non-ATGATT nephew in ICU

[HillnTx]

I'd go for the direct approach starting with are you planning to ride again and proceeding to how much do you care for your girlfriend and finishing with let me show you a couple options. First Manufacturing has some great black leather armoured cruiser style jackets and Harley even has a line of helmets.

Good luck and hope all wounds heal quickly!

 

[TPadden]

I'd go for the direct approach starting with are you planning to ride again and proceeding to how much do you care for your girlfriend....

..... at this point I'd throw you out of my house (or hospital room).

18-22 year old OK; a 32 year old never ......

 

[HillnTx]

We're all adults here Tom. Sometimes it takes a hard conversation to make the point and push past the ego. Our own pride is often our biggest obstacle.

 

[TPadden]

We're all adults here Tom.

We agree thus far .

 

[Follow]

Non opinated here, I ride a HD too and sometimes I take a putt with no helmet but I do wear one most of the time and I use a Carbon Fiber which is nice and light sometimes I forget I have it on, so since your nephew likes the novelty helmets offer to replace it, maybe he would like it replaced with the Carbon Fiber D.O.T approved. http://www.frankyfashion.com/product.aspx?pf_id=D2-GNS there are others out there including HD.

I'm glad the outcome was not worse and that he is recovering nicely.

 

[punk rocka]

We agree thus far .

 

[HillnTx]

I guess the approach really comes down to the relationship between the uncle and nephew. Sometimes headstrong young guys are more likely to listen to their uncles than their parents. When I was in my early 30's I would rather listen to my rider uncle than my non-rider parents. Everyone is different.

Martin - After he recovers and you get some 1 on 1 time, you might try just giving him a helmet and/or armoured jacket. Tell him that you realize accidents happen and that you were afraid you were going to lose him this time. You felt helpless watching him recovering in the hospital and you told yourself you would do whatever you could to minimize the chance of him getting injured like that again so you got him this protective gear and hope he will wear it in good health. Maybe it will work, if nothing else at least you made the effort.


Good Luck

 

[punk rocka]

Well, I wouldn't actually waste any money on buying the guy gear. Most gear, especially helmets, are too personal a choice to effectively guess what someone might actually use. Maybe an offer to accompany him to a local shop and buy him something after he recovers might be more appropriate. He is an adult though, so he doesn't need to "listen" to anyone. He's only going to wear gear of any kind if he actually wants to; and you can't make someone want something.

 

[Bones]

Sorry to hear about your nephew and his girlfriend. If I were in your situation, I might consider going to visit him at the hospital on my bike. Show up in his room wearing gear and holding my helmet but saying nothing about it. It's not "I told you so" but rather setting an example while being there for him as he recovers. FWIW

 

[Follow]

Nice Bones I like that..

 

[ChipSTer]

Sorry to hear about your nephew and his girlfriend. If I were in your situation, I might consider going to visit him at the hospital on my bike. Show up in his room wearing gear and holding my helmet but saying nothing about it. It's not "I told you so" but rather setting an example while being there for him as he recovers. FWIW

+1

 

[mbw919]

Sorry to hear about your nephew and his girlfriend. If I were in your situation, I might consider going to visit him at the hospital on my bike. Show up in his room wearing gear and holding my helmet but saying nothing about it. It's not "I told you so" but rather setting an example while being there for him as he recovers. FWIW

Thanks Bones! I think I'll do just that tomorrow. He's out of ICU this evening, sitting up more and visiting, but still a bit confused and doesn't remember how he came to be there.

Thanks also to everyone else for your comments, prayers, and suggestions. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he will always make his own choices and probably wouldn't appreciate me telling him what to do. If the future ever presents an opportunity to discuss gear with him, I'll do so diplomatically. But I'll let him bring up the subject.

A little history: He started riding dirt bikes at 6 years old and seemed to have a natural talent for it, just like his dad. When he was a little older I rode dirt bikes with him and he always wore all the gear. He knew it was the right thing to do and also thought it looked cool. As a young adult, he rode a Honda Magna and wore good gear. He also rode snowmobiles and wore good gear. Now he's heavily into the Harley image scene and I fear peer pressure dictates his choice of gear, just like his dad. What's an uncle to do....

