Biker Group Again Seeks to Make Helmets Optional in Mich.

May 24, 2007

  • May 25, 2007 at 12:00 pm
    Mark says:
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    Way back when I was in driver\’s training my teacher told us that you can hold a pencil up and it will block you from seeing an oncoming motorcycle. Even with the headlights, that is still the case.
    I agree that right of way violations are a problem, but I don\’t know that any amount of education will ever change that.
    The fact that people pull out in front of semis shows that this is not an education item.
    Helmets do save lives, and there will always be stupid drivers on the road. Cell phone useage has made it worse.

  • May 25, 2007 at 12:37 pm
    RustyBongard says:
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    Mark and Auntie,
    I would venture a guess that if a fine and penalty of severe enough consequence were in place for right of way violations even the dumbest drivers would start looking. This would be of benefit to the dumb car drivers getting themselves smucked by trucks, and certainly a benefit to us motorcyclists.
    AAA does not insure or offer insurance to motorcyclists. Does this not make you wonder why the are the leader of anti-freedom of choice endeavors all across the country? Why would they be concerned about motorcyclists heads? Could it be they are more concerned about their costs for Car Drivers hitting us?
    Once again: ITS NOT ABOUT THE UTILITY OF HELMETS, ITS ABOUT THE FUTILITY OF HELMET LAWS. I encourage anyone that will be in a risky riding environment to wear a good helmet. I do. I will continue too. This is not just a question of adult choice. It is a stand against the Governor, backed by the Insurance Industry, refusing to create a program for Motorcylist Safety that is meaningful and effective.

  • May 25, 2007 at 12:47 pm
    Tom Lynch says:
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    John – I understand that you\’ve paid into MCCA (Michigan\’s catastrophic claim fund), but let me suggest 2 things you may not know: First – If you collide with a car (not a tree) and it\’s your fault or not, it\’s the car driver\’s insurance company that pays that first $350,000. The car driver pays for that in his or her premium; Second – Insurance companies are charged very big money by MCCA every year to fund the amount it pays in excess of $350,000. Car drivers pay for that, too, in their premiums.

    One last point – Head injuries are the costliest form of injury to treat, by far. It\’s only sound public policy and good economic sense to require that motorcyclists wear helmets when they ride, especially if other citizens are going to have to foot the lion\’s share of costs when crashes occur.

  • May 26, 2007 at 12:51 pm
    RustyBongard says:
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    (Last week, in a New York Times Op Ed entitled \”Coming Clean,\” former New York lieutenant governor Betsy McCaughey noted that due to poor hygiene, hospital infections in the United States kill an estimated 103,000 patients every year. That is, the failure of hospitals to enforce cleanliness rules evidently results in the annual death of more patients in this country than AIDS, breast cancer, and auto accidents combined.)
    Please, can we get our priorities in order?
    How much would it cost the State of Michigan to require Automobile Drivers Training Courses to include Motorcycles as part of the training curriculum?
    How much would it cost the State of Michigan to reprint the license renewal tests to include several comprehensive questions on driving with and around motorcyles?
    How much would it cost the State of Michigan to enact a serious fine and penalty for right of way violations that kill or injure motorcyclists?
    The answer is very little financial cost.
    Economically the gains to the State of Michigan Citizens would be immense.
    An independent consulting firm, (Michigan Consultants) estimates an annual Tourism increase of 53.9 million dollars, New sales and accessory increases of 500 million dollars (motorcycle industry),and over 2700 new jobs between tourism and sales with a helmet law repeal. All of the great lakes states with the exception of Michigan are helmet choice. It is a fact that Michigan is a tremendous resource for motorcycle touring, particularly the Upper Peninsula. It is a shame Michigan is not motorcyle friendly. Many of us leave the state to ride and spend our free time and money. Most out of state riders avoid our state. Michigan should be embracing the motorcyle touring phenomenom which has skyrocketed across our country with a fervor. The Upper Peninsula is being robbed of a huge financial boon that they NEED. The summer months in the Upper Peninsula which has the roads, eateries, and casinos already in place for fall deer hunters and winter snowmobilers would find motorcyclists to be the perfect summer resource, that would have little impact on their roads, the wildlife, or be a negative intrusion upon the other seasonal activities.
    It is dereliction of duty to the taxpayeres and citizens of Michigan to forgoe this Economic gain. Just for the sake of AAA who neither insures nor offers to insure motorcyclists.
    Annually Michigan Motorcyclist deaths form crashes is less than half of deaths attributable to pedestrians.
    Bottom line: The UnAmerican, Unfair, Unworthwhile, Mandatory Helmet law has to go. A meaningful and comprehensive program to strikingly decrease motorcycle crashes has to be implemented. The result will be very economically salient for Michigan residents, and ultimately prove to be the best course for reducing not only head injuries but the whole vast field of paralysis, limb loss, blunt force trauma injuries, and severe othopedic injuries that helmets do not protect us from anyway.
    This is clear to the vast majority of Representatives and Senators in Michigan. It was clear to them last year also. The only reason Michigan still is not doing the right thing, is because our Governor refuses to listen to anyone but her financial backers, the Insurance Industry.

