I know that HELMETS and the decision to wear one is up to the individual. But after yesterday, from now on you plan on riding with me and choose not to wear a HELMET you are on your own, you will not be riding with me! Yesterday we were lucky that things didn't take a turn for the worse. It was close to being real nasty. Had the rider not at the last minute made a move that moved his head to the side the handle bars would have made mince meat of his face.

NO HE WASN'T WEARING A HELMET! I didn't relise that he didn't have a HELMET on till well into the ride. At one point I suggested that he turn back, I cringed as I relised that he had decided to continue.

I was sitting on my machine not far behind him taking video in a rather mild area. He had try-ed to go around to the side almost tipped the quad sideways. But came out of that OK with no tip over. Then back to the center of trail with a exposed tree root across part of the trail. All this time I am taping the action. Well as he tried go over the tree root ever so slowly, the quad did a tail stand, the rider stuck with it. I mentioned the speed as you hear as an excuse not to wear a HELMET we are only going to be rideing slow taking it easy. He was moving under 5 miles an hour. He hit ground just ahead of the machine, in the excitement I bumped the battery on the camera and missed all but just the very beginning of the back flip. I could see then what was next, as he was in line for a kiss from the handle bars, It is a sick feeling sitting there helpless as it all happens so fast nothing you can do other than watch. But as I stated earlier he moved sideways just enough in time to get out of the way.

I have always hated it when someone would show up to ride without a helmet but usually would just grumble under my breath and go on. NO MORE, no HELMET no ride, simple as that. Yesterday was a good eye opener, I was sure as I sat there helpless watching it all unfold we were due for a visit from the rescue squad if not DIGGER O'DELL the local UNDERTAKER. It was hot and yes the inside of my helmets was soaked with sweat. But I had it on for the full day. A helmet isn't a 100% guarantee that damage will be avoided, but it sure raises the percentage that things will go in your favor.

AGREEDED! no helmet, no ride. I live by those rules to. (well outside of loading and unloadin the atv, but I can say I have had my scare of ramps sliding. might be rethinking this one!)

I can relate to that accident somewhat. I was going slow down a rocky hill. Front left found a hole and went in it. Back came up tossed me off and away from the quad head 1st into a shallow creek. Seemed like forever till I hit the water, thinking this might hurt, hope I don't break anything.

Helmets/Goggles all the time for me, except loading and unloading, ramp angle onto trailer isn't any concern as it's minuet.

I was over to Cob's this evening. We talked about this. I was very lucky to have been back far enough to just see the aftermath of the above mentioned event. I was shook up for a while but not as bad as if I would have seen what Cob saw. Last night I woke up around 3 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. Not that this incident was the only thing keeping me awake, but just the site of an upside down ATV with someone crawling out from under it brought up visions of September 16th when my brother was killed on an ATV. I was right behind him when he flipped his over back on himself. He was wearing a helmet thank god but it couldn't save him. I now watch old videos of us rideing without helmets and cringe.

You don't have to preach to this choir. I've been riding for 22 years now. Always had a helmet on. Always will. Maybe you guys can convert some others who don't wear them. And one way will be to not ride with them. Because if you do, you will be forced to help their dumb arse's when they get hurt.

Wayne, my heart sinks eveytime I hear about your loss. Everytime I see you post, I think about your brother. I pray that someday your heart can be healed from the loss of your brother. Have a Happy Fourth!

I hate helmets!!! They limit vision and hearing, are hot as hell and occassionaly you can find a spider inside. However, I can only guess how many additional holes there would be in my head if I didn't always wear one.

The rule in our family has always been "No helmet? No ride!" and I enforce it.

We had a 13-year old newbie on a Kawi Lakota just this weekend do a flip. I did not even know he was riding and would have not allowed it had I known, but at least the kid had on a helmet so he only got a nice strawberry on his shoulders.

I know it is a personal preference issue, just like seat belts. But after being thrown from a car and ending up under another one before seat belts were standard equipment, I decided MY choice was to take any precaution. Same with helmets.

It's easy to say you're only going to ride slow, or that you don't mind a little scarring on your head, but think about the burden on family and friends if you mash your punkin and end up like a vegetable.

I agree with COB. Wear your helmet!

I'm with you Cob and will back you 100%, I've rode a couple times with a 2up, and no helmets. It's tough enough keeping one safe, let alone 2. Crazy.... an injury ruins the ride for everyone, so it's pretty selfish not to wear one.

Any ride posts should have "helmet required" as part of the post.

