Need Help With a Friend

[motogp08]

Guys, i just started thinking because more and more of you are either "God forbid," having accidents, and talking about them.

A friend of mine from Church rides a hardly-ableson, and doesn't wear a helmet.

Now here's the best part! He's HAD an ACCIDENT before! I guess the story goes that he or he and a group of his buddies were cruising down the highway on their bikes and he went to pass a semi. Well, it didn't GO so WELL.

I'm kinda foggy on the specifics, but he ended up hitting a semi, "not wearing sh!t for gear," and it really messed him up.

He's got facial scarring all over, "still looks okay," but you can tell he's had an accident.

I guess some people NEVER learn. I don't know how to try and convince him to wear his gear, he had that accident and was up walking around in about 3 days so i hear.

He's a 40+ year old man, and i don't know what to do. I want him to wear his gear, but don't know how to try and convince him. "All out of cookies..."

What do you guys think?

I'd feel terrible if anything happened before i said anything, so what should i do?

 

[big coop]

Pray for him.

 

[reiny]

You can lead a horse to the water ......BUT you can't make him drink!

 

[dangerous dave]

if he cant pass a semi without wreaking then he needs more than gear . ,dont worry about what others wear.
In the harley culture the helmets are said to break your neck if you fall off .Hows that for stupid ?

 

[djorgensen3]

My father was hit from behind by a person going well in excess of the speed limit at 65mph. My father was only going 15 as he was trying to go around someone trying to turn. Needless to say my father never wears gear. He rides a Roadstar and in the accident the bike flipped a few times smashing my fathers shoulder to bits. He now has a steel prosthetic "bone and ball" in his right shoulder. He still doesn't wear gear. So just pray for your friend everyday and accept his choice.

 

[Burger King]

How many people wear their seatbelts? Since its legal, a lot of people around here that drive a truck or SUV don't wear them even though they know it could save their life. Hell, back before seatbelt laws most people didn't wear them even after a bad wreck. It just wasn't the normal thing to do.
It's the same with the motorcycle crowd. If you ride with a bunch of people who don't wear helmets then you are much less likely to ride with one, accidents or not.

He's a grown man and can choose to do as he pleases and the law allows.

If I were you I would tell him your concern for his safety and leave it at that. If he is a man he will thank you for saying something but ultimately it's his choice.

 

[Bird Hunter]

Tell him one time how you feel about the gear and then leave it alone.. Then go on and ask him if he has no objections to you taking out a life insurance policy on him, with you as the beneficiary.. It may sound bad but hey you tried to help, and you should be getting your bike AND full gear in short order from the sounds of it...

 

[Revolution]

just let him know you're a concerned riding/church brother and the benefits of riding gear. the rest is up to him.

 

[Bird Hunter]

Tell him one time how you feel about the gear and then leave it alone.. Then go on and ask him if he has no objections to you taking out a life insurance policy on him, with you as the beneficiary.. It may sound bad but hey you tried to help, and you should be getting your bike AND full gear in short order from the sounds of it...

The last comment I made was harsh and I regret it.. Just sick and tired of hearing about people not wearing their gear ESPECIALLY after a crash... I hope he changes his mind about it before it is too late..

 

[proud dad]

moto some people will never get it.I know a guy that is alive today because Indiana use to have helmet laws.He'll tell you a piece of leather over your head is just as good or better than a helmet.

He's totaled 5 bikes when he was young and still says helmets are junk.[had helmet on at every wreck].

Blames his neck problems cause of the helmets.I'm sure those 5 wrecks had nothing to do with it

 For the last 20+ years he's been on a 45 rwhp harley and never wrecked it.I guess he can't handle power.

 

[DaCol.]

He probably thinks  

those facial scars

 are a Harley badge of Honor

 !
At 40, he's probably influenced more by his riding buddies than you or what YOU say

. Their (his harley buddies) opinions of him mean more than safty. Kinda like

, LOUD pipes saves lives

, or he Died doing what he loved

, like than makes it all right to do STUPID THINGS

.

 

[Procharger]

loud pipes dont save lives A helmet and proper gear does..

 

[Supergank1]

i think birdhunter has got it right ..all you can do is tell him how you feel , maybe tell him you won`t ride with him if he doesn`t wear a helmet?? i won`t ride around the block without a helmet!! a friend of mine had a son that received multiple seat belt tickets so he took him on a trip to the dc morgue for a look at what could happen?? haven`t heard of him getting anymore tickets..

 

[georgiabusa_05]

Just tell him how you feel, then the choice is his, you did your part.

 

[BigmanZ]

If the subject ever comes up, just tell him you'll be "praying for his family" and leave it at that.

 

[motogp08]

Well, luckily he's not a "close" friend. He's more than a friendly aquaintance, but a little less than a good friend.

But i'd still hate to see him get hurt on his bike again. And it p1sses me off that he doens't wear his gear, ESPECIALLY because he knows what a bad accident is all about.

Don't worry Bird Hunter, you weren't too harsh, i honestly don't think he's very smart either. He just didn't learn a d@mn thing from his accident.

I wish there was more i could do for him, but since he's not a "close" friend, i guess mentioning it is the best i can do.

Thanks for all the suggs. guys. I feel a little better now.

"The horse to water was a nice comparison, thank you for that!"

I really appreciate my busa family, i'm SOOOO glad i came to this board.

Thanks a LOT everyone!

 

[MPH 200]

Pray for him, & don't ride behind him.

 

[Gunnybusa]

I hope God put's his blessings upon him and protects him.

 

[twotonevert]

I hope God put's his blessings upon him and protects him.

+1

 

[rc51ny]

At 40 years old, there's probably nothing you can say that will change his mind. I'm sure he knows your fellings on the gear thing. Just let him know you're not in the mood to be looking for a new friend when he's gone!