NO BIG BEN!!! *A reason for wearing a helmet*

[hapaboy]

Quote from Magna:

I rode for quite a few years without a helmet and find, for the most part, it's actually safer in the preventative sense as I had much greater awareness of everything around me. Especially compared to full-face helmets which block off alot of the sounds and most of the peripheral vision. Of course if I'm in an accident I wish I had one on, but by the same token when I'm in an accident I wish I were in a tank and had a few inches of steel around me. In any case, I hope Big Ben recovers and all the do-gooders in the government don't take it upon themselves to make further restrictive laws.

Quote from jem:

I found that when I wore my full helmet. I had much less awareness of what was around me. I felt a little disoriented because I was not getting the sensory input I was used to.

I know that as you start to go fast the wind noise cuts out most other sounds but driving between the beach where I lived and school I was not going all that fast.

So my calculus was, sure the helmet may save me some crashes but the crashes they would save me in were some of the ones I would avoid by having the helmet off.

My experience was much different from both of yours.

I had a 750 Ninja with a hellish-loud Vance & Hines 4-into-1 exhaust system, yet I had no problem with my Shoei full helmet. It was like driving in a car with the window down as opposed to up.

Wasn't a problem for me.

 

[jem]

I wonder if it was the helmet, the rider, or the speed? Or perhaps your Vance and Hines was so loud you did not hear other cars even at 10 mph?

I do know the day I decided to sell my bike I had no idea a car was approaching on my right as I drifted into the right turn lane. I almost smushed myself. I had made the same manuever dozens of times going to my friends house. Something about the helmet prevented me from sensing that car. I had never had that problem before. It was the second mistake in two rides. And I had never made a "car" mistake before. I had slid on pebbles and sand in the road. I had to swerve to miss cars coming out of blind spots and driveways, but I had never not been aware of all cars and trucks all the time. All of a sudden, new helmet law and I almost hurt myself twice.
----

Magna

Yes I too thought wilson seemed like a wimp.

He also set it up so San Diego would expand out rather than up, a questionable decision now that traffic has started to destroy some of the greatness of that city.

 

[jzlucas]

Don't most athletes have somthing in their contract saying they aren't allowed to do certain recreational activities??? I would think riding motorcycles w/out helmets will now be added to Big Ben's. I wish him well.

 

[hapaboy]

Quote from jem:

I wonder if it was the helmet, the rider, or the speed? Or perhaps your Vance and Hines was so loud you did not hear other cars even at 10 mph?

I do know the day I decided to sell my bike I had no idea a car was approaching on my right as I drifted into the right turn lane. I almost smushed myself. I had made the same manuever dozens of times going to my friends house. Something about the helmet prevented me from sensing that car. I had never had that problem before. It was the second mistake in two rides. And I had never made a "car" mistake before. I had slid on pebbles and sand in the road. I had to swerve to miss cars coming out of blind spots and driveways, but I had never not been aware of all cars and trucks all the time. All of a sudden, new helmet law and I almost hurt myself twice.

Helmet or no helmet, jem, you're always supposed to look over your shoulder. And, in busy neighborhoods with lots of intersections & driveways, to scan ahead for a safe opportunity to change lanes. I don't think it was the helmet!

 

[JMowery1987]

They have an option to take away bonus money, about 5 million I believe the article said.

Now Steelers would not do that because he is too important to our team.

But I guarantee the only way that he is going to keep that bonus money is if Big Ben agree's to never ride a motocycle while under contract again, or at least with a helmet.

I see public infomercials with big ben and motorcycles coming soon to a tv screen near you.

 

[Pekelo]

Quote from JMowery1987:

But he is still a SUCCESSFUL idiot

No, he is a LUCKY idiot. And as we know from trading, luck runs out sooner or later.

By the way yes, it is in his contract that he is not supposed to do any recreational activities that has a high risk of serious personal injury.

I would say riding a Hayabusa without helmet classifies as such....

 

[jem]

Quote from hapaboy:

Helmet or no helmet, jem, you're always supposed to look over your shoulder. And, in busy neighborhoods with lots of intersections & driveways, to scan ahead for a safe opportunity to change lanes. I don't think it was the helmet!

I know I probably made a mistake. But that helmet interferred with my normal riding routine. So now you have to make great big swivels of the head just to see if something is in your rear. In the meantime the truck in front of you just cut over to your lane and did not see you.