Triumphrat

Loxpump · 04-04-2007

I was just watching one of our local news channels out of St. Louis and they had a story that the Missouri house had passed a bill to repeal their helmet law. It still had to go to their senate and then be signed by the gov. We don't have a helmet law in Illinois as some other states. I am basically against laws like that. I believe it should be up to the individual. None of this really effects me anyway, I wear a full face helmet, gloves, boots, armored jacket, the works, but not because the law tells me to, I do it because I'm not an idiot!

[ This message was edited by: Loxpump on 2007-04-04 22:11 ]

sweatmachine · 04-04-2007

Quote:

On 2007-04-04 22:08, Loxpump wrote:
I wear a full face helmet, gloves, boots, armored jacket, the works, but not because the law tells me to, I do because I'm not an idiot!

yep. no idiot here either, at least not for this reason.

lindsayt · 04-04-2007

Yes, it's funny - I grew up in Missouri and never rode there, but was really shocked to see riders without helmets up here in Minnesota and Wisconsin when we first moved here. Now that I'm a rider I go back down to MO and think how strange it is that I'm required by law to wear a helmet there!

My $.02 about helmet laws - I think anybody who doesn't wear a helmet is stupid. Period. However, I'm pretty sure the US Constitution protects our right to be stupid.

From a practical standpoint, I'll never ride without a helmet, but I still would hate to live in a helmet-law state because (1) it means I can't buy cool European helmets and wear them - even though their standards far exceed the joke that is the DOT standard, they're not "compatible". (2) It means that if for some reason I find myself in a situation without a helmet (it gets stolen, etc.), I can't ride home. I'm a bike commuter - to and from work every day on two wheels - and so the thought that some dumb***** stealing my helmet would leave me stuck without a legal way to get home would be irritating. I know that if I have to, I can ride home without here. I'd be really nervous, but I could do it.

Toyanvil · 04-05-2007

The helmet law really does effect you. The helmet law does not protect you, it protects your states health care system. In CA we save millions in health care bills with the law. There were to many riders without insurance and no helmet getting head injuries and costing the state money.
I am also ATGATT " All the gear all the time"

DrEnglish · 04-05-2007

My 2 cents--all those folks who expend effort fighting helmet laws should be working to legalize lane splitting instead. At least that's what this helmet-wearing lane splitter thinks.

Bryan · 04-05-2007

Toyanvil is right. I don't like paying for some body else's med. bills. The bad part is without the helmet law the people that are stupid are the one's that don't have insurance.

itcha · 04-05-2007

It's not an option in Australia, you have to wear a helmet no matter what part of the country you are in and has been that way for as long as I can remember. If I saw someone not wearing a helmet while riding (which I never have) it would be a big no no and hopefully there would be a cop right behind them.

ffemt613 · 04-05-2007

The statistics say that most accidents happen within 5 miles of your home, or they did at one time. I live in MO where we are required to wear a helmet, my future wife lives in KS with no helmet laws. I usually wear a helmet for safety reasons, I am a paramedic and I have seen a few bikes go down. However, if I am at her house and running to the store for an item or 2 I will ride w/o a helmet, but I never go outside of 5 miles without one.

I guess that makes me stupid, but once in a while I do enjoy the wind in what is left of my hair without a helmet on.

Just my $00.02 worth

John

KingBear · 04-05-2007

I've never ridden without a helmet. I was riding without gloves once and even that made me nervous. But I ride in jeans and a t-shirt. I guess we all have a certain comfort level.

Loxpump · 04-05-2007

I don't know how the MO law reads but I would think that the helmet has to be DOT approved at least, however I know for a fact that everyday I go to work and cross the river I see Harley riders wearing nothing more than a metal or plastic pot on their heads. Probably with a DOT sticker they put on themselves! Interesting that the TV reporter was giving the report from outside a Harley dealership. Also is it possible that accidents involving no helmet are more fatal? No health care involved for them. And I also have to by law have uninsured and under insured coverage, all in a state with insurance required by law. Once again the law abiding paying for the law breakers. I think I'm starting to vent.