Had one mishap where I was glad I had a helmet on, and I always wear one now. A helmet is NOT the only thing that will save you, no; but it IS part of a total protection package right up there with situational awareness and all. And yes, I do think it should be a matter of choice.

I got a chuckle too. 35 years and I still fall once in a while. I was in CA a couple of years ago, almost at a complete stop in a parking lot when I fell over. I slapped my head on the asphalt and was glad I had my helmet on.

Well thanks,  now I don't feel so bad about  fall over at a stop sign  lol  . 

MD is a helmet state, so yes I wear one. Often find myself riding in states that do not require one, so yes I will take it off, for a while, and enjoy the freedom. When riding on the interstates, yes I will wear it, regardless of the laws. Being a single parent of a minor child I feel it is my responsibility to take whatever measures to provide better protection.

Yes I wear a helmet regardless of the law. Two reasons, first I'm military and it's a requirement. 2nd, I value my noggin and on the one in a million chance I leave the upright position I'd prefer not to be a vegetable for what would be the rest of my life. However, to each their own. So if you like to feel the wind in your hair, the bugs in your teeth, and cry while you joyously ride down the road, have at it!

It's all about safety for me really... but like all things in this country it should be your choice to ride with a helmet or strap yourself into a seat belt... if it has wheels it is inherently dangerous and prone to failure, faults and all manner of calamities, so being as safe as you possibly can and being prepared are always the best way to stay prepared for whatever happens.

I know this is an old post but for those interested go to http://highwaysafety.org/research/fatality_facts_2009/motorcycles.html                                             ;  By the way I don't wear one but your choice.

I choose to wear a full faced Snell approved helmet at all times. I ride with some friends that often don't wear one in the summer. I've noticed most sport bike riders consider their helmet an important part of their gear and bike, and spend lots of money on them.
I tend to go overboard compared to most. Even in the hot summer heat I wear a Joe Rocket mesh jacket with shoulder, elbow, and spine pad. Actually, it makes you feel cooler. It blocks the sun, yet the wind flows freely.
To each his or her own. Mine is a personal choice. I'm in my 50s now and want to avoid the road rash etc. if I can avoid it.

Washington is a required helmet state. I am not fond of others telling me what to do. As for the helmet law in and of its self. I have no real complaints. The facts bear out that Helmets are over rated as a safety device. 1st D.O.T. regularly pass helmets that fail the required testing. 2nd the D.O.T. test less than 50% of the marketed helmets each year. 3rd The number 1 cause of death amoung riders With or With out lids IS DRINKING AND RIDING. number 2 is speeding. These numbers alone are at least 3xs what the death rate of helmetless rides are. Yet the D.O.T. isnt on some crusade to stop it. 4th The best isnt always the best. In some states the requirement of a leagle helmet excludes the testing from Anssi, Econ, Aussie Anssi, And Euro Testing and only reconises the D.O.T. FMV numbers as real testing thus makeing all others ileagl as a real helmet. In others the word helmet is regularly brought in to question. As to give a definement of whats leagle as a lid. In the long run its muddie the waters so badly law inforcement in thses states regulary just look the other way.
5th there has been no long term studies as to the effect of wareing a lid on things as to smells from the glues solvents and foam. The damange to the neck and upper back from the weight slaming up and down on the spine.
6th The leagle blocking of helmet manfactures from lawsuits. This is a well knowen fact to anyone that asks about helmets in the first place. You are not really protected by the lid. Becuse D.O.T. fails lids each year yet becuse the manfactures may have already built thounds the D.O.T. still allows the sales of failed runs with a D.O.T. stickers on them. So you buy a bad lid. You fall and die in a slow speed slip and fall. Your famlie can not sue the manfacture for allowing the sales of a all ready questionable helmet in the first place.
7th The miss repsenting of facts. THE D.O.T.s favorate passtime. The number of deaths rise in states where the helmet mantory is repealed. I cant denie it. But factor in the number of riders who now chose to ride with out The numbers are nearly the same. The DOT admits that in the past thay have squewed numbers and out right lied to get the public to see it there ways. In at least 3 states the DOT admits that just to keep the state as a Mandated state thay have tolded out right lies to keep the genural public on the side of there helmet laws. Ive wondered just how many deaths where guys wearing black tee shirts! if the numbers bear out that wearing a black tee shirts your more likely to die. Should we ban black tee shirts????
8th Why reglate helmets in the first place? Why not spend the money on getting the public to see us??? For years the bucks have been spent on the hole helmet thing. With no real resalts to speek of. My mother said for years this saying. To contune to do the exact same thing each time and expect a driffant resalt. is a sure sign of insanty.
So why not take the money the DOT receives each year and move on to a new tack. like stoping drinking and riding? Where at least we might see some movement in saving lifes!!!! Spending wisely not expecting the same as usal!!

If you ride without a helmet in Az you may be interested in a blog I posted a few months back. Go to my profile and check it out.

well well well cant agree on a simple innocent(pun intended)law.i agree with rex with 1 exception.insurance!an accident can easily cost alot more than minimum insurance required so if it exceeds that then the tax payers eat it so in my humble opinion if u can prove financial responsibility then by all means go naked but if all a person has is minimum insurance then im good with forcing him to wear one and im not liberal in any sense of the word but i am for the brst of all as long as my brothers n sisters dont do stuff that affects me or anyone else then by all means go 4 it but i dont take 2 kindly 2 the govt forcing me 2 cough up coins 4 someone that wants to be irresponsible but cant afford to be.and thats coming from a guy that as of yet hasnt wore a helmet

 After some close calls, now I do.  Sell them too, pretty cool graphics these days.

