Michigan Helmet Law

[Condor]

I always wear a helmet when riding, but I also think it should be optional in every state.

I also think that a rider should be required to declare his intensions to excerise his right to not wear when applying for insurance coverage... Then the premium can be adjusted accordingly. If he declares that he will be wearing to save on the premium, and then gets into an accident while not wearing, his policy is null and void and the insurance company is only obligated to return all the premiums paid. All liability and medical costs are then the responsibility of the helmetless rider.

[Solodadof2]

Great discussion and I have to admit that I have on occassion(I can count them on 2 hands mind you) jumped on the bike and road down the street without a helmet. I do believe in the right to choose as long as that right does not affect me. Unfortunately we all get grouped into one big pile so we are all hell raising drinkers, that harrass communities with our load pipes, trashy women and filthy language. Not wearing a helmet is not a problem until you hit the pavement(so dont hit the pavement), Unfortunately many insurance companies use statistics to justify increasing insurances, for example here in Illinois we had 108 motorcycle fatalities in 09 I believe out of those 80 were not wearing helmets so automatically regardless of the circumstances of the accidents this is justification to increase premiums. In 1986 here in Illinois I had full coverage on a yamaha 650 special of $20 a year. nowhere near that now( yes I understand the cost to repair has gone up). ALL this being said make your own choice but remember that the choice you make doesnt just affect you!!! Ride safe, Ride long, and Ride on everyone!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We've been here before. I never understood why you'd want to pay insurance companies a lot more money for the privilage to ride with out a helmet AND endanger your life and effect your families well being.

 

I mean lets face it , you cream your brains in your skull then you you get to sit in a wheel chair all day while the wife gets to go back to work and raise the kids. And it won't have even been your fault when that 80 year old woman turns left in front of you and t-bone her Mercury Marquis.

 

Choice is a wonderful thing! I chose to wear a helmet because it protect my brain AND I chose to NOT to pay the insurance companies anymore money than I have to. Like I said Choice is good!

[reddevilmedic]

Actually If I am not mistaken but in maney states and provinces it is a criminal offense if you knowingly have a life threatning social disease and fail to A- wear a condom or B- fail to inform your partner.

i actually wondered if someone would chime in about the condom remark! lol. pre-1968 cars are not required to have seatbelts, even though seatbelt laws are mandatory in 48 states. so, should we outlaw the cars, or force owners to update safety equipment? municipalites dont enforce seatbelt laws on their busses.....DC requires ALL passengers in a motor vehicle to wear a seatbelt.....

Edited April 16, 2012 by reddevilmedic

[Yammer Dan]

I always wear a helmet when riding, but I also think it should be optional in every state.

 

I also think that a rider should be required to declare his intensions to excerise his right to not wear when applying for insurance coverage... Then the premium can be adjusted accordingly. If he declares that he will be wearing to save on the premium, and then gets into an accident while not wearing, his policy is null and void and the insurance company is only obligated to return all the premiums paid. All liability and medical costs are then the responsibility of the helmetless rider.

 

 

That says it pretty good!! As I said it will just improve the gene pool in my opinion. Now whats a condom???

[Condor]

Now whats a condom???

 

It's something that a Condor uses on occassion.....

[MiCarl]

Unfortunately we all get grouped into one big pile so we are all hell raising drinkers, that harrass communities with our load pipes, trashy women and filthy language.

 

Somehow I'm coming up short on the trashy women part of motorcycling. Where do I go for a refund?

[reddevilmedic]

you leave Livonia and go to Wayne or Garden City.

[PBJ]

you leave Livonia and go to Wayne or Garden City.

You don"t know how funny that sound we have all those same places here in New york.

[mraf]

Brain injury like fish in fish bowl. Swim "Hey nice castle" Swim "Hey nice castle" Swim "Hey nice castle" . Brain bucket is good for me. Freedom of choice now there is a dieing tradition. How fast laws are written, pretty soon there will be one for not using the appropriate number of toilet paper pieces.:rotfl:

[Eddie]

Brain injury like fish in fish bowl. Swim "Hey nice castle" Swim "Hey nice castle" Swim "Hey nice castle" . Brain bucket is good for me. Freedom of choice now there is a dieing tradition. How fast laws are written, pretty soon there will be one for not using the appropriate number of toilet paper pieces.:rotfl:

The helmet law has been on the table for as long as I can remember.

[Eddie]

Somehow I'm coming up short on the trashy women part of motorcycling. Where do I go for a refund?

 

 

Sounds like a good time. Where do I sign up. I do own an HD now.

[rickardracing]

So what IS the appropiate number of toilet pieces?

[twigg]

"Freedom of Choice" has nothing to do with it.

 

You have no right to suffer a more serious head injury, depriving your wife, kids, family, friends of your company, and raising my insurance premiums.

 

It's selfish and dumb!

[reddevilmedic]

"Freedom of Choice" has nothing to do with it.

 

You have no right to suffer a more serious head injury, depriving your wife, kids, family, friends of your company, and raising my insurance premiums.

 

It's selfish and dumb!

 

i guess youre right. i might as well quit surfing, parachuting, skiing, mountain biking, skateboarding, fishing, hunting, riding, driving, running, and walking. i will just sit at home and eat McDonalds, Doritos,and smoke a couple packs of cigs a day... Those activities are much safer...and they certainly dont burden society, friends and family, or insurance company premiums...

[Keemez]

Mmmm.... Doorriiiittoooossss...

[Yammer Dan]

Now lets leave MickyD's out of this. That ain't fair!! Moderator! Moderator!!

