Posted on 07/03/2011 8:33:56 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
LAFAYETTE, NY (WSYR-TV) – New York State Troopers say one man is dead after a motorcycle crash near McClary Road and Route 11 in LaFayette on Saturday.
New York State Police say 55-year-old Philip Contos of Parish was part of a protest against motorcycle helmets.
Police say several motorists from the group ABATE (American Bikers Aimed for Education) of Onondaga County had come together to make a point that they didn't need their helmets.
The group was driving south on Route 11 in Lafayette around 1:30 p.m., headed toward Lake Como, just south of the Finger Lakes.
Police say Contos suddenly hit the brakes and lost control of the motorcycle.
According to troopers, Contos was thrown over his handlebars and hit the pavement as his 1993 Harley Davidson motorcycle skidded toward the guardrail.
Contos was still alive when crews arrived at the scene and was transported to Upstate University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to police, Contos was not wearing his helmet, as required by law. Witnesses say this decision was part of the protest.
Police say that based on evidence at the scene and from doctors, Contos would have survived if he had been wearing a DOT-Approved helmet.
(Excerpt) Read more at 9wsyr.com ...
Looks like the people following them have helmets.
I do believe in suicide!
Riding a motorcycle in dangerous for many reasons. I think other drivers are the worst thing for cyclists. I watch cars pull out in front of them all of the time.
I agree that "Loud Pipes Save Lives".
Anything that saves time and I consider my chance of survival is 50% or greater I do it.
Time is the most valuable thing there is, once spent it’s not recoverable!
You will live as an invalid.
Go piss up a rope!
Ok. We’ll include the wildife, but I still think if your obeying common sense, few real accidents should happen.
I find that hypnotizing. Grabbed a handful?
How badly did he get hurt?
Go get your colostomy bag changed!
It could have been a lot worse for you. Happily, it wasn't fatal.
As to cutting you up, I imagine that the windshield 'glass' was different at that time. Although you did say that you were launched through the windshield.
Okay. Cite one of those vintage laws please. With a working link, if you don't mind. I'm curious.
“Personally I’m not a fan of helmet laws for adults. However, I’m also not a fan of paying for years of care for severely brain damaged people who did it to themselves.”
I’m in this camp as well. However, as medicare/medicaid collapses and federal programs of all sorts fall short of promises, my guess is that these patients won’t be making it out of the emergency room in the future like they do now to be cared for by society.
Freedom to ride without a helmet will mean the rider and the rider only will bear the brunt of their willful decision. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, and I think most riders who want to ride helmet-less will agree that this is the case.
This should give pause to all freedom-loving folks. We build large government bureaucracies and they will eventually tell you what to do for your own good. Destroying freedom in the name of safety - the true motto of all government bureaucracies.
You get cut on the edges ~ modern glass breaks up in far smaller pieces ~ and I suspect it's not as hard.
Funniest thing is while they were stitching me up another guy was brought in who'd flown off his motorcycle ~ he had similar wounds.
The docs let him lie there on a gurney near my own listening to me moan and groan with every stitch.
Months later I discovered he was a guy I'd gone to highschool with and he and I lived in the same dormitory. He was upset that the docs let him hear me groan ~ said that was torture.
He never again rode without a helmet and full leathers and heavy boots.
The same rationale the libs use for government mandated healthcare.
You have to buy it (or pay fine, tax, etc.), even if you don't use it.
I think having a loud motorcycle is overrated with number of near-deaf seniors on the road and young’ins with their 5,000 watt stereos. Also, it’s been my experience that just because I hear the rev of an engine, it’s not always apparent as to where it’s coming from.
One thing that I do think that I do think would save lives is by becoming more visible by wearing bright colours. I known that may not be as cool as wearing a black leather jacket, pants and helmet, but if your goal is to save lives, you just don’t have room for cool.
If you're not dead you're otherwise hurting. I knew a psychiatrist among whose duties was going to go a large metro hospital every weekend. There he counseled young men (to repeat myself, women on average have better sense than to operate the damned things) who have as a result of a motorcycle accident become paraplegic or quadraplegic how they are going to psychologically adjust to the next 50+ years getting around in a wheelchair or worst of all, lying in some bed.
Those of you so macho on this thread maintaining that you--as contrasted to others--know how to handle a bike, don't laugh. It could happen to you. You've just been lucky.
Far more automobile drivers die of accident related head injuries than motorcyclists. Be careful what you wish for.
The man wanted to go out head first and he made it.
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