public expense. The ones who do follow the laws regarding leathers/helmets/boots would have to carry sufficient insurance to cover those same post accident expenses.

Having said that, I will admit to having dated two guys who rode motorcycles. The first guy's dad had a motorcycle dealership in our town and my friend had been read the riot act about safety even before he could drive a motorcycle. I rode with him in a group one afternoon--wore a helmet, didn't have leathers. His motorcycle had a good passenger seat with a compartment that served as a back rest. The second guy wasn't nearly so safe a driver nor did he have any sort of sissy bar. We worked out signals that I used to communicate with him. One evening he went from zero to 40 mph turning from a side street into a busier one. I gave him the signal to stop as I nearly slid off the back. I got off and proceeded to walk a half block to my folks' house. He was mad as all get out that I wouldn't get back on the motorcycle and I quit seeing him. My mom gave me a ride home to my own place and she never asked a single question to my unending amazement.

ErinP · #18 07/09/12, 01:57 PM

Quote:

I would be perfectly happy if every motorcyclist were allowed to ride in their own choice of attire UNDER THE CONDITION that if involved in a serious accident, they wouldn't seek health care, rehab, lifelong institutionalization or even benefits for their surviving children at public expense.

Because of course this is the reason helmet laws exist.

No one cares if you live or die, really. It's not the nanny state protecting YOU, they're protecting everyone else who has to absorb the costs of you not having the sense to protect your head!

Fat Charlie · #19 07/09/12, 02:30 PM

We're okay with our lack of helmet and seatbelt laws here.

Big Dave · #20 07/09/12, 02:38 PM

Look at what happened to Bobby Patrino. He wa not wearing his helmet and boy did it cost him.