I heard of a test the State Patrol did in the '70's where they wore helmets in their squad cars. The test was supposed to last six months, but was cut short after six weeks.

The reasons given for cutting the test short?

The helmets were hot, they were heavy, they restricted vision and hearing.

If they are not good enough for the State Patrol, why would they be good for anyone?

ditto with my comment! Nothing offensive there! I guess someone was being a little aggressive with the remove button!

Hey Greg! You stole my idea (re: requiring helmets in cars). No problem though.
As a bike rider, it reminds me of the advice given to us at intersections - walk your bike through the crosswalk. Walk my bike? Then people with cars should be required to get out and push their cars through intersections. It would make it so much safer. Think about it - the number of accidents at intersections would fall to pretty much zero. Of course they would still have to wear their car helmets :O)

Are you serious? Because you think that including a non-budget item (Seat belt law) in the budget is a good way to develop public policy, and because you so easily give away your freedoms and believe that its governments place to decide what’s best for your personal safety, you believe that I should get in line and accept the same. I don’t think so.
Here’s what I think. If you are so concerned about public safety and since you so willingly give up your freedoms why don’t you call for mandatory helmets in cars as well? According to information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there are over 10 times more traumatic brain injury (TBI) related hospitalizations and nearly 10 times more TBI related fatalities as a result of automobile crashes compared to motorcycle crashes. Apparently all the government mandated seat belts and air bags still don’t eliminate injuries and deaths when two objects collide. Did you ever consider that maybe the wrong emphasis is being placed on traffic safety? Maybe instead of promoting crash survival the emphasis should be on crash avoidance. No crash, no injury, no need to have this debate.

Greg Rodd
Executive Director
ABATE of Wisconsin

No! to mandatory helmets. Wisconsin has acheived the 3rd lowest fatality rate in the 50 United States by concentrating on preventing the crash in the first place and proper response when a crash occurs. While there are plenty more people who still need to be educated, mandaory helmets are no more the answer for motorcyclists than manadatory helmets for car drivers would be. Govt needs to butt out of people's lives. Education, not legislation!

its about decreasing the odds. does wearing a seat belt guarantee that we don't die in an accident? no, but it does increase the odds that we may. Does wearing a helmet increase your odds of surviving a motorcycle accident or having substantial injuries? i think it does. With people on cell phones, texting, playing with ipods, talking with kids im seeing more and more accidents with vehichles hitting motorcycles from the side. in fact had a friend of my wifes parents die that very way on his motorcycle which is why i started wearing mine. it may or may not save me (depends on the accident) but im increasing my odds of it.

The number one cause of death in automobile accidents is head trauma. The number one cause of head trauma deaths are falls at home. According to the CDC.

Stimulus - sorry about that to all the spelling police. Must've been that accident I had when I wasn't wearing my helmet.

That's almost the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The only way you could prove that is if you recreated the accident again with the same exact circumstances with the exception of the helmet change. That makes almost as much sense as saying the stimulous "created or saved" jobs.

I know!
We pro-rate health insurance in the event of an accident based on whether or not the rider was wearing a helmet. Any injuries sustained while NOT wearing a helmet, that could have been prevented by wearing a helmet would be the financial responsibility of the rider.
That would work for me!

my opinion only is simple if your going to make people, inside of cars that are protected by atleast a bunch of steel, put on a seat belt (im pro choice on this issue if you want to decrease your chances of survival in an accident then thats your business)then would not it seem logical to pass a law to make drivers of motor driven cycles to put on a helment. I own a harley and wear a helmet for the record and i also was in a car accident that sent me flying 200 feet out of my car when the car that hit me caused mine to explode on inpact. By the way if i had a belt on ( wasn't the law at the time) i would have died. i realize now i was the exception not the rule. What is it about being on a motorcycle that excludes one from safety laws? i find it interesting. You can't compare going 55 mph on a motorcycle with someone walking on the sidewalk that they should wear helmets..lol..although i get your point you don't want to wear a helmet.

