Helmet laws suck?
 

One of my riding buds was riding down the street minding his own business tonight when a women tried to turn left in front of him with no signal or warning. When I got to him at the ER, he might have a fracture just below his right knee. They shooed me out of the room when they were taking him for a scan. I got a couple of pics of his lid...Without it, he would not be alive. he hit so hard, the shell split.

Wow, his head took a hard hit. I hope his leg is not broken and I too am sure that helmet saved his life. I lost a riding buddy in the 70's from a left turn woman. I hope he is OK.

wow. how's his melon?

if a fractured knee is the worst of it then hes lucky
positive thoughts for your buddy and good thing he was wearing the helmet

prolly seeing some stars. glad he's okay, that bitch better buy him a new bike.

no doubt that helmet saved him. well, his skull at least. I hope your buddy heals up real quick and the driver at fault is charged with attempted murder(only appropriate charge for such stupidity)

every time I see pics like that, it sure does make me think, I sure as hell aint gonna take any trips without my gear.

ditto

ouch...:panic:

Hope he heals up well!

Hope he heals up quick! And I hope the bitch that caused it gets the book thrown at her!

Hope your buddy heals quickly and is in the wind soon.
But' I do believe helmet laws suck! I do not ride without a bonnet, but I don't want the state telling me what I have to wear.
Let those who don't wear helmets cull the heard!

On another note,make sure your friend takes that helmet back to where he bought it with a copy of the police report because Sparx will replace it. I believe the dealer should do the work,otherwise if he gets a hold of Sparx they'll take care of it.

Agreed. An individuals personal responsibility to keep themself safe is NOT the duty of the government. I am against helmet laws... I am against seatbelt laws... I am against laws banning trans fats. People should take care of themselves... their failure to do so is NOT an excuse to give the government more power.

DAMN!! So glad he's alright.... stories like this are a great illustration on WHY we should always wear our gear (for those who haven't yet gotten it through their heads!)

Had I not been wearing my helmet 2 weeks ago when i went down I might not bee hear either. I'll have to gt pics of the Shoei up. It took it really well and I hardly felt a thing when it happened.

helmets save lives, but then you think of the morons who don't wear helmets and do you really care either way? :lol:

I came in here to post that. Thinning out the herd by letting the stupid ones remove themselves from it is always good.

what's a "sparx"

Wow. Glad he's OK.

A cheap helmet company. Something like $100 helmets or less.

Sucks to have the bell rung that hard. Glad he's OK.

My stance exactly.

Very well said.

i don't know alot about sparx lids, are you sure it's a sparx?



a cheap lid. $80-150

bmblebee, any idea of his speed?

It says Sparx on the side (in the first pic). :loser: :lol:

Glad his melon is okay!

O, I C it now........:whistle:

I don't agree with helmet laws either. The only problem is that the people without ahelmet have the same insurance that I do. When the helmet law was repealed in FL my insurance went up.

Glad to see he is ok! Hopefully the leg comes around too.

Cool that your buddy survived.

Helmet laws do suck- if you're so worried about getting hurt (or killed), stop riding motorcycles.

true... but when they allow people to sue for basicly being an idiot... like law suits against the home owners by the crook who broke his leg when he broke in to their house... ect... you gotta cover your ass... the government too.

I really don't care... if the government wants to tell me that I need to wear a helmet... great... your an idiot if you don't. and I understand everyone saying that the government should regulate my choices... but the fact remains driving/riding... is a PRIVLEGE... not a right. so the requirements for so are part of accepting that privlege. if you don't want to wear a helmet or wear a seatbelt... don't ride a bike or in a car. Period.

Logic: fail.

