I received my regular email today from the MRF.
The U.N. now wants to make helmet laws worldwide.
It was bad enough when they recently decided to control guns.
It's also bad enough that the U.S. voted go on both.

It's scary as hell that universal helmet laws are being promoted, and even more so by observing that a growing number of motorcyclists don't care or are even for it.

The only possible reason is the same as with so many other issues today, people don't want to listen to reason. More and more people simply take a phrase and run with it. An example in this case is that the most obvious way to ride safely is to wear a helmet. There a lot of points to be made about helmets, but riding safely has very little to do with helmets.

Helmet laws would seem to have a lot more to do with non-riders speculation than any complete facts. Riding simply looks unsafe, particularly if the rider doesn't have a helmet. The observing imagination can run wild. Beyond that of course is the gambit of proof and reasons, incomplete studies, studies of one aspect used for another, minority percentages quoted as majority, analysis of incomplete recorded data, and isolated examples. Very few people observe the negative aspects of testing/analysis.

I needed a place to vent on the title, so if this is the wrong place so be it.
I'll check back. I will keep hope that neither of the subject items come true. It would be much better if enough bikers worked together to get rid of the helmet law all over. I still don't know how it got in in Ca. I do know the politician there submit stuff every year forever until they get their way, like the illegal drivers license that went on for 20+ years.

Peace.

 

The King and his people will tell you to wear one and you will do as you are told that is that . Now get back in line The king runs this country.

 

Smitty, do you think maybe the silent majority should be just that?
The countries forefathers said enough is enough, and tried to establish a a better country. It seemed to work until recently. So far we still have a voice, but it won't work unless there are enough.

 

Nobody gives a rat's a$$ if you scatter your brains out on the roadway, as long as you don't expect the rest of us to cover your medical bills. It's amazing how the "I'm my own man, gonna ride "free" pud-pounding mongoloids change their tune and expect the rest of us to pay for their stupidity (can anyone say "self-important socialist a$$wipes"??) ("I knew ya' could")!

As a competitive cyclist (bicycle) in the sixties, I've seen a death and several comas from crashes (with helmets (though the primitive leather strip kind)). As much as I enjoy riding without a helmet (too damn restrictive) there's one "Grown-Up" voice on my shoulder reminding me that I'm already "scatter-brained 'denough at the age of 65, and don't need to scatter my brains any farther than necessary. I engage the aid of a helmet to that end.

Just a matter of physics, ballistics, and the mature application thereof!

I can scrape the blood and matter off the bike, but please DO leave it as pristine as possible after you leave this world. I don't give a Damn about you, but I just loved getting a good deal on my last salvage-rebuildable titled bike and I'd enjoy seeing others get the same enjoyment out of someone else's stupidity!

Just your friendly neighborhood liberal expressing the rights of self-determination!

Ride Free, Jokers!!!

Jim aka kiltiemon (seriously, friends... I'd prefer you (each and every one) to survive to enjoy one another's company now and again. We have FAR more in common than we do otherwise)

 

The complaint about medical bills really makes no sense to me. In the grand scheme of things how much of our insurance premiums are paying for those hurt while not wearing a helmet? One of the leading causes of medical costs or health problems is the obesity epidemic in our country. Complaining about medical costs incurred from riders going down without helmets is a waste of time. More of your money is going to pay for the treatment of heart disease. But there aren't people out there trying make being fat illegal. Let's give tickets to people who eat junk food or fail to exercise (sarcasm). They're costing us more. Plus if you ride without a helmet, you're putting yourself at risk for only as long as your ride lasts. If you're severely obese (like the majority of our country) you're a ticking time bomb, 24/7. Who's really costing you more money.

By the way I wear my helmet and all my gear every time I ride, but don't want to be required to.

 

Kiltiemon. OK, but how do you REALLY feel?

Being about the same age, and with huge respect as a vet for the patriot riders I would hope to get a more rational response, but perhaps not.

Why do people think they’re going to save money if forced helmets save a few accident victims heads? The only way you can eliminate the cost of crashed heads is to eliminate the sport, and then a lot of other more dangerous things. Motorcycling is not even in the top 10 dangerous sports.

How can someone so focused on death, comas, and blood choose the most dangerous transportation on the road but say they are grown up, mature, and not stupid? How can someone like that put so much faith in their helmet to save them? Wouldn’t the same apply to football and the concussions and comas and death in that sport? The current answer for both is 25% more foam, and a much larger shell. Try it, you’ll like it. You’ll feel 25% safer, and save 25% more lives. That’s how weird that train of thought is.

How can the use of a helmet be simple physics, ballistics, and mature application with so much information out there to the contrary? Accident numbers are very low without drinking, speeding, racing, stunts, lack of experience, training and having an actual license.

I too would prefer all to survive to enjoy one another’s company. However, I’m ok with some choosing a different level of safety than I would choose.