A news story on the local Fox affiliate starts with the elevated fatality rate since the repeal of Florida helmet laws and strangely interviews a couple of Harley guys who are against helmets. About half to three quarters of the way through the video is my favorite, a 400 pound genius crying about how heavy and uncomfortable his halfshell helmet is.
I always wear all my gear, but I think helmet and seat-belt laws are stupid. It should be your choice whether you wear one or not. Here in Kentucky, I'm required to wear a seat-belt in my 4-wheel vehicles...you know...the 4,000 pound trucks with steel cages and soft collapsible interiors...but I am not required to wear a helmet or any other gear on my motorcycle. Someone please explain that one to me.
Just another feeble attempt by the government to snuff out natural selection.
Those are the dumbest excuses I have ever seen in my life. I'd like to see the test data that shows a helmet is more likely to break your neck than save your head!
Only viable argument is freedom. But that is a weak one at best. I'm all for free choice. In a perfect world it would be ones choice and everyone would chose to wear them.
I could go on. But I'll wait to see how others weigh in on this typically polarizing subject.
"The helmet will come right back and snap your neck right at the third cervical vertebrae and break your neck," said Weaver. "That's more likely to happen than a head injury."
This might be the dumbest statement ive ever heard. if your neck is getting whipped around That hard then your probably not, or not going to be on your bike very much longer and at that point i would rather have a helmet
The guy quoted in the article states helmet use makes it extremely tough to see and hear on a motorcycle.
The Federal Government is just now starting another push to make helmet use mandatory. I am sure they will link state helmet mandates with federal funding allocation to states for Department of Transportation and/or Health and Human Services programs as the carrot and stick to obtain eventual compliance.
I have a theory on seat belts. I'm sure someone has the studies to proove it so its no longer a theory. Anyway.
Seatbelts can help someone maintaine control of their vehilcle. Therefore not wearing one dosen't just create more harm for you, it creates more harm for others on the road. And you are then encroaching on their freedoms, which is bad.
A better example hits closer to home. Has anyone ever seen car crash videos of people not strapped in. They bounce around inside the car like a steel bearing inside a paint can. How bad would you feel if one of those soft things in the car you smashed as you bounced around was your significant other. Or worse you child. I'm very admiate that seatbelts should be law. If you couldn't tell. Your 80lb kid doesn't stand a chance against his 200lb dad when he is bouncing off of him at 50 mph.
A helmet could have the same argument from different prespective. The only example I can think of is the high distraction a large bug creates when it smacks you in the forehead at high speed. It stings through leather. And chips faceshields. I don't want to find out what it feels like on my face. Thats one of my only two reasons why I think helmets should be mandatory.
Since I'm on a soap box. More like a soap wrapper. The 2nd reason for helmet laws is that I think it is just a bit irresponsible of a mom/dad combo. Riding the same bike when there is a very high potential for a new orphan waiting at home. Two sperate bikes, okay. Odds of both having fatal accident pretty low. but two on one bike. I wouldn't play those odds if I had kids at home.
We have the same scenario here, you can be ticketed for no seatbelt (it used to be enforced only if you were pulled over for another infraction) Helmets are not required if you are 20 or older and carry some sort of medical policy (how do you enforce that?) I personally never ride without my helmet but I was surprised that they chose to use some knucklehead to tell you how dangerous helmets are. I'm not sure how this debate still happens without actual facts.
"the helmet limits my hearing" and those ear-raping straight pipes dont?
__________________ "Gentlemen. You can't fight in here. This is the War Room." - President Merkin Muffley
I like how Dr Weaver provided all the scientific medical data detailing how the back of your helmet is much more likely to break your neck than saving you from a head injury. SO, if you were hit hard enough to break your neck, had you not been wearing a helmet you would have been fine??? Great logic dumbass. About as sensible as saying they hinder your vision. I have greater than 180 peripheral vision and I can't see the sides of my helmet. Guess I have a magic one.