[reddevilmedic]

i forgot Yammer...wash it down with a fifth of Jack and a 12 pack of Pepsi! lol...

[twigg]

i guess youre right. i might as well quit surfing, parachuting, skiing, mountain biking, skateboarding, fishing, hunting, riding, driving, running, and walking. i will just sit at home and eat McDonalds, Doritos,and smoke a couple packs of cigs a day... Those activities are much safer...and they certainly dont burden society, friends and family, or insurance company premiums...

 

Really?

 

And I imagine you protest just as strongly against all the aviation laws designed to keep you safe while parachuting, and working on your sarcasm?

 

Same tired old arguments.

 

What is curious about this is that the Helmet Law was in place, for public safety, and protection. It's a good law, that is why they passed it. It is a law that most of the developed world, and many parts of this country concurs with.

 

I wonder what kind of Legislature it is that can reduce the safety of citizens, and burden them with increased costs.

 

It certainly has nothing to do with freedom.

[reddevilmedic]

i think it would be interesting to compare the number of deaths of sober people not wearing helmets to those that die from lung cancer, obesity, diabetes, cirrhosis. if you think that motorcycle accidents are driving up youre premiums....think again. yet, i can partake in all those unhealthy activities, at any time, without Legislation. same old tired response....

[reddevilmedic]

Motorcycle and bicycle helmet use laws

 

 

April 2012

• Laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 19 states and the District of Columbia
  
• Laws requiring only some motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 28 states
  
• There is no motorcycle helmet use law in 3 states (Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire)
  
• Some bicyclists are required by law to wear a helmet in 21 states and the District of Columbia
  
• There is no bicycle helmet use law in 29 states
  

The history of motorcycle helmet laws in the United States is characterized by change. In 1967, to increase motorcycle helmet use, the federal government required the states to enact helmet use laws in order to qualify for certain federal safety programs and highway construction funds. The federal incentive worked. By the early 1970s, almost all the states had universal motorcycle helmet laws. Michigan was the first state to repeal its law in 1968, beginning a pattern of repeal, reenactment, and amendment of motorcycle helmet laws. In 1976, states successfully lobbied Congress to stop the Department of Transportation from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws.

 

 

and so they repeal it too...

[twigg]

lol ...

 

There will never be any persuading some to simply do the right thing.

 

Death tends to concentrate the mind though, and if it takes a law to prevent needless deaths of idiots, then it is a good law.

 

Yeah, idiots. Irresponsible people who should not be allowed on a motorcycle due to their apparent inability to take basic safety precautions.

 

Pointing out to me that people do other stupid things will not persuade me that it is okay to excuse this one

 

peace.

 

I'm done with this now.

[reddevilmedic]

well then, i guess the "idiots" in the 30 US states that dont have helmet laws may disagree...

[reddevilmedic]

The federal government in 1967 stated that states must enact a universal motorcycle helmet law to receive funding for highway safety. Oklahoma, like most states, complied but in 1976 opted to repeal its universal motorcycle helmet law.

"Subsection G of this section as enacted by laws 1967, c. 140, s 3, requiring all operators and riders of motorcycles to wear a crash helmet while operating a motorcycle was unconstitutional since it had no relationship to general public health, safety and welfare. Op.Atty.Gen. No. 68-267 (Dec. 31, 1968).

?????????

[flb_78]

lol ...

 

There will never be any persuading some to simply do the right thing.

 

Death tends to concentrate the mind though, and if it takes a law to prevent needless deaths of idiots, then it is a good law.

 

Yeah, idiots. Irresponsible people who should not be allowed on a motorcycle due to their apparent inability to take basic safety precautions.

 

Pointing out to me that people do other stupid things will not persuade me that it is okay to excuse this one

 

peace.

 

I'm done with this now.

 

Many people consider long distance riding to be stupid but I don't want a law against it because some "idiot" doing an iron butt crashed. Didn't someone die in the last rally?

 

This was a fairly civil conversation until you entered it and started calling people stupid and idiots and it's responses like yours that keep us from being able to discuss other "controversial" topics on this board.

 

It would be nice if everyone could just express their opinion without it becoming childish and personal.

[twigg]

Methinks a few folk are feeling a tad defensive.

 

Please read back ... I did not call anyone stupid or idiotic. I described the act of riding a motorcycle without a crash helmet, as both.

 

However, most of my ire is and was directed not against people here, but against a State Legislature that abandoned it's responsibility for the safety of it's citizens, by rolling back important legislation.

 

Yes, I believe that riding a motorcycle without head protection is both stupid and idiotic, however, if you feel it more civil I would happily exchange those pejorative terms for "grossly irresponsible".

 

Defending such actions as part of our "Freedoms" is simply nonsensical. Clearly you are free to choose, in a State that allows such choices, but it isn't an exercise of "Freedom". Freedoms are fought for, and died for. Irresponsible behaviour should not be equated to this.

 

I said nothing to all the folk who had previously declared that they made a personal choice to willingly put themselves in danger of death, or more severe injury. They make that choice, it's a matter for them.

 

However, it is also a fact (like it or not), that extended hospital stays, and years of rehab are not paid for just by your insurance premiums, they are paid for by us all, and I am perfectly entitled to point that out without the sarcastic reply which has drawn no comment and must be, therefore, be your definition of "civil".

 

It's not mine.

 

As I said before ... Talk among yourselves. I expressed a view, and I am done with this subject now

Edited April 17, 2012 by twigg