Regarding a bill in the Legislature plus recent letter writers’ submissions which imply that of course only an idiot would go without a helmet when riding a motorcycle, please, it’s not so simple.
Helmets do protect the heads of motorcycle riders from moderate blows, however the added weight of a helmet can cause a more heavy blow to result in severe damage to the neck. It’s a trade-off — concussion vs. broken neck.
In addition, wearing a helmet cuts down on peripheral vision and the ability to hear sounds, possibly resulting in a crash.
There are two legitimate sides of wearing a helmet.
P. M. deLaubenfels, Corvallisv