Helmet law

[doublenaughtspy]

Nope...no helmet law in OH over 18 yoa.

[WEINERDOGBONE]

I can see a helmet law on the horizon for Indiana. I'm involved in the Indiana traffic safety grant program that pays for "seat belt Nazis" to hit the streets.

Right after the Legislature passes a seatbelt law for trucks, they'll start on helmets. It will prbably take 10 years to get it done but its coming.

[Bob Holland]

I'm not a fan of mandatory helmet laws, but I wouldn't ride my bike out of the driveway without my helmet on. Just my thoughts.

[fartndust]

You gotta protect your mellon...I'ts a shame it has to be mandated, a person should value his or her own well being enough to wear one by choice.  I only have a teeny tiny brain, but it's only protection without a helmet is an eggshell skull, leathery hide and a steadily disappearing clump of hair....sheeesh

[aussiebandit]

We've had mandatory helmet laws in every state since, I believe, the late 70's early 80's.

It's really only the old timers (sorry B6Mick  ) that miss the days of old where you could feel the wind in your hair.  Mind you, for most of those blokes hair is only a memory too.

[Ronrdrcr]

I say they shouldn't have helmet laws.  If people are inconsiderate of their own skulls enough to not wear one, they deserve the consequences of their actions.  JMO

Ron

[tacoman]

I've seen first hand what a light crash without a helmet can do.  An old college buddy is "very slow" just from bumping his head on the pavement.   Indian Larry would still be alive if he wore a helmet. Thats enough for me, laws or no laws.

[PeteSC]

I don't have any problems with some idiot taking himself out, or ending up a vegetable for the rest of his life....as long as he has the means to pay for his medical care and expenses, and doesn't injure an innocent person in the process.
  There's a move in FL to require motorcyclists to carry an increased amount of medical coverage on the bike insurance.
  I can live with that.
  We do end up with more injuries after even minor accidents, than a cager does.
 We're not only riding a machine that takes MORE skill, and attention, than a car, we're extremely vulnerable to the idiots in the cars!
  It's easy, and convenient to target bikes.  Hardly anyone will target the cars that kill or injure most of us.
   Part of the problem is, insurance claims drive up the costs for the rest of us, for insurance, and hospital bills.
   I'd like to see insurance discounts for riders that wear helmets in states that don't require them, as well as discounts for wearing 'proper' or advanced protective gear.
  It's kind of silly to wear nothing, or totally inadequate stuff, when almost any level of gear above 'nothing', will offer a real increase in protection in minor accidents.
   'Minor' accidents are enough to put you out of work for a while.
  In the south, it's too tempting to ride around in shorts, and t shirts when it's hot.  Even if you exclude the 'helmet' issue, a minor slide in shorts is gonna lay you up for  a while.
   The squids who get banged up or killed in stupid accidents, or not wearing any level of protective gear at all....make life more difficult for the rest of us.
  "everyone' knows somebody who has been banged up, or worse,on a bike.   If they're 'anti-bike', or just ignorant, that is what they'll harp on when talking about bikes with a rider.
 (the same people probably know more people who have been seriously injured or killed in car accidents, but they won't insist that anyone should not drive those 'dangerous' cars!)
  Yeah, you can be killed walking across the street....in a bathtub...or by your spouse, etc.
  The people who are in a postion to force crap on us, usually don't know anything about bikes, don't care to learn, and usually only consider the same crapoid facts and misinformation the non-riding public  dwells on.

    Wearing your stuff on your bike not only protects you, but may educate the general public, as well as other riders.

    Maybe eventually the public will look at a rider buzzing down the street, no helmet, doo-rag flapping, fingerless 'Michael Jackson Limited Edition' gloves, shorts, tank top, and sneakers, and think 'gee, that guy's an idiot', instead of 'Wow, he looks cool!'
   
   The laws will come.   With all the yuppies and dumbarse kids killing themselves on bikes they shouldn't be on, surviving families will be screaming for legislation on the rest of us.

[Maniac]

  There's a move in FL to require motorcyclists to carry an increased amount of medical coverage on the bike insurance.

If it's the $50,000 policy that I've heard tossed around locally, then I'm gonna have to sell my bike. I can't afford that kind of coverage.  

From my understanding (may be wrong), right now you have to have a large ($50,000?) medical policy in FL if you don't wear a helmet, those who wear a helmet aren't required to have it. However I don't think this is enforced (how would they?).

[Red01]

However I don't think this is enforced (how would they?).

The same way they enforce maditory insurance laws of any kind.
You get stopped for something and have to show proof. If your insurance card doesn't show you've got what it takes, you get an achievement  award.

[PeteSC]

Does FL stop riders without helmets to check for age?


Anyway, the $50,000 coverage is 'suggested'.  I'm guessing it will  be a lesser amount.
     

The highway safety agency also has been considering asking lawmakers to increase the minimum requirement for medical insurance carried by motorcycle riders. Right now, they must carry $10,000 in medical benefits. The agency was considering increasing that to $50,000.

But Bush and the Cabinet balked at the idea and Dickinson said the agency would continue to work on the issue.

The increase has been pushed by hospitals and state health officials, who say that $10,000 doesn't cover the medical care for most serious motorcycle crashes and hospitals get stuck with the bill.

But riders say such an increase wouldn't be fair.

"Absolutely I have a problem with that. It discriminates against a group of people," said James "Doc" Reichenbach, the president of ABATE Florida, and lobbyist for 7,000 motorcycle riders.

It wouldn't be fair to increase the requirement for two-wheel drivers if it isn't increased for people who drive cars, he said.

"Seventy percent of accidents (involving motorcycles) are caused when the cars hit us," Reichenbach said. "Why are they blaming us?"

There was also concern on the Cabinet that it would be hard to find anyone who would write a $50,000 motorcycle insurance policy.

[jfudo]

I've never really had a position on helmet laws, until recently.  I wear one no matter what, and in NY it is law and I assure you that will never change.  Now that all these numbers are coming out in states where they repealed the law, showing increases in death and dismemberment, I've decided to be FOR the law.  These deaths do nothing but make ALL of us look bad.  Obviously, we know that they are probably squids with no gear, popping wheelies at 140 during rush-hour traffic;  the media and general public sees "another dead motorcyclist".

In that vain, I'm all for laws that protect us, like horsepower restrictions based on experience, mandatory msf courses, laws against applying makeup while driving an SUV.

We need the laws because we as a group need to be protected from more laws.  Next time they will skip over the helmet laws and just outlaw motorcycles in general.  

We'll all be on this board bragging about how we piped and jetted our bikes to get a 10% increase in horsepower from 4 to 4.5 on our 50cc mopeds while our bandits are relegated to decorations for our garage.

[Oldschooler]

Hey Pete,

No we don't randomly stop just to check the age, buuuuuut, if they do look to young or maybe just like a dirtbag we can find any number of other reasons to stop them.  

I find most older riders have the proper insurance and most of the younger, on a sport bike, riders don't. Also most of the older "no helmet" riders are on crusers.