Motorcycle Deaths Up...

[ViperRon]

For those who do not wear helments its just the same mentality as those who do not wear saftey belts in cars. There is a tremendous amout of force when a body is flung around and a person does not have the strength to control it. A head is heavy and when you hit the ground the tendancy is for the head to continue and smack the ground and pavement. It does not take much speed. The explaination I alway's used is when people tell me 20 miles an hour is not fast or dangerous is to prove it by running full speed at a wall blind folded and see what happens. Even if you expect it that fat head will smash that face into the wall every time. Arms and legs bend, stomach flexes ,and most of the body is flexible but that skull cracks easier than you think. I mean just sit on the bike and let it fall to the side and see if your head doesn't slap the ground. Another part of helment safty is to protect you from flying debris. I think that either you should wear a helment on the head or a donor card around the neck.

[CatatonicBug]

I recently watched a fellow rider go down right in front of me. He took a curve to wide, and ended up low-siding in a grassy ditch. He was going maybe 30mph at the time. There was absolutely no pavement where he hit the ground, so I was suprised to see the damage to his helmet! The whole side of his full-face helmet, including the side of the visor was deeply scratched. Had he not been wearing a helmet (make that a full-face helmet), he would likely have had severe lacerations to his face and the side of his head. Thankfully, he was able to recover his whits and limp his bike to the shop. He also promised to replace his helmet when he got there.

One of the comments on that article makes sense to me - Use of the roads is a privilege, not a right. Yes, riders generally ride for the sheer freedom it gives. However, we need to remember that laws are made to protect the people, and I honestly believe that helmets are just as important to riders as seatbelts are to cagers. I see nothing wrong with laws that require the use of these reasonable safety devices.

It blows me away that there is legislation that prevents the NHTSA from advocating safety measures at a state and local level! We should ALL be advocating safety measures on a local level! If a well-funded organization has the desire and means to do it publicly, they should be allowed and encouraged to!

[CaptonZap]

Just found out no "paperwork" required other than depositing $55,000 in cash or assets with the county comptroller office unless you want to file a "Surety Bond" from two property owners in the State. JW

So who gets the interest on the $55,000 sitting in the comptrollers account?
CZ

[MaximPhil]

AMEN!!!




Absolutely! I think you hit the nail on the head. I am wary of just about every single statistic I see, because the numbers can so easily be skewed by being selective about your input parameters. ...Whether it supports my personal belief or not. =)

Hence the expression: Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

Phil

[neJeff]

Yep, I'm on the hook for damages. But realistically, to do any serious damage with a bike you'll need to be moving at a pretty good clip. If I survive, I have money in savings for these unforeseen things. If I don't, I have plenty of life insurance; SWMBO can pay them off out of that...

About a year ago I saw a kid, maybe 18 or 19, on a tall enduro type bike t-bone a brand new F-150 in the DMV parking lot at maybe 15 mph. Marked up the brand new truck very nicely! Had to be a couple thousand in damages. The woman passenger (in the truck) cried like a baby! I just got my renewal from Progressive this week. For two bikes a total of $187.00 for a year of liability insurance... a good investment I think.

[BA80]

Manipulating numbers. Government officials are VERY good at this so that they.................might make themselves look good even though they are raping you and to pass new laws that further their cause.

It's quite obvious to those who pay attention. It ain't rocket science.

[xs11jack]

Common sense tells me that there is no argument concerning the facts that a rider with a helmet will survive a crash that a no helmet rider will not. Therefore I see an arrogance in the riders who chose not to wear a helmet. They are saying to me (us) that, yes I know that when I crash the extra insurance I pay will not make much of a difference in all the bills that will be attendant to my health. But I don't give a sh+t about you (us) having to pay higher insurance for your riding. If you don't like it, don't ride, but don't tell me I can't without a helmet.
I pay about $100 a year and that insurance covers most of the stuff my cage insurance covers. But I wonder how low it would be if the arrogant butts were wearing a helmet!!

