First, let me just clear this up. I do wear helmets. I do wear them everytime I jump on a bike. I understand that if I do crash. My helmet will protect my head and probably save my life. I may become a vegetable, I may lose my limbs but, I would still have my pretty face :D

Helmets or not. Crashing is bad.

Since this is a free country, why should the government determine what is good and bad for me? I should be able to make the choice myself. I am an adult. I vote. Why can't I vote on my own fate?

Personally, I believe helmets reduce your visibility. Being unable to use your peripheral visions, you will have to turn your whole head just to be able to see if there's someone behind you. But the added weight of the helmet will make you turn your head slower. Plus the muffling effects of the helmet, hinders you from hearing everything around you.

If you are a squid and can't stop yourself from accelerating like crazy pretending you're a participant on the moto gp,, then a helmet should be required. But for a rider like me, which rarely goes fast (due to traffic, etc.), I believe the choice in wearing a helmet should be up to me.

I like the feeling of wind in my hair. I believe a bandana or a skullcap, plus shades and or goggles should be sufficient.

No, I'm not talking about porma or pogi points here. I'm talking about my right. My freedom of choice. My freedom to decide for myself what is good and bad for me.

Don't get me wrong. Go ahead wear your helmet. But wouldn't it be better that you are wearing it because you chose to? I choose to wear my helmet. But there may be days when I feel that I don't want to don my brain bucket. so don't flame me if and when you do see me not wearing my bucket or if you see it just plainly strapped on my sissies.

I am neither ignorant nor uneducated with the consequences of NOT wearing my helmet. But I would be glad if I have the choice.



:C

dude,

i heard from another rider that there is an anti-helmet lobby in the US. they allege that helmets actually increase rather than decrease the possibility of serious injury. if you ask me, i think its bullocks.

when i rode my racer bike in college, i almost never wore a helmet, which seems to me now, was a crazy thing to do. i realized now that even at bicycle speeds, a crash could be fatal.

but its a free country. however, it would be nice if you did take my or your friends advice. tapos ikaw na lang mag-decide.


ps: i wear an hjc :)


peace!

I do wear helmets too. My point is, the choice should be up to me. :D

in the end, it is a matter of choice. tignan mo nangyayari ngayon; maraming bikers ang nagdadala nga ng helmet dahil bawal ang hindi magdala ng helmet pero sinusuot ba nila? at kung isuot man nila, tama ba ang pagkasuot nila? :rolleyes:

I tend to agree that it should be a matter of choice because you are not putting anyone else in danger. However you should consider your family and those who would be effected if you get your brains bashed in.

While it is the law the law should be obeyed and if the law is wrong it should be changed, not ignored.

I once fell over at walking pace and still remember the clunk when my helmet hit a jagged rock. I hate to think of what the damage would be like if the helmet wasn't there.

I often ride with an open face helmet in town because its cooler but very often think that if I should fall, even at a very low speed my face could become a smashed up mess on the nearest pile of metal we call a jeepney.

I don't have any fear of dying at all but I do have a fear of lots of pain and of becoming a burden on my family.

It used to be that strapping on your car seat belt was a matter of choice. Perhaps, during that time, responsible drivers wear them by choice. Perhaps, during that time, informed drivers don't wear them by choice. At the end of the day, in the interest of safety, the government felt compelled to make the decision making for all the drivers.

It's a bummer, I know. We don't have a choice. But several of my friends already encountered relatively strong crashes and survived because they were wearing their seatbelt.

We can strongly and safely deduce, that it's the same case for helmets.

http://www.pics.ryanchapin.com/albums/biker_peeps/clip.html

Originally posted by KaZmuT
Helmets or not. Crashing is bad.

not only is it bad, it is inevitable. Accidents happen everyday. helmets increase your chances of surviving a crash.