  • May 25, 2007 at 1:18 am
    Outsider says:
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    Just a quick question: are there any real benefits of not wearing a helmet, other than personal comfort and choice? And if there shouldn\’t be a manditory helmet law, should there also not be a manditory seatbelt law? I personally can\’t get into a car without putting one on, it\’s like closing the door of the car when I get in: it\’s just automatic and wouldn\’t think of driving without one. Sometimes it\’s slightly uncomfortable, but I would never think of driving or riding in a car without one. I also completely understand why I should wear it: it saves lives. But, as of yet, I have yet to be in an instance where wearing a seatbelt would have benefitted me at all. This does not change that I will always wear one. Granted, a seatbelt in a car will help you a lot more than a helmet on a motorcycle if you were to run into the side of another car doing 60 mph, but wouldn\’t the potential benefits of wearing a helmet outweigh the potential benefits of not wearing one?

    Yes, the better answer to safety for motorcycle riders would be better education AND better drivers overall. The only thing with more education and more training is that it costs money, and anybody that lives in Michigan knows just how our economy is here. Now, this is not the \”right\” answer for not doing these obviously benefitial things, but it is the reality. So, in the mean time, wouldn\’t it be better to have SOME additional requirements of motorcycle riders (helmet) as opposed to nothing? There are always going to be stupid drivers, because there will always be stupid people, sad to say. Even people with the highest amount of training in driving still have accidents/incidents, whether it be somebody else\’s fault or just a momentary lapse as humans occasionally have. No, a helmet isn\’t a 100% cure-all for motorcycle rider safety, maybe not even 20%. But if you take 100 motorcycle accidents and wearing a helmet saves 5 from death or permanent injury, seems like it would be benefitial.

    I know this wasn\’t necessarily a question of if helmets help or not, more of an argument for a more comprehensive training program that would be more effective. I just think the reality of the situation here (and elsewhere probably) is the money isn\’t there. It shouldn\’t be the reason, but I fear that it is and will continue to be. In the mean time, making people wear helmets is probably the best bet we have going for now.

  • May 25, 2007 at 3:25 am
    John says:
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    I\’m very aware of your first point. 2 good friends of mine have collected big time. They were hit head on by an elderly gentleman who was passing someone, when he shouldn\’t have. As a result of the accident, both my frends lost part of the right legs below the knee. Needless to say, helmets could not save their legs.

    If you are in CDT, what State are you in, neither Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin or Minnesota have helmet laws. Try to find statistics from any of those States that have higher deaths than Michigan. A fair measurement is deaths/1000 miles to give an accurate comparison. You will find that their death rates are lower. Ohio also has no helmet law, so we are surrounded by states that ride free. That\’s why many of us spend our vacation dollars in a free state.

    I know this debate will go on and on, let\’s just respect each other\’s opinion and not keep going back and forth.

    Thanks

  • May 25, 2007 at 4:49 am
    RustyBongard says:
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    A lot more money would be saved the state if auto drivers would wear helmets, than bikers, but I don\’t hear to calling for auto drivers to wear helmets. Head injuries obtained in crashes by Automobile drivers annually far outnumber head injuries obtained by motorcyclists in Michigan. Granted the percentage per type of vehicle is greater for motorcyclists but this does not negate the fact that Automobile drivers suffer far more total head injuries than motorcyclists. If a helmet it good for the goose, its good for the gander. If choice is good for the goose,………The benefits of NOT wearing a helmet are arguable. The problem is that it is unconstitutional to force motorcycle drivers to wear them and not automobile drivers. Check the 14th Ammendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. Could be your one of those individuals that think its an outdated piece of legislation, that does not apply where \”economics\” are a factor.

  • May 26, 2007 at 11:29 am
    Dan K says:
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    The medical coverage is totaly inadequate?granted 20,000 is low but I have other medical coverage as well. REQUIRE an organ donar card. more HEAD injuries occure in cages (cars) than on motorcycles. Maybe everyone should have one (but I would move out of state the day that was signed). Lastly motorcycliest carry a DNR (do not resucitate) order. then if a motorcycliest dies because of a cagers ignorance or carelessness that person does LIFE IN PRISON no parole no time off for good behaviore you there untill you are dead!

  • May 29, 2007 at 8:56 am
    Cheryl says:
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    I probably would still wear my helmet but I still believe that it should be the riders choice not the Gov. or the insurance companies…..
    I would like to bring up a new arguement..
    What about automobiles with convertible tops… Shouldn\’t these people be wearing helmets?? What about their brain injuries???

  • May 29, 2007 at 12:54 pm
    Mark says:
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    There are already laws on the books where a driver can be charged and fined. The motorcycle driver can go after the person who pulled out in a civil case.
    As for a larger fine for a car who pulls out in front of a motorcycle, why is a motorcycle different than any other vehicle on the roads? How could you prove that the person who pulled out didn\’t see the cycle? More laws and fines will not change anything.



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