Why do people wear half helmets?

Question

Ok, I totally understand if it is a helmet law state, the person dosn't want to wear a helmet and this is the next best thing. But in my state there is no law, so why bother wearing a helmet at all if you are going to wear one that isn't really going to be a big help in an accident? Do these guys just want the visor? Do they just in the mood to wear a hat? I don't get it.

Answer 1

The only good to wear a half helmet is that they can show they have one on!  Your right though, it aint worth wearing a halfsy....  They do not offer the kind of protection that a full helmet has. I wear a full helmet, I know afterwards we will end up with helmet head, but at least I will be alive in an accident to notice it....  Half helmets should really be kept for riding trikes....   Full helmets not only offer full protection on the head but they also sheild you from the nasty nasty buggies out there on the road.. lol lol  

Full helmets are extremely hot to wear though in the summer, that could be the other reason that people dont really want to wear them.

Answer 2

Well a half helmet wouldn't protect your face obviously but I think it would protect the most important parts of the brain from impact. There is no doubt that it is a Harley or cruiser thing. I think a better question is why would you care? From reading previous posts I'm pretty sure it isn't that you are concerned about their safety. You are notorious for bashing on the Harley crowd and this is another pretty obvious attempt even though you didn't actually mention the H word. Just live and let live dude. Why do you feel the need to judge everyone?

Answer 3

Not everyone is smart or logical and care only for what's fashionable or riding freely is worth dying for.

I like the answer from the guy saying his helmet broke into pieces which had to be removed from his jaw.

Personally, I rather have a helmet covering my head, taking the force of a fall, breaking into pieces  rather than my skull braking into pieces.

Answer 4

I used to work in a hospital emergency room. Most of the motorcyclists we saw after their accidents were wearing full helmets.

The ones wearing three-quarter or halfsies or no helmet usually went straight to the morgue.

About 85% of initial head impacts from motorcycle accidents are on the jaw area. Only about 3% are on the top of the head.

It's true that the DOT approval is pretty weak, so get a helmet that also carries the Snell approval, which is more rigorous. There are a couple others out there too, but Snell at a minimum. You can get a DOT & Snell approved helmet for less than $125 if you shop around.

I'm from California (a helmet-required state), and I cringe when I see riders wearing full helmets but shorts and short sleeves and no gloves. They may live through their accidents if they are lucky, but they'll be disfigured for life. Imagine my reaction, then, on a recent trip to Illinois (a no helmet required state), when I saw people riding with no helmet, no gloves, shorts, occassionally no shirt, and flip flops!  My god!  I know how they will die. They may not know it yet, but I do - and I'm not even psychic. Ugh. Stupid.

The way I see it, it's full gear or no bike. A person without a full helmet will go straight to the morgue. A person with a full helmet and none of the other gear will go to the emergency room and then spend months in reconstructive surgery. A person in full gear might break a bone or two, but will probably walk away from the accident.

Neck injury is certainly a looming threat, and a risk assumed by all riders, but that injury possibility exists in almost any sport - inlcluding ones that don't normally use helmets.

Answer 5

If you drop your $500 full face on the ground, its no good,a nd you have to buy another.

If your head is in it at the time, your heck wont handle the stress. Are you wearing a neck support like racers do?

Nope your in a tank top and flip flops.

Ive worn no helmets, and halfs for over 40 years.

My head is still in one piece.

When I used to race, and I had a front time blow out at 135, the doctor spent an hour picking the pieces of helmet out of my jaw. The full face you were made to wear, shattered.

Your nieve if you think any helmet will save your life. Its rider skill that does, and being alert.

On the news once 4 folks on two motorcycles got hit head on by a school bus.  The news lady said " They all died, and were reported not to be wearing helmets"

They could have been wearing armor. When you get hit by a bus/truck your dead.

Answer 6

Well none of them will stop you from breaking your neck  which is the next most likely fatal injury. Or having your inards all mixed up inside ya. The idea that your safer is a fools errand.

Answer 7

Given the choice I will wear no helmet. When forced by law to wear I go with the half.

In case you do not know the details... The D.O.T. standard for testing a helmet is to drop it at a speed of 14 mph. onto a piece of angle iron. That is right 14 mph.

How long does it take you to break the speed limit of your helmets protection?

The helmet you think will save your head while you wreck the rest of your body could be seriously damaged by a little league pitcher.

If I go down hard enough that I need a helmet to save me. I DO NOT want to have my brain working while the rest of my body is not.

In most states with a helmet requirement the law only states you must wear it. Nothing about how you wear it.  So feel free to strap it to your leg or hang it on your elbow. You will get a ticket for it but if you fight the ticket they can only enforce the law as written. You were wearing the helmet.

Answer 8

Not that you, or these other unpleasant  ignoramuses are helmet experts but, we do it because we want to.

It obvious that you "don't get it" from the prissy nature of the question.

Answer 9

Wannabe bikers. Why somebody would aspire to be a loser dirtbag is beyond me though.

Answer 10

I think the question should be , " If you live in a state without a helmet law, why would you wear any kind of helmet?"

Answer 11

Because they have half brains.

Answer 12

Half helmets provide only slighly less protection than a 3/4 or full helmet. They are considerably cooler and allow the rider to hear better.

Answer 13

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbo...

Give a read. Also, not to protect or defend the half helmet) I wear a half bucket when riding sometimes. I wear full face when highway riding and hgh speeds.

Answer 14

pros:

my beanie weighs 1/3 of my full face modular helmet, so spine snapping is less of a risk

i can hear better with my beanie

it's not as hot

no visor to fog up

it stores easier than a full skid lid

it's MY choice and nobody has taken that away from me (yet)

cons:

weather

bugs

more pros than cons, but i do own both and pick which one depending on the season, below freezing a beanie really sucks