Motorcycling: helmet or no?

[Stumbleweed]

Re: Motorcycling: helmet or no?

The reason that seatbelt laws are more common is that in a crash, your body (or parts of your body) are more likely to fly out of the vehicle if you are not wearing a seatbelt. This presents a risk to others around you, so not wearing a seatbelt is more than personal decision.

I think the most compelling argument in favor of helmet rules (given that on a motorcycle, you're flying off into other people whether you have a helmet on or not) is what was mentioned earlier -- the riders are much more likely to die and that can have adverse affects on whoever else was involved in the wreck. Whether it's legal (if it was their fault and they killed someone instead of just vehicular assault) or just personal (it wasn't their fault and they have a dead person on their conscience). Those are both very compelling to me.

HungryBologna: The laws against stealing from and killing others limit your civil liberties too in a basic sense. The reason that they're laws is because your actions can harm someone else. Same reason that attempted suicide is a crime... if you shoot yourself in a public place, the bullet can hit someone else, etc. That's the basis for the seatbelt/helmet laws along with the savings on health care, etc. that generally comes with these changes.

[HungryBologna]

Re: Motorcycling: helmet or no?

HungryBologna: The laws against stealing from and killing others limit your civil liberties too in a basic sense. The reason that they're laws is because your actions can harm someone else. Same reason that attempted suicide is a crime... if you shoot yourself in a public place, the bullet can hit someone else, etc. That's the basis for the seatbelt/helmet laws along with the savings on health care, etc. that generally comes with these changes.

While that might be true, there has been cases that seat belts themselves have caused death due to crushing sternums, breaking necks, causing heart attacks and bruising organs. How can you legislate for seat belt laws even though it may cause your death in the hopes it will save others.

I'm just saying, I always wear my seatbelt and would wear a helmet for my own safety not because its a law.

[Stumbleweed]

Re: Motorcycling: helmet or no?

Yeah, but the numbers show that overall seatbelts save lives and reduce injuries in most types of impact. You can't legislate based on specific issues very well -- gotta look at the overall picture. But yeah, I agree with you in principle about these kinds of government infringements on our freedoms... I don't like it, but in these sorts of cases, I accept it as necessary.

[mercalnd]

Re: Motorcycling: helmet or no?

Because it should be your choice even though it's a stupid one not to wear one. It infringes your civil liberties.

I understand this line of reasoning however the increased health care costs associated with not wearing helmets or seat belts in places where it's not mandatory actually drive up insurance rates for everyone(well the helmet thing only affects motorcycle insurance but you get my point). I think a lot of people fail to realize this when making the "it's a personal choice" argument.