If any of you all ride a motorcycle, or if your kids ride a motorcycle, please wear a helmet. For the sake of those who love you, wear a helmet.

A couple years ago, the state of Pennsylvania got rid of their helmet law. And now the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback is in surgery, in serious condition because of a motorcycle accident this morning. He went over his handlebars and into a windshield head first. He didn't have a helmet on, which was his choice, but --everybody begged him, if he was going to ride, he should wear a helmet. He's a kid, less than half my age, and it's just so sad that kids have to learn things the hard way. I think when people are 22, 23 years old, they think they are invincible. I know I did.

It seems like every motorcycle tragedy I have read about in the past two years, the rider didn't have on a helmet. And it doesn't matter if it is the biker's fault or the car's fault...the results are the same.

Stepping off my soapbox....I'm a big time Steeler Fan, and this just really upset me. PLEASE WEAR YOUR HELMETS!!

Oh, I'm so with you on this. It's just selfish and foolish not too. My sister's fiance has two kids (from a previous marraige) and everytime he rides he refuses to wear a helmet. He doesn't even think what would happen to my sister let alone his kids if he was seriously injured.

I'm a Steeler fan too by the way, originally from Pittsburgh. I wonder how much trouble Big Ben is going to be in?

Cowher's gonna stroke out. I guarantee it, especially since he's already warned Roethlisberger about his bike rising. I read somewhere that Bradshaw even warned him about it. No one will say anything in public, though, except how they support him, blah, blah, blah....

There will be a caveat on his next contract as well, I'm sure.

There also seems to be some confusion as to whether Roethlisberger had a motorcycle endorsement on his driver's license.

Ah, to be 24 and stupid again.

Amen to that! We have had three deaths in the last week in our area and not one of the people were wearing helmuts! Kills me! What really kills me is there is a helmut law for bicycle riders but not for motorcycle riders...how dumb is that?! I mean yes, bike riders should also wear helmuts but if you are going to make it a law then make the motorcycle riders wear helmuts also...makes no sense to me.

Well it's law over here and I think NOT wearing a helmet - or full leathers and boots come to that, is just plain and you deserve what you get it you even THINK about riding without full protection!

We had a guy riding his BICYCLE down the road and hit a pothole and was seriously injured...and he WAS wearing his helmet and would have absolutely died if he hadn't been. As far as Big Ben...too bad the millions he makes as the Steelers Quarterback can't buy him some smarts! I'm suprised the law actually went backwards in regards to safety. Me, personally, I saw a film in high school...you know, the one they show all kids that are of age to get their license to scare the crap out of them and not want to drive at ALL...well, they showed people that had died in motorcycle accidents and...well...over 20 years later...I have yet to get on a motorcycle and if I absolutely have to, I'll be in leather pants, jacket, boots adn a REALLY good helmet. Maybe even two pairs of leather pants. Nothing like making a human projectile out of yourself.

I know a lot of people really love their cycles, but the reality of what happens in an accident makes it not worth it to me. I sometimes see older couples driving side-by-side on the highways off on some cool trip and I think...now THEY are cool...but I'll be an old couple in a camper when I travel in my senior years.

I love motorcycle riding!! Hubby & I always wear our helmets and jackets etc...alot of years ago there was a girl in the town we lived that rode her motorcycle with her helmet but she would ride around in her teeny weeny bikini (to get a good tan) and flip flops--until she wrecked and got road rash and gravel all over.....

I have a feeling that PA will reinstate the helmet law after this.

Years ago I worked in a nursing home, we had a 40 yr old man who had been admitted for additional physical therapy and such after a major motor cycle accident without a helmet. He had massive brain damage, his personality had changed so much that he was a completely different person. His wife and kids would leave the facility in tears just about every time they visited because he would have an angry outburst. Those of us taking care of him just wrote him off as just another evil person, but his wife kept apologizing for his behavoir saying "this isn't him, he's such a good and kind man"

This is my soapbox
If you're lucky you die, many times your family is stuck taking care of a vegetable or someone with serious brain damage.

I know personaly I have to keep remembering that when I'm riding my bike-not motorcycle-just a regular bike. I hate the helmet, but I keep reminding myself that head trauma is nothing to play with.

Sarah

Sarah--there was another family at church that we were very close to--went hiking, camping, and lots of other stuff together. Their oldest two girls and my son and daughter had always been very good friends. The father was hit by a drunk driver. He was wearing his seat belt and completely pulled off the road as he saw it coming. He had severe head trauma which completely changed his personality--he was so nasty to my son about the friendship he had with the oldest daughter that my son no longer attends church. This was a man that my son idolized and even though my son realizes that it is partly due to the trauma--the man isn't nasty to everyone so it hurt my son deeply.

I was surprised to learn that PA didn't have a helmet law. Ohio doesn't have one either, and the number of motorcycle deaths is on the rise here. I had to laugh when the owner of the H-D dealership I used to work at blamed the deaths on road construction. I still can't figure that one out.

I ride behind my DH on motorcyle and we always wear helmets. My son is 20 and rides his motorcycle everyday to work. He always wears a helmet. My neighbors that are in their 20's both ride motorcycles and she wears a helmet and he doesn't. They have 2 small children and I am very afraid for him.