Personally, I believe helmets reduce your visibility. Being unable to use your peripheral visions, you will have to turn your whole head just to be able to see if there's someone behind you. But the added weight of the helmet will make you turn your head slower. Plus the muffling effects of the helmet, hinders you from hearing everything around you.

thats why there are side mirrors. those are specifically for the purpose of giving the rider a quick rear glance without moving your head in any way. Muffling effect? its just a matter of getting used to. Im sure if you have experienced a crash you are likely to have a different point of view regarding helmets.


If you are a squid and can't stop yourself from accelerating like crazy pretending you're a participant on the moto gp,, then a helmet should be required. But for a rider like me, which rarely goes fast (due to traffic, etc.)...

Squid or no squid wearing a helmet is a must. How long have youve been riding a motorcycle? Do you consider yourself as a squid or an expert rider? Did you know that a measly 15 kph crash can be fatal? dont tell me that your 750cc of pure adrenaline doesnt get action above 15kph. If it doesnt then you are better of riding a bicycle.



I like the feeling of wind in my hair. I believe a bandana or a skullcap, plus shades and or goggles should be sufficient.

No, I'm not talking about porma or pogi points here. I'm talking about my right. My freedom of choice. My freedom to decide for myself what is good and bad for me.

This is where your motives become obvious. from your avatar i assume that you are using a cruiser type of a bike right? Bandanas and shades go with the ensemble right? Please, quit hiding behind the reason that you want to do it because its your freedom of choice. Porma or pogi points is the main reason why you want to go cruising around town with a bandana and shades. You are just justifying your decision by bringing up that freedom of choice speech.

Hate of course not.

Pity absolutely yes for him who doesnt wear helmet once riding on motorcycle. :{ :nuts: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Trance...you may have a point. After all the efforts of this site to promote motorcycle safety it behooves me to see a member try to justify a reason for not wearing a helmet. This is a free country but freedom does not grant us the right to burden our family, friends and countrymen with the care of a vegetable or cleaning up the streets after we've spilled our brains all over the concrete. It is a waste of time effort and the tax payers money just so we can make a decision to be......what ...cool?


Dont get me wrong...I'm not getting morbid here or anything but that is a fact of life.

My position:

Wear your helmet, law or no law. Period.

i dont hate you dude. i also won't accuse you of anything. you expressed your opinion and that's great. unfortunately, it's the law, so we all have to wear our helmets. just ride safe everyone.

Nah. I don't hate you bro, im just concerened. Now, I bet you're a big guy aren't you? As you said, YOU DO wear a helmet don't you? You just want to have a choice. Like anyone else in these forums, you are free to express your opinions. However, please encourage other people to wear a helmet...at ingat lagi...

Peace!

Nope, don't hate ya bro.

But I love wearing my helmet, safety purpose and secresy. :D..... specially when i cruise along Session road wearing my bright yellow helmet, i just felt like a silent rider cruising along the road. With the feel of secrecy of all the people around not knowing my face. :D

Pogi points? Yes, Helemts are pogi points too, everytime you try to park you bike and people see you pulling your helmet off your head ..... and seems to it that people are saying... "oh, so that's the face of the owner of that black scooter"..... :C ..... and yes I feel cool wearing my helmet, sometimes also glance at people who looks at me and feel satisfied that they're wondering what my face looks like. :D

Originally posted by KaZmuT
<SNIP> But there may be days when I feel that I don't want to don my brain bucket. so don't flame me if and when you do see me not wearing my bucket or if you see it just plainly strapped on my sissies. <SNIP>I won't hate you and I won't flame you. But please don't hate me and please don't flame me if I request you to don your bucket during any of our rides.

