Open faced helmets. Why?

[Flip]

My brother watched a guy on a streetfightered R1 ride straight into the side of a flatbed Transit today on the way to work after this prick pulled on out on him. I think that seeing this actually made him realise how nasty crashes can be and make him think a little more. Anyway... This poor f*cker was wearing an open faced helmet, had his face all torn up from hitting the van and was a right mess. He lay there screaming in the road holding his face.

Now my point is this. Why the f*cking hell these pr1cks that make up laws think that f*cking up your face is not as bad as f*cking your head up. I would rather die then smash my lower jaw off or something equally f*cked up.

Why the f*ck are open faced lids legal? There are useless.

Anyone here wear them? If so. Why???

[Craggles]

Because they are the bare minimum of what you need to attempt to prevent brain damage.

On the same note, what's to say f*cking your face up is worse than loosing your arm due to gravel rash/infection? So why arn't jackets made compulsary. And gloves. And boots. And Trousers...

To be honest, its up to the individual what protection they want to give themselves. The helmet law is just there to try to stop brain damage, which is almost definatley going to occur if you come off and hit your head at anything more than about 20mph.. It also gets people into motorcycle shops and talking to sales assistants, who will hopefully advise them that they could need more than a helmet to be protected.

Craig
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If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[Adam_P]

After seeing a racing driver have his open face helmet come off when in a sizable shunt several years ago I have to ask myself the same question too. His open face slid forwards and with no chin bar to stop it carrying on it slid off his head, as the rally car he was passenger in was rolling over and over. Swore he'd never wear an open face helmet ever again, and he hasn't as far as I know.

Also, after seeing the horric picture of the biker (who I assume was wearing an open face helmet) on rotton.com a few years ago, I'd never go near one myself.
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[Marc_Buck]

Making Leathers/proctective clothing compulsary would save the NHS money.

What idiot would want to wear the bare minimum in protective clothing? Surely the more the better?
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94 fzr600r

[Robin]

I own, and wear a cheap £25 open faced lid/


Why??


Because I fcuking well have to.


At times I'd rather not wear a helmet at all. I know all of the arguments for their use, and most of the time I'm more than happy to wear a £250 full face, along with all my leathers etc, but there are times when I decide to take the risk, it's my face, my head, my brain, so surely it should be my decision as to wether or not I protect it.

As already said, sometimes I want to ride with the wind in my hair, but since 1973 when some safety gurus in a nanny state decided with minimal research and evidence that compulsory helmets would save lives I now have to wear a helmet or become a criminal and a minimal openface is the only way I can get close to doing what I want to do.

I am not anti-helmet, they do save lives in certian circumstances, and they do have their uses, but being forced to wear one is not on, freedom of choice is the issue hear, not safety. If we accept compulsory helmets, where will they stop???

We cannot give in to the culture of protecting people from themselves, life is risky, riding bikes is even more risky. We all make a decision to risk our lives every day by sitting on two wheels, surely it is up to us to decide how much more risk we are going to take by wearing (or not) the safety equipment that we deem necessary.

[rant mode off]

[flat spot]

Because this is a free democratic society where people can do what they like within the law.
That guy wears an open face lid because he wants to.

You say you'd rather die than live with a smashed in face? Fair enough. Would you rather die than be paralysed from the neck down??? Thought so.
Hey loads of bikers are paralysed. Why don't these pr1cks who make up the laws ban motorbikes???

And it would save the NHS loads of money as well.

In fact with this thinking we should ban anything that seems remotely dangerous. Stop and look around for a minute. Thats exactly what they're trying to do!!!!!!!!
This is the last thing we want.

Now if anyone wants to go fully kitted out on a sunny day down to the shops then fine.

But don't knock the people who don't.

I think people be less concerned about others decisions in life and just concentrate on doing what they feel is right.

[mchaggis]

A full faced helmet had already saved my life once. Had it been open faced I would have done significant facial damage too. We already have accepted compulsory helmets as far as I know, and I'd much rather wear one anyway.

The reduction in wind noise, wind chill, not getting wet, as well as stopping me from splattering myself over the road are worth it to me.
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[kasandrich]

[RickHolt]

Don't you think it's selfish to say "It's my life, I can do what I want"? You're not only affecting your life when you have an accident and your jaw is two metres away from your nose (over excajuration maybe). Think about the first people at the scene of the accident. When someone pulled out in front of me and I went over the bonnet I felt more sorry for the people that had to see it than anything else. So what if I hurt a little bit, they've got to approach and deal with someone that could easily be dead or badly injured. It's selfish to think about it as just your life, very few people would care if you were naked on the bike (well maybe) as long as you clean yourself up after the accident and they don't have to see it.

