From: svoboda@rtsg.mot.com (David Svoboda)
Subject: Re: HELMETS
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 20:32:54 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.033924.25567@spdc.ti.com> serafin@epcot.spdc.ti.com (Mike Serafin) writes:
|In article <1992Nov19.001059.7670@megatek.com> randy@megatek.com writes:
|>
|>  Since most places around here require speeds in excess of 40 mph to safely
|>be part of the traffic, I always wear a helmet.  However, I *know*, from
|>riding for ten years with and without helmets, that your awareness of your
|>surroundings at low speeds is greatly increased *without* a helmet.
|>
|Oh horse shit!  

Wow.  Randy, I don't know how you can argue with that kind of masterful rhetoric!

|If you don't want to wear a helmet then that is your
|preference, but don't try to justify your position by arguing the same tired
|old vision and hearing theories.  

How old are you, Mike?  You sound like a teenager who hasn't yet realized his 
parents had some brains after all.

|A helmet does not limit your forward or
|perpherial vision.  

Do you own a helmet?  Put it on.  Try to look directly backwards.  Now, take it
off, and see the difference.

(If you didn't turn your head in that exercise, I apologize for overestimating
your intelligence.)

|DOT requires all helmets to meet a minimum p-vision of 105
|degrees, I don't know to many folks that have p-vision beyond 90 degrees.  

If you keep your eyes pointed straight ahead at all times while riding, well, it's
been nice knowing you.

|As
|for the noise, by wearing the helmet you are afforded protection from hearing
|damage so you don't need to remove it to hear.  

Have you ever ridden without a helmet?  You might be suprised at what your engine
really sounds like.  Ever have an experienced biker tell you your #3 exhaust valve
is clattering?  He wasn't wearing a helmet when he heard that.

|Even wearing a helmet I hear 
|much more of what's going on around me than I ever do in the cage. 

Yup, but not as much as you might, if you didn't have that helmet on.

|And as for 
|your statement about not needing one below 40 mph, that is absolute and utter
|bull (cow?) shit.  The only time I ever dumped a bike I was doing 35-40 and if
|it weren't for the helmet I would not have been able to pick the bike up and
|ride home.                                          

Prove it.

I have had this debate with Randy before, so I know that he is not saying that
you are especially safer in an accident without a helmet, but that at low
speeds, the safety inherent in the extreme increase in hearing ability outweighs
the safety provided by the helmet.  I know Randy somewhat, and from that it
seems to me that he is not one to ride helmetless out of image.

|If you want to ride without a helmet, fine.  Get the leg. to repeal the helmet 
|laws and go splatter your brains on some highway, I won't stop you. But quit
|trying to justify the fact that you are not being the most intelligent person
|in the world.  

Neither are you, by riding a motorcycle.  Or, that seems to follow from your
argument, at least.

Highway?  Randy said LOW speed.

Judge yourself by your standards, fine, but be very careful in judging others,
lest those with different standards from yours judge you.  (Oh, sorry, that was
probably over your head--shut it, or some cager might come and take your bike
away from you.)

|I really don't know why the government insists on protecting 
|the less intelligent from themselves any.  I say leave it up to natural
|selection, Darwin WAS right, you know.

You are referring to those idiots who ride those two-wheeled death machines, 
right?

|Mike Serafin             serafin@epcot.spdc.ti.com       Texas Instruments
|DoD #0742  AMA #671922  HOG #                            Dallas, Texas
|1967 Firebird 326              1982 Honda CM250C
|1969 Barracuda Formula 340S    1993 H-D FLHS 
|1988 Ford F250 4x4             1964 Cessna 310I (FOR SALE)
|1991 Ford Escort GT

Oh, that explains it.  Look at the cage/scoot ratio, there.

Say, Mike, do you wear a helmet in your car, on the street?  It could save your
life, you know.  You certainly don't need to hear, right?  You're a drooling
idiot if you don't, you know.

Hey, look, guys, he's got a Harley!  Hey, Mike, lessee you go to a Harley-bar
and display that "helmetless==idiot" attitude.  Might be real entertaining.

Dave Svoboda (svoboda@void.rtsg.mot.com)    | "I just can't take
90 Concours 1000 (Mmmmmmmmmm!)              |  this weird shit
84 RZ 350 (Ring Ding) (Woops!)              |  before breakfast!"
AMA 583905  DoD #0330  COG 939  (Chicago)   |   -- Evo Woman
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