Here in Baguio, there are some streets where you are really FORCED to wear a helmet. Session Road is one where police officers are on guard ... actually they are there to conduct traffic and see to it that TRAFFIC flow's smooth, but if a MC rider without a helmet crosses their sight, well .... they won't hesitate to apprehend the rider same as on Along and Crossing Harisson and Abanao.
Also in Magsaysay Road, but the level of being apprehended without a helmet on Magsaysay road is not that high compared to Session road.......... say it has the probability of 50-60 percent compared to session road which has the probability of 98 percent
..... 2 percent would be if yer not caught by that SIGHT. :D
Other streets is merely around 5-15 percent probability.
Most MC riders here still don't like wearing helmet, some riders just hang their helmets on the helmet holder while riding.

Now being forced to wear helmet is active around session road.
Not much CHOICE.

In or group, we had just finalized our BY-LAWS and included this, "Member of the PSG is required or should wear a helmet at all times while riding a MC on roup rides and/or around the city." A memeber has no choice again while being a member. Actually its me who added that part of the LAW to inform and promote safety and hope it helps.

I understand that wearing a fullface helmet is sometimes "uncomfortable", for the past 11 years, I am used on wearing a mountain biking helmet while montain biking, well, my ear is exposed, I bought a motorcyle and started wearing a fullface helmet, i get so uncomfortable, I sometimes wear my mountain bike helmet when riding my skut ..........because of the sound muffled, i even tried to drill holes on my fullface helmet but nothing improved ... even darn damaged my helmet ... now it has this five funny little holes on both sides as expected to be an earhole for me. :D
But as time goes by, i got used to it, the decreased AUDIBILITY seemed to have adapted by my hearing, it seems that i am now able to hear good enough, sort of like when i wear the helmet, my ears sort of got amplified to compensate the "muffle". And of course I do get attentive on my side mirrors to be sure behind is secured.
Now wearing my fullface helmet is kindof part of my routine ... its like having a false teeth and got used to it. :D

P.S.
Most people who get false teeth for the first time had the hard time speaking and pronouncing words and letters like D, F, G, H, L, N, S, T and Z isn't it? :D
But getting used to it ? Simple depending on how the user dedicates to it. ?

Safe ride fellas. :)

Originally posted by The Saint
Hate of course not.

Pity absolutely yes for him who doesnt wear helmet once riding on motorcycle. :{ :nuts: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Ditto. dont wait for anything to happen before wearlng one :)

Hehehe, if the old forum archives were still here, you would know that one of my rants and pet peeve is people who don't wear helmets. Do I hate you? Hell no! :D But please don't blame me if I take your character into question. (Not you Kazmut, you just mentioned you wear yours :D)

My position:

Wear your helmet, if not for yourself, do it for your loved ones. :)

Come to think of it, wearing a full-face helmet is like having heavily tinted windows in your cage. You can stare all you want at anyone, but they won't be sure if your eyeballs are going their way. Lalu na kung may magandang chick sa katabi mong kotse! hehehe!!! :D

Plus, bugs., sand, stones, and dirt carried by trucks don't get into my face.

peace! :)

Originally posted by Wing 1
.........Plus, bugs., sand, stones, and dirt carried by trucks don't get into my face.

peace! :)

Hehehehe, whenever I ride at night ... i hear those insects hit my "WINDSHIELD" .... TAK! ... TIK! .... :D ... TOK! ... :O ... i wonder what would it feel like if i wear a mountain bike helmet. :D

On a motorcycle you are more vulnerable and you'd better accept that fact and ride accordingly. I always ride as if I am invisible to the sea of cars around me, becaulse all too often its true. I wear a helmet, jacket, boots, and gloves regardless of the temperature or length of the ride. You might think it's a hassle just to reach the corner store. For me it is an important ritual, a REMINDER I am about to engage in an activity with a fair amount of personal risk. Donning my helmet triggers a pre-recorded message telling me I better be alert if I don't want to end up as a hood ornament. :)

Originally posted by trance
This is where your motives become obvious. from your avatar i assume that you are using a cruiser type of a bike right? Bandanas and shades go with the ensemble right? Please, quit hiding behind the reason that you want to do it because its your freedom of choice. Porma or pogi points is the main reason why you want to go cruising around town with a bandana and shades. You are just justifying your decision by bringing up that freedom of choice speech.

