Live free and die: Michigan's motorcycle helmet law four years later

[mxz600]

Not sure the increase in deaths is all about riding without a helmet but I know it doesn't help. I think that a possible factor in more deaths is simply a matter of more people driving distracted, and it gets worse every year. That being said, I would think that today it would be more important than ever to wear your helmet. I'm fond of saying "it doesn't matter whose fault the accident was, dead is dead".


http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/06/live_free_and_die_michigans_mo.html#incart_most_shared-news

 

[Chupaca]

Gotta say...

That subject has been :bdh: to death. Our debate on the issue here is ....What to where : open half, three quarter, full face or modular...:thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

I'm in the ATGATT corner...
That having been said:

 

[robmorg]

Not sure the increase in deaths is all about riding without a helmet but I know it doesn't help. I think that a possible factor in more deaths is simply a matter of more people driving distracted, and it gets worse every year.

I think that probably both effects are at play, when it comes to rising motorcycle deaths in states that have repealed helmet laws. Certainly helmets do save a certain number of lives - that's not in dispute. And you are certainly correct that more people drive while distracted today than ever before.

Yet, IMO, these statistics do not justify the liberal inclination to mandate the wearing of helmets in the name of "a public health issue". It is NOT a public health issue that government needs to be involved in like the outbreak of some deadly disease that citizens are helpless to defend against. Legislators like Michigan's Senator Rebekah Warren would do better to work on real state problems like the funding of education and infrastructure, and leave the control of individual choices to individual people. I just hate to see the government - federal, state, or local - mess with people's lives more than they absolutely need to.

I'm cautions enough to always wear a helmet, even though I don't have to here in Pennsylvania. I also don't scale vertical cliffs, or swim with sharks (I didn't even when I was younger ). The folks that do, well, ...everyone who takes physical risks run the chance of paying the ultimate price. It's up to the individual to evaluate the risk, as folks have said here many times before. :thumbup:

 

[ARtraveler]

Wear what you want. I will wear what I want. I am in the ATGATT corner also.

Others accidents and injuries will probably not affect me. So--I wont worry about it. :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Nothing beats "Situational Awareness", and "Defensive Riding". :2thumbs:

 

[spydersense]

Doesn't matter

Wife and I left the house Saturday for an 8 hour ride. Went about 5 miles and ran smack into the middle of traffic due to a motorcycle accident. Car crossed the solid line and hit the bike head on, killed both driver and passenger. They weren't wearing helmets but it probably didn't matter. Speed limit in that area is 60-65, most likely dead on impact.

Not trying to sound insensitive as both my wife and I wear all the safety gear we can. But under those conditions it wouldn't matter. On the other hand I have several friends that have had 2 wheel accidents including my son who are still breathing today because of safety equipment.

I hate seeing those accidents, my wife was squeezing me the rest of the day whenever she thought I was pushing it too far. Sometimes hard to understand why we ride when we know the dangers. But the feeling you get is nothing like being in a car.

Drive safe fellow "Spyder Lovers"

 

[robmorg]

:agree: Nothing beats "Situational Awareness", and "Defensive Riding". :2thumbs:

Yep. Well said. :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

No doubt: you can focus on all of the potential "negative results"... :shocked: You'll probably never want to leave your house! nojoke



Or you can Ride! :2thumbs:

 

[Jheck]

One day, July 24th, 1973 to be exact, 3 friends decided to ride their motorcycles to a beach in Rode Island. Because of not wanting any trouble that day they decided to wear their helments to appease the powers to be. All three were Abate members and did not believe in helments laws, and usually rode with out them in their home state of Connecticut.
on the way home that evening, the lead rider remembers seeing headlights, and that's it. His friends told him much later that a car was passing another vehicle and came head on at him in his lane. The rider was able to dodge, but the car caught him in the left rear shock of that big Super Glide, sending him and the bike air born fifty feet down the road. When he woke up three days later in Westerly, RI. Hospital he found out that he had compound fractures of both Tibulas and fibulas, broken ribs, 3 broken vertebrae, L-2, L-3, L-4 and Hardly any skin left on his back. He spent 3 weeks in that hospital and then was moved to the hospital in Stafford Springs, CT. For 2 weeks and than to an Orthopedic center in Dayton OHIO. He was discharged on July 24th, 1974, 4 hours before he was admitted one year before. The helment he had been wearing . Was not only cracked, but had a 3/4" wide strip of fiberglass missing that started near the lower right ear and went in a line up over the helment finishing at about the left eyebrow.
2 years later when he started riding agin(he should have gave it up but, we all know what a disease motorcycles are) he strapped that helment to the sissy bar of the bike and carried it, so that when the guys asked him why he was wearing a helment, he could just point to the sissy bar and tell the story. That young rider was me. Now at 65 all the gremlins of those injuries are coming back to haunt me. But I have enjoyed 43 more yrs a great wife and three kids, 3 grand kids, all because I was wearing a helment. I have worn one every ride since I got back on!

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: A horrible story...

...With a pretty darned-good ending!

:congrats: on your "second chance". :clap:

 

[Indyron]

Where what you want. I will wear what I want. I am in the ATGATT corner also.

