Oy!
Can't we just go to the archives for this? Actually, I have some fresh perspective. My racing teammate and good buddy, Tim whacked his head GOOD in the Riverside turn at Buttonwillow last October. He was unconcious for 6 weeks, and is now in rehab. He's pretty scrambled up, and it's up in the air how much closer to normal he'll get.
If he hadn't been wearing a helmet, there would have been brains all over that track. No doubt. I mean, the shell is de-laminated and the EPS liner is noticeably crushed. Sure, it transmitted a lot of shock to his brain. But not enough to kill him, and it doesn't take a lot of G's to the brain to destroy it. Helmets aren't perfect, but until something better comes along, it's the bare minumum of protection every operator of motorcycle-like vehicle should wear. I mean, it's your freakin' brain! It takes so very little to injure it, and such a tiny injury to change your life forever. Ladies and Gentlemen, as exhibit A, I give you: Gary Busey.
Now, that said, should "the man" tell us we should wear it? Well, news for you, folks, there is no "the man." Unless there are big fat corporate interests invloved, it's the voters, working through their elected representatives, that make the decisions. And I think most Californians want their motorcyclists wearing helmets.
I can't say that for a fact, but I'll bet $100 that at least 50.1% of the voters in this state want us to wear helmets. And as long as the majority doesn't trample on any SERIOUS liberties, I'm really OK with it.
Yes, I do have a squinty-eyed Jap bike. (Thank God!)