Should there be a law?

Question

that requires motorcyclists to wear helmets?

I ride, and always wear one. Most of the people I ride with don't...and I can't understand that.

I don't think it should be a law, you can't legislate common sense.

Answer 1

No, there shouldn't be a law. As you said, you can't legislate common sense. I'm glad to live in a state that still has freedom of choice. Many wear a helmet by choice. I do quite often, but have the option of not when I feel like it. There are many arguments regarding the protection a helmet affords, it is hard to find agreement. There is also the other side of the coin, where a person may choose not to wear one as they do not want to have their neck broken, be confined to a wheelchair, or deal with whatever machinery may be required to sustain a less than normal life.

Another way of looking at it: when you ride you make a choice concerning your life and limb. If you decide not to wear a helmet, you are only making a further choice in the same regard.

Furthermore, regarding insurance: My medical insurance is the same wether I ride or not. Helmet or not. Same premiums, same benefits. My motorcycle insurance also provides not just for me, but anyone else involved be they my passenger, or the operator or passenger in another vehicle. Helmet or not. Those who claim increased premiums due to motorcycle riders have no idea what they speak.

Answer 2

We can't legislate safety for everything. If we did we wouldn't be allowed to get out of bed anymore. An argument can be made to ban skydiving because your chute may not open. You can't ride a roller coaster anymore because the track may come apart. You can't drive 70MPH anymore because 35 is safer. See? Personally I disagree with helmet laws...seat belt laws...or anything else that compels me use something to keep myself safe. I'm an adult and capable of making my own decisions. If it's the wrong decision it's my problem and not yours. Don't try and argue about insurance and medical bills. That's the insurance companies putting their spin on it. Truth is a helmet isn't much protection at all above 25MPH. And I've walked away from motorcycle wrecks at 40MPH when I wasn't wearing a helmet.

Answer 3

riders have a saying. 'let those who ride decide'. ohio allows the choice to those who have the endorsement for at least a year, pa for 2 years. i've ridden with and without, and from my observations on the saddle, cars for some reason give me a wider berth without it than with it....dont know why either.

seems that u dont ride, so lemme fill ya in on couple reasons riders ditch the lid if they can.
in summer, helmets get hot. especially the full face one's. after about 60 miles, they start to get heavy, especially having the wind blast slap around it.
on the other hand, they do a better job at deflecting various stones and bugs better than a dew rag, they can save the face from the rain; it hurts at speed.

thing is, it isnt just how hard u hit, it's what u hit. no helmet will protect u from doin a face plant at 100+ off a rice rocket into a semi trailer, and it wont do any good with a direct impact at high speed with a guard rail or concrete barrier. tenessee is a lid state, but that didnt save a friend of mine when he hit a large buck at night. we are fully aware of the risks. just throwing a leg over the scoot and taking it on a street that's cage infested takes guts.

Answer 4

Of the fifty states, only 4 are 100% helmet law free!
They are: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire.

Of the other 46 states, 20 have full helmet laws for all motorcycle riders.
They are: Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

19 States have helmet laws that exempt adult riders, riders over the age of majority -- 18 years old and over.
They are: Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

In my opinion, every motorcycle rider must wear a helmet no matter what age or gender.

Answer 5

See "The Ethics of Legal Coercion," an entire book based on whether it's ethical to make people do something for their own good or safety (like helmets, seat belts) by enacting it into law, and how far is too far when it comes to invading personal decisions and responsibility. It's pretty interesting and takes into account the well-being of others, including their emotional trauma when a helmet-free biker or un-seatbelted passenger is killed in an accident they caused.

Answer 6

I think that people shold have more of a choice about personal safety. Unless they are deemed to have mentel issues and cannot make that decision for themselves or are otherwise under age. I don't mean to be crude but people need to excercise their brains with critical thinking rather than rely on policy to make up their minds. Population control!! If you want to ride without a helmet and try to prove something than its your own fault for splitting you mellon open and killing youself.

A helmet really doesn't effect the safety of anyone around you anyways, if you are going to wipe out your gunna wipe out regardless of a helmet.

Answer 7

Most states do have helmet laws

Answer 8

In some States it is a law - Like Vermont and New York. I would wear one even if I didn't have to. It's too risky not to.

Answer 9

In some states there is a law, In SC for instance !

Answer 10

Nope but there should be penalties in the form of higher insurance rates ( to prevent mine from going up due to their higher medical bills )