Missouri may repeal motorcycle helmet law

[xcel]

What the ****???

Chad Douglas – Connect Tri-States – Mar. 17, 2009

2009 Honda CRF230L rider wearing the right gear unlike some Missourian’s.

I hope the MO legislators backing this one ride helmetless a lot so as to thin the gene pool... -- Ed.

HANNIBAL, MO -- There are about 500 reasons a police officer call pull you over in Missouri...

At the same time that bill is making its way through the legislature, a bill has passed the State Senate that would repeal the state's motorcycle helmet law.

The bill states it’s for riders who are at least 21 years old, and everyone would still have to wear a helmet on interstate highways.

"I could not be for it because I've seen the results of what could happen," says Sheriff Jimmy Shinn...

"One important statistic is looking back at the state of Texas when they repealed their helmet law. 55 people died in 1997. After the repeal, that number skyrocketed to 511 in 2001," says Gough.

Some legislators say requiring a motorcyclist to wear a helmet infringes on their civil liberties...

It needs to pass the House and be signed by Governor Jay Nixon before it becomes law… [Read More]

[xcel]

Hi All:

___Arkansas tried the same thing and it fortunately failed...

The effort to repeal Arkansas' mandatory helmet law failed in the state's legislature and the bills sponsor won't try again this session.

Although Senator Kim Hendren, who proposed legislation that would allow riders to either wear a helmet or pay for additional insurance, said he won't bring the bill back this session many feel similar legislation will be presented at some point in the future. Some version of the motorcycle helmet bill has failed in every session over the last decade.

The issue appears to be so sensitive among law makers, the legislation is left to die in committee without a vote being taken.

Hendren is promising he will present the bill again in 2011, his last legislative session.

Several states are currently reviewing motorcycle helmet laws such as Missouri, Illinois and Maryland who all are following similar legislation of offer the opportunity of riders carrying extra insurance to forgo wearing a motorcycle helmet. Maine however is considering several pieces of legislation to strengthen their helmet laws.

___Anyone want to rent Kim a bike for a weekend so she can “Off” herself while paying a higher insurance premium?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[ATL]

why do people who don't ride care if someone else rides w/ or w/o a helmet? or for that matter why do people who ride care? if you want to wear a helmet wear it, if not, don't... the only person that is going to be affected by not wearing a helmet is the person riding. (for the record I havn't been on a motorcycle in almost 4 years and have worn a helmet every time I've been on a bike (even though it is not required in the state of Illinois))

[xcel]

Hi Aaron:

___Similarly, why wear seatbelts?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[Jedi2155]

Its for the loved one's I believe.

[southerncannuck]

I think that it's a bit rich that a forum that avocates driving techniques that sometimes creates road rage and tiny cars worry about someone wearing a helmet or not. I drive a FIT. Plenty of my friends and family think I"m nut for doing that. I would hate for them to legislate away small cars.

[Kacey Green]

Originally Posted by ATL

why do people who don't ride care if someone else rides w/ or w/o a helmet? or for that matter why do people who ride care? if you want to wear a helmet wear it, if not, don't... the only person that is going to be affected by not wearing a helmet is the person riding. (for the record I havn't been on a motorcycle in almost 4 years and have worn a helmet every time I've been on a bike (even though it is not required in the state of Illinois))

Why should my tax dollars go toward hosing this idiots off the streets when the crash?

I've lost people close to me in Motorcycle crashes (they were wearing helmets). I've seen a low speed motorcycle crash, he didn't make it, he was cruising at about 25mph, not wearing a helmet, next thing I knew he was down, dead at the scene. (Quite a disturbing scene)

[brick]

Originally Posted by southerncannuck

I think that it's a bit rich that a forum that avocates driving techniques that sometimes creates road rage and tiny cars worry about someone wearing a helmet or not. I drive a FIT. Plenty of my friends and family think I"m nut for doing that. I would hate for them to legislate away small cars.

Sorry, but there is absolutely no parallel between driving a Fit (which is quite safe) while obeying speedlimits and riding a motorcycle with no protective gear. It's an absurd argument.

[lightfoot]

Originally Posted by southerncannuck

I think that it's a bit rich that a forum that avocates driving techniques that sometimes creates road rage and tiny cars worry about someone wearing a helmet or not.

It's been stated often that safety ranks ahead of fuel economy here.

As far as road rage goes, it exists, people here don't "create" it.

[lightfoot]

Originally Posted by ATL

why do people who don't ride care if someone else rides w/ or w/o a helmet? or for that matter why do people who ride care? if you want to wear a helmet wear it, if not, don't... the only person that is going to be affected by not wearing a helmet is the person riding. (for the record I havn't been on a motorcycle in almost 4 years and have worn a helmet every time I've been on a bike (even though it is not required in the state of Illinois))

Not exactly. The main conclusion of the Hurt Report back in the '80's was that wearing a helmet - ANY helmet - had a huge effect on reducing motorcycle fatalities. If another rider exercising their "right to expression" dies while riding helmetless, it affects me as another rider:
(1) it drives up motorcycle insurance premiums for ME
(2) it artificially raises the perception of motorcycle riding as an extreme hazardous activity, with multiple side effects;
- people forbid others from riding, which reduces the market for motorcycles and accessories and increases their cost
- lawsuits raise the cost of motorcycles and accessories
- employers' health insurance may exclude coverage for injuries incurred while riding

Consider their families as well. CT has a particularly silly law that requires helmets only for kids under a certain age. So a kid going riding with their Dad on his bike gets to watch their father die in a crash? And then has to manage without a father? In a way, the law should require that parents wear helmets since they have responsibilities to others.