I started riding in California in 1991. The year they re-instated the helmet law. Honestly at the time I was 18 and would have ridden without a helmet. However now at the ripe old age of 34, even though I have never been in an accident or even come close to one (I ride like a grandma), I feel there is wisdom in having a helmet law. I also wish there were better mandatory classes that riders take as well. Both of them combined would decrease the fatalities and accidents….slightly.
Whoever said that the helmet will not prevent accidents is absolutely correct. However, that is not the purpose of the helmet. The helmet is there to protect your head once you get into the accident. While I have seen many accidents caused by the “truck running a stoplight” type, it is far more common that it was the rider going too fast or making errors in judgement.
It boils down to this, the majority of the accidents that happen tend to be operator errror. Most of those riders are the type that would not wear helmets, and or take classes. The helmet laws do not benefit me directly as I am not that type of rider. However, if the government does not protect us from ourselves, who does? I know there are those who advocate the cleansing of the gene pool, but from what I’ve seen, that would mean the extinction of the human race as we are all prone to do something stupid. Therefore, laws are passed, because we are not perfect, and the current thinking is that it is better to impinge on someones freedom rather than let them die.
So I like the idea of helmet laws, although I don’t like helmets, and I would like to see better classes as mandatory. We are stupid and irrational when it comes to freedom and the decision process that freedom affords us because we are selfish and self absorbed. Perhaps a better solution, or technology will solve this debate in the future, but for now, it is the best solution possible. Why can’t we, or are not willing to live with this restriction for the sake of others? After all, after you are a “lump of limbless meat” it really doesn’t matter to you, but it does matter to everybody around you. It’s not just common sense, but also common courtesey to think of the feelings of others. If you are the type that will roar your engine with loud pipes at 6am in the morning and wake up all their neighbors and their babies and take great satisfaction at how loud you are then I don’t expect you to understand this. However if you are the type that lets a slow Hyundai merge onto the freeway instead of speeding up so that it doesn’t get in front of you because it is dangerous and inconsiderate, then you should understand everythng I just said.
The better question is why do people allow anyone under the age of 25 to own one? Or why do they allow anything but larger touring bikes on an interstate highway? Driving a sensible bike like a big Harley or Honda is quite different from the “crotch rockets” favored by the younger kids. Their judgment, skills, and reaction time sucks.
The argument about who pays the medical bill for an injured helmetless rider is an interesting one. Who pays the bills for medical care for illegal aliens? Ultimately all bills are paid by us, that is why we live in this great country and have all the freedoms we enjoy. I think this whole argument is really about losing another one of those freedoms. Personally, as a 30 year rider, I believe in riding with a full set of safety gear, not just a helmet. I don’t, however, wish to see a law mandating that I have to wear all of that gear as they require a rider to do in Europe. Is that where we are heading? Perhaps.
I could care less if someone wears a helmet or not. we live in a free society, you should be able to make your own decisions…but when my tax dollars are spent on your decisions, then i get upset.
When I wore a helmet I didn’t even know that it was required by law. It just seemed the only thing to do. The big chunk in the side of my helmet after my accident made me believe my thought was correct. The 18 year old boy in the next bed with the brain damage from not wearing his helmet because he was only riding around the yard made me sure of it. 18 years old with permanent and severe brain damage. His parents felt pretty guilty for not forcing him to wear one.
Haven’t read any of the posts but your N.I. and I knew there would be a ton of posts due to the topic. Although I am a big fan of helmuts for motorcyclists as I preach safety first to my clients on a daily basis but in this case let these fools ride without a helmut and let them die. Call it culling the herd or weeding the village of idiots, i just don’t care anymore about people who do not care about of for themself.
Mine wasn’t even close to operator error. All the training in the world won’t help the fact that people driving cars and trucks don’t see or don’t pay attention to motorcycles. Clear day, bright sky, no obstruction, light on and the moron still pulled right out in front of me taking up the entire country road, side to side, with deep ditches and poles on both sides. What training do you think is going to help?
