To helmet or not to helmet (Georgia)

[ELGOLD C50T]

I agree with the idea of choice. But in some cases there are people who need to be regulated. In my opinion the helmet law issue is totally archaic. It is quite simple, if you drop your bike standing still and fall over hitting your head; chances are high that you will do some serious brain damage. Now think about it at 35, 55, 75 MPH - the rider is certainly not going to survive without one.

Certain jurisdictions are governed by people that must have fallen off their bikes or thier ancestors have. This has spawned entire states of their offspring.

We all ride to enjoy the feeling, why cut it short. Don't treat a helmet as a matter of comfort or discomfort, treat is as a matter do you want to see your kids tomorrow or do you want them having to identify you in a cold room. Stuff happens!

[tlwisner]

Kentucky's helmet law does not affect me. I wear a helmet 100% of the time, but I am not required to do so by law. Let adults tax paying citizens make their own choices. Those of you who chastise others for not wearing helmets are in the same category as people who chastise all motorcyclists for riding "dangerous" motorcycles. Some people will accept more risk than you will, some people will accept less.

Perhaps banning motorcycles is a good idea? I don't like that line of logic....

[Trapper]

Other side of the coin. Maybe smoking crack should be legal.

[IncubusIncarnate]

+1 Louis, I was thinking about Darwin halfway through reading that 1st post. Personally i am a strong beliver in the Darwin theory. There should be no helmet laws, and no seatbelt laws (Except for children). If someone is Stupid enough to forego either of those, then they should die. Or maybe just be permantly disfigured. But you get my idea.

[Trapper]

Death to all dumb people!!!!

[Zuki Dude]

Originally Posted by trappercase

Other side of the coin. Maybe smoking crack should be legal.

It's not? ... damn.

[Zuki Dude]

Originally Posted by trappercase

Death to all dumb people!!!!

I thought it was a law ... dernit ... better unload now.

[Trapper]

[inspiron]

As I've said many times before ... Helmet laws? We have them, and no one questions them. They are accepted, because everyone knows that helmets save lives.

There is no law stating that you must wear a full-face. Over here, any ECE 22-05 certified lid will do, and there are plenty of models available that protect the skull and leave the face open for the wind.

Helmet laws don't restrict your freedom of choice or your freedom of expression. Their whole intention is to protect bikers brains from external damage in the case of an accident. Bikers who fight against helmet laws probably don't have anything worth protecting.

[inspiron]

Originally Posted by tlwisner

Let adults tax paying citizens make their own choices.

And just who elected the President "W"armonger in 2000 and 2004?

And who just elected a terrorist group as the new Palastine government?

The general public is not able to make intelligent decisions. It has been proven time and time again. Look at Germany in the 1930s. Or the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Or Iraq today. People would rather fight and kill each other instead of seeking a peaceful comprimise.

A helmet law? C'mon! Wear a helmet - it won't hurt. Not wearing one can be deadly.

Next we'll work on the American love of handguns ...

(let the flames begin)

[S2Design]

Originally Posted by inspiron

And just who elected the President "W"armonger in 2000 and 2004?

And who just elected a terrorist group as the new Palastine government?

The general public is not able to make intelligent decisions. It has been proven time and time again. Look at Germany in the 1930s. Or the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Or Iraq today. People would rather fight and kill each other instead of seeking a peaceful comprimise.

A helmet law? C'mon! Wear a helmet - it won't hurt. Not wearing one can be deadly.

Next we'll work on the American love of handguns ...

(let the flames begin)

This thread just got much more interesting...

[BigRed1]

It should be pretty clear to everyone on the planet that human beings are not the smarest creatures wandering around. Cigarettes, alcohol, handguns, drugs, air pollution and George Bush are just a few examples. In a sort of convoluted way not wearing a helment is kind of like social Darwinism. And yes the Government has to make people do the right thing. Why because as people we are not as smart as lower life forms. So for all those who think human freedom takes precedent over common sense, wear a helmet, buckle your seat belts, quit smoking crack and get rid of all those Kenny G records. Enuff said!

