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

JoeK wrote:

I didn't wear a helmet religiously on my bicycle until June 18, 2002 and 22 stitches in my ear:
jekgraphics.com/injury/ <br><br>Post edited by: JoeK, at: 2007/09/14 00:21

OUCH! That musta hurt.

I don't buy the "personal freedom" arguement. How does wearing something that makes you a safer rider and saves the taxpayer money violate personal freedom? If a sans-helmet rider gets a bug in their eye and runs their bike into my families car cause they can't pay attention... they've just voilated MY personal safety. Right?

You could follow that logic and say you shouldn't have to stop at red lights or drive in the right line... etc. It's just a flawed arguement in my opinion.

On the flip side... I always manage to get bees and wasps sucked into my helmet. That's gonna kill me someday!

Matt in TX

On the flip side of that coin, maybe I just have dumb luck.
Knocked in the head by a flock of birds while riding over a river levy, Ended up in corn field, no helmet, , busted nose, minor scrapes and bruises.
Slid underneath a van that pulled out in front of me. No helmet, broken arm and collar bone, sprained ankle.
Multiple wheelie failures on my H2 when I was a kid. No helmet, scrapes, bruises.
Failed Batman accent up side of school house with yellow nylon ropes that don't hold knots worth a damn. No helmet, concussion.
Fell off of bluff and bounced down through tree branches. No helmet, hurt all over.
Skate boarded down a long steep hill and realizing too late that the only way to stop was to jump off of the damn thing. No helmet, twisted ankle, busted ribs, road rash, bruises.
Numerous bicycle and minibike accidents when I was a kid, no helmet. Busted up a lot.
Been hauled off in an ambulance several times, and used that taxpayer money each time. Having a helmet on wouldn't have made a dimes worth of difference as far as taxes go.
Add in a few bar fights and stuff and through it all, a helmet just seems so irrelevant.
Now when I scuba dive, I'll use every bit of safety equipment and redundancy thingamajig available, just because I'm terrified of drowning.

riverroad wrote:

Now, at my job, I have to take weekly unannounced urinalysis tests.

I'm guessing that started shortly after the photo in your profile was taken? :whistle: :lol:

:laugh: Yeah, I wasn't wearing a helmet.:woohoo:

Helmet law discussions always make for good reading on a slow day at work. Thanks to all for posting.
Helmet and seatbelt laws are pushed thru by insurance companies that're tired of paying for vegetables on life support.
When you sign up for insurance, maybe you should sign a form that says you're not eligble for medical coverage if you weren't wearing a helmet or seat belt at the time of the crash.

Nope, I'd rather the insurance companies doing what they advertise. If they don't want to insure me, they need to get out of the insurance business. It's kinda like hiring a security guard to protect me, and then the security guard locks me away somewhere so I don't get hurt. So why hire a security guard? If he doesn't want to do his job, he can find another job.
Sure, I'd love to have a job that when I show up, I can tell them I'm not doing what they hired me to do. I just don't have lobbyists in Washington passing laws making it so I don't have to do my job, like the insurance companies do.

Sorry, I can't get past the connection between helmet laws and bigger govm't.

Don't like helmet laws!

KZCSI

Bluemeanie wrote:

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!

It's hard to tell but that's a nice crack across on an angle on mine. They said I was as high as the phone wires and landed on my head. I know it saved my life.

Abe Lincoln said "The government's job is to protect us from each other. But they are out of place to protect us from ourselves."

If we want to save money, get rid of national welfare. Period. It belongs to the local community to care for local needs, and I can see much better than politicians wheter my neighbor needs a bill of groceries. Churches excell at that kind of thing.

If we want to save lives, stay out of hospitals. It's like jumping in the sewer to get clean.

If we want to save face, propose some controversial laws, so those who want to dictate can fight with those who want to be left alone, and they'll all ignore the slant they're sliding in the back door.

If you want to save your life, wear a lid and slow down! And forget about the retards in Washington!

when i took my rode test to get my M class lisence, i bought a $280 helmet and wore it to the test. After i passed i put it on the helmet hook and rode home lidless. And didn't were it for about a year after. Till the next season, It was the 1st time i had the 650 out, it was kinda cold out so i put on my full face and leather coat, and i was headed to school about 7:15am, when the asshole infront of me decided to lock up his brakes. This resulted in me locking up the 650's brakes, which a single front and drum in back is kinda scary when the terd in front of you has 4 wheel disk. Anyway i hit the back of his bumper went over the bars and ended up in the bed of his truck. If i hadn't been wearing my helmet i probally would not be alive today. So from there out i have always wore a helmet for the most part, i admit i have messed up a few times, but hey we all do right????

Bigbadwolf76 +++1 Thanks for that, Wolf.

Riverroad: IMO, you've been VERY, VERY lucky....so far...but NO ONE beats the odds forever....so why take a chance ?? The more you ride, the closer you're getting to that accident when a helmet could save your noggin...and everyone else's wallet from taking a hit.
Do EVERYONE, yourself and family included, a big favour and wear the best gear you can afford EVERY time you throw your leg over a saddle. I know I'd be grateful if you did.

I always wear a helmet. Why? Because I'm exactly as dumb and ugly as I ever want to get As for requiring it by law, I’m 100% against it. These laws were not created by motorcyclists. No one ever jumps up and down, screaming “Please take my freedoms away” Unless they’re wearing a leather mask and a dog collar. These laws often come from people who know nothing about motorcycling except statistics. What are they going to do when these laws don’t solve all their perceived problems? A lot of accidents happen when an idiot buys a bike that’s too big for them. Are displacement restrictions next? According an article I read in Superbike, In Europe, there’s an idiot who’s campaigning to have the top speed on all vehicles restricted, and for laws that forbid manufacturers from advertising performance characteristics of their products. I HOPE this is some sort of joke. I don’t want our lawmakers over here to get any bright ideas. The bottom line is this: Whenever we give some rights away, we leave the gate open for more to be stolen from us. And if you don't have enough sense to protect your brain, which contains everything you are and everything you will become, then maybe there wasn't that much to protect in the first place. :huh: