Okay, folks, here we go--NTSB recommends federal helmet law

NTSB RECOMMENDS LEGISLATION TO MANDATE ALL MOTORCYCLISTS USE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FMVSS 218-COMPLIANT HELMETS

It'll be interesting to see how this precedes.

I think it's a good idea. I've been on the street since 77 and have always worn a helmet.

Helmets Save Lives



Mark

I absolutely agree, Mark, that helmets save lives.

I'm one of the very few around here that wears a lid, and a full face at that, on each ride. That's not to say I haven't taken a spin down the alley and around the block fine tuning a bike lidless, as I have.

Of course, the way this will be accomplished will be exactly how the feds "encouraged" states to enact seatbelt laws--by threatening the loss of federal highway funds, which are collected by the states for the feds in the first place. :S Right now they are "recommending" and "urging" states to fall into line, but make no mistake, they will wield the big stick when they have to.

Post edited by: N0NB, at: 2007/09/13 22:00

I grew up riding in the last province in Canada, IIRC, to NOT have a helmet law.....but I moved to a province that had one of the FIRST helmet laws. Nonetheless, I've ALWAYS worn a helmet, right from my first (borrowed) ride in 1964. Helmets save lives, no question, and they save your and my wallets from taking a big hit when some improvident no-neck mouth breather turns himself into a vegetable because "It was his inalienable right to ride without a helmet". No mistake, even if the guy has no medical insurance, society at large eventually pays for no-neck's stupidity, one way or another.....and, no, I don't apologize for posting such a crassly pecuniary opinion.
No-neck's "right" to do what he wants STOPS where my wallet starts. Pretty simple stuff, really.
Please....wear a helmet when you ride....and not some non-DOT beany thing either......a real approved helmet.....please !!!

Post edited by: H2RICK, at: 2007/09/13 22:54

When I first started riding in 1965 Maryland had no helmet laws (for that matter, no special motorcycle driving test). I had a "shorty" Bell helmet that I would wear about 50% of the time, usually only when cold out. I hit the rear of a dump truck at about 30+ MPH (long story) and the top of my forehead hit the steel beam under the tailgate (or whatever that piece is called) knocking me back off my BSA as it went under the truck. The guy in the truck thought he killed me, and he would have except that day I happened to be wearing my helmet. It took a chunk out of the surface of the helmet, but if that had been my skull, I wouldn't be writing this posting today. I won't even go into the time I hit a tree! I'm not a big fan of helmet laws, but I'm a huge fan of helmets. Ed

i always wear a helmet, not just because ny requires one.
if the worst ever happens to you, a helmet is the difference between a open or shut casket.
no doubt i will catch a lot of slack for my opnions.
they save lifes.
helmet laws suck but so do massive brain injuries.
that is one of the reasons i did not renew my membership to abate.
bunch of harley riders bitching about helmet laws in ny.
it was so funny to watch a meeting once a month and the topic always ended up on the helmet law.
meanwhile, all these assholes were drinking all night and then getting on their bikes!
as a person who lost a dear family member to a motorcycle accident, i strongly recomend everyone wear a helmet and leather or armour.
i also understand in the states it is not required that it is a choice.
think of how your loved ones will respect your choice if they have to bury you.


ok, i guess i will step down off my soapbox now.
sorry, but every time this subject comes up i kind of go off the deep end.

it is your choice and i will respect it.

just try to remember, you are also making a choice for the people you leave behind.

I have always worn a helmet.

But i do not think it should he required by law. People seem to forget that we live in a land of free choice which should allow everyone the right to make poor choices.

Fat people are becoming the #1 most expensive cost to Medicare/Medicade; should we disallow fatty foods as they are a poor choice?

Heavy drinking is damaging to your body, should everyone be limited to a 2 drink maximum?

