marksuttonjr ("helmut" thread)

[bluebyu]

Could someone please throw some bleach in the gene pool?

I am convinced that wearing a helmet saves lives, and reduces the chance of brain damage. That being said, it is obvious from reading Mark's other posts that he does not wear a helmet.


Please don't anyone try to convince Mark to wear one...........

[toby400ex]

yeah duh:huh

[AtvMxRider]

:huh WTF are you talking about?

[marksuttonjr]

I never said that helmets don't save a few lives, but I am convinced from my experience that they can also take lives. I do wear a helmet when it is required, and when it is cold but 30% to 40% of the time when I wear one I end out throwing it off the side of the trail jumping off the quad while still in motion and pucking. I also get a realy bad headach almost every time I put a helmet on. I do own several helmets that are suposed to be the rite size, but the one I wear most of the time when I am wearing one is a medium KBC TK-X my head measures rite at 23 inches so this is suposed to be the rite size. This is the only helmet that doesn't give me a headach every time I put it on, but I still get headachs fairly often when I wear it. Also if you can see the sides of the eye port the helmet is cutting down on your peripheral vision and I could see the sides with every helmet that has ever been on my head. I don't have a problem with other people wearing helmets IF it makes them feal safer but it doesn't make me feal a bit safer when I wear one. I put my fate in the hands of GOD every day with everything I do and when he decides it is my time to die or get seriously injured there is no safty equipment that can or will change that. I think it should be up to each person weather they wear a helmet or not, but at certain riding areas it isn't. I still ride at a few of these areas, but not as often as IU would if helmets weren't required. I'm not trying to make anyone not wear their helmet, but I would like it if you guys wouldn't flame me for making my decisionas I have and for trusting the good lords decisions on what happens by trying to hide from what he dishes out to me with"safety equipment".

[marksuttonjr]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
:huh WTF are you talking about?

Here is a copy of the poast they are talking about and now that I've posted it in this thread they will probably lock, or deleat it as soon as they read it...

NO HELMET IN THE PIC IT GETS DELEATED THAT IS SOOOO ANAL

I guess that none of my pics will ever be posted on here because I refuse to wear a helmet when it isn't colder than #### or where they are required. For a few reasons

1. I have lost 2 friends in ATV ATC craches one was on a 1985 Honda 250ES Big Red the other was on a 2001 Honda Rancher both bikes I know own and refuse to let anyone else ride NEITHER OF THEM COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED BY A HELMET IN FACT ACORDING TO THE DR'S THE ONE THAT LIVED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK AFTER THE CRASH WOULD HAVE HAD HIS HEAD RIPPED OFF WHEN THE RACK SLID UP FROM BELOW HIS SHOULDERS TO HIS NECK which might have been easier on the ones of us who were not along for the ride that day, but can you immagin what the 3 guys that were with him would have gone through for the rest of their lives after seeing a buddy with his head gone lying on the ground in a helmet at least the way it happened they won't have to live with quite as grousom of a picture of their frind stuck in their heads

2. Every time I ride where they are required and it's not below freezing I get a realllly bad headach and usualy get sick

3. They Impair your peripheral vision making it MORE dangerous to ride

4. WHEN IT IS YOUR TIME TO DIE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE WEATHER YOU ARE ON A QUD WITH A HELMET, ON A QUAD WITHOUT A HELMET, AT HOME IN BED ASLEEP, SITTING @ YOUR COMPUTER ON THE NET, AT WORK, point being you can be killed reguardless of safety the precausions you take

NEED I SAY MORE????? I do have plenty more reasons, but I don't expect this post to stay on here long

If you feel safer wearing a helmet that is your choice and it is fine, but I don't feal a bit safer having one on

Also I don't care if this post gets deleated as long as a few people get to see it and understand where I am coming from saying I HATE HELMETS

[JOEX]

Please don't take any of this as a flame...I'm just stating my opinion as you did yours.....