Others accidents and injuries will probably not affect me. So--I wont worry about it. :thumbup:

Sorry man untrue. The cost of an injury that could have been prevented or lessened by wearing a helmet is paid by all of us in increased insurance premiums. Or worse yet if no insurance a huge cost to society. Head injuries that lead to paralysis, cognitive impairment, can cost thousands if not millions of dollars during a lifetime. Insurance may cover some or all but individual's premiums only cover a small fraction of the cost. All of us share in the cost. Not wearing a helmet is just a stupid choice and financially impacts all of us.

 

[ARtraveler]

Sorry man untrue. The cost of an injury that could have been prevented or lessened by wearing a helmet is paid by all of us in increased insurance premiums. Or worse yet if no insurance a huge cost to society. Head injuries that lead to paralysis, cognitive impairment, can cost thousands if not millions of dollars during a lifetime. Insurance may cover some or all but individual's premiums only cover a small fraction of the cost. All of us share in the cost. Not wearing a helmet is just a stupid choice and financially impacts all of us.

What you say is true. I am just referring to the things that are beyond our individual control. The world will go on, regardless if someone is wearing a helmet or not. I am choosing to wear mine, others, not so. That is ultimately their choice.

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

let insurance dictate if you want a helmet or not, higher premiums for no helmet.

 

[Bob Denman]

Sorry man untrue. The cost of an injury that could have been prevented or lessened by wearing a helmet is paid by all of us in increased insurance premiums. Or worse yet if no insurance a huge cost to society. Head injuries that lead to paralysis, cognitive impairment, can cost thousands if not millions of dollars during a lifetime. Insurance may cover some or all but individual's premiums only cover a small fraction of the cost. All of us share in the cost. Not wearing a helmet is just a stupid choice and financially impacts all of us.

While :agree: with a lot of what you're pointing out: would you just prefer to shoot a comatose accident victim, if they weren't wearing a helmet? nojoke
What about someone who wore a helmet, and still suffered a T.B.I.? :dontknow:
How about folks who just fell off of ladders, or tripped going downstairs???

For the record: I ain't joking... This Is some serious :cus: that was just brought up, and there's no way to sugar-coat an answer for it.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Yet, IMO, these statistics do not justify the liberal inclination to mandate the wearing of helmets in the name of "a public health issue". It is NOT a public health issue that government needs to be involved in like the outbreak of some deadly disease that citizens are helpless to defend against.

You are right. It is not a public health issue, but rather a public economic issue. Here's the last two paragraphs of the article.

Drake said AAA Michigan will continue to compile data to make its case – that riding without a helmet is more dangerous, leads to higher medical costs and ultimately costs the public with higher insurance premiums or taxes to support government insurance like Medicare or Medicaid.

"Somebody has to bear those costs," Drake said. "At the end of the day somebody is picking up the cost. As our costs increase, that has to be reflected in the rates that we charge."

I suggest we simply change the no-helmet law to include a provision that if you are injured or killed while riding a motorcycle, and you are not wearing a helmet, then there will be an automatic $50,000 deductible on your medical coverage or your life insurance payment will be reduced by $50,000. You have a choice, but that choice may have serious economic consequences. Let some of that consequence be borne by you and your family, not the public.

 

[Indyron]

While :agree: with a lot of what you're pointing out: would you just prefer to shoot a comatose accident victim, if they weren't wearing a helmet? nojoke
What about someone who wore a helmet, and still suffered a T.B.I.? :dontknow:
How about folks who just fell off of ladders, or tripped going downstairs???

For the record: I ain't joking... This Is some serious :cus: that was just brought up, and there's no way to sugar-coat an answer for it.

I have a difficult time following your logic... I'm suggesting preventing a natural consequence of a decision. That if a conscious decision of not wearing a helmet led to a societal cost that as a society we have to be aware of the consequence and decide if we want to legislate a more rational decision, like wearing a helmet. The crux is personal responsibility, did an individual's decision lead to a societal cost? If so society may require that a different decision be made. As to the next couple of statements you make about TBI and ladders I don't understand the relevance.

 

[Bob Denman]

You're "dancing around the fire, and not willing to cook the marshmallows"... What course of action would be acceptable to you, when society must deal with a comatose individual?
There will never be 100% compliance with any law, and there will always be accidents...
..And some accidents are just so horrible, that nothing would save the person from severe injuries...

Again: I'm all ATGATT, but I'm also not enjoying the thought of more governmental regulations and intrusions.

 

[Koop]

let insurance dictate if you want a helmet or not, higher premiums for no helmet.

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. My wife and I lived in Michigan when the helmet law was repealed. We always wore helmets as we toured on our BMWs. Our premiums increased as soon as the helmet law was repealed - the fact the we wore helmets didn't come into play. Increased costs across the board as increased risk of serious injury or death had to be accounted for by insurers.

 

[Indyron]

You're "dancing around the fire, and not willing to cook the marshmallows"... What course of action would be acceptable to you, when society must deal with a comatose individual?
There will never be 100% compliance with any law, and there will always be accidents...
..And some accidents are just so horrible, that nothing would save the person from severe injuries...

Again: I'm all ATGATT, but I'm also not enjoying the thought of more governmental regulations and intrusions.

"Dancing, marshmallows?" Cute.
This discussion is about prevention, preventing you and I from paying for some one else's irresponsibility. If you'd rather pay for that in taxes and insurance premiums rather than have common sense regulation your vote not mine.