If the state wants to mandate helmets for motorcycle and bicycle riders, then it should also mandate helmets for pedestrians, car and truck drivers, and all legislators when in session. Heck, maybe we should all just put on a helmet every day before we walk out the door.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/17/opinio...

thmssmplmn Another part of the equation is the simple fact that it is very difficult to hear with one on. Try asking Harley Davidson to put a muffler on the bike and maybe then you can here, I know for a fact I can hear a Harley coming from about 5 blocks away

The fact I don't wear a helmet or wear a seatbelt does not threaten anyones safety but my own. If the state wants to keep me safe then require all drivers over age 65 to renew their licenses every two years and take a behind the wheel exam! How is it possible that a person over 75 gets their license renewed not only for an additional 8 years but without ever having to perform a "behind the wheel" exam!

for all of you who think its excuses this is published and listed by the government note the .gov this is stats by the government about death with helmets verses non use and note the amount of deaths by non use is lower than that of helmet worn http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811011...

gilly just cause yer ignorant to the concept of inertia and the way a body is carried when thrown from a bike the extra 3 1/2 inches added to the distance from his head to the pavement didn't allow for his person to continue it's normal rotation if the helmet wasn't there he would of cleared the pavement with his head and continued over onto his back and slid along on his back and as for another excuse i wear a helmet some of the time just not all of the time and kawasixer01 the required helmets by law would not be full face and there for if you land on your face you would still lose it. and gilly you tell that to my mom because she raised us without a dad only the social security checks monthly from his death was all i remember about him

NO!!! Any questions?

YES- if they can mandate seatbelts in cars then motercyclist should wear helmet it not right that they dont.

I can not choose for myself in a car so biker's should not be able to choose for them self's either

If they mandated seatbelts, they should mandate helmets. I don't get to choose to not wear a seatbelt, unless I like to get and pay for tickets. Seatbelts keep the driver and passengers with the vehicle in a crash. Bikers need as much protection as they can get and I don't see a whole lot of safely dressed riders out there (ie-shorts or jeans and a tank top vs. full leather dress with a helmet). I don't really care if riders don't look cool with a helmet on. Why do people think a helmet is called a "brain bucket"? The only reason to wear it is to be safe, and why wouldn't a rider want that? There are many styles and feature available, and the technology gets better every day.

I wear my helmet because I choose to. Should it be law? No. Same with seatbelts. I think mandatory condom laws would make more sense. Talk about a cost to society... But seriously, where should the government's nose be allowed? I believe we need to regulate the "regulators" more.

I typically never ride helmetless. Too much bugs and crap in your face especially if you are riding in a group with other bikes throwin crud up off the road into your face. The rare occasion I did ride helmetless, on my harley not my rocket none the less, I ended up in intensive care for a week after getting smacked. It's the most pain I've ever endured and I sure didn't expect it. My personal experiences riding on dirt and seeing other crashes tells me that if I would have had a helmet on that night I pretty much woulda walked away from the accident with the damage limited nerve stretch injures I would have sustained anyways. Instead I eneded up with pretty much my entire face road rashed including a spot down to the skull on top of my head, three plates implated in my face to hold the skull back together that narrowly missed severing my optic nerve as the the orbital socket and cheek were turned into bone fragments, swelling of the brain, and a small bleed on the brain.
All of you people that are are against helmets do me a favor and think back to when you were a kid and remember just how painfull it was to fall off your bicycle doing 5-10 mph. Now take that speed up to 30+ and picture what that road is gonna feel like. I still have road rash that shows 3 years later after it burned through my cheap gloves that split in half at the seams when I hit the road, and the chintzy fleece coat I had on that the road ground off like it wasn't even there. Heck even the blue jeans that everyone thinks are so durable were turned to shreds. Someone might as well have taken a belt sander or cheese grader to my skin.
I let my guard down once thinking "oh I'm not really going anywhere, just dropping in to see a couple friends in town, i'll be fine". A mistake I'll never make again.

Rowdy_rogue - I've never heard of someone who lost thier life on a motorcycle because they were wearing a helmet! Although anything is possible, I'm having a hard time buying into that one. And anyone who says they can't see or hear while wearing a helmet does not have enough experience riding a motorcycle. Take a 3 day ABATE sponsored motorcycle safety course and you can actually learn how to SEE and HEAR while wearing a helmet. As a person who NEVER wore a helmet, the ABATE course completely changed my mind about wearing one. I won't get on a motorcyle without one nor would I ever take the skills required to drive a motorcycle for granted.

