Posted on 12/27/2012 10:39:48 AM PST by MichCapCon
in before ‘donorcycle’ comment
Donorcycles.
In Before Dead Motorcyclists.
Nationally, fifty percent+ of all motorcycle accidents happen in just two states: California and Florida.
As long as those who ride have enough insurance to ensure lifetime care, it doesn’t matter to me.
Anecdotal, I admit: but I creased the back of a Bell helmet on a curb when I laid my bike down on a wet curve in college. Blew out my knee, but my brain stayed intact. I’ve managed for 35 years with a bum knee. Wouldn’t have lasted until I stopped bouncing if I hadn’t been wearing the helmet.
Owned a motorcycle years ago BEFORE helmet laws (NY). I had a helmet and would sometimes wear it (Interstate highway, trips, etc.) Locally I did not. Like everything else, risk v reward. When they started enforcing the helmet law everywhere in my county, I soon sold my motorcycle since riding in hot summer weather just wasn’t fun anymore. Not to mention the numerous tickets I got for not wearing a helmet.
If they really wanted to save lives, banning driving altogether would be the way to go, but of course they won’t do that, yet.
Still ride motorcycles? Or have you acquired a sense of self-preservation?
Don’t want to wear a helmet? Don’t, but your medical insurance shouldn’t pay for head injuries.
I’m not too impressed with the Bell being sold today for Joe Average riders. The racing helmets might be a different thing altogether, but AFAIAC the gold standard is Arai.
I always try to crash in such a way so as I don’t scratch that expensive helmet ;-)
I agree. One out of six motor vehicle deaths are motorcyclists. I love to ride. So much fun, so much risk, expecially with all the women on their cell phones.
LOL - actually, I sold my last bike when my wife was pregnant with our first child, and we rented a Harley about a month ago for our first motorcycle experience in 23 years. And had a ball. Rode out to Luckenbach, had a beer, listened to live music - perfect Texas Hill Country fall Saturday.
I did, however, notice that I’m much more cautious when riding than I was in my early 30s. I still love it, though.
A lot of the DOT helmets that riders wear just to comply with the law are nearly worthless in a crash anyway.
I have 200 thousand miles on motorcycles and would not ride without a full face helmet. However, the only time I actually needed the helmet in all those miles was when I fell off a bike in my garage and smashed my head against the edge of a workbench. That rang my bell even with the helmet on. Without it I likely would have ended up on the hospital or worse.
Those who love Freedom and Responsibility want no helmet Laws. (They would almost universally say that there's nothing wrong with public service messages, public education, and sincere urgings from every level of government, by the way.) These laws do NOTHING to protect citizens from one another... they only protect us from ourselves... and this is NOT a door we need to open any wider than it already is.
Those who love their faith and their fellow citizens want to protect them, even from the possibility of their own bad choices. They would have no problem with using the power (and firearms) of government to make sure that their countrymen are living a "better" life, as they see fit. They are exactly the same as the Taliban, albeit with rules that make far more sense than Islam. (However, I personally prefer to be convinced to live differently through words or experience, and not the force of laws, and arms, and fines, and bureaucracies.)
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." ~C.S. Lewis
It’s all or nothing, right? And if you prefer nothing, then why allow the government to force you to drive on the right side of the road?
You mean if I drive a cage I might live forever?
Spew.
The one factor which was not measured, which will never be measured is the number of both groups which did not get in accidents, fatal or otherwise.
If you can see/hear what's coming you can avoid it.
I humped a 70 lbs rucksack up and down the mountains of the central highlands of Viet Nam wearing a steel pot to protect the freedom of my countrymen and me to ride a motorcycle without a fiberglass helmet.
Its my head, leave me alone with it.
More people die each year from head injuries in auto accidents than motorcycle wrecks so let them wear helmets first.
A helmet-less proud Harley Rider.
A Co, 1/8th Infantry, 4thID
Vietnam 1967-1968
There's no adult helmet law here in NH (over 18 year old). Helmet usage seems to be about 30-40% during our annual Motorcycle Week in Laconia, and most seem to be worn by the younger riders. I'm more worried about the women in cars yakking endlessly on their cellphones or texting (which is illegal).
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