[Elevener]

Everybody screws up numbers, not just the government. While I have moved to the full ATGATT its nobodies business what I do. F you I wont do what you tell me!!

But Steve, really. If you believe a bike cant cause major expense in damage to a car you havent seen the cost of repairing new cars lately.

[BA80]

Definition of ARROGANCE
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

Examples of ARROGANCE
Her arrogance has earned her a lot of enemies.
We were shocked by the arrogance of his comments.
He was like a movie star at his high school reunion, muting his arrogance and trying to be a regular guy for old times' sake. He seemed to genuinely appreciate the honor.

[jimbyjimb]

Roads are a right because I pay taxes, not a privilege. A privilege is something you don't earn or pay for. I earn the roads by buying tabs, paying for gas, through my income, etc, etc...

I absolutely do not support mommy-laws. Or laws enacted by governments through indirect means with botched numbers filled with speculation and misinformation seemingly for the purpose of fundraising.

I was in an accident that should have killed me regardless of my helmet in April 2007. I strongly urge every rider to wear a full-face helmet as it not only may have saved my life, but should I have lived without having worn it my entire jaw would have likely torn from my body. I flew 20 feet through the air and landed twisted directly on my left jawline and managed to break no bones. I was VERY blessed that day, and the hardest hit and only undamaged cyclist of the day at Harborview according to the ER doctor. They shared in gory detail some of the horrifics that occurred to the many other rider of bicycles and motorcycles that had been patched up as an attempt to keep me from riding again.

I do not support helmet and seatbelt laws mostly due to the ways they have been enacted. Where/when was the vote in my state? Never happened. Thanks, mom. When the voters speak, and the government has presented the issue in a clear, concise and non-confusing manner to ballot, I will happily support the measure. Til then it's the cops fundraising.

Far from being an anarchist I do believe our government is insane and out of control. Being an employee of my city government I am constantly more and more disgusted with how despicable it truly is. The waste, the pandering, the stupidity. It honestly feels hopeless sometimes. I can tell you this though, our system as of current is not sustainable and should collapse if we expect ot make it as a nation. The waste and spending is simply ludicrous at the municipal level. Imagine county, then state, then federal, then military.

[ddragon63]

We also have a growing trend of dudes buying brain buckets and putting a DOT sticker on the back of it... and the bucket is NOWHERE near DOT certified...

Ya'll are grown ass men/women... its up to you if you wanna wear a helmet or not in my opinion. As for insurance as Steve stated here in WA we are not required to have any. As I live 20 miles from Oregon and cross the bridge alot I carry insurance. OR is a impound you S^&T for no insurance state... so I take no chances. Liability cost me $84 a year total for both bikes.

As for the loud pipe saves lives theory... This is the statement I exclaim to SWMBO when I decide I need new pipes. It helps me get what I want. As for them cracking down on loud pipes... I have only one statement to make "Alteration of the exhaust system in anyway is not lawful" Read your state Motorcycle laws.... I bet it says something similar. As for cops enforcing it.... Only time I've seen it is when someone gets pulled over for riding like an ass and the cop is in a ticket riding mood... BTW alteration to your lighting is unlawful too, so he'll write you a ticket for that too... LOL! A buddy got pulled over for 15 over the speed limit and the cop was in a mood... he got a ticket for everything that cop could fine... $1800 later the tow truck showed up to come get his bike as his helmet was not street legal and the officer determined he could not safely operate the bike...

[DGXSER]

Ok...First, lets go makign into some civil rights thing or discussion on how the all powerful gvt is out to eat us. I am not one of these "the government is out to get us all" types. Been around and seen WAY to much in my life not to know that everything we do today is a fad of tomorrow, and the only thing consistant is change.

