Bethel woman pushes for helmet bill

Bethel resident Penny Kessler used to joke with her husband about the "full body armor" they wore whenever they went for a motorcycle ride.

[Liberals love treason]

I understand that wearing a helmet or a seatbelt will help you if you get into an accident.

The government has no right to impose this as law upon the citizens of this country.
It is your choice to wear a helmet. It is your choice to wear a seatbelt

I understand that eating healthy is good for you.
I understand smoking is bad for you.
I understand exercise is good for you.
I understand eating trans fats are bad for you

Do you really want the government involved in every aspect of your life, telling you what you can and cant do?
How about the freedom to CHOOSE what you want!!!!
This is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. Lets get the government out of our lives, and give the power back to the people.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FEAR AND RESPECT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

SOCIALISM IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE CHANGE WE NEED!!

[Flame On]

Wow Penny, impose your beliefs on everyone. Yes, I know- you know better than everyone else, and they MUST follow your lead by golly!

It's called freedom of choice Penny, something that in the USA has become less and less my choice than others making that choice for me.
Yes, riding wthout a helmet is dangerous. Riding is dangerous. Let people make their own choices without you forcing them to do as you do.

Your opinion extends no further than the tip of your nose.

[UnclePete]

"...a car making a left turn cut in front of them."

Penny, why don't you try to ban left turns...or motorcycles entirely.

[Mike]

I think wearing a helmet is smart. I don't think we need to mandate it, however. It will be another revenue generator for the State. We have too many laws already. It will not stop people from riding without a helmet- period.

[SleepingEditor]

Get over it - riders do not want a helmet law. When will people stop trying to force this?

[does not matter]

SleepingEditor wrote:

Get over it - riders do not want a helmet law. When will people stop trying to force this?

A license is a state-granted privilege, driving or riding. Who cares what risers want or don't want. The State will decide.

[Moot Point]

Even though he was wearing a helmet, now he "can not put pressure on his leg?" The helmet didn't help his life-changing leg condition, now did it? If this victim is SO concerend about protecting himself then I hope he finally realizes now that the best way to protect himself in the future is to NOT RIDE MOTORCYCLES. Riding a motorcycle is MUCH MORE dangerous than driving an SUV if you get in an accident. It's a no brainer.....Yet I'll bet he will continue to ride motorcycles, won't he? A little hypocritical, isn't it?

I have riden a motorcycle for 43 years and sometimes I DO and sometimes I DO NOT wear a helmet. It depends on where I am going that day, how far and on what type of roads I'm riding on. But it's MY CHOICE....as it SHOULD BE.

Also, as an EMT for 38 years I have gone to at LEAST 20 (probably more) fatal motorcycle accidents and guess what? More than HALF of them WERE wearing helmets. Sorry but that's FACT. All the helmet did was keep their "MUSH" for brains contained in a helmet. It did NOT save their lives.

Now, before you flame me, I'll state that it's obvious that wearing a helmet will give you a better chance of protecting your head but it should be a PERSONAL CHOICE. The government has pried into our lives enough and now they even own the auto industry, some banks, mortgage companies and the way Obama is being blindly followed (much like cult leader Jim Jones was), you can bet on it that they will soon tell YOU which doctor to go to and WHEN you may have that much needed serious operation also. Just ask ANYONE from Canada.

Also, why don't they require everyone to wear helmets on AIRPLANES? Or for that matter, why aren't child car seats required on airplanes? They go a LOT faster than cars and/or motorcycles do and will certainly cause MUCH MORE injury and death to a person, yet there are no requirements there?. And why aren't children REQUIRED to wear seat belts on SCHOOL BUSES? It's a wide open area with metal everywhere and yet no law? See what I mean?

So, give it a rest unless you want to fight those MORE IMPORTANT issues that I just mentioned.

Let me guess.....next we riders will all have to wear full body armor, right?

[Moot Point]

Oh I forgot.....as a non-smoker, I can't for the life of me understand why cigarettes aren't banned? A previous poster also brought this up. Cigarettes DIRECTLY cause MANY MANY more deaths annually and yet the lawmakers don't DARE take on the cigarette companies and neither does this Bethel woman. Why not? The lawmakers are afraid to lose votes and campaign contributions. And because of that the Bethel woman knows she'll get laughed out of Connecticut if she did.

