Posted on 02/04/2005 8:21:40 PM PST by FoxInSocks
RICHMOND, Va. - It's been a tough day for highway safety advocates at the Virginia General Assembly.
The House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee endorsed legislation allowing motorcyclists 21 and older to ride without a helmet. The vote was 12-to-7.
The panel also rejected a series of bills to continue the use of photo monitoring systems at dangerous intersections in six northern Virginia localities and Virginia Beach. Those pilot programs allow police to use cameras to catch drivers who run red lights.
The programs are scheduled to expire July 1.
Another bill rejected by the committee would have expanded photo-red statewide.
The motorcycle helmet bill will be up for a vote on the House floor early next week. Similar bills have failed on close votes on the House floor three years in a row.
Racing is riding on the limit of traction, some riders skill and mechanical limit. Riders know there's a good possiblity to crash. Rider's are not allowed to do that on roads. Folks like me ride on the road and follow the first rule, keep your vehicle under control at all times. It's not all that hard to duck and refrain from crashing.
And the result? If you live in Virginia, be prepared to watch your car/motorcycle insurance premiums climb.
I put about 11,000 miles on my bike in 2004. All of them with a helmet. I am very aware of the drawbacks to wearing them. They get very hot in the tropics. I am also very aware of the benefits, having been in a crash where the helmet kept my head in one piece.
I fully support someones right to decide for themselves if they want to wear a helmet or not. If, for example, someone thinks they are too hot, fine. That is good enough for me. Go enjoy yourself. The problem I have is people who need to invent facts to justify their decision. The argument is very similar to someone who might say, "I don't wear a seatbelt becuase it prevents me from being thrown from the car in the case of a crash. If I am thrown from the car, there is less chance of me being hurt."
Being thrown from the car has nothing to do with it. Personally, I wear a seatbelt about 50% of the time. I do it because it is more comfortable with out. It is that simple. I would respect non-helmet wearing riders a lot more if they would just admit the same.
The problem I have with groups like ABATE is the lies they spread in order to further their agenda. The most dangerous time for a biker is when they are first learning. It is when they need the helmet the most. How many have been killed because they believed the anti-helmet propaganda and thought it was somehow more dangerous if a rider is wearing one?
Excerpted from the following article:
http://www.forbes.com/fyi/1999/0503/041.html
The other statistics are culled from the following studies:
The Hurt Report
NHTSA "CODES" Study
The "organ donor" fallacy was brought to my attention from the death of my 16 year old son last September, who died as a result of the head injuries he received in an automobile accident. He was a belted passenger. We were informed his head trauma automatically disqualified him from being an organ donor.
The article is inconclusive. There are a lot of other variables involved than just riders wearing helmets or not wearing helmets. The comparison they give is between Florida and Iowa. The riding conditions in these states are very different. For example, Florida roads are mostly very straight with little to no twisties and no snow or ice. The opposite is true of Iowa. If a study is done showing deaths in the same state, before and after a helmet law change, I would give it much more weight. For example, a study of motorcycle deaths in Florida immediately before and after the 2000 change in the law.
70% of the time the accident is the fault of the automobile driver. Are you telling me you favor giving the negligent auto driver a pass simply because the motorcyclist wasn't wearing a helmet?
I just got here, but I can see I didn't miss anything new. :-)
Nope:)
Can't you add something witty like, "I have crashed many times without a helmet and I am proof it didn't leave any lasting effects." :)
Those studies will be done, to be sure.
When helmet laws are enacted, motorcycle registrations go down. Ergo, motorcycle accidents go down. When helmet laws are repealed, motorcycle registrations go up. Ergo, motorcycle accidents go up.
Florida recently repealed its helmet law, as you noted. Mark my words, much hay will be made over the inevitable rise in motorcycle fatalities that will be found in Florida. I'll bet you dinner the increase in registrations and the 'newbie factor' will be discounted, if not overlooked entirely.
You missed the salient point in the Forbes article; namely, insurance companies want us off the road because the wrongful death and injury lawsuit payouts tend to be huge.
My motorcycle insurance is cheaper than my car insurance despite my motorcycle being worth three times as much as my car, all other factors being equal. If I am supposedly such an increased risk on a motorcycle, why do you think that is the case?
At 70, the cigarette burns pretty fast.
Just a few more Nannies outing themselves, Joe. Otherwise, its the same old canard; "I don't want to pay for your risky behaviour!!!" Never mind that they never did to begin with . . .
OK,, you asked.........
I went thru a brick wall at 98mph back in 1978. If I didn't have my helmet on my brain would have been sucked out of my skull where the concrete wore a hole thru it, I guess. The road rash is another story. as is the rain room, silvadene, etc. etc.
I was run over by 5 guys from Iowa and my helmet had nothing to do with it. But it came off real quick when it got down to hand to hand.
I used my helmet a few times to correct unruly individuals.
A helmet will help you survive a basball bat attack.
I wear one when I ride sometimes too. It holds my do-rag on my head and keeps me from worrying about it above 75mph. :-)
Helmets have a purpose! And it's many!
Thank you. Carry on.
When you lose control of your car on a public highway because you hit a chuckhole and slid out of your seat, I do not want your car to come swerving into my lane and killing me.
If you don't want to wear a seatbelt while driving, go get your own road!
132 muaw
Life is great when you enjoy it.
It's hard to imagine how these "Nannies" view our world.
PS.-- Today is chaps and leathers even down here!! It's coooooooolllld outside!
The temperature is in the 40s here. I'd be riding today if the parts guy hadn't talked me out of the heated hangrips!
I'm about as blase about glory as I can manage:
blase, boreduninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence; "his blase indifference"; "a petulent blase air"; "the bored gaze of the successful film star"
Of course. We are in complete agreement over that one. The problem is the guys who run down to their local dealer and buy the latest and greatest without any training. They are the problem, not someone with years of experience.
The problem that I have is with people who will promote irresponsible behavior to new riders. This goes for cruisers and sportbikes. If someone knows what they are doing, then go without a helmet, jacket, gloves.. and if you are a woman and have the body for it... without anything.
On the other hand, if someone is a new rider, invest in the gear. Wear a full face helmet. Wear a good jacket, boots, gloves, and anything else that will help keep you intact when the inevitable happens. Later, when the person has 10,000 miles and a few years experience, go be a hooligan.
My motorcycle insurance is cheaper than my car insurance despite my motorcycle being worth three times as much as my car, all other factors being equal. If I am supposedly such an increased risk on a motorcycle, why do you think that is the case?
Because your insurance company screwed up your bill? :)
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