i know it is a rare case but i lost my father when i was five too a helmet he was thrown from the motorcycle and the pavement snagged the helmet and broke his neck the doctors said that if he wasn't wearing a helmet he would of survived the crash and more than likely not even got more than a little road rash it boils down to what kind of a country and what kind of people are we that we are willing to just bow down and let all are liberties go in the blink of an eye it's bad enough that the laws say we as adults need to wear a seat belt i can see our kids being restrained but to justify telling law abiding legal age citizens what we must do that effects only our persons is in my opinion illegal and a breach in the constitution

I wear a helmet, my husband wears a helmet, and our son wears a helmet. I do not care if my hair gets messed up. I can hear and see other vehicles just fine. I do have mirrors on my bike to see behind me and to the sides and my head is attached to a neck which swivels so I can see what my mirrors can't. Growing up, my brothers all wore helmets. It's just what we did. My dad did tell my brother one time that he did not want to scrape his face off of the blacktop. Perhaps it's because of that image that we all wear helmets. I may not be beautiful now, but imagine how ugly I would be with asphalt 3" deep in my face. I don't think helmets should be mandatory, but those who like how their faces are arranged now and who care about themselves and the people who love them KNOW what the right thing to do is. And I really don't understand the girls who ride on the back of bikes with tank tops, shorts and flip flops while their boyfriend wears a helmet, long pants, and jacket!! Can't they see that isn't love? ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time)

It was a great day for riding, I counted helmets versus non helmets. I guess those of us that choose to rid lid free need to speak up. The majority of us today road lid free. It was a great ride..get out and enjoy the colors. I wish I could post the colors from big hills park it was awesome!!!!

Gee, I lost some friends in a bus accident four years ago . . . perhaps we should outlaw buses too!

If you get a choose whether or not you get to wear a helmet, why can't car drivers get a choice about wearing a seat belt? It's non-sense.

I don't think we need anymore laws, but would like to see people take responsible actions, which is why we need more laws because people don't responsible actions. It's a never ending feedback loop.

The responsible thing, as a motorcyclist, would be to wear a helmet. Unless you enjoy permanent brain injuries and death, not to mention the grief and responsibility you shove on your family members who have to deal with your injuries/death, but by all means, go right ahead.

If they can't pass a helmet law, the repeal the seatbelt law.

we wear seatbelts for safety, I vote for the helmet!!

I use a hlemet at all times but do not see the need for a law. I also do not agree with everyine stating that you can not see or hear while using a helmet. I do not have any problems with vision or hearing while using mine and it is a full face.

I vote helmet.

Hey onion thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. There is a large contingency that does monitor what is going on in the government and looks for those that want to get involved. For the most part however John Q Public just wants to sit back and complain. If you or anybody else wants to get involved there are many ways to do so. First if we are talking about helmet laws my first suggestion would be to get a hold of an organization called ABATE. These folks have been working on helmet legislation in more than just this state. They are always looking for more members and will point you in the right direction if you want to become more involved. Secondly the government is still the government that was put into place better than two hundred years ago. There are many ways to get involved in local government and it is still the best system out there. Get involved if there are things you disagree with or feel passionate about. I personally have friends and relatives that are working on the health care problem and are seeking solutions to the problems. This is still The United Stated of America, regardless of who is in the White House.

Thanks again for responding to my post.

Comment to (Thmssmplmn)
You say no to helmets,you feel no one should tell you what to do,but that time in our lives are gone.You are right we do not want the goverment telling us what to do,but you have to remember one thing it is always someone in your town or someone elses who does not like the way someone lives so they want it their way not yours or mine yes some things have a good cause but some do not we now live in a society of goverment passes law when someone complains. I know a guy that has ridden for many years but he wears a helmet with mirrors and wide mirrors on his cycle.this corrects his vision problems.Many more lives could be saved with helmets.Motorcycles have to make more frequent stops. They need to exercise their legs more and stetch their limbs in order to be able to have better control and better reflexes in dangerous situations. You say people do not say anything when the goverment passes laws like they just let is happen .No many of us complain but majority rules. It is no longer we the people it is we the chosen few who complain and win.

Absolutely helmets should be required! What is the logic behind requiring seatbelts and not hemets? As far as "Stupid Kids" are concerned remember we were all once "stupid kids". People that don't wear seatbelts make for "stupid kids"and "stupid adults", just like people that don't wear helmets make for "stupid kids" and "stupid adults". So why doesn't everybody just become "smartkids" and "smart adults" by wearing a bike helmet and a seatbelt. I rest my case.

