No Helmet Laws in the USA? | GTAMotorcycle.com

No Helmet Laws in the USA?

if they had state funded health care, similar to ohip, they might sing a different tune since it would be the taxpayers paying for medical and rehab when one of those knuckleheads goes down. I don't pity anyone that chooses not to wear their helmet. If they end up cross eyed and drooling, that's their problem. It's just natural selection.
 
I saw a guy today on a bike and he was not wearing full gear...........OMG doesn't he know the dangers involved?????
 
kamikaze said:
if they had state funded health care, similar to ohip, they might sing a different tune since it would be the taxpayers paying for medical and rehab when one of those knuckleheads goes down. I don't pity anyone that chooses not to wear their helmet. If they end up cross eyed and drooling, that's their problem. It's just natural selection.
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Yeah thats what I would like to see added to the survey. Its not just a matter of how many fatalities but how many left the reck with a mental retardation. I worked in a hospital. I have seen what happens when someone barely scrapes out alive. And frankly... I'd rather they just let me go if it happens to me.
 
mbroyda said:
I saw a guy today on a bike and he was not wearing full gear...........OMG doesn't he know the dangers involved?????
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I'm sure he does know the dangers but it's the 'it won't happen to me' attitude which prevails in certain people's minds. As the saying goes 'dress for the crash not the ride'.

And as Cat mentions, I'd definitely rather be dead than survive a wreck and be a vegetable and a heavy burden on my family...in the end they'll be the ones stuck with caring for you as you enjoy your sweet time in whatever heaven/afterlife that you believe in.
 
As I've come to learn living amongst them, many Americans would rather die (or would be willing to settle for a slightly lower standard of living, i.e., shopping at Walmart versus Target) than have their freedoms infringed upon. Even if a law is created to protect them, they don't like being dictated to. There are a large number of conspiracy theorists down here and people who have a huge mistrust of centralized government.

But the laws have limits. Here in Texas, for example, you've got to be over 21 to go helmet-less on the road (off-road riding requires helmet use regardless of age, because we all know that dirt is so much harder than concrete). I've seen some students get tickets because they didn't know about the age restriction on the helmet law.
 
supersnecro said:
How can so many states still not enforce mandatory helmet laws? This a way of ensuring population control of the stupid?
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Before 1980, 47 states had mandatory helmet laws. Now, I believe 19 states do. So, the trend is repealing helmet laws, it's not that they've just never had one. Michigan just repealed their 50 year old mandatory helmet law. It's the work of the AMA and MRF lobbying.
 
kamikaze said:
I don't pity anyone that chooses not to wear their helmet. If they end up cross eyed and drooling, that's their problem. It's just natural selection.
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Choice is choice. Riding has enough of its own inherent dangers as it is. Stats or otherwise, chosing an overly pragmatic view towards the safety of another and where your pity falls is very pick and choosey.

Not to say I don't agree though :p
 
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Cat13 said:
Yeah thats what I would like to see added to the survey. Its not just a matter of how many fatalities but how many left the reck with a mental retardation. I worked in a hospital. I have seen what happens when someone barely scrapes out alive. And frankly... I'd rather they just let me go if it happens to me.
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You could look at another way, in some cases the rider would be dead without the helmet, vs surviving and being disabled for the rest of his life because of the helmet.
 
There is a flip side to that. It's cool to see in the US guys on their big Harleys riding with a full front motorcycle helmet. Not every one is stupid in the US only a select few. What about our people riding their cruzers with those peanut sized helmets? To my mind they are only for show and to meet the barest minimum of the law. Not too good in an accident.
 
You, um..., you put it on

BBW2012.jpg
 
Moggs said:
There is a flip side to that. It's cool to see in the US guys on their big Harleys riding with a full front motorcycle helmet. Not every one is stupid in the US only a select few. What about our people riding their cruzers with those peanut sized helmets? To my mind they are only for show and to meet the barest minimum of the law. Not too good in an accident.
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I ride my Harley with a full face, and regularly get teased about it by the other HD riders in my group. Would never consider that little brain scoop that they wear though.

As for the helmet repeal in Michigan, I've heard that it was actually the insurance companies that lobbied hardest for that, after all it's cheaper to bury than rehabilitate.
 
Kokla said:
Choice is choice. Riding has enough of its own inherent dangers as it is. Stats or otherwise, chosing an overly pragmatic view towards the safety of another and where you pity falls is very pick and choosey.

Not to say I don't agree though :p
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You're right, it's their choice not to wear gear, just as it's my choice not to pity those that don't. I wear my gear 99% of the time. of course this comes up today, the one day I decided to wear my running shoes instead of riding boots, but I don't care what others want to do. it's their life. It's just that nobody gets on my bike without gear. I make my passengers gear up just as I do, or they don't ride. everyone else can make up their own minds :D
 
is it just me or does that article have terrible grammar?

anyway, I'd wear the helm even if given a choice.
 
Moggs said:
There is a flip side to that. It's cool to see in the US guys on their big Harleys riding with a full front motorcycle helmet. Not every one is stupid in the US only a select few. What about our people riding their cruzers with those peanut sized helmets? To my mind they are only for show and to meet the barest minimum of the law. Not too good in an accident.
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I don't think those little helmets are legal.
 
reminds me of this conversation from "The League"

Rafi: Hey! Thinking is pointless, just like motorcycle helmets.
Ruxin: Motorcycle helmets are pointless?
Rafi: There is no medical proof that motorcycle helmets save lives.
Ruxin: How many friends have you lost in motorcycle accidents?
Rafi: Nine
Ruxin: OK
Rafi: But! Not one of them from was from massive head trauma. All of them were from massive spine trauma.
 
i'd still like to know how people ride sport bikes with flip flops. I'd think up shifting would be really hard on your toes lol
 
meme said:
that's an easy solve - gp shift :headbang:
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Okay then downshifting would be really hard on your toes lol. Id rather miss an upshift then a downshift ;)
 
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