Archives

Seeing some of the motorcycle articles reminded me of something I saw recently.

Illinois has no helmet law. Some bikers use helmets, some prefer not to. This induhvidual went for the worst of both worlds.

Going south on I-294 at rush hour near O'Hare, a beautiful SV650 passes me. I look over and see it has a custom paint job, rider is in full leathers, and has a matching custom helmet on the FOOT PEG.:confused:

Talk about failure to grasp the concept.

This happens quite a bit around here in CT because both NY and MA require helmets, and the riders may be either coming from one of those states or headed to one of them. I've seen riders stopping just after coming into CT and REMOVING their helmets. Crazy.

I've never understood or had it explained to me why seeming sucessfull and intelligent people riding expensive bikes dont wear the most vital piece of safety equipment (the helmet) when on their bikes,personally i just couldnt imagine driving a bike with no head proection,the constant wind blast at 70mph the risk of getting a bird or big flying insect in the face are good reasons to wear a helmet other than how much better your survivability is in an accident when equipped with a proper helmet..

I happen to think the only thing dumber than riding without your brain bucket is forcing you to wear it.

I happen to think the only thing dumber than riding without your brain bucket is forcing you to wear it.

Tell that to the parents of a very bright 20 year old girl who is in a residential head trauma facility. She was riding her mom's Harley (no helmet, wind in her hair) and swerved to miss a deer, hit a second deer and careened off the road. Major head trauma and was in intensive care for several months while in a coma. University of Rolla was supposed to be her destination this fall and her plans were changed forever.

She had a few broken bones but the head trauma could have been PREVENTED with a helmet.

Another girl was a passenger last year on a Harley (no helmet, wind in her hair) during a poker run. They were hit by a car and she had head trauma. She is in a vegetative state in a nursing home.

Tell that to her family and boyfriend.

Tell that to the parents of a very bright 20 year old girl who is in a residential head trauma facility. She was riding her mom's Harley (no helmet, wind in her hair) and swerved to miss a deer, hit a second deer and careened off the road. Major head trauma and was in intensive care for several months while in a coma. University of Rolla was supposed to be her destination this fall and her plans were changed forever.

She had a few broken bones but the head trauma could have been PREVENTED with a helmet.

Another girl was a passenger last year on a Harley (no helmet, wind in her hair) during a poker run. They were hit by a car and she had head trauma. She is in a vegetative state in a nursing home.

Tell that to her family and boyfriend.

Preaching to the choir here. That is why I think it's nuts to ride without one, and why I always wear mine, even though technically I could get an exemption here in Texas. But if you ride without, then accept what comes to you.

I don't mean to sound cold, but stupidity creeps in when we are isolated from the consequences of the decisions we'd otherwise make; slowly, through helment laws, seat belt laws, drug laws, etc. I fear we are losing the common sense that dictates that you should wear a helment because it's the smart thing to do rather than because some bureaucrat says you should.

Why not get rid of all the bureaucrats and have everything unregulated? No drivers licence, commercial operator licences?

I get it - all regulation is evil.

Sorry jcp123.
I took your statement wrong. I'm always on the defensive when it comes to helmets. It's sad, but it is up to the individual as to what risk they take with their brain in Illinois. I rode dirtbikes and always wore a helmet and my helmet left a dent in the hood of a
Cadillac in 1976. The only damage I had was a bruised leg, sprained ankle, and a broken toe.

Speaking of which, I've had my helment for two years now...probably due for a replacement soon?

Why not get rid of all the bureaucrats and have everything unregulated? No drivers licence, commercial operator licences?

I get it - all regulation is evil.

He's talking about regulations that are "for your own good", you aren't.

I happen to think the only thing dumber than riding without your brain bucket is forcing you to wear it.

I have to agree with you. If you want a government that mandates helmets, I want a government that take fat kids away from their parents. Lets outlaw alcohol, sugar, fat, sunbathing, driving fast, driving slow, flying small planes, eating sushi.....well you get the point.

(think this will create a rukus?)

A different tact: Our cars must pass safety inspection to be allowed to drive them....should the safety and emission regulations be voided?

A cyclist without a helment crashes and has head trauma. Goes to the county hospital, costing the taxpayer's thousands....he still has the right to go without a helment?

Chuck - I agree with your 2nd point.

The first point, though, would be more like having safety inspections for the helmet itself. A faulty helmet will not protect you even if you are using it. That's why you bought it, and why you use it, so the manufacturer is liable if it fails at its main purpose.

Think it's Supreme Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes that said: "Your rights ends where mine begins".....defining that line causes endless litigation that includes topics like helmet laws.

My rational for helmet laws is driving a motorcycle is a privilege, so they should take reasonable measures to avoid an accident and burding taxpayers with hospitalization.

A different tact: Our cars must pass safety inspection to be allowed to drive them....should the safety and emission regulations be voided?


Don't mention those inspections. They might be my least favourite thing about Texas. I miss California where all I had to do was write a check and get my tags (I was smog exempt). I maintain my car, and don't appreciate inspection personnel making up problems to not pass what's a perfectly capable automobile that's putting no one at risk. Anyhow, that's enough on that rant (just got denied an inspection for the first time today).

Anyhow, as to the helments...I believe in survival of the fittest. Those who are smart enough to wear their helments, live. Those who aren't, may not live to procreate. Harsh, maybe, but it's nature's own law applied to our "civilized" way of life.

Anyhow, as to the helments...I believe in survival of the fittest. Those who are smart enough to wear their helments, live. Those who aren't, may not live to procreate. Harsh, maybe, but it's nature's own law applied to our "civilized" way of life.

