helmet laws

[camos]

All good questions Craig and I don't have an answer for them. When I comes to motor vehicle accidents and health care there are two government institutions involved, health insurance and the motor vehicle act. Health care handles most of the basic necessities for recovery but it does not cover all eventualities. Some of which I agree with and some of which I don't. The motor vehicle act covers the placement of blame and responsibilities including fines etc. The whole thing is a twisted tangled mess that is beyond any single person's ability to comprehend which is well illustrated by your questions.

 

What makes it even more difficult is when cyclists and helmets are mixed in. It is also against the law here in BC for cyclists to ride without helmets but that is virtually unenforceable because they are not licensed and do not have to have insurance. The police may or may not stop a cyclist who is riding without a helmet. If they do, usually what happens is the person is required to put on a helmet or push their bike to their destination. In Ontario cyclists under 18 must wear a helmet. Don't know what other provinces do.

 

It would appear to be very difficult to make everyone personally responsible for their choices so in many cases the majority does seem to get stuck with the bill.

[rickardracing]

Sticky subject. One wrong comment and you run the risk of getting flamed, but I am one not to shy away from controversy. I probably spelled that wrong also, but anyhooooo, here is my take. I feel it is the right of the individual whether to wear or not to wear a helmet. I ride with one, but I also have rode without one also. Depends on how tight my panties are that day. Now here is my quandary. I ride a VERY busy and dangerous highway to and from work. Ragtop knows my ride. Scary at times. If I go down and my helmet is what keeps me alive BUT I end up paralyzed.....I hope to H E double hockey sticks that my helmet fails and splits in two and my melon blows open like a watermelon dropped on the concrete. I am very serious. I do not want to live like that. I would prefer to be dead. But to keep peace in the household I wear one. My wife went down on her bike a few years back at 50 mph and she hit her head on the pavement. Had she not been wearing one she would have died right there.

[slowrollwv]

Uhhhh,talk to Carbon_One about that, or B2Dad, or?

 

Or Metalman.

[djh3]

Hmm I wear a helmet all the time. Its the way I learned to ride, it was just part of the deal. I started street riding in Fla in the early 70's, helmets were still mandatory then. The only "outlaw" helmet states back then were Calif, Ny I think and a couple out west places like Nevada or something, not may any ways. Over the years states repealed helmet laws (I dunno why). I served in the USAF in Oklahoma and part of our briefing in the MOST (motorcycle operator safety training) was "Oklahoma is a helmet choice state. You can wear one or not your choice. You Must wear a helmet on base (max speed on any military post I have been on is like 35-45 mph) However once you are off base it is your option, but be advised it may also be Uncle Sams option as to weather or not they pa your medical bills. For me that made a pretty easy choice as I wore a lid anyways.

Last week the boss and I were enjoying some nice rides in NC, then a swing over thru Savannah on the way home. Along my route to Savannah we are tooling along about 60 or so and I hear this loud thud sort of sound. I saw whatever the projectile was about 29 milliseconds before contact. There is now a chip in my helmet where said projectile made contact. So for me it saved a headache without and ground contact. Shoot I remember the days when hockey players didnt wear any helmets and the goalie were just starting to some of them wear catchers masks. once players were taught as kids that a helmet was just part of the gear, all the talk went away about how it infringed on sight, quickness etc. Similar with the HANS device in NASCAR and auto racing. Some were speaking out against it spouting restrictive, I cant look around limited movement etc. I dunno how restrictive a HALO rig is but they dont look comfy. But the kids coming up now just learn to race with them and its just part of putting on the fire suit, shoes helmet etc. I do question though in the states like mine, how can they require me in a 4k pick up to wear a seat belt, but the kamikaze on the ninja dont have to wear any protection? Flip flops, tank top and a helmet dangling over the left turn signal. Well at least that part wont be damaged.

[cowpuc]

Since medical coverage in the USA is not universal that would mean insurance companies are left to come up with their own method of controlling unsafe practices which put all their members on the hook for the independent decisions of others.

