First, riding with a helmet is a common sense issue. Common sense isn’t common. Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don’t… I’ve been in 7 cycle accidents, which may make me dumber than the average guy — but I still enjoy the ride better, on some rides, without the helmet. Sometimes I like a lot of salt on my fries, even though my wife will lecture me then, too.
Next, any government mandate that citizens don’t want, are always dumb. If you want to wear a helmet, where one. If the guy riding next to you doesn’t, for goodness sakes, let him have that freedom, just as he allows you certain freedoms that are important to you.
Finally, control the things that need controlling, and leave the rest alone. Have a helmet law for riders under 18. Have your legislation not mandate a helmet, but mandate that a jury be reminded that the damage difference in an accident was 100% the assumed risk of the helmetless rider (AZ did this with their seat belt law years ago, which worked pretty well). Allow life insurance carriers to exclude “helmetless highway motorcylce riding” — and see if a parent will take that risk (or their spouse will let them). Let people be responsible both for their actions, AND their results… but otherwise, protect YOUR NEIGHBORS’ FREEDOMS, and by your example, lead them to do the same for you on the next issue.
I don’t have a problem with people who want to ride without a helmet and risk serious brain injury (might clean up the gene pool a bit).
What I have a proplem with is who ends up paying for the care of these injured people. Ultimatley it falls back on the tax payers.
With a closed head injury not even a $500k medical policy is enough.
Get past this problem and I will support no helmets for those 18 and over.
None of the anti-helmet brigade have come up with a real answer to this question. A law might for some reason get passed waiving liability for those not choosing to wear helmets in some state. The first time it would come before a court it would be thrown out. This topic always brings out a good discussion if no agreement. The I want total freedom people vs the people who want to protect others and our pocketbooks. You can go ahead and become a steaming pile of meat if you want as long as it doesn’t cost me anything.
This topic doesn’t deserve the blog time. We need “donorcycle” riders to provide a source of organs for transplants. Everyone is making a big issue out of this. It’s the rider’s right not to wear a helmet. If they aren’t concerned about their own safety….nobody else should be either. It’s not the federal or state government’s job to protect people against their own stupidity.
I’m in favor of helmet laws, but you make some sense. I’ve always said that a person can choose not to wear a helmet as long as we have the right to mandate that they will not receive one cent of public assistance (state or federal) if they end up getting maimed.
I also like the exclusion for life insurance policies. We already ask if the insured is planning on doing a lot of things such as rock climbing, so why not ask if they ride w/o a helmet? If so, either rate it higher or deny it if they kill themselves.
I think that all of those Washington bureaucrats should come to Arizona and try riding a motorcycle when it is 115 degrees with a helmet. It might shrink their brains even further!! One size DOES NOT fit all.
I’m for not requiring helmets. It is not a matter of stupidity. I think those who think that are stupid. For many, it is a calculated choice – I am willing to take this risk because it is fun and enjoyable. I rode for years with no helmet and I didn’t care if I died or ended up injured. People who never take risks and live in a protected bubble don’t know how to live, and that’s what freedom is all about. You have the right to take chances and live your own life. Sometimes facing death is one of the best things you can do to feel alive and appreciate life. But many who live in their bubbles with their protected lives and SUVs with side air bags don’t know how great life is when you live on the edge and take risks and don’t care if you die. That is a right and a basic freedom. What’s so bad about death anyway? Hello, guess what, we all are going to die…I just want you to know that. I’m looking forward to dying to get away from all of this BS. So do we pay the medical bills earlier or do we wait until you SUV driving people who live in a protected bubble eat so many McDonalds meals that you get fat and live old and incur medical bills that way. That makes me more mad than people without helmets. Let’s see the stats on that one. How much money is spent on overweight people in the medical system vs helmetless cycle riders? But you don’t see anyone passing a law against McDonald’s food. Yet it and many other foods have chemicals and fat producing ingredients that should be outlawed and are costing us billions and killing people. Stop focusing on the helmet thing. How many freedoms do we have left? Not many. Is this America? I don’t recognise it anymore.
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Actually, i didn’t know about Illinois, but I know Iowa is the same way…seatbelts are required but helmets are not.