Nearly 20 years ago I had a tree I was cutting down take me down (did you know that you can run about 45 feet, too bad the tree was 50 foot tall ). The guy I was with said I had the easy part. All I had to do was lay there and "sleep" and lay on the hospital table and get stiches (I was ok, my face broke my fall). He had to call my wife. Let me tell you, you don't want to have to tell someone's wife you won't be comming home!

I don't want to get into anybody else's personal choices. Ya'll do what you want to do. Don't want to wear a helmet, fine by me, but head on down the other trail, the one I'm not going down. I don't want to be the one who holds your face together or gathers up your teeth, or tells your loved one that you are now a gork, or that you are dead. In all the above there is no guarantee that a helmet will prevent that from happening. But it sure increases the odds of preventing it.

We have had this rule or concept if you will on a very loose basis for many years and have succeeded in converting several people to the helmet wearing side of things. Good for them and the conversion process was pretty painless.

So to conclude my ramblings here I will 100% echo Cob's feelings on this topic. We ride some fun, scenic, extreme, and dangerous territory and every bit of it will kill your ass at a moments notice. So if you desire to ride with me, wear a helmet or go the other way.

Sermon over.

Recently at one of my Companys stores, a tech was test riding a Scooter after it had been setup for a sale. 15mins after he left the shop they found him on the other side of the building lying in a puddle of his blood. We now have a rule that everyone regardless of his/her position must wear a helmet when moving an ATV/Motorcycle/Scooter etc. If it doesn't have a role cage then you must wear a helmet. I make all my demos wear helmets and I wear helmets when loading into customers pickup Trucks... I have had my spills and each time I have been wearing a Helmet, but there were time That I didn't wear a helmet and used all the excusses, its too hot/too dusty/ can't see. all BS.... I now have four good helmets and have no excusses... that employee by the way suffered a crack skull and lived only after they had drill holes in his head to relive pressure to save his life. I don't know about you,,,, but I have enough holes in my head!!!

Thanks to all who responded. I know the other side of this issue is fonching at the bit to answer and give all the good reasons why they don't need to wear one. Thats OK thats your choice just like GOMER says just let me know which way you are going we will head out a different trail.

ATVER said it all, we have more or less been real relaxed with this helmet thing. We didn't require ppl to wear helmets, but were a lot happier if they did. But it was a real fine line the other day, between him going uninjured and on the other side of the coin hurt bad. I won't make the choice for you but on the other hand I will make the choice that is in my best interest. I like the idea of when posting a ride also state that helmets are required. If you don't wear you don't come on that ride, easy on everyone that way.

There was one more thing that was brought to my attention, that I wasn't aware of. Since I lead most times this didn't or hadn't affect me. It wasn't any of the site ppl but rather the CAT guys and I will be talking to them about this. There were 8 of us on the ride nice size group. But I guess several times the CAT guys would be toward the back of the pack. Then given a chance would pass others. The trails were dusty and like most of COLORADO TRAILS rocky. When they passed someone they stirred dust in the face and eyes of the rider they passed plus the tires would throw rocks. If you want to ride shotgun stay there, you want to be in the middle of the pack work your way in there before we start to move. BUT DON"T BE PASSING OTHERS ON THE TRAIL. Yes I understand that there will be times that the situation calls for passing others, but in just normal trail riding. RESPECT YOUR FELLOW RIDERS!

MR BEANS favorite saying is "STUPID HURTS" oh how true that is.

OK off the soap box at least for now anyway.

Thank you Cob for addressing a very difficult and often times contentious issue. I too have seen enough carnage from those minor accidents. Several of the ATV magazines will not post your picture unless your wearing a helmet, unless you are stopped and in Park or Neutral, but many of the those pictures even include the person holding their helmet. I think we should adopt an equally valid rule for pictures posted on the this site, not those posted on an individual picture hosting website, just those that are shown with posts.

As Mr Beans said, Stupid Hurts and there is no cure for Stupid but we can move along way forward to preventing Stupid from spreading. Happy riding and enjoy the 4th.

My sons have known my stance on this issue since their first days of riding bicycles. Don't wear a helmet, don't have a bike. Same rule applies on the ATVs.

Beyond this, I personally carry one card with me each time I ride. It has my health insurance information and all of my possible contacts in case something should happen to me. When we went to Moab, I made sure each of the four of us did the same. There would nothing worse than someone getting hurt, but it would would really help the situation if everyone carried detailed contact information to assist in the notification of family.

Let's ride and do it safely!

