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perspectives on wearing a helmet


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My old man was an infantryman, draftee, with the 101st in Vietnam.  He hated every second of his military career, and it chaps his hide that all three of his children became lifers.  My sister retired as a Master Sergeant last year, my brother is a Commander in the USNR, and I'm a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAR (the only one who was once part of the active component; the other two have always been Reserves / National Guard).  We comprise two officers -- who were both prior enlisted -- and a senior NCO.  Essentially, we are everything he hated about his time in the army :)

 

But I recall one time shortly after I enlisted as an infantryman.  I enlisted in 1993 as a Private E1, and the kevlar helmet was in use then; I never had the "steel pot" familiar to the Vietnam generation.  My original helmet has been replaced with the ACH, which is lighter and more comfortable.  The kevlar in those days had a stupid web system that dug into your scalp and left a ring on top of your head.  It was also heavy enough that my neck hurt for the first two weeks of a field exercise until my neck muscles got used to it.  

 

I was complaining about it one day, and my old man had something to say about my whining:  "YOU DUMB SONOFAB$#@!  THE FIRST TIME YOU GET SHOT AT, YOU'LL WISH YOU COULD CRAWL YOUR WHOLE A$$ UP THERE!!!"  

 

I found it hilarious, but of course, 10 years later as a 1LT, he was proven right!

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Howdy,

I know you are talking military but I was working construction

and one day a fella hit the wrong switch on a back hoe and it came around

and hit my helmet. Just sent it flying and I dropped right down and STAYED down.

I didnt want to get hit again if it came back.

Scared everyone pretty good.

Never had to be told to wear one since.

Best

CR

 

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1 hour ago, Dirty Dog Doug said:

my helmet saved my life on July 26 1974  without it I would not have seen my 17th birthday   july 27th 

Motorcycle or Combat helmet?

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I served 2yrs, 11 months , 10 days. Frequently wore a steel pot, more often just a helmet liner.

 

after that, while University, I had a part time job in a slaughterhouse. Often worked in the massive refrigerators where the sides of beef hang on 7.5 pound trolleys, that’s a 4 inch wheel supporting a substantial hook holding up something that weighs from 150 lbs to nearly 1000.

 

when you start working there you get a folding paper cap like you might see guys wearing in an ice cream shop.  One day I got upgraded to a plastic hard hat.

 

about a week later I had a side of beef run off the rail. Now the rails were 12-13 feet of the floor. The full force of that side came down and the trolleys whapped me in the head. That was 53 years ago.  Good thing I wasn’t wearing a paper hat.

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Sometimes you wish the buttons on your shirt weren’t so thick.

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4 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Sometimes you wish the buttons on your shirt weren’t so thick.

AMEN!!!

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9 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Motorcycle or Combat helmet?

Not sure who was in combat in 74.

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9 hours ago, Dirty Dog Doug said:

motorcycle . the wreck put me 4-F. a lady stopped at stop sign waited few seconds then sideswiped me 

 

Good on ya for wearin' that lid, Doug.

 

When the Former Missus Hardpan and I were newly married, she worked nights* as a trauma nurse.  *(For some reason they don't like the term "Graveyard Shift" in hospitals.)

 

One Saturday morning I was up early and had a nice breakfast prepared when she arrived home, still wearing her white lab coat over her scrubs.  As we were eating I glanced at her coat; wrinkled, stained, and crusted.  Between sentences, I finally asked "what on Earth is that all over your coat?"

 

She glanced down, then immediately went pale.

 

"Oh my God!  Don't look!" and leaped from her chair, ripped off the coat and tossed it into a bag, then scrubbed up at the sink before returning to the table.

 

I foolishly pressed, but she was really reluctant to answer.  Finally, she admitted that she'd had a motorcycle victim a few hours earlier.  I won't share the graphic of her story.  

 

Helmets are good.

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It was a simple arrangement. In 1970 Dad said I could ride the Kawasaki 100cc Trail Boss anytime I wanted.

But stay on our property, and wear a helmet.

A violation of either of those rules and the bike was gone.

 

Several years later I have a few helmets hanging in the garage with gouges that would have lead to a different ending, much less pleasant.

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37 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

But you can’t shave in a K-pot, or boil water. 