Sometimes I wear my helmet, sometimes I don't. It just depends on how hard I want to ride and whether or not I think there might be deer hiding in the tall grass by the side of the road. And honestly, I kind of shrug my shoulders at the whole "to wear or not to wear" question. If I'm in a place where it's required, I wear it and it doesn't bother me. If I'm not, I might wear one or I might not, and I don't worry about that very much, either. I can see the argument in favor of it being a choice, but I can also see poker6973's point. If my choice of not wearing a helmet causes somebody else's insurance rates to go up, I can understand where they might have a problem with that.

Someone please, please give me one instance or one state that will pick up the medical balance (at the taxe payer's expense) above the minimum insurance coverage.

If you are in an accident your auto/mc insurance policy provides medical coverage up to the specified amount in your policy. Hypothetically let's say 5 grand. Anything over 5 grand is YOUR responsibility and absolutely NOONE, tax payers included, suffer a financial burden for the difference.

If I have health insurance and suffer a heart attack, my insurance will pay only so much and only myself is responsible (obligated) to pay the difference.

It has already been ruled unconstitutional in some states to set/establish insurance requirements based on lifestyle; meaning a person who skis or a person who parachutes or a person who owns weapons cannot be required to carry additional insurance.

Financial burden, in terms of raising insurance rates, in many cases is a myth perpetrated by insurance companies to justify rate increases AND to change the unconstitutionality ruling of "lifestyle" rates. Age group, Geography, and accident statistics are examples where rate increases occur. The fact that a head injury enters into rate increases is simply not true; anymore so than a broken arm will raise rates. Just my 2-cents.

Peace

I wear a helmet by choice. A full faced snell approved thing, and Joe Rocket mesh jacket with pads n all. Each person in Arkansas makes their own choice. I'm close to the Louisiana line, and you better have a DOT approved helmet when you cross that state line. It's the law there.

I found that cause I'm a tourrrist riding, around it is safer for me to wear a lid...especially whilst doing long hauls, I really dug zoomin around sturgis main street and up into the black hills without one though.

jimmyacorn i appreciate your opinion although im for choice if one can afford it.how many accidents do u think has happened that ppl cant afford,get the medical help they need then when the bills come in they file bankruptsy?who pays for that in the long run?thats right we all do.the last thing i want is for govt making all their bull.... laws cause im all for to each his/her own as long as it only affects them and not anyone else.the problem is ppl do things without regard for their"neighbors"not to mention how many ppl hv state funded insurance.along the same lines as ppl on welfare that get to vote on issues that affect me/my money.if your paying your own way by all means im all for ppl doin what ever they want.in a nut shell we wouldnt be having this discussion if everyone carried theirselves in a way with their neighbors in mind.

My Choice...I wear them even in states that dont require them...I even ride in 91 degrees with Good leathers and boots on... My Choice.....

I'm pro choice as well. I have no problem personally wearing a helmet or not wearing a helmet. Right!! Not everyone acts responsibly and that too is protected by the constituion. It's unfortunate at times but mandates aren't the answer when it comes to maintaining the freedoms we share and fight to preserve. Now I'm an old fart who gets easily aggitated by just about everything these days. And damn, it's hard to avoid all the jerks there are and the dumbsheite they do. And yes, were it not for those people who seemingly just take up space in this world we wouldn't be having discussions. It seems that for most of my life I've been a freedom fighter and it appears so much of it has been for naught. I just want to give up, resign myself to the idiocy, and go about my own business. Selfish? Perhaps. But my guilt for giving up is relieved by the fact that I know I've tried.

Peace

This is gonna be a hot topic in Michigan now that the law passed yesterday and we are not required to wear one. Me personally it will probabaly have alot to do with the weather.

I wear good boots, (Harley makes a good riding boot) Joe Rocket gear and a 3/4 face. I wear it in all weather and it does get hot and sticky in Mississippi. I have had to take a bike down once to dodge the side of a postal van that ran a stop sign. I came out of it without a scratch. The only thing were some sore impact points. I consider myself very fortunate and blessed.

I found out I don't bounce as well as I use to. LOL LOL

We're in Colorado and not required to wear helmets but I always wear mine. My husband is from Florida and almost never wore a helmet before we got together, now of his own accord he wears his helmet. I grew up in a family that rode bikes and my parents were adamant about wearing helmets, especially after a good friend went down on a street bike without a helmet, almost died and ended up with brain damage. Really messed up his life. My husband and I both wear the Bell Apocalypse full face helmet.

I always wore one commuting to and from work. Lately I find my self wear one more often on rec rides too.

It seems to be the current state of biker "coolness" to go without a helmet, wear the do rag and all. My wife is a charge nurse in the local emergency room. Nurses tend to have a strange sense of humor. Bikers in accidents fall into 2 catagories, survivors and organ donors. Usually the person wearing the helmets survive in some form or other whilst the ones without... well it depends on your state of mind. Slide into heaven and dust yourself off saying it was a wild ride.