I'M Kinda Glad The Cops Are Forcing Me To Wear A Helmet

[isanbirder]

Those who, like Thrilled, think "I'm good", would do well to reflect that it's always the other idiot who causes the accident. You're still just as dead.

[rixalex]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

Good? You sound more like God.

[transam]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

Good? You sound more like God.

+1.

Perhaps thrilled can answer this, the UK, me, a professional driver, not on a bike but in a car, driving down a straight road, 30mph, minding my own business when my car was written off, destroyed, l survived.

Bloke turned in front of me with no distance between us. Turned out it was an old Pakistani guy, he said he forgot to look . If l was on a bike l would be under ground now.

thrilled, you have been '' Lucky '' so far.

[HowardB]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

Ok, im not falling for this one ... i got caught by the op about his post being a joke ... you're not getting me on this one "thrilled"

I mean ... this has to be a joke post ... no one in their right mind would have this kind of logic ... would they?

Nah ... only an idiot would make this claim and be serious

Good one "thrilled"

[transam]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

Good? You sound more like God.

+1.

Perhaps thrilled can answer this, the UK, me, a professional driver, not on a bike but in a car, driving down a straight road, 30mph, minding my own business when my car was written off, destroyed, l survived.

Bloke turned in front of me with no distance between us. Turned out it was an old Pakistani guy, he said he forgot to look . If l was on a bike l would be under ground now.

thrilled, you have been '' Lucky '' so far.

I write the above and what happens today, yep a bike did the same thing. If l was a Thai driver he would be dead and l would be in deep shit. Used the hooter as he escaped away and he looked round as if l made a mistake. ABS saved the day and him.

[No1]

Those who, like Thrilled, think "I'm good", would do well to reflect that it's always the other idiot who causes the accident. You're still just as dead.

So, if I wear a helmet I won't die? And what is wrong about being dead?

[amexpat]

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

Robert Heinlein

[No1]

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

Robert Heinlein

FYI, Heinlein is dead.

I think it should be up to the individual to make a risk assessment and decide for himself how much of a risk he is willing to take and if it is worth it. I see no reason to make people on bikes wearing helmets while we still allow cars without mattresses on the hood to soften the impact.

Edited February 27, 2011 by No1

[jdinasia]

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

Robert Heinlein

FYI, Heinlein is dead.

I think it should be up to the individual to make a risk assessment and decide for himself how much of a risk he is willing to take and if it is worth it. I see no reason to make people on bikes wearing helmets while we still allow cars without mattresses on the hood to soften the impact.

The issue isn't you being dead from an accident that could have been mitigated just by wearing a helmet, the issue is the burden you become to your family and society should you fail to die.

[heybruce]

Thanks for the warning that they are out there at all hours now.

I am not sure how much protection these helmets are in case of an accident. All I know is that if I wear a "proper" helmet, then I cannot see and hear everything I would like to around me, and I get a migraine being locked up longer than 30 mins or so. So, the only choice is a probably useless helmet that at least keeps the police off my back.

By any chance, are they checking driving licences as well? I have one of those - so, just asking.

They improve your odds but don't make you invulnerable, you still need to ride safe and sober. But it's worth the effort to find and wear a decent quality helmet that fits. I know only one person who survived a nasty motorbike accident without a helmet, after a few months of physical therapy and losing part of one foot (head and leg smashed) he swore he'd never ride without one again.

I've never had a bad motorbike accident, but I've had enough blows to the head, one ugly enough to frighten the paramedic, to be eager to avoid the last one. I have a large head and it's hard to fit, but I wear a helmet.

[heybruce]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

Interesting. Can you give credible sources for these statistics, or are these "I heard in a bar..." statistics?

Edited February 27, 2011 by heybruce

[heybruce]

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

Robert Heinlein

FYI, Heinlein is dead.

I think it should be up to the individual to make a risk assessment and decide for himself how much of a risk he is willing to take and if it is worth it. I see no reason to make people on bikes wearing helmets while we still allow cars without mattresses on the hood to soften the impact.

This is a bit off-topic, but when a person dies, does that mean everything that person thought, wrote, taught or otherwise tried to pass on to posterity should also die? If so, that pretty much invalidates all religion, political systems, philosophy, science, and everything else I can think of about the modern world.

