went by a horrible motorcycle accident....

[sportbike_rob]

sunday afternoon, coming home from fishing with my grandfather, and we came up on it, we went by and a harley rider and his passenger were on stretchers, the whole time we were close all we heard were the poor guy screaming in pain and Emergency personel yelling orders back and fourth....it was horrible...
my rant is, why is it so hard for people to slip on a helmet and good gear? they absolutely refuse to. at cruising speed the road is nothing but a big belt sander waiting chew your skin off, i went down hard on my r6 at 45mph and if it werent for a simple mesh jacket and helmet, i wouldnt be alive today, but because i had it on, i walked away, battered and broken, but i got up and walked away none the less. i kept all my gear, and show every rider i know, just how much damage the jacket sustained, i remind them that every little mark on that jacket and helmet would have been my skin....and yet most riders i have shown just shrug it off and ride in t-shirts and no helmet anyway, with that "it wont happen to me" attitude....

 

[gaparicio]

I am unfortunately one of the ones that didn't like riding with a helmet on. I took a spill a few years back. the skin of my left arm pretty much melted away. Luckily I wasn't going fast enough to hit my head or break any bones but MAN did that hurt!:main_angry: I wear one now.

My reason for not wearing one was because I couldn't hear the road or see very well. You know, those full face helmets. I prefer the ones that sit on top of your head like the American Chopper dudes. I know they don't protect your face or the side of your head but I still like them.

 

[moosassah]

My father's got more metal in him now than most buildings thanks to motorcycle accidents. He's alive--heck I'm not sure how, but if not for a helmet he'd be road meat for sure at least 3 times. It's bad luck. All 3 were the car driver's fault (court decided, not my opinion). Motorcycles are fast toys. Helmets keep your brain from spilling or scrambling. If not for yourself, think about your families & friends. Stepping off soap box now...

 

[Val]

In the past year or so PA passed the helmet choice law, which drives me absolutely crazy. York is home to the Harley Davidson plant and I very rarely see any of them with helmets let alone any other gear on and it never makes sense to me. I understand the appeal of a motorcycle, I really wanted one myself, but I think if you're going to chose to ride one you have to use your head.

What bothers me more than the Harley riders without helmets, is the people riding crotch rockets without one on. They're typically the idiots flying down the roads going 100mph, weaving in and out of traffic and popping wheelies along with the high speeds with teeshirts and jeans on. I worked at a place that specialized in bikes and gear and each one of the guys showed me scars from their wrecks, a good friend of mine laid his bike down and broke his ankle, then flipped his bike a second time and knocked all of his front teeth out not to mention another guy I worked with basically turned to hamburger meat when he lost control of his bike. I have never seen anything like what I saw when he came in to work right after the accident, and it stopped me front getting a bike myself. The potential for a bad turn out with bike riders is high, and to not take the proper precautions really irks me.

 

[sportbike_rob]

I am unfortunately one of the ones that didn't like riding with a helmet on. I took a spill a few years back. the skin of my left arm pretty much melted away. Luckily I wasn't going fast enough to hit my head or break any bones but MAN did that hurt!:main_angry: I wear one now.

My reason for not wearing one was because I couldn't hear the road or see very well. You know, those full face helmets. I prefer the ones that sit on top of your head like the American Chopper dudes. I know they don't protect your face or the side of your head but I still like them.

i have never had any issues with hearing and seeing the road with a full face.....and besides, with all that loud grumbling of the infamous harley/chopper exaust, can you really hear anyway?....it would suck to lose half your face as alot of people have had happen to them because they thought the half helmets were safe.

here is a few pics of what i had to go through...... http://sportbike.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3513

 

[sportbike_rob]

What bothers me more than the Harley riders without helmets, is the people riding crotch rockets without one on. They're typically the idiots flying down the roads going 100mph, weaving in and out of traffic and popping wheelies along with the high speeds with teeshirts and jeans on.

those are called squid's S: stupid Q: queer U: underdressed I: inevitably D: dead.... these squids give bad names to us responsible "crotch rocket" riders (yes there is such a thing!)... i honestly blame my accident on squids, because the guy who made me crash did it intentionally. i was in my lane doing the speed limit, he was in his, he seen me slowed down waited for me to get close, next thing you know he is in my lane and i hear his tires screetching from him brakeing so hard and i ate pavement as he sped away. people get angry when us "crotch rocket" riders wheelie past them and fly by at 150mph and the nex on ethey see they seek revenge.....

 

[BluGnat]

That is so sad for those people, and that you heard their anguish.

Rob, your wreck looks like it hurt big time. Ouch...

There's no helmet law in Colorado. Last year on my way home, traffic was backed up into Denver, and the highway I take home was closed. Later that night, I learned what happened via the news. A sportbike rider was *struck by lightning* while he was riding home. He was wearing full gear and a helmet:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4796094,00.html

My dad has ridden sport bikes since their debut with the Interceptor in '83 and he always always wears a helmet. No doubt many, many, many lives are saved by helmets that would've been lost otherwise (and much skin for those who wear appropriate gear from the neck down.

 

[jmkbama]

Growing up in the deep South, (Alabama), ((I know we southerners are all slow and backwards)), we have had helmet laws for as long as I can remember, long before seat belt laws. I was shocked the first time I ventured into the midwest (Indiana) and all these people were riding bikes without helmets. It amazed me these guys would pass by police officers and not get stopped. I mean they have seat belt laws for your car, but no helmet laws??? Here in Milwaukee, it is the same thing, Harley is based here and I plan on owning one eventually, but am still amazed that anyone would ride without a helmet. Why take the risk? Of course with that said, I have a friend who is a brain surgeon and she says that in a lot of cases the helmet makes a difference between being a vegetable or dead. From examples I have seen, I would disagree, but thought I would throw in her opinion as well.

 

[GeckoMandi]

I lost a friend to a motorcycle crash a few months ago, he was going about 80 and tried to pass an 18 wheeler and crashed into the back end of it as it was turning, he didn't die right away either but was in a coma for a few weeks. He was 22 years old.

Mike (my boyfriend) has a Custom Bike and I hate it!! I will not ride it and he is going to sell it very soon so we can buy a house, and I hate to say but I cannot wait, we went to Myrtle Beach bike week and OMG I seen a wreck that was so friggin awful.

We were stuck in traffic and the girl was laying on the pavement I won't into how graphic it was, but it was bad. I saw this about 3 feet away from me. Needless to say I have not ridden on the back of that bike since. The driver of the bike was standing there without a scratch and neither wore helmets.

 

[Val]

I'm sorry for your loss Mandi.

 

[GeckoMandi]

I'm sorry for your loss Mandi.

Thanks I hadn't talked to him in a few months prior to the wreck but still it was a shock.