It's not just about survival, as Chuck touched on, but how much of a burden is being placed on the rest of US as a society for what should be a common sense choice? Should we do away with safety belts, airbags, ABS, guardrails, (insert safety equipment here)? Doesn't that follow the same logic? Those are regulated and mandated as well, and a safety belt IS required by law for most (all?) states anymore. I'd think that would be a fairly close comparison to a helmet in a car.

I suppose in modern cars, yeah, it's mandated, and I don't agree with those laws either, for the exact same reason. The financials I can eat for the sake of being able to live as I see fit and letting others do the same as well. There are plenty of ways money is wasted, but I'll stop here since I don't want to start a flame war/political thread.

Suffice it to say...helments exist for a reason. WEAR THEM! Even if your state doesn't require them. Ditto for seat belts.

More people get ill due to salt, just to name one, than motorcycle accidents. Are you ready to outlaw salt. Tabaco, alcohol. Where do you stop? Are helmets your line in the sand, or do you, for the sake of society want to control more of American's decisions?

....Anyhow, as to the helments...I believe in survival of the fittest. Those who are smart enough to wear their helments, live. Those who aren't, may not live to procreate. Harsh, maybe, but it's nature's own law applied to our "civilized" way of life.The Inuit tribes kicked their grandparents out of the igloo and let them die in the Artic - that's survival of the fittest.

Motorcyclists already are 35 times more likely to get killed on the road as it is...why not try to get those numbers down?

To me, civilization allows people like Helen Keller, Louis Braille, and Stephen Hawking to live and contribute....a more Darwinian society marginalizes or kills them off (in extreme cases).

Motorcyclists already are 35 times more likely to get killed on the road as it is...why not try to get those numbers down?

That's why arguments that "it costs more" don't hold true with motorcycles and helmets. Most often with no helmet it is the grave, with a helmet, it is more expensive.

Many quadrapegics/parapeigics are motorcycle accident victims - that's no burden on the rest of us?

Many quadrapegics/parapeigics are motorcycle accident victims - that's no burden on the rest of us?

Check the numbers Chuck, the quadrapegics/parapeigics are RARE in the grand scheme (sans helmet), the vast majority are dead and no burden, if burden is so important. There are lots of permanently debilitated car drivers as well, that were in seatbelts.

This may not be the greatest link but states 37% of paraplegics are road accident victims (http://www.resource4accidents.com/topics/quadriplegia.html).

This may not be the greatest link but states 37% of paraplegics are road accident victims (http://www.resource4accidents.com/topics/quadriplegia.html).

Wish they gave a breakdown on motorcycle with helmet...... vs Car.

I can only guess that helmetless idiots are dead and helmeted may be para/quad but still alive.

Point is:

Alive is good.

Dead is bad

Dead may be cheaper, don't make the argument that helmeted aren't a burden and helmetless are without proof.

I anticipate we see more of this puzzle with potential universal health care.

Hard to ban smoking if it is found that smokers cost less. When the Government Acounting Office includes all receipts and concludes healthy is expensive and obese is cheap things may get weird. :eyebrow:

More people get ill due to salt, just to name one, than motorcycle accidents. Are you ready to outlaw salt. Tabaco, alcohol. Where do you stop? Are helmets your line in the sand, or do you, for the sake of society want to control more of American's decisions?

Ah, let's not drag extra baggage into this. I specifically mentioned SAFETY equipment before, I did not mention anyone's choice on how to kill themselves by vice. My line in the sand is... we're talking about machines that hurtle down the road at highway speeds. We're talking about a species that seems hell bent on self extermination. We're talking about setting standards of safety so that ALL of us are less of a burden. We're talking about saving someone's father, brother, uncle, aunt, wife, child. I guess what I'm saying is that most often people won't make good decisions unless there's a consequence that hits them in their wallet, even if making the bad decision can lead to their (and others) death.

I'm not for living in a Nanny state, merely that a helmet, a seatbelt, and other safety equipment are to be used (even by the stubborn or stupid) for their own good. If we need to mandate that, so bet it.

The Inuit tribes kicked their grandparents out of the igloo and let them die in the Artic - that's survival of the fittest.

Motorcyclists already are 35 times more likely to get killed on the road as it is...why not try to get those numbers down?

To me, civilization allows people like Helen Keller, Louis Braille, and Stephen Hawking to live and contribute....a more Darwinian society marginalizes or kills them off (in extreme cases).

Damn...you have a point there.

I just look at helmutless cyclists as organ doners. Their choice, their life.

Ah, let's not drag extra baggage into this. I specifically mentioned SAFETY equipment before, I did not mention anyone's choice on how to kill themselves by vice.

I still don't see a lot of difference between someone (adult ) choosing to not wear a helmet, and someone ramming fries down their throat. Trust me, you would not want me to be the "it's good for you czar", and I don't like the idea of someone else telling me what to do.

I still don't see a lot of difference between someone (adult ) choosing to not wear a helmet, and someone ramming fries down their throat. Trust me, you would not want me to be the "it's good for you czar", and I don't like the idea of someone else telling me what to do.

Whether we like it or not, we're told what to do every day. Every single one of us. Most people don't like being told what to do, but every law is there to tell you what you CANNOT do. We can play with words, but that is to an extent telling you what you CAN do.

Whether we like it or not, we're told what to do every day. Every single one of us. Most people don't like being told what to do, but every law is there to tell you what you CANNOT do. We can play with words, but that is to an extent telling you what you CAN do.

The bottom line for me is that in Florida I can choose. I suspect that if you lived here, you would, occasionally got for a short ride without one. I'm not playing with words. I'm telling you that as an adult I want to make that choice. If I move to NY, I would comply with the NY laws.