How to Feel about Helmet Laws – Disagree
Motorcyclists should always wear a helmets. What an interesting statement. I'll start out by saying the reason for my disagreement. There is No safety approved helmet out there! The hype about a D.O.T ( department of transportation) approved helmet is just that , hype. I've been riding for over 30 years now, and have ridden with and without a helmet, at times by choice, other timesby law. There has and still is a on going debate on this issue. Both sides voicing "concern" about the motorcyclists safety. Really?
Riding the highways on any two, or even now three wheels is extremely dangerous. The rider is constantly challenged with natural and man made obstacles. At the the top of all these dangers is, speed. Speed kills! Speed has no bias on which vehicle it wants to challenge either, four wheels or two.
Now let's run a scenario, just to see what one can come up with: Biker going out on a ride, nice day, bright sunshine, fast bike.
Biker dons his safety gear, protective eye wear, gloves, boots, and optional helmet. Bike is outfitted with engine and saddle bag crash bars, and mid hight windshield. He heads out.
Sports car owner going out on the same ride. Takes the top down of his little super car. Does not put on any "required safety gear, does put on seat belt and designer sunglasses. Heads out.
Both owners of these vehicles like the feel of the power under their frame, both enjoy the freedom of the open road and both have got the wind blowing through their hair! Both will reach that spot on the road where the bright sunshine will hit them straight in the eyes and both will not see the road construction damage. Both will conduct the maneuvers they were trained to do. Who survived this scenario? I'll leave that up to you, because we were talking about helmets right! Now why do we need a helmet? Keep the bugs of? Save the riders face and head should he crash? Whats the difference between a top down low silhouette sports car and a high profile motorcycle with windshield? 2 more wheels?
I brought that scenario in this discussion just to prove a point. The law is trying to put helmets on people who ride, not allowing them to decide, and try to justify it in the name of safety. There's a million things out there that could get a law attached to it in the name of safety. I'll jokingly put one out there. There should be a helmet law on any boat owner who's boat can go more then 25mph! And it has to be an approved helmet.
The push to make helmets mandatory is nationwide. Yes I feel that it is politically driven, also money motivated. Can you just imagine how much money a helmet factory would make if they were the Only authorized DOT approved helmet manufacturer.I have chosen to wear my helmet, just as I chose to wear my chaps and my sunglasses. I didn't need a law to tell me this. It is a shame though that if I lost my helmet or it iced over, I would get a ticket ( unlawful) riding without it.