 

[Silver Bullet]

Sorry about the accident, but glad to see he is mending ! Don,t know if you will get him to come on board with the gear , but maybe this incident will sway him your way , one can only hope , Good luck !

MIKE

 

[Avtrician]

Perhaps point out that the girlfriends injuries could have been prevented. Once she is dressed in protective clothing (if she will get on the bike again), she may be able to persuade him..

Hope they both recover fully soon..

 

[mbw919]

Martin,
A year ago last June while ATGATT I too suffered multiple skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, swelling of the brain and 4 days in an ICU "step down unit". I walked out of the hospital on day 5 and for 2 weeks prayed for the headache to just go away.

I was back to work again in 2 weeks and riding again in 8 weeks. While I do see some long term (and probably permanent) affects of the brain injury I received, they are very minimal and simply are not serious. I am now in the 3rd year of a PhD program, this accident did not terminate my rather lofty educational goals.

My point is 2 fold....1.) people do recover form this type of serious brain injury and, 2.) I was ATGATT when I crashed the bike. I cracked my skull in several locations while wearing a 2 month old Nolan N103 full faced helmet. The ATGATT saved me from any missing skin and any other significant injuries, but it didn't save me the head injury!

Karen,

I remember your incident well and followed your progress here on the forum. I even mentioned it to his parents last night, simply in an attempt to offer an example of a positive recovery. He's also having pretty bad headaches but is now eating normally and in better spirits. He can't wait to get home and see his 8 week old lab puppy that's currently staying with us.

No one on this planet really knows if the outcome would have been different if he had worn a helmet designed to absorb some of the blow, or if you had not worn a good helmet. It's all just part of the risks we take riding motorcycles.

Martin

 

[t-bone]

From one gander to another,I know exactly what your talking about, I get made fun on sometime,s when I ride into work and take my riding pants off. I ran into a harley rider staying at the same hotel in Mancelona when me and my best friend were touring Petoskey,Traverse and Charlevoix, this guy wears it from head to toe including the bright green jacket, he took one spill and that was enough for him, July 16 to 19 we were in this area , next time maybe we,ll hook-up. I usually ride with my wife.

 

[skyboybry]

Never met a mom that would stop at just motorcycle gear .....

Things you will never hear a mom say:

1. "Son, what you really need is a motorcycle".

My mom does, but she rides, too.

 

[STPaulK]

Martin,
A year ago last June while ATGATT I too suffered multiple skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, swelling of the brain and 4 days in an ICU "step down unit". I walked out of the hospital on day 5 and for 2 weeks prayed for the headache to just go away.

I was back to work again in 2 weeks and riding again in 8 weeks. While I do see some long term (and probably permanent) affects of the brain injury I received, they are very minimal and simply are not serious. I am now in the 3rd year of a PhD program, this accident did not terminate my rather lofty educational goals.

My point is 2 fold....1.) people do recover form this type of serious brain injury and, 2.) I was ATGATT when I crashed the bike. I cracked my skull in several locations while wearing a 2 month old Nolan N103 full faced helmet. The ATGATT saved me from any missing skin and any other significant injuries, but it didn't save me the head injury!

You don't think the helmet had anything to do with the fact you walked out of the hospital in 5 days and were able to continue your doctorate program?

 

[TPadden]

You don't think the helmet had anything to do with the fact you walked out of the hospital in 5 days and were able to continue your doctorate program?

You don't think riding a motorcycle had anything to do with the fact she was in the hospital in the first place?

We'll have to ask Kempo which comes first: bacon or egg?

 

[STPaulK]

You don't think riding a motorcycle had anything to do with the fact she was in the hospital in the first place?

We'll have to ask Kempo which comes first: bacon or egg?

Could have slipped and fell in the shower and banged her head. The helmet would have been better there than without too.

But thanks for belittling my point, which was that despite the head injury Karen sustained with the helmet, her chances of having a functional brain (or life) would have been completely diminished without the helmet. But you already knew this, right?