Motorcycle helmet laws suck for two reasons.  The first reason is that it's nobody's business if I want to hop on my motorcycle and feel the wind in my hair.  The government shouldn't be involved in decisions I make about my own safety. The second reason that helmet laws suck is that helmets suck. OK, helmets don't really suck,  I just can't get used to wearing one.  I can't get used to wearing a helmet when I ski, either. Some people seem to like them, but they give me a headache.  Helmets, not the people.  Not all of them, anyway. Helmets give me tunnel vision and restrict the movement of my head.  I lose my  sense of surrounding traffic. Yeah, let's go with that last one. I lose my sense of surrounding traffic. Which brings us to the second part of the title, the part about people who insist on telling me I should wear a helmet.  Some go so far as to call me stupid for not wearing one. Like I've never been called stupid before. It may well be stupid not to wear a helmet, but it's still my choice. 

Having been divorced twice, I understand that my choices aren't always smart.  Some might argue that none of my choices are smart. That, I guess is the beauty of America.  We get to make our own choices, even if they're stupid. I would concede that some choices are completely inappropriate.  It would probably be a very poor choice, for example to walk into the Rock N Roll McDonalds with my beloved Spas 12 assault shotgun.  A choice so poor, in fact that it should not be allowed. After participating in a fund raising event last weekend, I was changing into my riding gear and preparing to mount my 2003 Harley Road Glide.  Suddenly, I was verbally assaulted by the wife of the son of the brother of the wife of a friend. I don't know if you followed that relationship, I'm not sure I did.  Whoever she was, she was inordinately concerned about the absence of a helmet among my riding gear. Underscoring the convoluted nature of our relationship, I couldn't remember the young lady's name. 

For now, let's just call her "Julie". Julie began berating me about the helmet thing and yes, she said I was stupid  Again, I couldn't really argue the last point. It was, however a weird intrusion into my life by a relative stranger.  I wondered if Julie even knew my name, seeing as how I didn't remember hers. I also wondered if Julie would have thought me rude if I told her that she was stupid for her breast-feeding choice, assuming her and I disagreed about that part of child rearing.motorcycle clothing dorset road Most assuredly, though Julie didn't realize the comedy of her diatribe in light of the fact that my daughter is an emergency room physician.  motorcycle sale in sri lanka twI've heard the horrors of the "donor-cycle" from someone much closer to me and much more authoritative than Julie.motorcycle for sale craigslist albany ga

It was like hearing Mike Tyson narrate the show, "Cosmos" instead of Neil deGrasse Tyson. Another thing Julie failed to consider is our dissimilarities.  Given the differences in our age, gender and life experiences, it would be astonishing if we both had the same risk tolerance. Life is not without risk and some of us enjoy a greater level of risk than others.  It's one of our inalienable rights. We all know people who enjoy sitting on the couch, eating bon bons and drinking wine out of half gallon jugs.  motorcycle repair west allis wiTo me, that's not living.  motorcycle shop windsor nsw Risky behavior comes in all forms. motorcycle repair beaumont caSmoking's a risky behavior.  motorcycle repair in covina

So is drinking and over-eating.  As Meatloaf said, "Two out of three ain't bad".  The fact that seat belt laws are universal in America and helmet laws are not speaks to the core of motorcyclists.  We are a freedom-loving, rule-breaking bunch and we're not letting anyone take that away from us without a fight. That's why 5.5 million motorcyclists have been able to push back against helmet laws while 138 million registered car owners just sit back and buckle up. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that helmets can reduce brain injuries in certain types of accidents.  NHTSA data also shows a significant increase in the death rate of motorcyclists from 1998-2008.  I find the data confusing, at best. A few years ago, a helmet-wearing motorcyclist was killed in Wauconda (IL) when a woman polishing her nails slammed into her at a stoplight.  Read about it here It's possible that a helmet might save your life if you fly off a motorcycle at 75 mph, but you might spend the rest of your life wishing it didn't.

I have four helmets.  I hate them all, but I promise to keep looking for one that I can tolerate. By the way, Julie, we're riding out to Sandwich, IL for a little sky diving next weekend.  NOTE:  The event referred to above is Vision Walk, sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness.  Retinitis Pigmentosa steals the eyesight of about 1 in 4,000 Americans and can start at any age.  To find out more, read here . To contribute to Team StaySee, click here . NOTE TO "JULIE":  I appreciate your concern.  Thank you for letting us have a little fun at your expense. Keep up with my posts ... type your email address in the box and click the "create subscription" button. You will NEVER get anything else from me (no SPAM!), and you can opt out at any time. Activities, Commentary, Editorial, Worthy Causes Motorcycle helmets, Retinitis Pigmentosa We'll built and high quality fit and finish I have two of these in red, which match my red Valkyrie very well.

They fit very snugly across the cheeks, but offer great protection and really wide range of view. My XL fit perfectly and the L fit either of mt children, who wear the same size in other brands. To sum up my findings about the ZR1 helmets - I tried three sizes, the medium which is my regular size, the large and the extra large,.........the Helmets are of good quality but all of them extremely tight around the cheeks, unbearable to wear! I ended up putting a piece of wood (spreader) between the cheek pieces of the helmet I kept and left it there for several weeks before it was bearable to wear! My helmet size is Large. I have several of those (open face) large helmets and all fit well from brand new. I ordered a "Large" Z1R helmet and when it came I found that it was impossible to put it on my head Extremely tight! I returned it and after a long, long time (wait) I was able to get an "Extra large". This one was slightly better. I could barely put it around my head, but still quite tight.

I got tired returning them and waiting for the next size up. The helmet itself and padding is good quality, but the sizing is completely unrealistic!Ordered a medium and had to send it back and get a small. No problem returning the medium HELMET. (Sun City Center, FL) This helmet is chill like ice....it has a tendency to fog up a little on chilly nights.... But it's better choice than the full face helmet I got .... Doesn't fog up as much as that one. Love this helmet like dove chocolate... My main concern was a good fit because I have a large head, sizes vary with different manufactures so I went with the 3X and it was a great fit. I was able to slightly lift the face shield to get more airflow and it held its position, im very satisfied with this helmet and I would recommend it. I have been forever searching for a comfortable helmet and I finally landed a jewel. I have a Scorpion half helmet that gives me a headache, a Bell custom 500 that just feels too tight, a Bell Vortex that is comfy but too heavy, a LS2 open face that has the chin strap buckle that I don't like and a Bell Pit Boss.

None of those helmets compare to this Z1R Ace helmet. Honestly, it's exactly what I wanted. I wanted a helmet I could use when I want that open feeling on a nice summer or fall day without spitting bugs. I was hesitant to purchase a helmet online without being able to try it on but it fits perfect and is consistent with standard sizing. It is comfortable and light. I really am 100 percent pleased with it. Great Helmet for the price Its a bit noisy, I noticed that if I raise the shield up 1 click it isn't as loud. I haven't experienced any of the whistling that others have experienced. The fit is a little loose compared to my other helmets of the same size. One thing that I did notice that happens a lot is that the snap that holds the cheek pad to the helmet comes unsnapped quite a bit. I will be buying another for my wife. I've had the Z1R helmet for several weeks now and am very satisfied with it. I got the wine color to match the color of my Triumph. The fit and finish are very good, and I appreciate the extra visibility.