PotashRLS Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Who wears a helmet when operating an ATV or Snowmobile? With the long snowy winter we are having, accidents and fatalities are up. Please answer honestly as I hope this thread opens a few eyes to the problem at hand. Edited January 17, 2009 by PotashRLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Sadly enough, i do not own a helmet, so i do not where one while ridding my four wheeler. My quad is not a fast machine, and i generally dont go over 15 mph...i rarely ride for fun...i use my quad as a tool for hunting, and soon enough i hope to have a plow attachment so i will never have to shovel my driveway again... In no way is this a justification for not wearing a helmet, however, i ride as responsibly as possible and take all safety precautions other than wearing a helmet. for that, i will classify myself as being a moran, but if i die due to the simple fact that i am a moran, so be it...its my own fault... Regarding snowmobiles...i do not own one, but have friends who do. I have never and will never ride one of those machines without a helmet...they seem to fall into a higher risk category for me than my 4 wheeler. Because of this thread, i might very well consider buying a helmet for the times that i do ride for fun... and for the simple fact that i am one of those people who should probably put a helmet on when i plug in my toaster... Edited January 17, 2009 by layin on the smackdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS whitetail Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 good poll I always wear my helmet. Besides being against the law here and a $250 fine for not wearing one ~~ I like life way too much and value what few brains I do have I have never understood why some people in the US ride motorcycles without a helmet is it a cool factor ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I always used one while riding my sled, however with the wheeler I never do, even on public roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 My brother's ex-girlfriend worked at an E.R. in Birmingham. What she often came home with from that experience was pretty shocking. But one thing in particular stuck with me. EVERY SINGLE DAY, they checked in at least one person under the age of 16 with a brain injury from falling off an ATV not wearing a helmet. This was a daily event, not often, not frequent, every single day! It was going to happen, they expected it. Get the picture? This is just one city! The E.R. determined it was an unavoidable event. It was routine for them. Are you disgusted yet? Seriously, if you think it will never be you. You will have LOTS of company! It's clear, kids especially need to wear one. They are kids after all. They "try stuff", that's what kids do. Seriously, I heard so many horror stories when my brother was dating this girl I'm not ever letting a kid drive one of these without a helmet, if I have anything to say about it. I personally know a guy in his 20s that fragged his skull on an ATV. He will NEVER, absolutely NEVER be able to work again in his life. He was just cutting up in front of his house and ended up in a coma for 2 1/2 months. I like ATVs, I really do but I'm a whole lot more careful on them nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I never wear one on my own property but I always wear one if I go for a long ride on trails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 The only time I am usually on my ATV is when I am doing food plot/landscape/log hauling. If we go on a ride off our land, the lid goes on. I have a cool camo helmet:cool: that I don't mind wearing. My sons always wear their helmets and boots too. I go nuts when I see them riding with sneakers on. No ankle foot protection. Ask Joe. Goggles they want to wear because of the dust that gets kicked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I wear a helmet more on an ATV than I do on my crotch rocket, which isn't much. On private property, I wear a helmet 0% of the time. On public, 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I usually wear one unless I'm just putting around on the lake going out to the fish shack, or back on my grandma's property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unioncountyslayer Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 It all depends on what I'm using my ATV for. If I'm casually riding it to put out corn at a deer stand, or slowly riding trails during the preseason scouting, I typically don't wear one. But if I'm trail riding, especially in areas that I've never been, I've always got my helmet on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Riding on the highway, forest service roads or trails I always wear a helmet (camo, of course). When on my property it depends on what I am doing. I do not wear one when plowing snow at less than 5 mph, but if pulling a disk, chisel plow or harrow, where the chance of flipping over backwards exists, I do wear the helmet. Having a 600+ lb machine flip over on me would certainly not be a good thing but at least my head will not split open like a melon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 i don't own anything that requires a helmet. i do always wear my seat belt in my car, on the bobcat or the backhoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 i don't own anything that requires a helmet. i do always wear my seat belt in my car, on the bobcat or the backhoe. Steve, when I was about 14 my Dad was running a Bobcat grading some land on one of his jobs, and hit a old steel rail under the earth and he went surging forward. 2 weeks earlier, my mom got him a custom aluminum hard hat for his birthday which he actually liked and wore. That hat was crushed to the bands that keep it above your dome and Pop didn't get a scratch, just a sore neck for a while. He hit the top bar of the cage. I saw it with my own 2 eyes. Helmets work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Never wear one and I don't own one. No reason as to why I just don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I wear mine if I am rideing somewhere other than where I hunt,I am usually going realy slow trying to see deer and other wildlife so theres not as much danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant-KS Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Never wore one as a kid on 3-wheelers, and wasn't quite stupid enough to get really nutty, but now the only ATV'ing I do is with my boss's Arctic Cat TRV 500 that would take an act of God to tip in Kansas. We use it to pull a flatbed trailer, drag harrows, and plow snow. As far as motorcycles, I won't ride more than a mile without my helmet on my rocket. I feel naked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS whitetail Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I won't ride more than a mile without my helmet on my rocket. I feel naked. not to be a smartbutt , but you know that an accident can happen in that one mile just as well as it can if you rode a thousand miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Motorcycles and Helmet use is a WHOLE other issue. A huge one at that. That can be a large can of worms to open. We used to call them "Donorcycles" on the squad, but usually they don't have enough good organs to donate once they finally come to a stop:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I don't have an ATV or a snowmobile, but would wear a helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie234 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 being in law enforcement and from the state that has the highest death rate from ATV accidents I wouldn't even consider getting on mine without one. seen too many brains on the pavement not to have it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I don't own anything that requires a helmet so I don't own one. Years ago when I rode a Ninja I would wear it on longer trips (1 or more hours), but not cruising around town. I was single, no kids, and if I died no one was left behind that needed or depended on me. Now I wouldn't even own a motorcycle until my kids are grown and yes I would always wear a helmet regardless of the trip length. I've picked out too much road gravel and seen too many head injuries in the ER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unioncountyslayer Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 not to be a smartbutt , but you know that an accident can happen in that one mile just as well as it can if you rode a thousand miles. Very true. About 6 years ago my cousin was at Bike Week in Myrtle Beach, SC. They went to a club less than a mile from the hotel they were staying in, and didn't even bother taking their helmets (SC doesn't require the use of a helmet...Stupid). When he left the club to go back to the hotel, he was in an accident, and thrown from his Harley. He spent 2 weeks in a Myrtle Beach hospital with life threatening injuries. By the grace of God his life was spared, but has permanent hearing damage and had to have surgery to have cochlear implants. All of his major injuries were to his HEAD. Is it really worth it to not wear one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I'm in the don't own one category........ 99% of the time I am slowly cruising around the fields or down the gravel road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckslayer Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I always wear it if I'm on the sled cause I know I'm going to be going fast. If I'm just going slow around the farm on the quad I don't wear it all the time. Depends on how I'm going to ride. If there is any danger at all then I always wear it. If I'm riding a motorcycle or dirtbike I always wear it too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant-KS Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 not to be a smartbutt , but you know that an accident can happen in that one mile just as well as it can if you rode a thousand miles. Yes, I do, and I'm a dumbbutt sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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