Dear sir,

I do wear my helmet. I have never failed to do so. Especially on long rides. Ask any MIBs. I have gone with them on numerous rides long and short and they have always seen me wearing my helmet. The only time I think I don't wear my helmet is when I am arranging my cars and my bike on the garage.

Let me clear it again dear sir. I am not hiding anything. IT IS my right. It should be my choice. I was ranting because the choice was not up to me. and NOT because I don't want to wear a helmet. I just said that there may be days, when I MIGHT not feel like wearing my helmet.

Please read my original post again. Thank you.



as for the others,

Thank you for your very insightful comments. I guess the topic should be retitled or rephrased. I am not against wearing helmets. I am against the helmet law. No doubt, helmets have saved lives just like seat belts. And I do use my side mirrors too. Though I still have to learn to appreciate full face helmets.. I believe an open face or even a half-helmet should suffice.

Anyways, that's why I started my thread with an apology because I know not all of you will agree with me.

Thanks again for looking at this thread. And I hope there'll be more discussion with regards to helmet-laws. And you are right. It is the law and it should be followed. IMHO, it should be up to the rider.

peace and thanks for looking.
:D

Originally posted by Wing 1
Nah. I don't hate you bro, im just concerened. Now, I bet you're a big guy aren't you? As you said, YOU DO wear a helmet don't you? You just want to have a choice. Like anyone else in these forums, you are free to express your opinions. However, please encourage other people to wear a helmet...at ingat lagi...

Peace!

thank you. you understood what I meant. I appreciate it a lot.

:D

Originally posted by trance
Squid or no squid wearing a helmet is a must. How long have youve been riding a motorcycle? Do you consider yourself as a squid or an expert rider? Did you know that a measly 15 kph crash can be fatal? dont tell me that your 750cc of pure adrenaline doesnt get action above 15kph. If it doesnt then you are better of riding a bicycle.

How long have youve been riding a motorcycle?
I've been riding for four months.

Do you consider yourself as a squid or an expert rider?
neither. just a beginner.

Did you know that a measly 15 kph crash can be fatal?
yes i know. airbags on my car would activate on 10kph.

dont tell me that your 750cc of pure adrenaline doesnt get action above 15kph.
no, I never said that. to my last knowledge, last time I went to tarlac, and there was a straightaway of about 5 kilometers with no obstacles whatsoever, I was able to push it to about 150kph. My bike had more to give but my body gave up because it can't take the windblast anymore. And yes, I was wearing my helmet with my bandana inside it :D a leather jacket, gloves, arm and back protectors, a shin protector, and my old trusty CAT boots with steel toe.

;) ....hey! i like everything about you. the emotion. the computer skills:D and most importantly your humor:D .

so, don't waste it. wear that lid....what is it anyway, HJSoumy?:D

Ako pag sinuot ko helmet ko habang nagddrive, natatakot yung mga katabi kong kotse, akala kasi nila kasali ako sa crash derby. hehe:>

Originally posted by sharky
Ako pag sinuot ko helmet ko habang nagddrive, natatakot yung mga katabi kong kotse, akala kasi nila kasali ako sa crash derby. hehe:>
:O

I can relate with the desire to go lidless at times. A few days ago, I was at edsa with unusual traffic, unusual because there was none. I felt like standing on the pegs of my bike, I wanted to spread my arms, and remove my helmet. I wanted to feel the wind caress my body and my face.

I was instantly reminded of why I ride, what it felt like as a teenager to first operate a motorcycle, the sensation of freedom. An experience a cage will never be able to replicate.

So yes, I do understand where you're coming from.

Did I take off my helmet? I think the urge for self preservation overwhelmed my need for the feel of wind on my face. So no I didn't.