Comments about helmet laws by people who have never ridden makes no sense at all to me. I have ridden for the last 30 years and will for many years to come. The reasons are plenty for not wearing a helmet and there are also many arguments for wearing a helmet. I will post my thoughts and if somebody has an intelligent response I will post back. First and foremost the right to choose. I have the right to not be dictated the choice of wearing the helmet. We have had so many basic rights taken away from us that many people just roll over and play dead when the government decides what is best for us. I take particular interest when they are trying to decide about helmet laws because of these important facts. The best helmet on the market does not allow enough peripheral vision so that if you were to wear it while taking the vision test for your drivers license you would be able to pass. Another part of the equation is the simple fact that it is very difficult to hear with one on. I believe that the bikers that have the intercom accessory in their helmets are at an even bigger disadvantage. Thirdly the comfort of a helmet is a major problem. Most helmets don't seem like they weigh a lot until you have worn one for awhile. After riding for more than a few hours the added stress to the neck and upper back have actually been proven to give a rider an added measure of fatigue resulting in slower reaction times and increased vulnerability on the roads. Another problem facing helmeted riders is that proper training needs to be given to those in the emergency response sector. I know of a fellow who after having been hit by a car had his helmet removed by a paramedic. It severed his spinal chord and now he drinks his dinner thru a straw. Please if you choose to wear a helmet make sure you have a sticker that says in case of emergency do not remove this helmet. As for my comments for wearing a helmet. All passengers under the age of eighteen should wear a helmet, all inexperienced riders need to take a safety course before riding in traffic and I do believe that the basic skills should be learned in an off road area before venturing into traffic. The roads are not a safe place to learn how to ride.

I love to ride. Every year I lose friends who have been in accidents. Please be careful and learn to ride your machine properly, keep the rubber side down and see you next spring.

Motorcycle helmets law yes. Most cycle riders
are ok ,but motor vechicle needs to do more
studying of the riders. There are a lot of them that drive safely but there are more of them that do not.They get on the interstate
they weave in and out of traffic i have some
of them come of them come right between the
cars and continue on their merry way.WEhen there is a slow down of traffic they will either ride the side of the road or work their way up the road weaving in and out or riding in between the cars.I am all for being safe on the roads but I am also against them always saying its the motorists that are the bad guy I have had motorcyles pass on a hill in a curve I have them tailgate.They get hurt when they ride like they dont care.I know there are many vechicle drivers who are bad too.But they do need protection.

if the driver of a motorcycle choose not to wear a helmet,so be it,thats on them. their passengers on the other hand should be made to wear one.i find that some drivers cant hear very well with them on,and then if its hot they start to sweat,and that hampers their vision,and some people just dont pay attention to motorcycles,and dont care.im not a big motorcycle fan,but when i see them on the road i sure as heck pay attention to them,because my suv is alot bigger than them,and everyone should pay more attention when they are traveling by motorcycles.

Almost every time I went out on a bike I had an opportunity to collect an insurance claim. People don't pay attention. They will turn left right in front of a motorcycle or cut them off by changing lanes. If bikers didn't pay attention for these idiots they would be already dead.
Helmet laws were initiated by insurance companies because of these careless drivers. People in suits that have no desire to get on a motorcycle (for good statistical reason) looked at the data and decided that bikers need to wear helmets. They have political sway so they push this agenda. (remember, every biker almost daily faces the decision whether or not to make an insurance claim). Bikers are penalized for inattentive drivers bad habits.
We don't need helmet laws, we need competent drivers. I know I ask for too much, but it is what we need. Statistics show if you remove alcohol and other drivers that cause the accident from the equation, motorcycles are safe.
The only factor the motorcyclist has control over is alcohol use.
So, please, Wisconsin and America, please again, pay attention! Open you eyes and pay attention to the 4000 lbs. vehicle under your control. Good people (law abiding citizens that just want to enjoy life) that are doing nothing wrong will be forced by a special interest influenced government, lose a freedom of enjoying being alive (not because of anything they did or didn't do, but because you care only for your own safety).

no, you should have the choice!

I like the idiots that never rode a bike,go back to knitting ! Most of the time it's the stupid car drivers that get you,got me once in over 40 years. If you ever "THINK" you have it mastered,that's when your number might be coming up. The stupid kids doing all these wheelies,with 200 ponies,your days are numbered. Slow & low,that's how i roll!!