1. Your friends would have died with or without a helmet...You can't use this argument against wearing a helmet...it's a moot point...sure it may have been more traumatic to the others but the helmet wouldn't have changed the result of the victim.

2. Your headaches may be a physcological symptom due to your "hatred" of wearing a helmet....only you can fix that.

3. I agree that you loose some periphial vision with a helmet and more with goggles...but you don't loose enough to be unsafe...learn to turn your head...look ahead and plan your route.

4. It's your choice to put your faith in a supierior being. But you can minimize the smaller injuries. I've hit my head on low branches many times and was glad I was wearing a helmet every time.



Hemets protect many, many, many more times than they hurt.

Joe

[marksuttonjr]

Joe
I'll take your post as what it as your openion and I RESPECT THAT, but a lot of these guys are straight out flaming me for my decision and thats bull $#$#. If you know what I mean. As for the headachs I don't know you might be rite, but I didn't mind wearing a helmet when I started riding 17 or 18 years ago and I got headachs then. I figured that it was from all of the bouncing around until I rode without a helmet a few times and didn't get a headach. The getting sick didn't start until I was 15 and started riding a moped thats when I went to full face when I wore a helmet and thats when I started getting sick and pucking. And My friends are dead nothing will ever change that several people say helmets would have saved them, but those people don't know that neither of them had any injuries to the head. They only had seriously broken necks and serious internal injuries that proved to be fatal. I also agree with what you said about how to corect the problem of losing some peripheral vision, and thats exactly how I deal with it when I wear a helmet.
As I've said several times already I don't think that people should be required to wear a helmet IF they don't want to. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone who wears their helmet all of the time. I just want to try to get them to understand why I chose not to when it isn't required and not dis me for my choice.

[JOEX]

Yes people flame...that is part of this internet thing...it's easy to talk smack through a keyboard...I try to ignore it, though not always successfully;)

Headaches...They could be physical to...not enough oxygen, too much carbon dioxide...exhaust fumes get trapped inside. You might want to see a doctor about this..you might just be more sensitive to this.

A helmet would have no effect on the outcome of your friends' accidents....that is why I said you can't use that as an argument against wearing a helmet.

I personnally don't ride with people who don't wear helmets...Yes, I have ridden without a helmet, up and down the driveway/street..putting around, but when "really" riding, I always wear a helmet....It's about minimizing the chance for injury...I don't want to have to take someone to the hospital for a bump on the head and lose riding time;)

You are entitled to your opinions and choices...I respect that as well...

Good Luck, Joe

[Bean]

lay off him you guys, its his head not yours, let him kill it the way he wants to

[Sportrax10]

Also im not sure about the helmet that you use, and im probibly wrong but I can not wear a cheap helmet or it bothers me. I need a helmet that fits right and is comfortable. Have you tried any other helmet brands? Not saying your helmet is not good.

[nuttynewt]

Mark Sutton... I can not believe that you don't wear a helmet, especially after losing two friends to ATV related accidents. My opinion (and that's what it is, an opinion) is that if I went through the experiences you have witnessed I would not even get on my quad without a helmet and full protective gear. I think that everyone knows that getting injured/killed is a risk we take for riding and racing atvs. It is asinine to think that there are people out there who refuse to wear a helmet and other protective gear. If helmets do not save lives, then:

Why does every state owned/funded riding area enforce the "no helmet" rule?

Why does every race promotor and the insurance company covering the event enforce the "no helmet" rule?

Why does most, if not all (I will not say all only because I do not know this for a fact) privately owned ATV riding areas (Haspin Acres, Lawrence County Recreation Park, and Badlands here in central Indiana) require you to wear a helmet?

Why does every ATV manufacturer state that you should not ride their ATVs without a helmet?

Why is millions of dollars invested to ensure the quality of helmets (i.e. DOT and Snell 2000 certified)?

Why will anyone (or 99%+) who races ATVs tell you that they will not ride without a helmet?