[No1]

The issue isn't you being dead from an accident that could have been mitigated just by wearing a helmet, the issue is the burden you become to your family and society should you fail to die.

There are many other risks, too, which will make me a burden for my family, yet nodoby tells me to wear a helmet there. On a bike, in a car or as a pedestrian, for example, I can become as much of a burden, too, yet nobody tells me to wear a helmet there, although it would help reducing risks. To a certain extent I do agree with you: if we take risks, we should not become a burden to society, therefore be sufficiently insured if we take higher risks to cover the financial impact.

On another point, it is quite interesting how much the police is interest in lowering the impact of realized risk from motorcyclists while the don't enforce the law to stop on a red traffic light. I have no statistics on this, but making people stop at red traffic lights helps a lot more than just making them wear helmets. If the law wants to protect me being a burden to my society and family, they could start there and on the way help preventing an accident instead of only lowering the impact on my brains....

[No1]

This is a bit off-topic, but when a person dies, does that mean everything that person thought, wrote, taught or otherwise tried to pass on to posterity should also die? If so, that pretty much invalidates all religion, political systems, philosophy, science, and everything else I can think of about the modern world.

I would think that when a person dies, it is the only thing that dies. That aimed at my initial question: someone is dead, so what? What is wrong about dieing? In a traffic accident it is more of a sudden and public event, but where is the advantage of trying to make it a long and private event?

[jackr]

I'm from the us,there are around 20 states where there aren't motorcycle laws for adults.Statistics show where there are helmet laws there are more motorcycle accidents.Helmets give A false sense of security.

If there isn't A helmet law where I ride I don't use one.It blocks my perefial vision and my hearing.I've never had an accident and been riding motorcycles for over 44 years.I've been coming to thailand for over 40 years.There are many places in thailand where I won't ride .For people that do it's only A matter of time before ya do have an accident.Some of ya think i'm lucky.Your wrong,I'm good

The only problem is, when you do have that accident, perhaps through no fault of your own, you're f*cked!

I'm also guilty of not wearing one on occasion (short trips / in moobaan) and they do take away some peripheral vision, but that's no excuse. Another thing to think about is you can also knacker up your hearing - a certain amount of time (relatively short) at speeds from 100kph.

/reckon the op should be fined for having long hair in any case.

Edited February 28, 2011 by jackr

[simoncnx]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

[transam]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

Thats what most of the populous think. When our lad comes home on a bike 3 up, one helmet, which is passed around to the the next one with their hands on the handle bars. They tell me it's for the police.

[amexpat]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

Which is a valid assumption about the ones I would choose.

But people who are looking for "reasons" not to wear one can find many other "reasons".

I recall people resisting the seat belt laws because of all those many, many, people who drove into deep water and drowned because they were trapped by the evil contraptions.

[simoncnx]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

Which is a valid assumption about the ones I would choose.

But people who are looking for "reasons" not to wear one can find many other "reasons".

I recall people resisting the seat belt laws because of all those many, many, people who drove into deep water and drowned because they were trapped by the evil contraptions.

At least the seatbelts were not made of string. If Thailand actually had international standards for helmets then perhaps some enterprising Thais could set up production of same which could lead to exports. They used to sell helmets in Lotus for 99b. Haven't checked lately

[transam]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

Which is a valid assumption about the ones I would choose.

But people who are looking for "reasons" not to wear one can find many other "reasons".

I recall people resisting the seat belt laws because of all those many, many, people who drove into deep water and drowned because they were trapped by the evil contraptions.

At least the seatbelts were not made of string. If Thailand actually had international standards for helmets then perhaps some enterprising Thais could set up production of same which could lead to exports. They used to sell helmets in Lotus for 99b. Haven't checked lately

When you buy a new Honda they GIVE you a free helmet which is good as a piss pot but not for your head.

[ChiangMaiFun]

I try to wear a helmet but when the Police last stopped me I told him 'my brain has grown so I can't put it on anymore'

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Helmet is a problem for you ? Maybe you need to try a weelchair to see if it's more trouble or not ?

Stupid !

[heybruce]

All of this assumes that the helmets in Thailand are any use at all, except for avoiding fines

You don't have to wear the ridiculous mini-helmets that are provided by rental shops and with a motorbike purchase, you can buy a decent helmet that will improve your odds if your head hits the pavement.