Hope you get my point.

[Robin]

[Sparks!]

I hit a wall face first at 40mph, put me in hospital bit through my lips and bashed my teeth in as well as brusing, I was wearing a full face helmet, the front of the helmet split down the middle.

I hate to think what would have happened if I was wearing an open face lid. In fact I don't want to even consider it.

I will never wear an open face helmet ever. Plus they look stupid anyway
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[Robin]

Your decision, not arguing with it, but at least you have the option of wearing an openface if you do change your mind.

[NickD]

[mchaggis]

[Kickstart]

[mchaggis]

The main thing to make sure of is that if you give people choice, that they then have no basis for compensation if they fail to make the better/ correct choice and wipe themselves out.

This is especially potent in the seatbelt situation. We'll let you refrain from wearing a seatbelt having informed you and educated you of the dangers of doing so, and if you die as a result of not wearing a seatbelt, then tough.

Children who haven't been educated as to the risks of not wearing a seatbelt are a different case though. You could of course argue that people should make an effort to learn and appreciate the risks without needing educating specifically anyway.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Rob W]

I wear a Motocross helmet on my bike, and in my crash I had a little while ago, the chin bar was smashed off completely though luckily I somehow didn't hit my face at all. Dread to think what would of happened had I bean wearing an open face helmet as I obviously must of the hit the deck pretty hard with my head. I personally wouldn't wear an open face lid because of the fact you could seriously mess up your face if you come off.
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[Grubby]

You lot are a bunch of fuckin safety nazi's.
A few years back we (Motorcyclists) were campaigning for the right to wear lids if we wanted to, not because some faceless beaurocrat said we had to. Now we have sites like this that are giving the government ammunition to make us even "Safer" for our own protection. Don't blame anyone but yourselves when airbags & leg protectors become ompulsory along with full mandatory body armour, even if you are popping down to the chippy, officer.

[Lone-Wolf]

[Kickstart]

[stinkwheel]

I have and wear an open face helmet on occasion. It isn't even a kitemarked one (german army riot helmet) but the coppers wouldn't be able to tell by looking. Mainly because I want to thumb my nose at authority and if I am going to be made to wear a helmet when I don't want to it may as well look suitably riteous.

In an urban environment you get a much improved field of vision with an open helmet.

People of a lighter build would also be safer using a smaller, lighter open face helmet to prevent spinal injuries. In kart racing, you are not allowed to race in a full face helmet unless you are over 13 for this very reason.

I too am firmly against compulsion. I am not stupid, I know the risks of not wearing a helmet and it is my decision.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[instigator]

[kasandrich]

I've only ever been involved in one serious accident, it was about 20 years ago, I was a bit of a seatbelt rebel in the early years of it being compulsory, I used all the same satements you make Kickstart, about the accidents where seatbelts make injuries worse, etc.

....well I complied, and when I had my big accident, thank fcuk, I was wearing my seatbelt, and so was my wife!, if not I doubt we would be here now, so, so far I have lived nearly twice as long, thanks to the compulsory wearing of seatbelts, which I objected to! You won't catch me objecting now, and you won't catch me without a seatbelt on either!

I wear a full face helmet, m/c jacket with armour, m/c trousers with armour, m/c boots with shin protection, .........or I don't get on the bike, if i can't be bothered with the gear I jump in the car and just put my belt on, but I have seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact beams, ABS, etc...............guess I'm just a wuss, eh? if I were a real man, I'd ride with no helmet, sunglasses, 'T' shirt, and shorts /trainers, and while am at it, I'll get the garage to disconnect all those airbags and stuff in the car, .....its all for wuss's, ain't it?

Good luck (you may need it)

Richard
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Richard

CBR1000FM

[NickD]

[stryker]

In an accident your 1.5Kg helmet suddenly weight 20-30Kgs and applies said pressure to your neck! In the classic whack something, flip over the top and land on your back collision such as hitting the wing of a car, I do sometimes wander just what a helmet does for you there.

Anyway, want to enjoy the wind in your hair? mid summer I'll be back out on my trike from time to time, no lid, just jeans, trainers and shirt. I just about feel comfortable with the risk on the trike. You can't beat the feeling!
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