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So if you desire to ride with me, wear a helmet or go the other way.

Can I wear a helmet and go both ways?

Some great posts and testimonials, I have one more, I was in the hospital once talking to a surgeon about ATV's. Most doctors HATE ATV's, they only see the bad results. He said that if you break an arm or leg and they are real good at fixing it! Crack the skull and you're on your own, kind of like what Cob said.

So, are you trying to say you're a switch-hitter if you wear a helmet? Kinda kinky there ATVer! I thought this site was family friendly!

one of my friends son has a blaster, but no helmet and want me to take him rideing. and the dad does not want to buy him a helmet, he has money but says his son has a tuff head , well i took him one time but had an extra helmet for him, and he said my dad said i don't have to wear a helmet so i loaded his bike back up and and he cried and said i don't have to wear one
. i then said if you want to ride with me then put it on....he cried for about 10mins and i then took him back home with out him getting on his blaster. his dad ended up getting him a helemt so he can go with me.. if you don't have one then you don't ride plain and simple

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grizz32

GOOD FOR YOU glad you stuck to your guns.

Here is what brought all this to light.

I completely agree with the sentiments on helmets. I make a practice of wearing one, but occasionally I've found I left it in the big white van. I for one will make sure I don't leave mine behind.
Peer pressure is an interesting dynamic. On one hand, it can can have the effect of getting a group to wear helmets. One the other hand it can persuade a rider to continue a trail section they really aren't comfortable with. You'd be surprised how little arm twisting it takes. On those occasions it's important to make one's own decision and stick to it.

quote:

Originally posted by Cob:
Here is what brought all this to light.

Great narrative in the vid Cob!
I like the shorts and what looked to be tennis shoes also.
I do think your looking at this all wrong though. I'm all for stupid people riding without a helmet,... thins the herd.

LUCKY!!! The handle bars missing him is one thing....how did he not bang his head on one of those rocks??? I guess you can't tell people that shorts and sandals are not a great idea...

On a brighter note, I'd really like to go ride that trail Cob....

I believe helmet wear lowers the probability of serious injury or death from head trauma.

Not only on the trail, but loading and unloading, also.

Thus, I typically wear a helmet when riding.

Yet . . . the practice of helmet wear varies widely, GEOGRAPHICALLY!

In my experience, helmet wear's seldom seen in some southern US regions. Just ain't in the culture.

Perhaps the relatively flat nature of the terrain suggests helmets aren't desirable or necessary (although in some high-relief West Virginia regions, helmet wear isn't popular, either).

Some commercial ATV riding parks in east Texas don't require helmet wear; some day I imagine they and/or their insuror will pay a price for this policy.

Website photos and videos posted on QuadSquad often show helmetless riding.

As others have mentioned, helmet wear remains a personal choice; I'd only point out, helmet wear's seldom seen in some parts of the country.

Analog? Bicycle helmets; helmets for horsemen/horsewomen. Helmets, it seems, are optional for professional BULL RIDERS, for goodness' sake! Only in recent years have I seen helmets and face guards for rodeo riders.

So, everyone decides how much risk he/she wishes to assume.

quote:

So, everyone decides how much risk he/she wishes to assume.

Excellent "bottom line" TreeFarmer....

I do fear however that “choice” is becoming more and more impractical....

We have bred generations of people who feel that the results of an “accident” should be shared by society. So, while I make my personal “choice” and I’m willing to live with the repercussions based solely on the insurance I pay for, many other make the choice like robbing a liquor store.

#1 I won’t get caught (it won’t happen to me)

#2 When I am wrong and I do get caught, I will sue everybody within a 12 mile radius, down to the guy sweeping the floors so I will get rich off of my “choice.”

That activity makes taxes, insurance, medical costs etc go up so fast, and generates limits on what I can even get insurance for, that in affect, it removes my choice.

Agree, YnotAZ; the choice NOT to wear a helmet may affect many others besides the one who made the choice--e.g., stress on emergency and medical services, increasing health-care costs, private and public insurance costs, lost-time economic costs, and perhaps consequent family welfare and aid-to-dependent-children.

An accident/injury resulting from not wearing a helmet is not a "victimless crime."

Regardless, in some sections of the country, regardless of all said above, wearing helmets is not customary, and--since the decision is an individual choice, not a requirement; most ATV riders in those areas choose not to wear helmets.

Just a fact of life--regardless of the possible consequences (e.g., societal costs), helmet wear's not fashionable and thus seldom is practiced in certain locations.