No..if you are not smart enough to be aware of what is going on around you, you have no reason to be on a bike.
Helmets do have draw backs They limit your sight and reduce what you hear. If you can't see that truck coming or hear it coming up behind you..that helmet is not going to be much help.

I feel as I do about seatbelts,there is no need for laws to conrol SIMPLE personal choices.Whether to endanger oneself needs no law.As far as any comments on higher insurance rates,thank your incompetant government,whose laws also dictate and allow an insurance company to pass any and all of there expenses on to you at 100% profit.So no to helmet laws

Yes, if we have mandatory seatbelt laws we need manadtory helmet laws. If im driving my car and i hit you in a car whether or not i was wearing a seatbelt will not have an effect on your injuries. But it will if your riding a motorcycle.

No.
Please refer to the introduction in Darwins book, "On the origin of species".

Im also tired of hearing the "i cant hear, it restricts my vision" arguments, they are crap i have ridden bikes for almost 40 years, at highway speeds there is nothing that restricts you more than a 65mph wind blowing directly on your face and ears. Helmets are much less distracting, especially full-face shield helmets.

Quote "I don't agree with the helmet law at all. Why? Because I truly believe motorcyclists are more aware of their surroundings than car/van/truck drivers when driving. "
.
It doesnt matter how aware YOU are of your surroundings, all it takes is one moron not paying attention to run a red light and smoke you, even though your not doing anything wrong when that bad driver hits you and your head smacks the concrete, you either buy a new helmet or your family buys a casket, even though you were aware of everything accidents happen and helmets would save lives per year, even 1 would be enough.

And one more comment - they should require more road-time practice for beginner motorcyclist's before they can get their license. None of these one-day - 3-hour courses like Kutter puts on. I know there are exceptions to the rule - but that scares me most is seeing a new biker driving alone and they don't have great command of their bike.

I don't agree with the helmet law at all. Why? Because I truly believe motorcyclists are more aware of their surroundings than car/van/truck drivers when driving. We don't have the security of steel all around us.. we're quite aware of what "may" happen. Why do you think so many bikes have loud exhaust pipes? So you know they are there!! (Yeah, many are much too loud)
_
The real trouble on the roads? People yapping on their cell phones... They are extremely inattentive drivers. And all those 5 foot nothing mom's driving big huge mini-vans or SUV's - they can barely see over the wheel - let alone CHECK OVER THEIR SHOULDER before changing lanes. They make up 98% of the people who've almost hit me (bike OR car)
_
Don't make it a law so you can help clear your conscious for hitting a biker because you were being an inattentive driver. RESPECT the driving privilege's you have. Don't drive in the left lane unless you're PASSING a vehicle. Come to a complete stop at stop signs. Don't run yellow lights. Turn on your blinker BEFORE you intend turn.
_
You try and make things safer and safer for everyone - and people become more and more careless!

I am 54 years old. I rode my bike without a helmet. My first car didn't even have seat belts. I played lawn jarts and didn't die or kill anyone else. I ate lots of bacon, coffee, and sugar. I walked home in the dark. Free lovin never got me A.I.D.S. Choosing a cautious life is fine, so wear a helmet if you want too. Just quit trying to run MY life.

It should definitely be law. seatbelts are mandated and I wear mine. I can not believe all the foolish, careless people out there who don't who can not think about anything but themselves. No one ever plans on getting into a accident.

Don't go deaf, wear a helmet.
--------------
Don't go blind, wear a helmet.
--------------
Don't go dumb, wear a helmet.
--------------
Prolonged wind noise causes hearing loss. Sunglasses will not stop a rock, junebug, sparrow, or cloud of gnats from hitting your face. Ever get caught in a downpour? The full face helmet allows you to keep your eyes open and see where sunglasses do not.
--------------
Wear a full face helmet to protect yourself, not because the government mandates it.

I think a few people touched on this but I didn't get a clear understanding from them in their words....

I don't care what they do...I think if you say I have to wear a seat belt then bikes should also be required to use all safety equipment though.