That's like saying if you don't want spam, just never open your inbox! Simple right?? hahahaha

Just because the government DOES something doesn't make it a good idea. Learn to think for yourself.

think of it this way... how does the government take away your license? because it's a PRIVLEGE they allow you to Drive or Ride on their roads... so they have the RIGHT to determine what requirements you must meet to get that Privlege.

take Zoomies track... she can invite us to ride on her track... but she has final say as to what requirements we have to meet. if halfway through the day she wants us all to ride in Pink leathers... she has the right to request it... if we don't... she has the RIGHT to boot us off her track.

and give me a break... I'm not saying everything the government does is a good idea... I'm just saying that in THIS case they're not taking away a right. they're making more requirements for you to utilize a PRIVLEGE.

Logic fail #2. I paid for those roads with my tax dollars.

I never said they took away a right. They are limiting freedom. NOTHING is a right. No man has ANY inherent rights from anyone ever. Yes, there are governments and churches that will tell you there are some or that you can have some. This isn't about "rights." RIGHTS (the way that people like you perceive them) are just an affront to TRUE freedom.

Who told you that riding without a helmet was a Bad Idea™?

so are they taking away your freedom my requireing you to have a drivers license? or a motorcycle license?

what about requiring headlights at night... or limiting your speed? ect... they're all requirements for the use of a privlege...

as for paying for it with your tax dollars... we all fund the space shuttle... how much say do we get in that?

Mandating PERSONAL safety. I can slow down and use smaller words if you're having this much difficulty following along... really...

I, no, need, gubbee-min, tell, me, how, live, life.

Did that help?

Ok, so it appears you ARE having difficulty following along. Allow me to help you by selecting a different activity. We'll use riding an ATV on private property as an example (because you clearly cannot comprehend this situation from the previous given examples and are trying to steer the conversation away from the subject.)

So, where were we? ATVs! Yes. So, why should it be illegal for one to purchase, own and operate ATVs or (since I am speaking slowly and clearly for you) any other kind of offroad vehicle on my OWN private land without the governments consent to helmet laws. Hrmmm....?

Same thing in public. If some squid wants to take himself out, why shouldn't he be free too? Yeah yeah, cry about your insurance- easy enough, just put acheckbox on the insurance application saying "I do not wear a helmet 100% of the time when I ride."

But right under it, put another checkbox that reads "Pull the plug when I am veggie."

In the future, lets hope we have a better say in government. Maybe in the future true citizens and patriots will alleviate some of this reckless spending of public funds on asshole politicians who sit around waging war and conjuring up bullshit- like helmet laws.

~

Actually, you know what, I'm just going to unsubscribe from this one. You can bother answering me, but I fear that you're just not smart enough to get it. Best of luck staying in line with the other sheep.

Have fun doing whatever the government tells you!

wow

wow. Baahhhhhhhaaaaaa

I am posting pics of the bike in another thread. look for Bee's crash pics

Dang, I'm having trouble getting them small enough to upload so you can see them

I would like to comment on a couple of Dreaded's statements:

""Helmet laws do suck- if you're so worried about getting hurt (or killed), stop riding motorcycles.""

Stop riding, let me think about that...No.

""Just because the government DOES something doesn't make it a good idea. Learn to think for yourself.""

I Learned how to think for myself a long time ago and I think that my head is better off with a helmet on it. I wear one regardless of the law or not.

''Who told you that riding without a helmet was a Bad Idea™?""

My think for myself brain told me that it could end badly for me to ride without a helmet and I usually take my own advise. Well, that and the way that some of my helmets have looked like after a get-off over the last 40 years of riding.

Experience has also told me that leather gear helps alleviate that next day, stand in the shower and scream while trying to peel the bed sheet off my back feeling.
I learned to like a face shield when a June Bug t-boned me right between the eyes at 75mph back in the early 70's and almost put me out. Ate a wasp once too..
I could go on with what parts of my body (most) have been damaged in some way while riding that MADE me think for myself, usually accompanied by a dose of pain to help with recall.
I have also crashed on tracks at over a hundred MPH and got up and walked away without a scratch (usually), because my gear gave its life for me, including my helmet. I love them for the sacrifice and try to never leave home on two wheels without my closest riding buds right there with me.
That said, I also do not particularly like the gov't telling me what to do, in fact all laws suck, but they are a necessary evil in society because everyone is not as smart as I am :lol:.