Mandating helmets is a bad idea regardless of how stupid riding without one is. Just more government dictating how we live. Just wait, salt is next. Some states including Minnesota are whispering of a "fat tax" on Soda and fast food. I believe they call this a slippery slope.
Ahh. I better go to bed before I get on a fat people rant. And before I piss off everyone that might have concidered me a friend before this thread started.
By the way, I agree with no helmet laws. I just which people used more common sence. And it should not be a law maker, trying to make a name for themselves, justifying thier existance, to try and compensate for someones lack of common sence.
Maybe better education is the way. Not as glamerouse or power instilling but I think it is the better way to go. Or maybe just stick to good old darwinism.
guys... think about this. what is the ultimate motivator? money... who makes or lose money when a motorcyclist dies? insurance companies. health insurance, life insurance (big one), auto insurance, the list goes on. guess who some of the biggest profiters are? insurance companies.
call it conspericy theory if you want or whatever but i'm telling you right now, there's a big push behind closed curtains to regulate people and their behavior. modern food is a perfect example of this. research high frutose corn syrup. you'll see that a 50+page document was printed stating the findings and the various links to heart disease, cancer, obesity, etc etc. you'll also find that several of those pages were sanctioned BY the federal government... whether people believe it or not, we subidize corn to the tune of over 1 billion dollars a year. why do you think corn products are in everything? yellow 5, corn syrup, ethanol, even used as a composite to bind powder together to form medical pills that are on the market.
look up some of thomas jefferson's famous quotes. you'll see exactly what he warned is happening right now.
I don't agree with helmet laws I think people should be left to their practices. I usually wear a helmet but if Im just farting up to the store, or down the street I enjoy not wearing one. I wear one for the safety no cause they're comfortable. If I choose not to wear one it should be a choice I can make.
I do agree its all about the money, Politics has taken a nasty direction from "for the people" to "for the money" and unless we get back to a system where people in politics aren't on a agenda and getting rich on salaries then we will continue to have problems with people dictating our lives and wasting countless days/weeks doing so.
Shit during our Gov election recently I couldn't even vote... You got Alex Sink and Rick Scott, which criminal do you want running the state? Ridiculous I tell you.
I have a theory on seat belts. I'm sure someone has the studies to proove it so its no longer a theory. Anyway.
Seatbelts can help someone maintaine control of their vehilcle. Therefore not wearing one dosen't just create more harm for you, it creates more harm for others on the road. And you are then encroaching on their freedoms, which is bad.
A better example hits closer to home. Has anyone ever seen car crash videos of people not strapped in. They bounce around inside the car like a steel bearing inside a paint can. How bad would you feel if one of those soft things in the car you smashed as you bounced around was your significant other. Or worse you child. I'm very admiate that seatbelts should be law. If you couldn't tell. Your 80lb kid doesn't stand a chance against his 200lb dad when he is bouncing off of him at 50 mph.
A helmet could have the same argument from different prespective. The only example I can think of is the high distraction a large bug creates when it smacks you in the forehead at high speed. It stings through leather. And chips faceshields. I don't want to find out what it feels like on my face. Thats one of my only two reasons why I think helmets should be mandatory.
Since I'm on a soap box. More like a soap wrapper. The 2nd reason for helmet laws is that I think it is just a bit irresponsible of a mom/dad combo. Riding the same bike when there is a very high potential for a new orphan waiting at home. Two sperate bikes, okay. Odds of both having fatal accident pretty low. but two on one bike. I wouldn't play those odds if I had kids at home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by touring919
Ahh. I better go to bed before I get on a fat people rant. And before I piss off everyone that might have concidered me a friend before this thread started.
By the way, I agree with no helmet laws. I just which people used more common sence. And it should not be a law maker, trying to make a name for themselves, justifying thier existance, to try and compensate for someones lack of common sence.
Maybe better education is the way. Not as glamerouse or power instilling but I think it is the better way to go. Or maybe just stick to good old darwinism.