Simple. BECAUSE THEY WORK. I'm not trying to start a flame war, but if you don't want to wear a helmet, fine. It's you head and your life. But please don't post your ignorant and moronic opinions on this board. Before you start whining, let me explain my reasoning. Rule #6 (the no picture without a helmet) is there to promote both safety and a good image to EXRIDERS.COM. There are anti-ATV groups out there that feed off of ignorant people that aren't responsible enough to take care of themselves, and it in turn gives us ALL a bad image. Personally, I think that your post should have been deleted as soon as it was put on.

As far as your statement about God goes, have you ever heard the saying "God helps those who help themselves"? It would be my bet that if you would ever see God riding his ATV he'd be wearing a helmet.

Happy trails to you, and I hope I don't run across you when you're laying on the trail with a dent in your head.

[MSL]

This post is useless it needs to be deleted.

this is just what i want my kid to read some dumbass trying to convince people that its safer without a helmet.

there are always people that think its safer without safety equipment and they try and think up chit to try a justify there
reasons. To not wear a helmet is just plain stupid.

:grr

[yellowex01]

why does he have to justify his opinions? How many people on here where their helmet when riding the quad but not on the street bike? Whats the difference? I know alot of riders that swear by their riding gear on the quad, but put them on their street bike and the shirts come off, no helmet and shorts.. Go figure.. If he doesnt want to wear a helmet its all good....

[marksuttonjr]

Just for the record I do have sevear chronic bronchitus and some other respiratory problems SO I SHOULDN"T BE DOING MY 2 FAVORITE THINGS which are riding and hunting. I'm sure that my main dificulties caused by a helmet are because of this and the gasses that a helmet traps. To the ones of you who don't think that I should have to attempt to justify my decision THANKS I APRECIATE IT A LOT. Also I want to ad that most of my riding gets done on county roads while drinking a beer so I'm usualy moving 15 to 20mph where I don't have to wory about anything except a Conservation Officer who doesn't like me. This should be enought to get everyone who is flaming me to understand why I defended myself withe the reasons that I posted and maybe get you guys off of my back for stating my openion of god being more powerful than any safty equipment could ever be.

Newt
I would say that by noy you have figured out who I am and if not I'll give you a few hints I graduated from VU 1 semester after you and I worked in the Teck Center with you shortly after that. I was a contractor on the PPM project. Send me a PM if you know who I am and maybe You can go with my riding group on my next trip to LBL. I do wear a helmet thetre because it is required so you won't have to wory about me not wearing one there. You will have to wory about me when the helmet flys off, the quad leases the trail, and I jump off to puke, but thats no real big deal. Maybe by then I'll have an R, but I've been looking at 2003 400EX's and I might get one of themn instead. I haven't decided yet.

[wheeltrax]

you ride and drink a beer at the same time.. while not wearing a helmet?!

[4punksdad]

Originally posted by wheeltrax
you ride and drink a beer at the same time.. while not wearing a helmet?!


:huh :o :p :p :o

[marksuttonjr]

Originally posted by wheeltrax
you ride and drink a beer at the same time.. while not wearing a helmet?!

Yes I do. I'm not going to defend what I do either. The only thin I'll say is that if you are going to jump all over me for this you realy need to jump all over the guys on here talking about smoking a bowl while riding. There are several of them and I haven't once seen anyone flame them for talking about it like everyone is me for not wearing a helmet, or drinking and riding. At least what I'm doing is legal here in Indiana as long as I don't blow over .04 on the P.B.T. while having the open can in my hand, or .08 If I don't dave an open can. If you got a bowl of weed you aint legal anywhere in the US

[nuttynewt]

Newt
I would say that by noy you have figured out who I am and if not I'll give you a few
hints I graduated from VU 1 semester after you and I worked in the Teck Center
with you shortly after that. I was a contractor on the PPM project. Send me a PM
if you know who I am and maybe You can go with my riding group on my next trip
to LBL. I do wear a helmet thetre because it is required so you won't have to wory
about me not wearing one there. You will have to wory about me when the helmet
flys off, the quad leases the trail, and I jump off to puke, but thats no real big deal.
Maybe by then I'll have an R, but I've been looking at 2003 400EX's and I might get
one of themn instead. I haven't decided yet.