Honestly though, I use to not wear a helmet. Then twenty years ago or so, I found myself in the air flying over a car that had pulled out on me. While in the air I realized my helmet was in the lock on the bike, and I was coming down head first. After thinking "OHHH SH!!!!TTT", I tucked my head in my arms and came down on a roll. I was very very very lucky, I got a fractured right elbow where I landed on it, and ten stitches in my left knee. (No it was not cause I am some sort of motorcycle guru and know how to wreck and not be in the wreck or get hurt , I just go friggin lucky) You will almost never see me riding without the brain bucket, cause I do not want to come to the realization it would be nice if it were on my head when I need it and it is not like that again. By the same token, years ago, my neighbors daughter and her husband (late 40s at the time) road their Goldwing across the country. One day they had stoppe din for a visit on it, five miles up the road they laid it down. It is a 35 MPH zone. Both wore helmets all the time, no exception. He got a broken thumb, she died on impact from a broken neck. No amount of gear would have saved her.

However, if you think it is right to mandate helmets, then I should think you would go along with outlawing motorcycles. Really, there is no argument to the fact that when something happens, you will be much more likely to suffer serious or fatal injuries if on a bike than in a cage. It is a logical fact. So if you think it is our obligation to be as safe as we can be to protect others, or their insurance rates (really...you think THAT is why your rates are high??!!), then surely we should go the next step and be sure not to even ride the beast as they are safety hazards to start with.

Like I stated earlier, I believe in wearing helmets, and I do not mind of others do not. The overpopulation of the earth by humans is not going to slow down on its own.

As to why insurance rates are so high, well, that is a looonnnggg story right there.

[kwats]

It can be very misleading when someone with an agenda quotes stastics. For instance, during the debate for the repeal of the helmet law in Michigan, one of the legislators described a 300% increase in MC deaths in the 1st quarter of the year in an attempt to sway the vote. What was interesting was this:
The helmet law was still in force and 3 people were killed in the first quarter as opposed to 1 in the same period last year. We had a very early warm season and riders were out months earlier than usual.
Now, having been a certified MC safety instructor (MSF) for over 30 years I can honestly say that some folks have no business riding a bike, but our goal is to make people as safe as possible before we turn them loose. Making mistakes under observation and learning from them on the range can sometimes make a difference.
I was actively involved with the helmet law repeal in Indiana in the 70's and was amazed at the hypocracy of the legislators of the time. It was all about money then and nothing has changed in the last 35 years.
Whether or not I wear a helmet is my choice and mine only.

[Rasputin]

Unlike many of you I have no choice but to wear a helmet when riding. For a brief period of time we had the law removed for a bit before it was re-instated. I took advantage of that as I was then opposed to the helmet laws we had. After my experience, and a buddy who almost died and will be brain injured the rest of his life, I decided the helmet was the better way to go. I choose a 3/4 helmet for my needs.

Also unlike many of you I regularily run my bikes to 8500rpm and run them to well over the 100mph mark. Truth be told I do it just about every ride unless it is restricted to a town ride.
I will not argue the helmet law one way or another as that is something I can do nothing about here. I do however want to point out that when one is at a high speed the helmet does little for protection, at 120mph you are probably already dead if you screw up with or without a brain bucket.

I do find that at the higher speeds a helmet does keep my face in the front of my head. After doing the ton without one, your cheeks are where the back of your head used to be. Your skin that used to be on your lower jaw is somewhere near the passenger pegs. Your eyes feel like you are looking out of your ear holes.Your hairline is now swept over the back of your head and is lower than a teenagers drawers and all that kind of stuff. One can hear nothing of the song the 11 is playing.

Plunk a helmet one that same head and do the ride again and it is much more pleasant. Suddenly you can see and hear and you think your face did not have all those wrinkles that straightened out in the wind. The forehead that you thought went to your A-hole is now (well sorta) up front again. The song the bike is playing is quite clear in your head and you can tell what it wants. It is sublime to ride with a helmet at speed compared to being without.

You choose and you ride your way but I bet if you ride my way you will be happier in the end and maybe live longer too. Who knows.

[kwats]

Definition of ARROGANCE
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

Greg, maybe he got it, maybe not.....but I see an overabundance of arrogance in someone who thinks they know what's best for me without even knowing me.