[heybruce]

This is a bit off-topic, but when a person dies, does that mean everything that person thought, wrote, taught or otherwise tried to pass on to posterity should also die? If so, that pretty much invalidates all religion, political systems, philosophy, science, and everything else I can think of about the modern world.

I would think that when a person dies, it is the only thing that dies. That aimed at my initial question: someone is dead, so what? What is wrong about dieing? In a traffic accident it is more of a sudden and public event, but where is the advantage of trying to make it a long and private event?

Most people try to put off dieing as long as possible, but they don't always acknowledge the practical safety precautions that will improve their odds of avoiding a premature death. That's what the helmet discussion is about. If you want to start a "What's wrong with dieing?" discussion, I suggest you start a new topic.

[No1]

Helmet is a problem for you ? Maybe you need to try a weelchair to see if it's more trouble or not ?

Stupid !

This is indeed neither an intelligent and nor a polite reply. It says more about yourself than it contributes to the discussion.

Most people try to put off dieing as long as possible, but they don't always acknowledge the practical safety precautions that will improve their odds of avoiding a premature death. That's what the helmet discussion is about. If you want to start a "What's wrong with dieing?" discussion, I suggest you start a new topic.

Heybruce, you are right when saying that people try to avoid premature death. My point is that the evaluation of the odds should be up to each individual. Father state allows alcohol, nicotine and cars. Why does he suddenly get protective when people want to ride a motorcycle without a helmet?

What's wrong with dieing? Well, nothing. But we should have as much joy as possible until we die, and if we can do it without affecting others negatively, we should be allowed to do taking risks and evaluating even at the cost to make a lethal mistake.

[amexpat]

....... Father state allows alcohol, nicotine and cars. Why does he suddenly get protective when people want to ride a motorcycle without a helmet?

What's wrong with dieing? Well, nothing. But we should have as much joy as possible until we die, and if we can do it without affecting others negatively, we should be allowed to do taking risks and evaluating even at the cost to make a lethal mistake.

The use of alcohol, nicotine, and cars are regulated somewhat, aren't they?

What's wrong with dieing? You mean apart from being misspelled? I tend to agree that suicide should be legal for adults who are legally sane (even if a bit dim witted).

It is unfortunate that all the kids see older "responsible" people without helmets, while most kids don't see the associated mess or even the subsequent chalk lines. Not your problem, I know.

[No1]

The use of alcohol, nicotine, and cars are regulated somewhat, aren't they?

Yes, even the use of the English language is (opposed to *are*) regulated. Apart from that the legally protected good is the health of others, not the addict himself. But the helmet law claim to protect the biker himself, not a third person. Have to fine someone to protect him against himself?

What's wrong with dieing? You mean apart from being misspelled?

I agree. It makes my spulling look stoopid. It won't happen again.

I tend to agree that suicide should be legal for adults who are legally sane (even if a bit dim witted).

... it should be illegal and sanctioned with capital punishment.

It is unfortunate that all the kids see older "responsible" people without helmets, while most kids don't see the associated mess or even the subsequent chalk lines. Not your problem, I know.

The problem you mention might need a different approach. Regulations and fines don't go into the right direction. More and better traffic education would probably lead to more awareness. But no matter what you do, kids will still be kids and they will always take higher risks and think less about consequences. Carelessness is a blessing and curse of the youth. It looks like a lot of time has passed by since you were young...

[Firelily]

By the way, I would like to see a crackdown on drunk driving.

If I ride a motorcycle without a helmet, I don't endanger anyone. The guys who cannot even think in a straight line let alone drive, they do.

Sure, it is a little harder to spot from a distance so the police would have to actually put in some work there. Not likely to happen.

[No1]

By the way, I would like to see a crackdown on drunk driving.

Btw, I would like to see a crackdown on cars passing traffic lights in red. It is scary, very annoying and my helmet won't be of much help when crashing into some truck which rushes over the intersection with 50 mph.

Also, it is very easy to see and to control. But police doesn't seem to care.

[midas]

Just curious -are bicycle helmets actually effective if your head hits the ground given they are only made of

a material that looks a bit like polystyrene ?