Stats according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via webbikeworld.com


1998 Motorcycle Facts:

* 2,284 motorcyclists died and approximately 49,000 were injured in highway crashes in the United States.
* Per mile traveled in 1998, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3x (times) as likely to be injured.
* Head injury is a leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes.
* In 1998, 46% of fatally injured motorcycle drivers were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
* NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of a fatality by 29% in a crash.
* In 1998, 41% of all motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
* Nearly one out of five motorcycle drivers (18%) involved in fatal crashes in 1998 was operating with an invalid license at the time of the collision.
* Motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashes in 1998 had higher intoxication rates than any other type of motor vehicle driver at 31%.
* In 1998, 500 motorcyclists lives were saved due to helmet usage; 307 could have been saved.

Sooo while these stats are 10 years old i'm to lazy to go find current ones. Now for ~307 dopes a year people are trying to add another law limiting what people can do in this country. I just never see a line.

One day maybe the powers to be will decided that even with a helmet motorcycles are to dangerous for the public roads.... look at the stats you are 16X more likely to be killed on a bike, that in itself is a poor choice to many people and "coming out of someones wallet."

People deserve the chance to make a poor choice, it is there right. You cannot legislate everyone into living a long healthy BORING life!

Post edited by: hardr0ck68, at: 2007/09/13 23:31

The problem with helmets is it's so damn hard to drink a beer while you ride :woohoo: California has a helmet law, but either way my head is softer than asphalt so I always wear a helmet.

Motorcyclist magazine had some great tests a few years back. Some of the cheapest full face helmets provided the best protection. They didn't have too much good to say about the SNELL Memorial Foundation.

I'm really not for more laws against stupidity, they tend to keep the stupid people alive long enough to breed.

I didn't wear a helmet religiously on my bicycle until June 18, 2002 and 22 stitches in my ear:
jekgraphics.com/injury/

Post edited by: JoeK, at: 2007/09/14 00:21

I usually wear a full face helmet, just because it makes riding a lot more comfortable at speed. But as far as my potential brain injury costing someone else money, I ain't buyin it. Maybe when they make double quarter pounders with cheese illegal and shut down McDonalds and all the other heart attack vendors, I might agree. But I see a whole lot more fat people living on the edge with their bonbons and soda pops than I do riders living on the edge without lids. Comparatively, lid laws are just plain stupid. And I just hate the fact that there are so many do gooders out there wanting to protect my life, but didn't seem to give a crap about my safety when I enlisted years ago. I'm a christian, my life is not finite, I am not afraid to die, and I feel fairly confident that I won't be the first person to ever die. Happens every minute of the day. Someday, maybe today, I will die, whether I'm wearing a helmet or not.
As far as costing people money, a large portion of my taxes go to supporting druggies on welfare. Now, at my job, I have to take weekly unannounced urinalysis tests. I don't have a problem with that, except that I know that a lot of my tax monies go to people who don't work, and who are not subject to weekly scrutinization of bodily fluids. I'd like to see ALL welfare and state aid recipients pass a urinalysis test before they collect each of their checks. Those millions of losers cost everyone a WHOLE lot more money than any amount of brain injured bikers ever did, or could.

It would be nice if more people were sensible and rode with helmets. I'm not a fan of them imposing more laws, but I think anyone suffering a head injury as a result of no helmet shouldn't expect an insurance company or us (the tax payers) to foot any healthcare bills.

I used to use a seat belt before it was law here, I used to wear a helment before it was law - and both have saved my life several times over. I rolled a car when I blew a front tire - walked away with a small cut on the hand (I will say it is very difficult to get out of the car when hanging upside down with a seat belt on). I've taken sides out of crash helmets (as both the result of my mistake and another persons mistake).

JoeK wrote:

The problem with helmets is it's so damn hard to drink a beer while you ride

Or talk on a cell phone (unless you're wearing a shorty helmet). I've seen guys in shorties talking on their phone while riding their bike! Unbelievable...

No pic but my helmet had twice as much rash as Mark wings, no doubt saved my life!!!! I don't like "big brother" but I always wear my helmet. The "things" that Harley riders wear would not save crap in an accident! They might as well be wearing a bicycle helmet!