I have seen alot of rollover videos and the one thing that they all have in common is no helmet. I'll be honest I have rolled so many times that I feel like I'm pushing my luck. I am going to start wearing one on the scary steep hills. Probably should on all of them. I have done a little racing with my buggy and had to wear one, I hardly noticed it.
So what do you guys think, am I becoming a pussy? Or maybe I've always been a puss and I'm just coming to terms with it.
Dean

It is a matter of choices. We all probably should wear them on some of the more extreme hills. It would be safer. It's a matter of personal choice. The first choice would be if you have the balls to climb that nasty looking hill while you are sitting there at the bottom sizing it all up. Second choice would be what are the odds of making it up safely. Third choice would be the risk involved to your personal safety. Most of the time you don't even consider the third. As we get older, these things get thought about more and more. I don't do the extreme stuff as much as I used to in the old days. I still like a challenge but I do know my limits and my buggies limits.
I choose not to wear the helmet. That is the risk I am willing to take. I am in control of my actions and know my skill level. Experience lets me make better choices. Everyone makes mistakes and if I make one and flip over or have a severe wreck, it is because I made a poor choice or a major mistake and I will live with that.
Racing wheel to wheel is different. You don't have control over the other drivers actions. A helmet would be a must in a situation like this. Mostly always mandated anyhow.

My 2 cents....

I would say that in a buggy with good seat belts (mounted and used properly)and no helmet that you are safer climbing a hill than any motorcycle, quad, or jeep doing the same with a helmet on.
But I can see a few good reasons to wear a helmet. In my experiences with rolls and wrecks offroad, the majority of injuries I recieved were from the passenger not holding on to the grab bar and ending up hiting or elboing me in the face. A helmet sure would have helped there.
But I think the reason I will probably wear a helmet is my family. They depend alot on me (well maybe more the money that I make) and it would put alot of stress on them if I was not able to work for a while due to a head injury, not to mention the bills that go along with that.
I probably wont wear it all the time. But I know when Im getting ready to do something dangerous (or stupid depends on whos looking at it) and I can put it on then. Its not alot of money for something that if nothing else will give you alot of peice of mind.

I'm starting to wear one after multiple rolls, only when I get nasty though. Some of the guy's we ride with at Turkey Bay wear them on the nasties too.

So, no, Dean, I don't think you're a pussy at all!

-Blake

Dean , the pussies are the ones who sit at the bottom going "IF I had a buggy like that, I could climb that , too". Wish I had a nickel every time I heard that. I even said it myself when I was starting out. Didnt take me long to figure out its 75% driver at least. Somebody like Charlie could get in most guys buggies and put them in places the owner couldnt get to with a helicopter!

There is nothing at all wrong with wearing a helmet. I agree with Roy that it is a matter of personal choice, but you have to consider the repurcussions (sp) of you dying or being severely hurt in your buggy. What all it does to the hobby in general, let alone those you leave behind. Causes places to close. You cant tell me when whoever was lobbying to shut down Livingston, they didnt use the death rate as leverage. Buggies, four wheelers or whatever, tree huggers see em the same. The few times I've seen buggy riders wear one, I immediately have more respect for them. Probably because it makes me think they have a brain that is worth protecting. If the guy (Bobby) I told you all about had've been wearing a helmet, the doctors say he would have most likely walked away. Granted, he is an extreme example because supposedly he wasnt wearing his shoulders, but the only thing that hurt him was when he busted a big tree sideways at the end of his 8 barrel rolls, his tree bar, caved in and he hit his head on the tree. I'm getting mine ASAP. Gonna paint it up to match my snot-rocket buggy (my boy nick-named it!) and let my sons draw on it, then clear over it!

Larry

After my last roll and severe concussion I am looking into getting one to wear. My son wears his no matter what if he's riding with me. He rode once without a helmet since I have owned the buggy.

The Wild Kids

Same goes for my kids. Good job.

Larry

I will be wearing one also when I start climbing bad shit again. It has made me think about it, I always want to live to climb another day.

i was on a powerline once and turned around in head high weeds. just crawlin along, when i got cradled between two thigh high boulders (one in front and one in back). i got out, lifted the front and turned the buggy 90degrees to get uncradled. i got back in (helmet on) but didn't belt up yet. started to drive around the Boulder and WHAM! i was nose into a waist deep ditch (remember, the weeds were head high so i couldn't see it) my helmet hit the overhead bar so hard it cracked and ruined the helmet. better than my head. point is, helmet and belts! id rather be a "pussy" than "vegetable", or worse. i have kids too.

I dont wear a helmet however I plan on making my kids wear one in the new buggy. Does anyone know of a good place to find a helmet for a 3 and a 5 yr old?

I had to order my sons. Went to a CycleGear shop to order it. Was only $37 for his, I am in the process of finding one for myself to wear. Good luck finding one for the kids, mine won't ride unless he has it on no matter how far we are going.

The Wild Kids

Go to ebay and search for it. Also most atv shops carry them for kids.