4 of 26

Disagree

Write now Article Tools

This discussion is a very difficult one for me to determine whether I am for, or against, the statement that every motorcycle rider should wear a helmet. For all intents and purposes, I should say, "Yes, absolutely!" Why? Because I lost my brother at the young age of 38 due to the fact that he never wore a helmet. Well, I can't say never. He did own one a child's toy army helmet that he wore when he drove through states that had helmet laws.

I am not a biker. I tried. I tried to follow in my brother's footsteps after he died. I acquired his bike after the accident and owned it for five years. It was far too big for me to handle, so I was always a passenger while my husband drove; and yes, I always wore a helmet. The helmet was heavy and it never fit right and it was always sloshing around on my smaller-than-average head. I probably should have purchased a child's sized helmet.

In the fourth year of owning the bike, I took a local motorcycle safety course so I could get my own feel as a driver. I took the course on the three hottest days that summer experienced. The heavy leather jacket, black leather gloves, and black helmet caused me to nearly pass out. Despite the heat and the constant nagging in the back of my brains as to why I was even there in the first place (after all, I lost my precious brother in a motorcycle accident), I was the top rider in my class.

In the last exercise just before taking our final test, I panicked and tried to stop the moving bike with my feet. My knee twisted and both the bike and I went down. That was my clue that biking was definitely not for me. I was hot, tired, faint, and probably suffering from heat exhaustion; not to mention the emotional stress I was putting myself through. It wasn't long after that weekend that I sold my brother's bike. I told myself that it was time to let go of the past and get on with my life.

So, you may ask, why, with all I've been through and with the loss of my own brother, why is it that I cannot decide whether I am for or against the statement that all motorcycle riders should wear helmets. For the simple fact that motorcycle riders are adults and they know the risks long before they straddle that hunk of fiberglass and metal. They have a choice to do with their life as they want. They can choose to ride free and uninhibited or they can choose to ride in obscure protection. It is a choice that I feel belongs as the sole responsibility of the driver and I have no right to infringe my rules on a fellow adult. Now, if that adult had a child as a passenger, then yes, the adult should ensure that the child wears a helmet because the child is too young to make these kinds of decisions.

My brother was an experienced rider. He rode bikes since he was 18 eighteen years old. He had 20 years of riding experience under his belt. He crossed the United States more times than I can count in addition to driving through Mexico and up to Alaska. Although he had many miles and many years of experience behind him, he was also wild and carefree. He drove fast and he drove hard; and at times, he drove recklessly. In my mind, his lifestyle was a ticking time bomb. When his time came, he did not suffer. He died instantly, but he died doing the one thing he loved most in life. Who am I to take that joy away from him by insisting he wear a helmet?

Learn more about this author, Diane Decastillia.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Motorcyclists should always wear helmets?
We want to hear your view. Write now!