 

People's rights to individual independence should not be allowed to infringe on the rights and responsibilities of others. If someone breaks their melon because they made a risky choice they should not expect anyone else to contribute to either their medical or recuperation expenses.

 

Brother I KNOW,, makes NO SENSE at all does it ... Currently it seems our country is about a 50/50 split population wise as to whether or not we wanna completely solve the dilema you point out and cash in the chips on the big social science experiment our forefathers started back in 1776.. I personally lean heavily toward their original ideas and am in favor of continuing with the experiment and am kind of an extreme example that way (like being able to wear a helmet IF I want and still think we should be able to have hand granades, full automatic weapons and prefer the old "no speed limit" days of an "open" Montana). My neighbor and GREAT friend thinks I'm totally nuts an disagrees with me,, he thinks the experiment has gotten out of hand because the population of the U.S. has gotten to the point that we HAVE to go to total social Government control in our way of life to protect ourselves from ourselves and each other..

It will be interesting if/when those in favor of going to total social control (around here we call that "Socialism") by the Government get to 51 percent and we see our way of life for the last 240 years come to an end.. I have heard stories of how hard it is for people living in total social dominance to convert to a very limited government Republic (I can certainly see how our way of life could be TERRIFIYING if a person weren't used to it ) where individual rights are held in the highest esteem - it will be interesting to see if it's just as difficult to convert when going the other way around.. Good thing I am at the latter end of life cause I can't even imagine having to give up even my Cigars if they told me I had to and I enjoy riding without a Helmet when I want to wayyy to much:big-grin-emoticon:

[wizard]

I agree, helmet laws suck

I also agree.All to soon, riding a motorcycle will be against the law. The general public sees this as a very dangerous sport. It begins as a mandatory helmet law, than body armor, flashing head lights, then who knows, it's just to costly to the government to continue to allow bikes on public roads. I can also see it happening to 4 wheel autos, taking all control away from the occupants.

[CaseyJ955]

I also agree.All to soon, riding a motorcycle will be against the law. The general public sees this as a very dangerous sport. It begins as a mandatory helmet law, than body armor, flashing head lights, then who knows, it's just to costly to the government to continue to allow bikes on public roads. I can also see it happening to 4 wheel autos, taking all control away from the occupants.

 

I wouldn't push mine across the driveway without a full face lid and there are no adult helmet laws in my state. That being said IMHO it's a waste of resources to pass/enforce laws to protect us from ourselves. Adult helmet and seat belt laws need to go the way of the 8 track player. Insurance companies should be allowed to deny any claim of anyone injured while not using the available safety gear, this way it wont cost others money. A person is free to make their choice, and if necessary they are solely responsible for the consequences. Problem solved!

 

Helmet laws suck.

[Doug royal86]

I am a EMT so far we are batting 100%. Every bike wreck without a helmet has died. The ones with a helmet still alive but some will never be the same. I picked up a guy that hit a deer the size of a dog. The person that saw the bike hit the deer was going less then 45 mph. He died before we could get him to the hospital. His only injury was his head trauma. (his helmet was strapped to the back of his bike) I think a helmets saves lives. I know it the macho thing to do but your family has to deal with it later. just my opinion

[yamagrl]

Any reason to wear a helmet is a good reason... Even if it's only to listen to music.

[venturesome]

I use my helmet to cover my ears so that I don't have to hear the music coming from $500 cages that have $5000 speaker systems!

Their money would be better spent on safety items... like brakes and tires.

But that's another story.

 

I agree with the side that says helmets should be a choice, and seat belts should be mandatory. Not wearing a seat belt can cause loss of control that causes injury to the innocent. Not wearing a helmet usually means that you (and possibly your passenger) die. That was your decision.

Ride safe, but be constantly aware that somewhere in front of you, in the rear, or on the right or left of you, there is an idiot that will "accidentally" kill you!! It is your responsibility to prevent that if possible.

Edited October 23, 2016 by venturesome
reworded sentence for clarification

[Yammer Dan]

You wear if you want I'll wear if I want!! I just know the gene pool needs worked on.....