I guess if ya can't take the heat get out of the kitchen...




:drewpy:

First... can you not defend you stand point with out reducing it to ignorant name calling and mockery? any point you've made is lost in how you presented it. grow up and join the discussion like an adult.

but here... I'll address your points.

I'm the one stearing the subject away? we were talking about helmet laws on public roads and you start in on ATV's? HUGE diffrence... your not on public roads... if you get hurt or in an accident... public tax dollars are not going to your aid... police aren't going to respond... your not going to effect traffic... ect.


because like I said before... the government ALOWES YOU to have the PRIVLIGE of operating a motorvehicle on public roads... it is NOT A RIGHT... and so your subject to what ever regulations they put forth. so... like I asked before... what about the speed limit? or requirements for your vehicle to be smog or inspected? are they infringing on having your rights there?

NO... you can have an un inspected vehicle... you can have a vehicle that burns 100gal of gas a mile, and kills trees instantly with the smog it puts out... you can ride with out a helmet... but not on public roads... because it's against the requirements for you to exercise your PRIVLIGE to ride/drive.

great... use the extra time to mature and hopefully when you come back you'll have graduated from 7th grade and can have an open discussion like an adult.

YAY!!!! See? I don't seem quite so bad now,do I? Hahahahahaha!

ALLOWS ME the privilege of operating on public road of which is paid for by MY TAX DOLLARS?

Puh-leeze.

Headlights are there so that you won't run into others or others run into you.

Helmets do neither. Wearing a helmet or not wearing a helmet doesn't directly affect those around you.

I don't need no stinking law to wear a helmet. And if I were to choose not to, by God, that's what I should be able to do.

yes... they allow you to. if you don't follow the rules... you can be ticketed... arrested... even thrown in jail...

you may not agree with it... but it's true.

as for the headlights... my point in bringing that up was it's a requirement on a product YOU bought with YOUR money... yet with out them... the vehicle/bike is not allowed on the road.

:lol: very true

Again... The government shouldn't be in the business of protecting us from ourselves. It's a slippery slope once we start allowing the government this sort of power... First helmet laws... the seatbelts... now the government is in the business of telling us what food we can and cannot eat... What's next?

Jesus. Who dropped a duece in your Cheerios?

It's all relative. :lol:

so what about Headlights... or bumpers... or air bags... or the million of other safety requirements the government places on us to operate a motor vehicle on the public streets?

are those all rights or freedoms that were take'n away?

It's not a matter of freedom per say... it's a matter of legislating away people's ability to make good decisions... I should have the ability to make poor decisions as long as those decisions do not bring about harm to anyone else...

It's like a parent/child relationship... You can make all the decisions for your kids, but at some point in time they are going to have to stand on their own two feet... allowing someone to suffer the consequences of poor decisions is part of the learning process... Same with our government... our society in general. We're making ourselves dumber and dumber because of our dependance on our government.

I don't think there should be seatbelt laws. I don't think there should be helmet laws. I don't think drugs should be illegal. I wear my seatbelt... I wear my helmet... I don't do drugs... I'll be damned if I want/need my government telling me how to take care of myself.

ok... I can see your point with that... though I will dissagree I think there needs to be SOME guidelines or you end up with anarchy...

it was the rights/freedom taking away argument I just don't understand

Shouldn't you have the right to learn to make good decisions?