So, once again, take on the REALLY IMPORTANT fights, not just the easy ones like targeting the bikers that are clearly NOT causing YOU any inconvenience or risk.

Finally, why not make the laws tougher on the MORONS who are talking, DIALING and even TEXTING on their cell phones as their car weave into my lane on the highway? And then actually get the police to ENFORCE the law.

See....you don't want the tough fights....just the easy ones.

[mandingo]

We really need to bring back prohibition to cut down on accidents.

[A Rider]

Here's my own 2 cents. I ride and do wear a helment...MY CHOICE. It's the stupid drivers that usually cause many of these accidents (just like this one).

However, let's pass the helmet law to try and help prevent injuries just like the seatbelt law does. Nothing is fool-proof but you might have a fighting chance. That's why you don't wear flipflops or sandals on a bike either (stupid girls on back).

I get helmet hair as soon as I put it on but I'd rather wear a hat or rag when we stop than spread my brains all over the road when some idiot decides to beat us out onto the road.

Chew on this...you decide on no helmet and become a vegetable or totally disabled because you had no helmet on...now the state has to give you full assistance for the rest of your life with my tax dollars...MY CHOICE TO NOT PAY FOR YOU--how about that choice.

[masukomi]

You mention "Both wore full-face helmets, reinforced motorcycle jackets, denim jeans, high socks, boots and gloves."

It should be noted that denim jeans even "heavy duty" ones, and high socks provide no effective protection against abrasion or impact. Had he been wearing motorcycle pants he wouldn't have had the "road burn". Also, boots are only somewhat effective and don't protect well against many of the issues that a real motorcycle boot will.

[Nemesys]

"Let me guess.....next we riders will all have to wear full body armor, right?"

Yes, with medieval-style helmets, chain mail, and jousting lances.

But let me understand... we want to make a helmet law to prevent brain damage in bikers? If you're a biker, isn't that a little late...?

[WHATEVER]

does not matter wrote:

<quoted text>A license is a state-granted privilege, driving or riding. Who cares what risers want or don't want. The State will decide.

OKAY COMRADE wHO DOES NOT MATTER.

[Liberals love vegetables]

Liberals love treason wrote:

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FEAR AND RESPECT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
SOCIALISM IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE CHANGE WE NEED!!

I have nothing to add, I just think you're batsh*t crazy and we could all use a chuckle.

[Harley Rider]

It should be up to the individual to decide whether or not they should wear a helmet. It's a risk, but one I knowingly take.

[Helmet Head]

Please take the survey here.
http://www.gearupproject.org

[Moot Point]

A Rider wrote:

Chew on this...you decide on no helmet and become a vegetable or totally disabled because you had no helmet on...now the state has to give you full assistance for the rest of your life with my tax dollars...MY CHOICE TO NOT PAY FOR YOU--how about that choice.

And if you smoke (as MILLIONS do....MANY more than riders w/out helmets), then me, you and everyone else has to pay for YOUR treatment after you get cancer....and MOST of the hardcore smokers DO) And....no laws banning death-causing cigarettes? WHY NOT?

Go fight for THAT law....and chew on THAT!

[Moot Point]

Helmet Head wrote:

Please take the survey here.
http://www.gearupproject.org

Yeah....a survey on a site called "Gear Up". Gee, I wonder how many non-helmet wearers go to THAT site?

A little biased, don't you think?

[Helmet Head]

Moot Point wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah....a survey on a site called "Gear Up". Gee, I wonder how many non-helmet wearers go to THAT site?
A little biased, don't you think?

Instead of getting all nasty and defensive, how about taking the survey and give them your opinion?

[A Rider]

Moot Point wrote:

<quoted text>
And if you smoke (as MILLIONS do....MANY more than riders w/out helmets), then me, you and everyone else has to pay for YOUR treatment after you get cancer....and MOST of the hardcore smokers DO) And....no laws banning death-causing cigarettes? WHY NOT?
Go fight for THAT law....and chew on THAT!

I don't smoke and don't drink and drive. Call me a goody-two-shoes but I'm smart enough to make intelligent choices as these bikers tried in choosing the right protection.

No, I'm not paying for your cancer treatments or rehab bills. What a person chooses to do is their right, I agree. However, I don't want my tax money paying for people's stupid mistakes knowing it's risky behavior.