When I see other lidless riders, I tend to discriminate against them. I don't wave at them, not even if they nod or wave at me. I just stare back, as if they were an oddity.

And why shouldn't I? They're one of the reasons why people think motorcycling is a dangerous mode of transportation. Or at least they will be if their head hits the pavement unprotected, and then it's another short column in the newspaper describing how a motorcyclist meets his death.

Should it be a choice? Maybe, maybe not.

To sum up how I feel, I think the owner of sportsbike world said it best.

As Robert of Sportsbike world says:
"I will fight for your right to not wear a helmet, but I also reserve the right to call you a moron if you don't wear one."

Originally posted by sharky
Ako pag sinuot ko helmet ko habang nagddrive, natatakot yung mga katabi kong kotse, akala kasi nila kasali ako sa crash derby. hehe:>

Hehe!! I should try that. :D


Hmmm...try shaving off your hair and your eyebrows. Then, try to look pale. Afterwards, stay still, and no facial expressions.

Mas matatakot na sila kasi baka akalain nila Crash test dummy ka! hahaha! :)

Peace! :)

Well said Richie! A good way of putting it. :)

Originally posted by Richie

Should it be a choice? Maybe, maybe not.

To sum up how I feel, I think the owner of sportsbike world said it best.

As Robert of Sportsbike world says:
"I will fight for your right to not wear a helmet, but I also reserve the right to call you a moron if you don't wear one."

Well said Richie :D. It's the foundation of democracy that everyone has the right to believe in what they think is right. I appreciate and respect your decision to wear your lid. It is your right and that is protected by the government.

My belief that it should be up to the rider to decide whether to wear a lid or not. Should also be respected and protected. Nice day to you Richie. |DL.

maybe insurance companies has a say in this, you say to them that you don't where helmets when riding your bike.

I'm sure mas mataas ang babayaran nyo.

Originally posted by Richie
I can relate with the desire to go lidless at times. ........................................................
...................................................................
......................An experience a cage will never be able to replicate.



:D well said katukayo.......although, cagers would slightly feel the freedom you explained when they ride a CONVERTIBLE or a ROADSTER. hehehe!:C

That is also true for cagers to have the right to use the seatbelt or not . I always use my seatbelt and helmet so much that Iwould already feel something is missing if I have not put it on.

Hey I love wearing my helmet!

Wana know why? I bought a Cool HJC full face helmet. Very Sporty! ;)

When I was younger my Dad bought a helmet. I refuse to wear coz its look kind of stupid or "baduy." Its an open face helmet the kind delivery riders wear. I don't even think thats a DOT approved helmet.

Whenever I ride on my scoot now and stare at my reflection at cars and windows. I love it and I look cool. :D

Besides from that I wear Contact Lenses for my eyesight. Riding without my helmet is uncomfortable with the wind on my face. Without a helment I would have to wear sunglases to protect my eyes. At night rides you cannot wear sunglasses coz its obviously not safe to do so.

In the future... I might even consider wearing an Open Face Helmet with Riding Googles on. But thats when I can finally afford to buy a Vespa.

Classic open face helmets and googles looks best when riding a Vespa. On modern scooters full face helmets seems to looks best.

So my advise is "Focus on looking Cool." So you'll enjoy wearing your helmet. You'll be glad you did if you suffer a crash. :)

After a long ride in the hot sun I'm guilty of removing my helmet when I'm two blocks away from my place. It's true, it feels real great! :)

Aside from helmets being safe, there's a law that tells us we should wear one while riding motorcycles. Unfortunately the law must be followed and cant be ignored. Theives know that there's a law against stealing (some philosophers call it natural law or universal law), but they ignore it and continue to steal for their own reasons. Remember when theives are interviewed in jail in TV patrol, their reason for stealing is they are either hungry or want to feed their families?

So, whenever I remove my helmet when 'it's hot.' I should be jailed too for breaking the law, right? ;) :) ;)