First, riding with a helmet is a common sense issue. Common sense isn’t common. Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don’t… I’ve been in 7 cycle accidents, which may make me dumber than the average guy — but I still enjoy the ride better, on some rides, without the helmet. Sometimes I like a lot of salt on my fries, even though my wife will lecture me then, too.
Next, any government mandate that citizens don’t want, are always dumb. If you want to wear a helmet, where one. If the guy riding next to you doesn’t, for goodness sakes, let him have that freedom, just as he allows you certain freedoms that are important to you.
Finally, control the things that need controlling, and leave the rest alone. Have a helmet law for riders under 18. Have your legislation not mandate a helmet, but mandate that a jury be reminded that the damage difference in an accident was 100% the assumed risk of the helmetless rider (AZ did this with their seat belt law years ago, which worked pretty well). Allow life insurance carriers to exclude “helmetless highway motorcylce riding” — and see if a parent will take that risk (or their spouse will let them). Let people be responsible both for their actions, AND their results… but otherwise, protect YOUR NEIGHBORS’ FREEDOMS, and by your example, lead them to do the same for you on the next issue.
I don’t have a problem with people who want to ride without a helmet and risk serious brain injury (might clean up the gene pool a bit).
What I have a proplem with is who ends up paying for the care of these injured people. Ultimatley it falls back on the tax payers.
With a closed head injury not even a $500k medical policy is enough.
Get past this problem and I will support no helmets for those 18 and over.
Oh Benevolent One, who is not working if you have time to read/reply to my posts.
Umpiire!! Perfect! you hit the nail on the head! When will you be running for office because you got my vote!
None of the anti-helmet brigade have come up with a real answer to this question. A law might for some reason get passed waiving liability for those not choosing to wear helmets in some state. The first time it would come before a court it would be thrown out. This topic always brings out a good discussion if no agreement. The I want total freedom people vs the people who want to protect others and our pocketbooks. You can go ahead and become a steaming pile of meat if you want as long as it doesn’t cost me anything.
This topic doesn’t deserve the blog time. We need “donorcycle” riders to provide a source of organs for transplants. Everyone is making a big issue out of this. It’s the rider’s right not to wear a helmet. If they aren’t concerned about their own safety….nobody else should be either. It’s not the federal or state government’s job to protect people against their own stupidity.
I’m in favor of helmet laws, but you make some sense. I’ve always said that a person can choose not to wear a helmet as long as we have the right to mandate that they will not receive one cent of public assistance (state or federal) if they end up getting maimed.
I also like the exclusion for life insurance policies. We already ask if the insured is planning on doing a lot of things such as rock climbing, so why not ask if they ride w/o a helmet? If so, either rate it higher or deny it if they kill themselves.
I think that all of those Washington bureaucrats should come to Arizona and try riding a motorcycle when it is 115 degrees with a helmet. It might shrink their brains even further!! One size DOES NOT fit all.
Just a thought from someone with a sweaty brow and shrunken brain.
I’m for not requiring helmets. It is not a matter of stupidity. I think those who think that are stupid. For many, it is a calculated choice – I am willing to take this risk because it is fun and enjoyable. I rode for years with no helmet and I didn’t care if I died or ended up injured. People who never take risks and live in a protected bubble don’t know how to live, and that’s what freedom is all about. You have the right to take chances and live your own life. Sometimes facing death is one of the best things you can do to feel alive and appreciate life. But many who live in their bubbles with their protected lives and SUVs with side air bags don’t know how great life is when you live on the edge and take risks and don’t care if you die. That is a right and a basic freedom. What’s so bad about death anyway? Hello, guess what, we all are going to die…I just want you to know that. I’m looking forward to dying to get away from all of this BS. So do we pay the medical bills earlier or do we wait until you SUV driving people who live in a protected bubble eat so many McDonalds meals that you get fat and live old and incur medical bills that way. That makes me more mad than people without helmets. Let’s see the stats on that one. How much money is spent on overweight people in the medical system vs helmetless cycle riders? But you don’t see anyone passing a law against McDonald’s food. Yet it and many other foods have chemicals and fat producing ingredients that should be outlawed and are costing us billions and killing people. Stop focusing on the helmet thing. How many freedoms do we have left? Not many. Is this America? I don’t recognise it anymore.