Courtesy of Fark.com

http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/10/30ky/wir-front-motorcycle1030-11361.html

didnt we see that coming. Riders on bikes bigger than they can handle and then no helmets.. what were the ppl thinking when they passed the law. AMA is partly to blame they have been campainging for helmet free states for a while.

I forever will never ride without a helmet, i feel naked without one.

Amen. I wear a helmet because I choose to. You look better with a helmet.

Plus politicians like our Governor in Louisiana repealed the helmet law to show how much they are in favor of "freedoms" for us little folk.  He rides Harleys and has publicly stated that helmets are of no use in accidents over 35 MPH.  For cruisers that don't take corners at any speed, this may be more accurate.  They are not high-siding in a hot curve.  Their primary risk is being hit by a cage.  If the cage is doing more than 35, then a helmet's benefit may be reduced.  But even if it affords a 1% better chance of helping me in a crash, then I will wear one.

I won't ride without helmet, armored jacket, and proper gloves.  That's all that 's protecting you whether you hit a car, the ground, etc...

I won't ride without helmet, armored jacket, and proper gloves.  That's all that 's protecting you whether you hit a car, the ground, etc...

I rode without a helmet once in Wisconsin.  I couldn't stand it.  I felt naked.  I will always wear a helmet even if they do away with the law.

QuoteI forever will never ride without a helmet, i feel naked without one.

if you arnt goin to wear one riding your as good as naked. i would hate if someone i knew got in wreck without one.

QuoteHe rides Harleys and has publicly stated that helmets are of no use in accidents over 35 MPH

yea that is bullsh*t. my dad hit a railroad crossgaurd doin 70mph. he only got roadrash and a black eye. 6 stiches in his ear and 3 in his arm. helmets do save lives and i will always wear one.

Thats insane. I still yell at everyone without them. My bro is still alive. Because he was wearing a helmet? Maybe or maybe not, but I don't want to find out what would have happened if he wasn't.

 -Anti

Yeah, helmets are great, but should it be a law that you have to wear one? If riders want to make the decision not to wear one, who will they hurt but themselves?

If increased medical costs are  the biggest arguement for making riders wear helmets, it is only a short leap to banning motorcycles entirely. We don't "need" to ride bikes, and they do cause increased medical costs.

Then you might as well ban skydiving, hang gliding, white water kayaking, and just about everything else fun.

I have only ridden without a helmet a couple of times, but I can understand the appeal.

Who will they hurt besides themselves?  How about their children who will grow up without their dad/mom?  I know that it infringes upon our so-called "freedoms", but so does the speed limit.  I could say that I do not feel free unless I am allowed to drive as fast as possible wherever I go without fear of getting a ticket.  We all know that wouldn't go over too well.  Why does the helmet thing?  

A woman who rides with our local group had a 25-30MPH highside this past weekend.  Wearing full leathers and helmet.  Broke her collarbone.  Her helmet, some model of Arai, was totally trashed.  She went to the hospital for treatment and was home a couple of hours later.  Do you think her 3 children would have been OK with our having to tell her that it was her "choice" not to wear a helmet...now you don't have a mom anymore?  I know motorcycling is dangerous and any one of us could not make it home next time helmet or not.  But why push your luck?  

People can skydive, but to my knowledge, you have to use a reserve chute.  You can race your bike at the track and you have to wear proper gear.  Why not on the public streets where it's at least as dangerous.  None of you would think of doing a trackday without a helmet.  

If you think it's worth risking even more on the street just for the "freedom" of feeling the wind in your hair and bugs in your teeth, then I feel very sad for you and what would be left of your family.

i value my head!!!!!!!!!!

Quote from: glenn9171Who will they hurt besides themselves?  How about their children who will grow up without their dad/mom?

I find this very strange. Just deciding to ride a bike at all puts you at much higher risk. I'm sure there are lots of children that are told their father/mother are dead due to a motorcycle accident already. Not wearing a helmet does add some risk, but the majority of it is there already when we swing a leg over the bike. If someone can make the decision to ride when they are a parent, why not let them decide whether to use a helmet or not?

Speeding is a different case, since you are potentially endangering others against there will and without their consent. Not wearing a helmet does not endanger others.

here's my issue with it.  in wisconsin and minnesota for sure, and i don't know where else, there is a seat belt law for cars.  if there is a seat belt law for cars, but no helmet law for a motorcycle what the hell is going on?  it just boggles my mind.

Not everything that "doesn't hurt others" should necessarily be legal.  Should smoking crack or doing heroin be legalized?  Afterall, if I sit in my own home and shoot up some smack, I am not hurting anyone but myself.

No harm, no foul.  Right?  

Anyway, Kevin, you are from Canada.  Aren't you supposed to be in favor of taking away all of the people's freedoms?  They already did away with guns and cigarettes (by way of over-taxation).  By the way, this last part was entirely in jest.

Canada is busy legalizing marijuana and ghey marriage, maybe crack is next!

I just always find it strange that people insist that their level of risk acceptance is the right one, but that anyone else that goes past that level is crazy, and should be legislated back into conformance.

Probaly legislating that all motorcyclists wear full leathers with armour would reduce deaths as much as helmets. Should that be legislated too? I'm not sure these riders in shorts and sandals are much better off with a helmet on.

Good grief.  Now I'm all riled up.  This isn't directed at any one in particular...so don't take any offence..

Can't anyone take any responsibility for their own actions.  The government, and beauracracies in general, can't even get even the simplest stuff right and you trust them to keep you safe.  That's silly.  How many motorcyclist have been killed by people pulling out in front of them, or changing lanes into them.  That's illegal too, but it doesn't stop it from happening.   The laws are just there for insurance companies to decide who has to pay for whose funeral after the fact.  Use some judgement.  Are you really so helpless that you need the government telling you what to do?  Are you afraid you'll be uncool wearing full leathers if the government isn't forcing everyone else to do the same?

Ok...rant over...sorry.

just got done reading, and replying to the author of the article. one of the things i told her in my letter was the helmet is not a magical charm, it is a piece of safty equipment that HELP protect a vital organ, but the head is only 1 vital organ in the body. also pointed out that drinking and drugs were not mentioned as a contributer, or the cagers, or weather, lack of knowlege of bikes being ridin by new riders as well as where they ride.i even tossed in mechanical failure.  the comment from the DOC's public shouldnt foot the bill for your freedoms,  would they feel the same about someone wearing all the gear riding carefully and still getting run over by the lady next door because she was talking on her cellphone. probly not!  for the hell of it, i put in some of my experiences, cars passing me in my lane, ect, and that cars are more of a danger to me then anythingelse. wondering if i will get a reply

In Texas, we have a helmet law, but if you take the MSF, you can request a waver. A (surprisingly) reasonable compromise IMHO. I thought about taking the waver when I got my license, but decided I didn't want that option available to me.

It does create a doubt, so unless you are pulled over for something else, the police probably won't check to see if you are legally without helmet. Somehow I don't think that all the people I see without helmets have taken the MSF. In fact I'm not even sure they have licenses. A couple people in my MSF were there because they had been ticketed for riding without a valid motorcycle permit.

Personally, I can't see riding without the gear. For no other reason than those bugs hit hard at 70 mph, I can't imagine taking one to the face at that speed. The guys with no jacket, helmet or eye protection are just asking for it.

I don't beleive that you should be forced to where one, but I think that if you get into an accident, I don't beleive that medical should be paid for by the rest of us tax payers.  Maybe have a statement you sign when you get your license.

If you're a moron and remove yourself from the genepool, that's fine by me, just don't ask me to pay for it.

Good Day.