....and if I may add, when a comment like that is made, it is typically if not always made without qualitative substance.

Statements like, "my rights" or "I would never do that" etc... are unfounded here. The "my rights" stuff, well no one wants their rights taken away but that is not the issue. Regarding the "I would never do that" has no substance since it is a general blank statement. If it improves your likelihood of living, staying alive, then it is likely a GOOD thing to do.

In essence, there is a reasoning behind a comment. Versus an unsubstantiated blanket response. Especially where there are unbiased facts supporting 1 side of the argument. Like helmet use.

BuzzCap7

 

I remember when, in the 70' seatbelts became mandatory some people refused to wear them because they mistakenly thought that if they come of the road and drive into water they could drown. They never realized that if they were to hit water at, say, 60 mph it would have the same force as hitting a brick wall at 45mph. No belt and you fly through the windshield.
There are still those who will not wear them.

 

This ^^.

Fewer and fewer as the years go by, though. And not all because they changed their minds.

 

i remember this train of thought. never really understood it myself. i know that when i drive somewhere, the thought that i might drive off the road and hit the water is not usually the top worry on my mind.......

 

I started driving in '64 and I distinctly remember all the fears about mandatory seatbelts causing you to get "trapped" in the car. Lots of folks were really freaked out by it.

Although, there's no doubt that the primary danger in an accident wasn't the "trapped" part, it was the "ejected" part.

 

I grew up in Holland and few European countries have more water in the form of canals and ditches along roads. Ending up in the water there is not too far fetched. Neither is knocking yourself out and drowning when you don't wear a seatbelt though.

 

Next someone will cry that bikes don't offer automatic transmission or airbags.

 

Too late.

There are multiple companies offering airbag jackets and vests, and have for several years.

And there are at least four automatic or CVT bikes available.

They're not becoming mandatory until January, though, so you're ok.

 

 

I had a 1978 Hondamatic CB750 years ago. I was just out of high school and got it cheap. It had 2 speeds with a lockup torque converter and no clutch. I didn't keep it very long, it was pretty boring to ride, a motorcycle needs a manual transmission. The automatic transmission also sucked out any power the engine may have had. I do believe the Hondamatic transmission still lives on in some model today.