June 22, 2013 5:14 AM PDT
I just had this debate with a few other people in another online forum. In this forum a woman had posted about just moving to New Mexico where apparently there are no helmet laws. She is appalled that anyone would be selfish enough to not wear a helmet and make some innocent first responders "scrape their brains off the street". When I added my two cents basically mentioning that where I live the 110 degree heat sometimes makes our ride a little uncomfortable and that on these days when we are cruising the back roads out by one of the lakes or riding next to the river, I would like nothing more than to have the choice of taking off my helmet. Do I want to ride around San Francisco in rush hour traffic without a helmet, I said, No, I don't. But the choice should be mine anytime I get on the back of the bike. Again, I was hit by a barrage of insults claiming the hubby and I are a couple of the "obviously ignorant" bunch of riders and passengers who "deserve to be run into the guard rail and left for dead as a tribute to Natural Selection". Needless to say I left it at that and left the site, haven't been back since.
The way I see it, helmet/no helmet, 1/2, 3/4, full face, no matter what every time we get on that bike and ride around we put our lives at risk. My husband is cautious and alert, watching everything around him while trying to enjoy the ride as well. One time as we were headed home from a night out in Sacramento we stopped at a gas station and noticed another couple at the pump next to us. As I climbed off we all came face to face and looked each other over. Shayne and I were in our usual 100 degree weather riding clothes (Me a tube top, jeans, and my awesome custom high top Chuck Taylors. Him in a white tank, his cut, jeans and vans). Now they were suited up like they were riding through Alaska! No leathers, just full body snow suit looking riding gear with what looked like extremely thick black knee high motocross boots. So I was standing there pondering how crazy someone would be to dress like that on such a gorgeous day when you could feel the sun on your shoulders and adjust yourself so the wind shoots down your back, I mean I would have had a heat stroke in a get up like hers! Then my husband walked up behind me (cause I swear he can read my mind, at least sometimes) and said "Yea babe, they think we are the crazy ones!"
We haven't hit gusty winds anywhere near what you have described and I have already made a mental note about Arizona. We did hit some strong winds coming home from Reno into Shasta County last Street Vibrations, but what you are describing sounds horrifying.