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I started riding in California in 1991. The year they re-instated the helmet law. Honestly at the time I was 18 and would have ridden without a helmet. However now at the ripe old age of 34, even though I have never been in an accident or even come close to one (I ride like a grandma), I feel there is wisdom in having a helmet law. I also wish there were better mandatory classes that riders take as well. Both of them combined would decrease the fatalities and accidents….slightly.
Whoever said that the helmet will not prevent accidents is absolutely correct. However, that is not the purpose of the helmet. The helmet is there to protect your head once you get into the accident. While I have seen many accidents caused by the “truck running a stoplight” type, it is far more common that it was the rider going too fast or making errors in judgement.
It boils down to this, the majority of the accidents that happen tend to be operator errror. Most of those riders are the type that would not wear helmets, and or take classes. The helmet laws do not benefit me directly as I am not that type of rider. However, if the government does not protect us from ourselves, who does? I know there are those who advocate the cleansing of the gene pool, but from what I’ve seen, that would mean the extinction of the human race as we are all prone to do something stupid. Therefore, laws are passed, because we are not perfect, and the current thinking is that it is better to impinge on someones freedom rather than let them die.
So I like the idea of helmet laws, although I don’t like helmets, and I would like to see better classes as mandatory. We are stupid and irrational when it comes to freedom and the decision process that freedom affords us because we are selfish and self absorbed. Perhaps a better solution, or technology will solve this debate in the future, but for now, it is the best solution possible. Why can’t we, or are not willing to live with this restriction for the sake of others? After all, after you are a “lump of limbless meat” it really doesn’t matter to you, but it does matter to everybody around you. It’s not just common sense, but also common courtesey to think of the feelings of others. If you are the type that will roar your engine with loud pipes at 6am in the morning and wake up all their neighbors and their babies and take great satisfaction at how loud you are then I don’t expect you to understand this. However if you are the type that lets a slow Hyundai merge onto the freeway instead of speeding up so that it doesn’t get in front of you because it is dangerous and inconsiderate, then you should understand everythng I just said.
The better question is why do people allow anyone under the age of 25 to own one? Or why do they allow anything but larger touring bikes on an interstate highway? Driving a sensible bike like a big Harley or Honda is quite different from the “crotch rockets” favored by the younger kids. Their judgment, skills, and reaction time sucks.
The argument about who pays the medical bill for an injured helmetless rider is an interesting one. Who pays the bills for medical care for illegal aliens? Ultimately all bills are paid by us, that is why we live in this great country and have all the freedoms we enjoy. I think this whole argument is really about losing another one of those freedoms. Personally, as a 30 year rider, I believe in riding with a full set of safety gear, not just a helmet. I don’t, however, wish to see a law mandating that I have to wear all of that gear as they require a rider to do in Europe. Is that where we are heading? Perhaps.
I could care less if someone wears a helmet or not. we live in a free society, you should be able to make your own decisions…but when my tax dollars are spent on your decisions, then i get upset.
When I wore a helmet I didn’t even know that it was required by law. It just seemed the only thing to do. The big chunk in the side of my helmet after my accident made me believe my thought was correct. The 18 year old boy in the next bed with the brain damage from not wearing his helmet because he was only riding around the yard made me sure of it. 18 years old with permanent and severe brain damage. His parents felt pretty guilty for not forcing him to wear one.
Haven’t read any of the posts but your N.I. and I knew there would be a ton of posts due to the topic. Although I am a big fan of helmuts for motorcyclists as I preach safety first to my clients on a daily basis but in this case let these fools ride without a helmut and let them die. Call it culling the herd or weeding the village of idiots, i just don’t care anymore about people who do not care about of for themself.
Come on haters and attack….
Amen 16 Year Rider!
Well said Mary.
Right On Mary!
Mine wasn’t even close to operator error. All the training in the world won’t help the fact that people driving cars and trucks don’t see or don’t pay attention to motorcycles. Clear day, bright sky, no obstruction, light on and the moron still pulled right out in front of me taking up the entire country road, side to side, with deep ditches and poles on both sides. What training do you think is going to help?