But a round will go through both sides of a steel pot. Actually just one side is generally enough. 

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I could put hot water in a steel pot and shave.  Couldn't do that the that damned Kevlar helmet.  I liked the steel pot better than the Kevlar.  I retired from the U.S. Army in early 1989.

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7 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Not sure who was in combat in 74.


Portuguese Colonial War

Rhodesian Bush War

Civil War in Chad

South African Border War

Cambodian Civil War

 

To name a few...and there were 16 year olds involved in a couple of ‘em. :P

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7 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

But a round will go through both sides of a steel pot. Actually just one side is generally enough. 

I grew up around guns and knew the steel pot had zilch for ballistic protection. About the only thing it could “save” us from was bonking our noggins while getting in and out of M113s.

 

But at least our cheeks would be clean shaven. ;-)

 

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Good buddy of mine that I rode Harleys with also raced. One day him and his racing buddies were on their way to the speedway at Parump when they got caught in one of those summer cloudbursts that lasts a couple of minutes.  Once at the track he did all the normal checks suited up and proceeded to do a few warm up laps. On the first lap, doing well north of 100 mph his bike slid out from under him in a turn and he went sliding down the track and into the wall.  Turned out that the cloud burst they drove through caused water to get trapped in the catch pan that encloses the bottom of the engine and transmission. In the turn it sloshed out and when his rear wheel hit it caused a loss of traction. 

 

Amazingly he never lost consciousness. was fully aware of everything that happened after the crash.  The EMS crew at the track removed his helmet with a saw, installed a neck brace and strapped him to a back board while a medevac chopper was called in from Vegas. On the ride to the hospital one of the crew remarked that they were surprised to see he was conscious when they learned he wrecked a bike and not a car. They told him they figured to see a broken, bloody mess. He looked at the guy and told him that was why he wore all the now ruined protective gear. and that the couple of thousand he spent on it was worth every penny. 

 

To my way of thinking wearing a helmet is not enough. You have to protect the rest of your body as well.  The best helmet in the world isn't worth squat if you only wear sandals and a speedo with it.  And yes I saw more than one doing 80 on the freeway in SoCal wearing nothing but a bathing suit, flip flops, and a $1000 helmet. :(

 

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I was militia/reserve and my "Helmet" was an Heavy & Hot

(Not me in the pics)

1024px-Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_-_Tombe_du_Soldat_inconnu.jpg

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2 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Good buddy of mine that I rode Harleys with also raced. One day him and his racing buddies were on their way to the speedway at Parump when they got caught in one of those summer cloudbursts that lasts a couple of minutes.  Once at the track he did all the normal checks suited up and proceeded to do a few warm up laps. On the first lap, doing well north of 100 mph his bike slid out from under him in a turn and he went sliding down the track and into the wall.  Turned out that the cloud burst they drove through caused water to get trapped in the catch pan that encloses the bottom of the engine and transmission. In the turn it sloshed out and when his rear wheel hit it caused a loss of traction. 

 

Amazingly he never lost consciousness. was fully aware of everything that happened after the crash.  The EMS crew at the track removed his helmet with a saw, installed a neck brace and strapped him to a back board while a medevac chopper was called in from Vegas. On the ride to the hospital one of the crew remarked that they were surprised to see he was conscious when they learned he wrecked a bike and not a car. They told him they figured to see a broken, bloody mess. He looked at the guy and told him that was why he wore all the now ruined protective gear. and that the couple of thousand he spent on it was worth every penny. 

 

To my way of thinking wearing a helmet is not enough. You have to protect the rest of your body as well.  The best helmet in the world isn't worth squat if you only wear sandals and a speedo with it.  And yes I saw more than one doing 80 on the freeway in SoCal wearing nothing but a bathing suit, flip flops, and a $1000 helmet. :(

 

Very good post.

 

I wrecked many times in the dirt. Used to ride a lot of Enduros. Was able to drive myself to the ER to get sewed up.

 

Asphalt is not so forgiving.

 

About 20 years ago I was coming home from the kid's soccer practice on a nice Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic. 4 lane road with parking on both sides. I saw a van approaching with its left blinker on. 6pm, sunny and clear. No way they would turn in front of me. Only going 35mph with my high beam on.

 

Wrong. They did. I had nowhere to go with oncoming traffic and parked cars.

