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Why do I wear safety gear?
16 years ago
General
This is why I wear safety gear while riding a motorcycle.
That is what happens when a 1.5 lb suspension spring breaks loose from one F1 race car and hits the driver of the car behind him while he's at qualifying speeds. It doesn't take a motorsport guru to see that without that helmet, Felipe Massa probably wouldn't be with us anymore.
There is a 30-second YouTube video detailing the impact and the aftermath. It's pretty obvious (to me) that the spring knocked Massa the #*&$ out. Just look at how his head is bouncing around as the car goes straight into the tire wall at 120MPH.
Massa came away with scull fractures and broken bones. Scary, scary stuff! Thankfully, he is recovering well and hopes to be back at least by the Brazil GP for the end of the season.
I admit when I talk about motorcycle helmets, I think about protecting your noggin in a crash. But as my Dad pointed out to me recently, they also protect you from airborne objects. He told me he's for the helmet law because he doesn't want to get hit by a motorcyclist that crossed over the line because a bug flew into his eye. And I admitted I'd never thought about it from that perspective.
So wear your helmet! If not to protect your head, wear it to keep from getting hit in the forehead by kicked-up rocks or knocked in the chin by tire debris. It's a dangerous world out there!
That is what happens when a 1.5 lb suspension spring breaks loose from one F1 race car and hits the driver of the car behind him while he's at qualifying speeds. It doesn't take a motorsport guru to see that without that helmet, Felipe Massa probably wouldn't be with us anymore.
There is a 30-second YouTube video detailing the impact and the aftermath. It's pretty obvious (to me) that the spring knocked Massa the #*&$ out. Just look at how his head is bouncing around as the car goes straight into the tire wall at 120MPH.
Massa came away with scull fractures and broken bones. Scary, scary stuff! Thankfully, he is recovering well and hopes to be back at least by the Brazil GP for the end of the season.
I admit when I talk about motorcycle helmets, I think about protecting your noggin in a crash. But as my Dad pointed out to me recently, they also protect you from airborne objects. He told me he's for the helmet law because he doesn't want to get hit by a motorcyclist that crossed over the line because a bug flew into his eye. And I admitted I'd never thought about it from that perspective.
So wear your helmet! If not to protect your head, wear it to keep from getting hit in the forehead by kicked-up rocks or knocked in the chin by tire debris. It's a dangerous world out there!
Not one for requiring adults to wear it by law, personally. Stupid and self-destructive, in my opinion, should not be illegal.
Besides, isn't part of owning a motorcycle being able to wear those awesome helmets without weird looks from everyone? *grin*