not intended to flame those that don't subscribe to ATGATT...but...

[MAN OF BLUES]

wow.
I am going thru a bit of culture shock, and I believe it's me just getting old....or sumpin'....

wayyyyy back in the 70's, while living in Ohio, I was a proponant of having the sole responsibility, and the "adjustment of personal rights" to make helmets "optional" here in Ohio....
I admit, I was young, and bulletproof...so I thought. I did ride without a helmet the majority of my "street riding" back then, but also realized that at times, when being a hooligan, or doing "dangerous stuff", a helmet was a good thing, and wore it at those times.....
Long story shortened, and moving ahead, after living in Virginia for the last 10 years, and getting re-initiated with my old bike, and a few others, along with becoming a COG member...and taking this $#!+ kinda seriously, I am appalled now after moving back to OHIO, and seeing 14 out of 15 riders, without the semblence of a skid lid. Now mind you, today was the epitome of "perfect day to ride" here, it was simply gorgeous weather...it's been totally crappy for weeks, but I have still seen occasional bikes rolling in 20* weather, and most had no lids...arggggggg freaking cold.....
but today, it hit home;
I was really stupid back then to be so vehemant on making a law "change".
(I guess this is how Canadian's feel about allowing thier handguns to be done away with)..

I am (back in OHIO)  living on a minor 'state route', and have been watching all day while doing work, and have seen approximatly 60-75 bikes go by, I have only seen 3 riders with helmets. the rediculous thing is, they are ALL wearing the "other gear", gloves, boots, jacket, leather, I even saw a guy in a Stich...with no lid....WTF?

wow.
sorry, I just had to share.

[Pokey]

Common sense just aint that common, especially here in Ohio.

[Cavediver]

I'm also from Ohio. Being raised in the dirt for years before moving to the street, I've always wore a helmet, just riding up the driveway to the garage seems weird. At 61, I say if they want to ride without  one thats their right, I don't get it.

Jack

[Mettler1]

  One day in Kentucky I did a head first slide down the pavement with full gear and not a scratch!!   I'm from Michigan where we still have a helmet law. Last year I took a trip to Ft Wayne ILL. No helmet law!! I saw a lot of riders with just shorts and sneakers on the E-way at 70mph. Wiives and girl friends the same way. When I see that I have NO sympathy when they their flesh and brain matter on the ground.

  No one rides on my bike without full gear. Ever! I like them to much do other wise.

[DenverC-14]

No helmet law in CO, and I've seen some crazy get ups. Just on Sat, saw a guy wearing sunglasses and board shorts, and NOTHING else, on some type of cruiser... I just shook my head as I saw him pass. Lots of squidders out on sport bikes as well, as usual.

[DeansZG]

   Yep, ain't personal choice great! Wish we had it here in Michigan.... While I DO wear the lid 99% of the time, once in awhile when I can do it legally, I'll ride without it!
Guess all those old time riders years ago before lids were required & before we had better brakes, tires, & suspensions were wrong too....

Nope, don't wear my seat belt either!!!!!  Yep, had to pay the revenue gatherers a time or to when they've got those seat belt traps set-up....

[Cold Streak]

While I firmly believe in the right to make the choice about helmet use and many other things, I really don't know how anyone can stand not wearing it for long.  For me, wearing a helmet is much more comfortable and quiet.  Even when it's hot out, I prefer to wear it.  At any speed above 50 my eyes start watering and much above that the buffeting of the wind hurts my ears.  Put on the helmet and it's all gone.  I suppose a big fairing would solve some of that, but still ...

[lt1]

Tires, oil, KiPass, and ATGATT.  Always good for ranting, wasting time, and debate.  Unfortunately, most of us don't learn much from these threads.

My attitudes have shifted somewhat over the years.  I'm much more ATGATT in my practice and recommendations, but much less ambitious about making ATGATT-type laws.  Paul Harvey used to say "Self-government will not work without self-discipline." and I try to take that to heart (sometimes I'm better at it than others).  I don't wear gear because I expect to crash, nor do I wear it because a law was passed by some government entity.  I wear it because I have (marginally) enough sense to understand probability, human behavior and physics.

