Deadly motorcycle accident sparks helmet law debate

[Greg]

If you had a roll cage in your car and were to wear a five point harness, a fire suit, a helmet, and a neck ring while you were operating it you would increase your chances of collision survival exponentially. How would you like it if this were a law?

A law is designed in order to prevent us from taking away the rights of another US citizen, not to control where we draw the line on our own safety.

If you are so worried about the safety of helmetless motorcycle operators then get off you cell phone turn down your stereo and pay attention to the road.

[WWE NASCAR]

Greg wrote:

If you had a roll cage in your car and were to wear a five point harness, a fire suit, a helmet, and a neck ring while you were operating it you would increase your chances of collision survival exponentially. How would you like it if this were a law?
A law is designed in order to prevent us from taking away the rights of another US citizen, not to control where we draw the line on our own safety.
If you are so worried about the safety of helmetless motorcycle operators then get off you cell phone turn down your stereo and pay attention to the road.

I could careless if you don't wear a Helmut, but the state should make you put mufflers on those obnoxious machines.

[your all morons]

theres more important things to worry about than who is wearing a helmet..

[red]

I like wearing a half helmet it lets you hear and gives you some protection.Leathers aren't just for looks .People need to pay attention to your surroudings at all times. ANY TIME YOU TURN A KEY YOU TAKE A CHANCE.

[USVet]

I've been riding motorcycles for the past 35+ years and always, always where protective gear - helmet/gloves/boots/leathers etc. In fact, wearing this gear saved my son's life last year when an 83 year old woman drifted over the centerline and hit him head-on. He was busted up good, with a brutal recovery period, but the helmet and leathers with body armor are the primary reasons he's still here.

While I am a staunch proponent for helmet use for myself and my family, I am adamantly opposed to mandatory helmet laws. Forced compliance does not result in reduced deaths/injuries. Helmet laws result in people who would otherwise not wear a helmet donning something/anything to conform to the law. The key elements to a helmet actually providing a high degree of protection is the quality of the helmet (DOT or SNELL rating) and proper fit. If you force people to wear one, what you have is riders buying the cheapest thing off of the Internet with little concern for the safety provided. An ill-fitting helmet can actually cause more injuries or fall off at the point of impact and provide no protection at all.

Then, where do you draw the line? Must all riders wear a full-faced helmet? How about an open face? How about a half helmet? One could reasonably argue the the former of the three provides the most protection. But as aptly pointed out by Red above, half helmets have certain advantages that can not be denied.

A helmet is intended, by design, to absorb one good impact - how do you govern the re-use of helmets that may have been damaged either in an accident or one that fell off the shelf in the garage onto a concrete floor? Another government agency? Doesn't the expense of yet another agency add to the so-called financial 'burden' motorcycles put on society? The one that the pro-helmet law people (whom I suspect have VERY few riders in their numbers) cite as the reason we should have helmet laws.

How about spending some of the legislators time and OUR money on the education of drivers to the presence of motorcycles. I can't even begin to count how many times I've had some twentysomething soccer mom,(usually on the cell phone) so close behind me that I can't even see her front plate in my bike's mirrors.

There is no such thing as a fender-bender when you're involved in an accident on a bike...the level of severity might vary, but you are almost certain to sustain some injury. It seems way too many cagers just don't get that basic principle.

[Greg]

WWE NASCAR wrote:

<quoted text>
I could careless if you don't wear a Helmut, but the state should make you put mufflers on those obnoxious machines.

If you can't appreciate the beautifully violent music, which is created by my four tuned pipes when I open all four carbs on my perfectly engineered in line four cylinder engine, as it screams past nine thousand revolutions per minute,thats your own personal problem.

[WWE NASCAR]

Greg wrote:

<quoted text>
If you can't appreciate the beautifully violent music, which is created by my four tuned pipes when I open all four carbs on my perfectly engineered in line four cylinder engine, as it screams past nine thousand revolutions per minute,thats your own personal problem.

Carburetors, what are you riding / driving, an antique?

[red]

US VET what a letter. I agree with you. I stopped riding when a lady yelling at her kid taped my back tire, it was just enough to push me over. Iwas three months pregant at the time.My kids are groon up now . I 'm going riding again but now I'll pay more attention to my surroundings you have to drive for yourself and the people around you.

[Nemesys]

Greg wrote:

<quoted text>
If you can't appreciate the beautifully violent music, which is created by my four tuned pipes when I open all four carbs on my perfectly engineered in line four cylinder engine, as it screams past nine thousand revolutions per minute,thats your own personal problem.

I'm in the process of installing a super-loud train air horn system in my pickup. When I happen to get behind a particularly obnoxious-sounding biker, I'm going to come up behind him and let it BLAST. I've seen truckers do that now and then to bikers, and mine's going to be a lot louder. Watch those guys jump in their seats!!

Hey, it's only 4 perfectly tuned air horns at an obnoxiously loud volume. If you get startled and get upset, it's going to be your personal problem.