I am a big fan of anarchy... People use the word like it's a bad thing...

they are already starting it, have you seen that fucking gonna vote myself a third term bloomberg is trying to force new yorkers to lower their salt intake? government regulating the ingredients in food is fucking insanity

I know... Total bullshit.

but the rules like wearing a helmet are the same as a hand rail and a do not enter sign on a cliff edge... there's no doubt what that choice is a bad one. no positive comes from it... even if your not killed your severely injured. and ask anyone who's gone down with out a helmet... I'm sure all of them... the ones that lived... will say they're gonna wear a helmet next time... that's if they fair well enough to have the choice.

the reason for laws like these is this mistake is so FINAL. it's one thing to make a bad decision about lunch and pay for it by shitting your pants in a meeting. it's another to give in to peer pressure and not wear a helmet, get in an accident at the very best have a nasty scar and maybe a concussion... at worst... death.


because with out rules you can not have a society... we wouldn't have 99% of what we have today. no roads, no cities, we'd basically be cavemen...


now that is bs

The correlation between helmet laws and a sign indicating a cliff is a ridiculously far stretch. The difference clearly is one requires an action the other provides an option.

Your second point readily identifies what I see as the root problem... If you are weak minded enough to give in to peer pressure that could result in your death, maybe death isn't the worst thing in the world.

Where there's money, there's progress... Anarchy does not negate the ability for either or both to exist.

the correlation was in the fact that they're such drastic results for a simple choice. but yeah a bit of a stretch :lol:

true... I have little tolerance for peer pressure... but I'd be a liar if I said I've never given in to it... I'd guess even you've succumb to it at least once in your life... even if it was to kill the local hooker... :lol:

but ok... so even with out peer pressure... you can make a bad decision like not wearing a helmet with out anyone saying anything... yet the results are so final...

no one argues the fact that wearing a helmet will improve the chances of you surviving a accident 10x+ and since the choice is so black and white... why not remove that?

I mean if your dead set on not wearing a helmet... you can do so... illegally or on your private land. just be ready to pay the consequences... hopefully it's only monetary.


as far as Anarchy... it doesn't directly prohibit progress... but there would be no money in an society of anarchy... you'd need rules and structure to have money... or it's just pretty paper.

Who run Bartertown?

ahh yes... I got caught up on the term "money" you'd still need rules to create a town... even villages have rules in place... so at what point does it stop?

I just wanted to quote from Beyond the Thunderdome actually.

:lol: fair enough

cheap or not he should have that fucker bronzed

dayyyyyyyyyum

If he had loud pipes he would have never had the accident. If he was wearing a t-shit with skull and cross bones he would have cleared the road ahead of him as everyone hid in fear at his massive awesomenessisosity.
If he had a full beard ape hangers and tassles he would have stopped time as the sheer coolness of it all vagina-flopped the space time continuum.

A helmet has saved my life 3 times the past 2 years.

I agree with not with trans fats.

my head hurts

Any law undermining common sense and self-preservation leads to laws like the trans fat one... Don't worry though, that's certainly not the end of it.

From racing BMX where you may reach max speeds of 25mph. I learned real well that helmets are valuable. I'd be dead so many times over without one. I'd even wear them on some backyard jumps I had. Which again saved me big time. Oh and a helmet saved my life for sure when I crashed on a BMX jump where I busted my spleen. I saw green after I hit (Usually a sign of a concusion). Without it I would have probalby cracked my skullin half and would be dead.

Hope your friend heals up.

Ok, I just want to put in one post worth on this and I'm done...I hate the government sticking their nose into my business just as much as anyone. I say repeal the helmet law and let nature (Darwin) do the rest. If Gooberhead down the street doesn't have a helmet and wrecks and becomes a vegetable, his family should have to pay his medical bills and not the taxpayers (via Medicaid and Disability, which we ALL pay for). Why should we have to pay for some jackass stunting without a helmet to live in a semi-coma in a long-term health care facility because he didn't want the inconvenience of buying or wearing gear? Maybe if the government would stop taking care of those who don't bother taking care of themselves, it would be a non-issue...refuse to let them get on Medicaid after-the-fact if there was stupidity or high-speed involved on the part of the rider. If you choose not to protect yourself, you should be the one to pay the consequences, not the rest of us.

Oh, and yes, driving on the roads IS a privilege (we don't really have a choice but to pay for) because we CAN have that privilege taken from us...if it were a "right", we couldn't have our license taken away, now could we? I raised hell the first time I heard that, but after I thought about it, it made perfect sense.