I realize that, the vast majority of the time, it is highly improbable that I will need protective (crash) gear.    I just don't fall down or crash much anymore.  But I wear the gear anyway, because of the above-mentioned understanding of potential consequence.  It reminds me of the policeman who stopped the old lady and routinely asked her if she had any weapons.  She said "I have a 9mm in the console".  Something about her prompted him to ask "Any other weapon?".  "There's a .45 in the glove box."  "Anything else?"  "I have a .38 in my purse."  "Lady, just what are you afraid of?" 

Wait for it....

"Absolutely nothing."

I guess that's why I go ATGATT.  I prefer not to worry about stuff.

[ZG]

Back in the 80's when I was younger there was still no helmet law in Washington but there was in Oregon, we use to always go ride up around Mt. Saint Helens so we could all take our helmets off and let the mullets flap in the wind... 
 
Seemed like a good choice at the time, now I look back on it and am glad I never wrecked without my lid on... 

[connie1]

The choice whether or not to put on the gear should be left to your family or loved ones... they're the ones that will have to come and see you in the hospital and empty your bedpans when you get home...if you do get home at all.

I just imagine my wife trying to settle my estate and raise four kids without me or with me a drooling idiot in a wheelchair and it's kind of a no-brainer to put my gear on!

I can't believe anybody would not wear their gear when they have any responsibility in their life!

Sorry about the rant but I feel pretty strongly abou this.

[T Cro ®]

..... Yep, ain't personal choice great!

DITTO....

[Nosmo]

I'm not too afraid of getting killed, I figure I'll be dead and won't know it.

I'm REALLY afraid of electric wheelchairs.

[MiloMorai]

My helmet has saved head too many times on the track and on the road for me not to wear it. Anybody that rides pinion with me has to be fully geared up.  Heck after this last accident, I'm looking at chest and back protectors

[Outback_Jon]

Anybody that rides pinion with me has to be fully geared up.

I know this site is (loosely) connected with COG, but...   

[Conrad]

   Yep, ain't personal choice great! Wish we had it here in Michigan.... While I DO wear the lid 99% of the time, once in awhile when I can do it legally, I'll ride without it!
Guess all those old time riders years ago before lids were required & before we had better brakes, tires, & suspensions were wrong too....

Nope, don't wear my seat belt either!!!!!  Yep, had to pay the revenue gatherers a time or to when they've got those seat belt traps set-up....

You do what you want, it's your body/life. The above bolded statement makes no sense at all. Years ago we didn't have antibiotics either, where those folks wrong for not using them?

[George R. Young]

I know this site is (loosely) connected with COG, but...   

He did mention being "fully geared up".

[MAN OF BLUES]

as I noted at the start, my comments were not done to flame, just to verbalize my observations of the current state here.
When Ohio repealed in 1978 I jumped right on and shelved my lid, and was as silly as I could be, but back then, there were many less bikes on the road.
I look back in hindsight, and still maintain that choice is good, but some folks make bad choices. 
It just seems here to be more of an "Herd mentality" than a matter of "choice" in the amount of people I see lid-less... as I noted, pretty much it seems to be about a 90+% doing it.
I just don't understand that part.....

[Outback_Jon]

He did mention being "fully geared up".

  I missed that obvious one.

[DannyL]

Here's my short take on it.
I do my best not to be hooked up to a machine, eat thru a straw or have someone have to wipe my a$$. If you want to ride naked during June bug season or drag your uncovered  and unprotected (fill in the blank) down the road, be my guest....

[Two Skies]

Having done the ragdoll thing across asphalt once (after being knocked unconscious on impact with said pavement), and looking at how scuffed up my visor, jacket, overpants and helmet were after the fact, I am thankful for being a religious helmet wearer.  And our riding group has a 'no attgatt no ridey with us' policy as well.  Jeans and regular shoes are a gray area, but no jacket or helmet means we leave you behind.  We are also strong proponents for gloves as well.

It took a couple of months to recover from that concussion, but at least I didn't need facial surgery.  Or a trip to the morgue...

So when I see others out enjoying the weather in minimal gear on their bikes, I just shake my head and that quote a nurse once told me comes to mind:
'There goes another potential organ donor'.

The ribcage does a pretty good job protecting most of our vitals, and if your brain is scattered across the pavement, well brains aren't something people need r.e. transplant organs.