I'd add you as a friend JUST FOR SAYING THE ABOVE. I have a co-worker who never wears a seat belt when we go out to lunch. He just says "I'm not going anywhere" (he's probably 380-400lbs). I'm 165. I can't imagine the damage I would receive when a 2000-3000lb vehicle slams his puny 400lbs into my nano 165lbs. People that think like that annoy me.
the same applies to bikes,scooters and skateboards in my book
seriously? scooters I can see, kinda. But kids have been skate boarding for decades without a second thought to helmets. I don't see any save the kids from skateboards bumpers stickers. (unless you're riding ramps then yes wear a lid) and I still ride my bicycle several times a week. have been riding my bicycle for almost 30 years and not once did I think "hold on I need a helmet" before riding my trek up to the store or to the beach, not once. I guess we should all just strap one on when we leave the safety of our beds?
Sure you hear of the occational tradgedy and Im not trying to make light of anyones misfourtune. But Im not about to stop liking fried chicken cause someone choked on a bone. And Im not going to boneless chicken cause it freaks me out (wtf is that stuff)
I think it all should be a choice, seatbelts, helmets, ect.....
After all this is America, but I to say IF you choose not to use a helmet or seatbelts, then have plenty of insurance to cover you if you end up in the hospital for months on end......
You must be responsible for yourself!
__________________
I Can and will ride anything!
Bikes I own:
New addition 1978 CB750Four
2006 919
1994 home built springer
1984 KLR 600
1953 Servi-car (I gotta get this put back together)
1942 WLA (Gotta finish this one as well)
1985 Honda 200M ATC
1985 Honda ATC 70
1997 Yamaha Big Bear 350 4X4 ATV
Early 1984 Ironhead Sporty (Wife has laid claim to this bike)
1986 Sporty that I am putting a ironhead engine into
YEA BIGDAA I Gotta GUN!
It's not that I am punishing YOU, I am just taking YOUR money and giving it to LAZY Asses who refuse to get off the TIT of the Government...Obama to Joe the Plumber
If the reason for motorcycle helmet laws is safety & to reduce death I have a better idea & it is guaranteed to reduce motorcycle injuries & fatalities 100%.
Eliminate the motorcycle all together. After all the people that ride them are the dumbest on earth--there are far safer methods of transportation available. The data & science don't lie.
Helmets have been compulsory in New Zealand since the 70's. I'd never consider not wearing one on the road. I don't get open face ones either - bloody uncomfortable and painful when a large bug splats into your cheek.
Full face all the way for me, plus I'm an advocate for bike gear head to toe including gloves - proper gloves too not those pointless fingerless ones the HD guys like.
I wear my helmet 99% of the time. I'll make no bones about it...occasionally (rarely) I like to not have a helmet on. Sometimes the wind in my hair & face is just what the doctor ordered.
I completely disagree with helmet laws and seatbelt laws...this is where the nanny-state began, imho.
OTOH, I don't find my vision restricted terribly much in a full-face helmet. my head is already on a swivel when I'm riding. Likewise, I don't mind the reduction in wind noise and traffic noise. Hell, I'm usually listening to tunes on my Ipod...and I still can hear traffic/sirens/etc. I find the wind noise at any speed above 20 to be more severe than anything else.
The only reason I can find for not wearing a helmet (or buckling my seatbelt) is simply because I don't f*cking want to...and no one should be able to make me.
__________________
Well, fire the engines! Spur this iron space-pony on!
"The helmet will come right back and snap your neck right at the third cervical vertebrae and break your neck," said Weaver. "That's more likely to happen than a head injury."
Yea, and that occurs just after your brain slams into the front of your skull & begins to purge itself thru your nasal cavity.
You think the coroner is going to bother checking to see if your neck is broke?
In N.Y.You need a helmet for a bicycle .Always rode with a helmet and full leathers, I cracked one helmet and wasted a set of perfectly good leathers in one wreck and came close to wearing a hole in another helmet. Depends how hard you hit and at what angle ,some will survive to tell the story and plenty of others don't. I've been down at high speeds twice and would never consider getting on a machine without a helmet.
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