Anyway my point being...I'm driving my car along and hit a guy on his bike without any helmet on. Maybe the accident is my fault entirely. So now that guy suffers injuries to his head and neck and they MIGHT have been substantially less if a helmet is worn. However I'm fairly sure that guy and that guy's insurance company are going to make my life hell as they sue me and my insurance company. I highly doubt they care whether or not his helmet could have helped him. They care that I hit him and injured him. So NOW I get to not only carry the guilt for hitting him in the first place but now I have to pay him a bunch of money for injuries that might have been prevented if he would have been required to wear the helmet.

See if it were a law then he would have broke it and I'd have half a case against his lawsuit.

My answer is yes. I don't want to pay for anyone else's stupid brain injuries.

I've never been on a moving motorcycle but would most likely wear a helmet if the event were to occur. However, I don't believe in mandating helmets --- or seat belts.

Laws passed to protect you from yourself are ALWAYS stupid. Government has a place in our society, like passing laws to protect us from others.

If society thinks people need protection from themselves then it is time everyone holds hands before crossing the street, walking on ice, or climbing stairs…and the list goes on. Yes, there are some in this society that require assistance, these are mostly politicians and voting can fix this problem.

Should state mandate motorcycle helmets? Absolutely not. Seat belt laws should also be repealed. That being said, I ALWAYS wear my seat belt. But the question was, should the state MANDATE motorcycle helmets?
The only valid argument against is found in this paragraph: "But, as the Wausau paper pointed out, we all wind up paying, via higher insurance premiums, when a motorist who wasn't buckled up is maimed or disabled in a car crash. Likewise, a federal study has shown that the average motorcycle crash costs more than $200,000 in lost work time, medical costs, property damage, etc., and that was in 1997 dollars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also found that helmets reduce the probability of brain injury by 67 percent".
The solution to that - insurance companies should stipulate what is covered, based on helmet use or no helmet use. In other words, you are not wearing a helmet and you have a brain injury - you are not covered. Again, let the free market work folks! We don't need the great nanny state.

Yes, helmets should be required. Any motorcyclist that claims that "helmets restrict their ability to see dangerous developing traffic situations" is not coordinated enough to be on a motorcycle in the first place. These people should sell their bikes immediately.

No, but it should mandate birth control.

Mr. Peck,
Helmets should not be mandated! It is every American's right to suffer permanent brain damage or death from head injuries. [sarcasm}

I myself have never owned but have been given a ride on a motorcycle and I myself just never felt safe on one. I guess it is the feeling of nothing around me for protection. I side with the people that believe it is there right to ride with the wind blowing in there hair, but I also side with the fact that no matter what anyone thinks you are safer with a helmet on vs. not wearing a helmet at all. I also believe it has alot to do about looks, most helmets just dont look cool, and you know you cant tool around on a harley and not look cool from the harley shirt to the harley scarf, to the harley boots, to the harley belt, sock, underwear, walet with chain and lets not forget the sticker for the back window of every car you own that says Harley Davidson Motorcycles so I will leave it up to the rider choose safety first or cool your choice but I will end this with safety dont start with s it starts with you.

I always wear mine, and always will wear it. But I don't agree that it should be mandatory for all of us who ride.

The strap makes it easy to pick up the head and carry it.

No, I stopped riding back in the 60's when it was required. I think goverment has better things to do like passing laws so NFL players bus can have police escorts to the ball game.

To your question: YES! I know that some will argue that having on a helmet while being thrown from a bike won't do much, but what does it hurt? I have to admit that I too have never driven a motorcycle. I don't know how much it impairs your sight or hearing ability, but if it were me, I'd like the comfort of knowing that I had a slightly better chance at not turning my brain into a pile of mush on the pavement.

I have been riding for almost 30 years. I have used a helmet, but most of my travels have been wothout. I choose to ride without for one reason, a helmet does a couple things, first you can not hear properly when a helmet is on your head. Second, it obstructs my vision to a point that i become uncomfortable on the bike. Now many will debate this, but for me anyway it gives me a odd feeling that i just can not get over. I make my kids use helmets, I want my wife to use a helmet when she is with me. I myself though feel as if I have a trash can on my head. I have tried all types, full half skull caps they all just drive me nuts. I have had only one accident by the way on a bike and that was over 20 years ago. Now in the dirt, i always do, but on the street never. We call them brain bukets. In my experience they are just that, lets face it a bike accident is a horrible accident with or without it should be left to the rider if they choose to wear one or not.