[Zuki Dude]

Originally Posted by BigRed1

It should be pretty clear to everyone on the planet that human beings are not the smarTest creatures wandering around. Cigarettes, alcohol, handguns, drugs, air pollution and George Bush are just a few examples. In a sort of convoluted way not wearing a helment is kind of like social Darwinism. And yes the Government has to make people do the right thing. Why because as people we are not as smart as lower life forms. So for all those who think human freedom takes precedent over common sense, wear a helemet, buckle your seat belts, quit smoking crack and get rid of all those Kenny G records. Enuff said!

... Pun, I think ... yes ...

[Lew]

As a resident of Georgia, I will be contacting my representative to vote against this law. The other option, is to require all non helmet wearers to have adequate medical insurance and to carry an organ doner card. I wear a helmet when I ride, and I also have seatbelts and air bags in my vehicles. If the helmet option passes, then that also means I don't have to wear seat belts. Check the 11th Amendment in the Constitution about equal protection under the law. You cannot have laws that favor one faction of citizens over another.

[Scourge]

It really is about freedom of choice. I've said it before, I think not wearing a helmet is truely illadvised, but that doesn't mean that it should be regulated. Individual freedom of choice is a bedrock philosophy of the USA, and while it may seem silly to some, every regualtion that effects personal liberties is a chipping away of that principle. Public safety yes, personal safety NO.

[Trapper]

It is about public safety.

[stp1971]

I personally live in Georgia and have drove the infamous I-285 around Atlanta. There is NO WAY IN H*LL I would ride without a helmet especially anywhere near Atlanta. Of course the ones proposing this bill are the ones that probably ride the crotch Rockets around here at 120 mph with nothing but sweatpants, a T-shirt, tennis shoes, a pair of gloves, and a gaudy A$$ tribal design helmet on. DUMBA$$ES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I personally will not vote for this law. I already pa out the A$$ for motorcycle insurance and I do not want to pay more just so some idiot can ride around with bugs in his teeth and the wind in his hair. If they do pass the law then they ought to put a stipulation that if you crash it and get hurt then you have to flip the bill for the medical insurance and if you do not have it than leave em lying on the side of the road.

I cannot believe that they would even think about passing that law. After the GREAT SUCCESS Florida has had with their doing away with the helmet law and the success of weeding out the Dipsh*ts then maybe that is why they are doing it.

[easypete]

Originally Posted by stp1971

I personally live in Georgia and have drove the infamous I-285 around Atlanta. There is NO WAY IN H*LL I would ride without a helmet especially anywhere near Atlanta. Of course the ones proposing this bill are the ones that probably ride the crotch Rockets around here at 120 mph with nothing but sweatpants, a T-shirt, tennis shoes, a pair of gloves, and a gaudy A$$ tribal design helmet on. DUMBA$$ES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I personally will not vote for this law. I already pa out the A$$ for motorcycle insurance and I do not want to pay more just so some idiot can ride around with bugs in his teeth and the wind in his hair. If they do pass the law then they ought to put a stipulation that if you crash it and get hurt then you have to flip the bill for the medical insurance and if you do not have it than leave em lying on the side of the road.

I cannot believe that they would even think about passing that law. After the GREAT SUCCESS Florida has had with their doing away with the helmet law and the success of weeding out the Dipsh*ts then maybe that is why they are doing it.

I don't know who started it, but ABATE of Georgia is actually helping to push the change in the law through. This is a little suprising to me.

I can't find the page that I saw with this tid-bit of information on it, but I did see this page:

http://www.abatega.org/contact_your_legislator.htm

I do believe we should have the right to choose. After taking a rock from a truck tire right (the only vehicle I saw for about 5 miles on a nice empty road) to the faceshield this weekend on a nice open road, I will be choosing the helmet (full face).

I don't know that it really took this incident to sway my decision, but it did help.

[stp1971]

Yea,, that's about right. ABATE has been pushing hard to get the helmet laws reversed/removed in Georgia. I try to stay clear of ABATE. I know they are big advocates of bikers rights,, but they also are setting themselves up to not look as legitimate by pursuing this avenue.

[inspiron]

I haven't looked into ABATE, but it sounds like an offshoot (no pun intended) of the NRA: Lets make sure that the rights of our membership (a minority) are pushed through dispite the majority.