I hope dude gets better soon.

i agree - why the fuck is the government our moral compass? half those motherfuckers are child molesters, drug addicts, a lot have felonies and they are our almighty moral compass? the seat belt law is no fucking different.. it's not to "protect" us it's more to tax us more through extra revenue they create through tickets so they have more money to waste and line their pockets.. increased budgets to give their buddies the contract to "fix" the road or whatever so they get a kick back.. fucking bullshit..

with that said law or no law i will always wear my seat belt and my full gear including helmet when riding - it's fucking common sense.. but i also believe that if you or anyone else chooses not for whatever reason i respect that as long as it doesn't raise my insurance when you split your melon on the concrete and become a vegetable.. or fly through the windshield or get taken out by an air bag..

Gosh I've missed you! If it were up to me all seat belt and helmet type laws would be revoked and a law would be written that the ins. cos are not required to pay claims for people not using them.

you would get my vote (as well as many others... I assume.)

missed you too buttercup.. i've been around just been busy and haven't had time to spread the love.. and YES exactly what you said - the government is NOT our moral compass and has no right to impose this bullshit unless but if someone chooses not to take advantage of the safety features available then they forfeit their insurance / ability to collect when they get fucked up..

and DO NOT get me started on insurance of any kind - it's total bullshit.. ok fuck it i will say 2 things and keep it short:

1. Why is it that I get penalized because my wife and I both work full time? So my fucking health insurance won't cover her because she has insurance available to her and her insurance won't cover me because of the same. So now we pay for 2 policies. Bullshit - total double dipping. If I didn't have kids I wouldn't have insurance and I will have my own bank account that would be my insurance - just put the equivalent of the premium in there every month because even when I use my shitty insurance I pay the full amount anyways - it's stupid.

2. Hospitals, insurance companies are scamming us - I just recently found out when I attended my benefits meeting (benefits what a grand word for getting fucked in the ass) and I found out, which I never knew, that part of the money you pay for services covers those that can't pay for services. Don't get me wrong if someone is truly destitute I don't mind helping them. But then there is people like my aunt that swallows 127 vicodin in one day and almost dies. When they ask her for insurance she says I don't have any fuck you. That is bullshit.

Oh it's all kinds of fun!!! When I had the tumors taken out of my throat last fall,I found out that our deductible is $5000!!! I was like,okay,so the premium that I had been paying for over 10 years went where? It's crazy,to top it off,I was paying about um $160 and my boss was paying about the same or more per month and I had never made any kind of claim!:panic:

exactly - like Chris Rock says it should be called "In Case Shit Happens" - if shit don't happen you should get your money back.. a $5,000 deductible is insane.. mine is $2,500.. so this year I finally get sick and I have a sinus infection.. i go in twice for it for a shot and some pills to kill it off - insurance covers $0 and i cover 100% - good thing i had insurance..

now here is where my plan works - you start a medical savings account - in your case if you put $160 a month in there for 10 years then had your surgery you would have $19,200 in there to pay for it - they would be like insurance card please - and you would be like not necessary i will pay cash - and yes i will take pay per view on my fucking tv and some of those extra strength pain pills you fucking assclown..

Exactly! When I worked as a mason,our boss gave us the option of ins or the money he would pay for ins in our pockets! It was a couple hundred a month I believe! The only time ins is worth a fuck is when you are dying or whatever and then who gives a fuck about the bill? Seriously,when my Fiance' died, the hospital had the nerve to call me about the bill. I told them to go fuck themselves! Health ins used to be worth something,now it's all just a bunch of shit! Last time I got sick,I went to the Health Dept. Sure I had to hang out for 2 hours with a bunch of Mexicans and low lifes (like myself) but hey it was free,including the meds and I even scored some free condoms from a basket by the door! :dthumb:

Nice! Free condoms.. lol.. Yeah back in the day when i was a broke ass motherfucker - well more broke than i am now - i did the same - went to public health, enjoyed people watching, got the medical shit taken care of and went on my way..