Yeah, I think I might know who you are now. My neighbor still has his bad-*** R if you think you're man enough to try to buy and ride it. Next time you go to LBL let me know, I might try to get a few together to go down that way. We ride pretty fast, though. I don't think that rancher would hang, unless you've got it tuned for high performance.

[marksuttonjr]

I might be interested in your neighbors R. How much did you tell me that he was asking? Can you send me any pics so I don't have to take a drive to Columbus before I can see it? I was looking at R's that were closer, but haven't found one that didn't need the motor rebuilt yet. My next trip to LBL will be a few days the 1st week of April. Thats when my sisters boy friend and all of his buddies are on spring break so I'm taking them down. Probably after that I'll make 3 more trips down this year. On in Oct. then Memorial day and labor day weekends. No my Rancher probably won't hang with you, but I'm looking at every R that I can find close, and might just go with a brand new 400 EX if I don't find an R relatively soon. Just PM me about the R. Also we can try to work out a trip to LBL.

[nuttynewt]

I don't use them PM's.

My neighbor was asking $4000 for it. It has works triple rate shocks on the front and a Magura hydraulic clutch, Holeshot tires, a new DID X-ring chain, AC front bumper and full skid plates underneath and other stuff. ZAPS rebuilt the motor like two years ago. It's scary fast. He wants to sell it and buy a new Predator.

I don't have any pics of it, nor do I have a digital camera, but I might be able to borrow one off of a buddy and snap some pics. If not, you could give me your address and I could send you some pics in the mail.

I've never been down to LBL, but a few of us were talking about going down there sometime this year. I'd like to check it out.

[marksuttonjr]

Newt

LBL is prety cool, but you run in to a lot of other riders. There is this one guy that I've talked to every time that I've been down there that has feet at his knees and not the botom part of his legs. He rides a Z 400 that is prety tricked out and modified where only a person with his physical disibility could ride. He is prety cool. Last time we went down there were 36 of us that camped together most of them worked with my father, and a few of them race their 400 ex's they should be back down there in our group on Labor day, and the Oct. trip. The April trip with my sisters boyfriend will mainly be mud riders who are all getting ready to graduate high school so that trip wouldn't be one for you and your budies to come along for unless you want to split up into 2 or 3 groups. Thats what we do when the group gets too big anyway. The best trips are the ones with the guys that work with my dad because the food is a lot cheaper, but my trp in April should be free except my $45 season pass because I have suckered them into buying everything else including my gas unless the group gets larger than what is expected at this time. One of the guys who works with dadf has a brother in law that owns a meat locker so he brings prety well all of the food. I just take my quad, helmet, wiskey, beer, pop, cloths, whatever dad thinks he will need for the trip, and other misc. small items necessary for those trips and pay him for the food. It usualy only costs $15 to $20 for food for 3 days on those trips. If you and a few buddies decide to go for a weekend like that I'll need to know in advance so dad can tell him how many people are going so he can get enough food. Also I'll let you know exact dates for these trips because the dates could change due to other riding trips that guys in the group take. I had a hard time getting in on the riding group because dad quit riding back in 1991 after the guy got killed on the 250 Big Red we have, but after I got him to go to Moccasin Gap in Arkansas he was hoked on riding again and baught a utility quad so he doesn't have to ride a 3 wheeler, so if you do go along for one of the riding trips with me PLEASE don't say anything about anyone getting killed in an ATV accident or I might be out of this group of riders again and have to ride alone.
If you can get a buddies digital cam just e-mail me some pics of the quad at marksuttonjr@netscape.net