 

Had to lay it down. Locked the back brake and skidded left, let the bike go and hit pavement on my right side. Tumbled for what seemed forever and came to rest sitting up (like Electraglide in Blue).

 

Lady got out her van and started yelling AT ME!!  I happened to crash in front of a biker bar, and a wave of black leather clad men and women immediately expressed their displeasure with the van driver, who was now rolling her windows up and locking her doors.

 

Firemen were awesome, many saying how they cringe when they get motorcycle crash call, but are relieved when they see the rider wearing a helmet.

 

Leather jacket that Shortcake bought me had the entire right sleeve shredded. Gouge on the right temple side of the Shoei helmet. Jeans torn on right side, leather gloves got scuffed pretty good.

 

They kept me in the hospital overnight for observation. Right shoulder is a little out of whack and weather changes remind me of that.

 

But I didn't lose a drop of blood. Was achy for a few days.

 

On the job, nobody I ever met in the ER planned on being there. So I use that rule for many things. And glad that my dad was a hard ass on me about wearing a helmet.

 

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I only owned a bike for about a year. And I fell off it one time. Bottom of the hill, left turn, sand in the road. When I leaned into the turn both wheels went out from under me.

 

Me and the bike both slid down the road a ways.

 

Bike needed a new mirror and a new foot peg, both on the left side.

 

Outside of my left boot was all scuffed up. Brand new pair of dark blue jeans were white on the outside of the left leg from my thigh to my ankle. The left sleeve of my coat looked like it had been burned from the shoulder to the elbow. And that pretty white Bell helmet was no longer either pretty or white.

 

But I got up off the road, picked the bike up, kicked it into life and rode home. Without the protective gear I do not believe I would have been able to do that. Especially as many times as that helmet bounced off the road as I went sliding down the street.

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My worst helmet experience was while I was on the Menard C.C. Tactical Unit. On a cell extraction on Death Row, the inmate hit me in the head so hard with a steel stool it broke not just the visor, but actually cracked the riot helmet I was wearing.

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57 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I have had 9 motorcycle crashes. Thank God for good helmets...and good body gear. 

Ya know, they teach classes for beginners. 

 

:ph34r: just kidding. 

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I was in when the Army switched out of the steel pot.

We all knew the steel pot wasn't very bulletproof, but man, we didn't trust that new lid at all.

Anyone remember the stories about the dropped kevlar helmets cracking? 

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3 hours ago, Hendo said:

Ya know, they teach classes for beginners. 

 

:ph34r: just kidding. 

Yeah, but do they still allow training wheels? :lol:

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6 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

I was militia/reserve and my "Helmet" was an Heavy & Hot

(Not me in the pics)

1024px-Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_-_Tombe_du_Soldat_inconnu.jpg

 At least it was only for dress. :P

 

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13 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:


Portuguese Colonial War

Rhodesian Bush War

Civil War in Chad

South African Border War

Cambodian Civil War

 

To name a few...and there were 16 year olds involved in a couple of ‘em. :P

Let me re-phrase that. I...........  oh never mind. :P

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16 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Let me re-phrase that. I...........  oh never mind. :P

:lol: I have rendered UB speechless! :lol:

 

 Not my intent, but hilarious. ;)

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Short story..Happened many moons ago [ around 50 years ]

Guy has a motorcycle accident wearing a full face helmet..was conscious & badly knocked about but appeared ok..that is untill the ambo's took his helmet off..he died soon after !

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On 8/19/2020 at 11:08 AM, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

I was militia/reserve and my "Helmet" was an Heavy & Hot

(Not me in the pics)

1024px-Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_-_Tombe_du_Soldat_inconnu.jpg

Well, it can at least be used as a bore mop. :rolleyes: 

 

BTW, what are they made of and what's the original purpose behind them? Were they ever worn in combat back in their day?

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6 hours ago, Smuteye John SASS#24774 said:

He doesn't need it. 

 

After 9 times, you'd think he'd have crashing down pat.:P

Actually, it's Pat down, crashing.

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1 hour ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

BTW, what are they made of and what's the original purpose behind them?

 

They're Aliens...They need to keep their heads warm.

 

REVIEW: Mars Attacks! Martian Ambassador | Plastic and Plush

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