New Missouri Helmet Law

[MaxPete]

 

[beemerphile]

I thought we weren't supposed to mention him any more.

 

[ST Gui]

Unless I'm reading that wrong, I think you've got it backwards.

Yes your are and no I don't. A helmet-less rider has a 10 times MORE CHANCE of head injury than a rider with a helmet in the event of a collision. I think anyone would be hard pressed to show that a helmet-less rider is 10 times more likely to be involved in a collision because he's helmet-less.

My point being there was a time when most people rode without a helmet. In the event of a collision enough were hurt badly enough to cause Nannying laws requiring helmet use. Even so the helmet-less riders involved in accidents were far fewer than helmet less riders not involved in collisions.

I'm kidding about the nannying though some people wouldn't be.

Anyway wear a helmet all the time if that's your preference. But having ridden for a decade or two before it was mandatory I can appreciate there being a time and place when going without a hat is a beautiful thing.

Even

 

[ST Gui]

The covid cover is not for you, it's for everyone else.

The corollary to that is "their COVID cover isn't for them – it's for you".

 

[Whooshka]

You got that all wrong my friend. Those helmetless riders are not the cause of your insurance rates going up. The real reason they are going up is the volience has gone up in this country and those that are killed and wounded the majority have no insurance or on medicaid. Those that are on medicaid you are still footing the bill. My wife use to work at a trauma hospital and had a drive by shooting victim that was in the ICU for a month. His bill was over a million dollars because he had no insurance guess who payed for his care.

Who paid for his care? Us people who have insurance. Who have higher rates because we have to pay for his care. That was my point.

 

[Whooshka]

Yes your are and no I don't. A helmet-less rider has a 10 times MORE CHANCE of head injury than a rider with a helmet in the event of a collision. I think anyone would be hard pressed to show that a helmet-less rider is 10 times more likely to be involved in a collision because he's helmet-less.

My point being there was a time when most people rode without a helmet. In the event of a collision enough were hurt badly enough to cause Nannying laws requiring helmet use. Even so the helmet-less riders involved in accidents were far fewer than helmet less riders not involved in collisions.

I'm kidding about the nannying though some people wouldn't be.

Anyway wear a helmet all the time if that's your preference. But having ridden for a decade or two before it was mandatory I can appreciate there being a time and place when going without a hat is a beautiful thing.

Even

Nobody said anything about your CHANCES of being in a collision with or without a helmet. Comments were about HEAD INJURIES with or without a helmet. You pretty much can’t have a head injury without a collision of some type.

Beautiful thing? I can see where this is going and let’s just agree to disagree.

 

[Upt' North]

As someone from another planet , I have to ask why in gods name would anyone be allowed to ride a motorcycle legally without certified head protection.
This isn't about freedom or civil liberties, this is about life.
But each to their own. As long as I'm not picking up the actual or financial pieces.
Back to the craft.
Upt'North.

 

[the Ferret]

Ride what you want, wear what you want. If you don't have enough sense to wear a helmet without there being a law to make you, do you really need one?

I'm more perturbed by unenforced noise laws than I am about an adult male not wearing a helmet by choice.

 

[st11ray]

As someone from another planet , I have to ask why in gods name would anyone be allowed to ride a motorcycle legally without certified head protection.
This isn't about freedom or civil liberties, this is about life.
But each to their own. As long as I'm not picking up the actual or financial pieces.
Back to the craft.
Upt'North.

Are there any countries in Europe that allow motorcyclists to ride without a helmet?

 

[Whooshka]

Europeans won't understand it .
According to the above map, more then half states have no helmet law. But only 2 allow filtering. Isn't it ironic?

Not entirely true. Only 2 states have no helmet laws. The other states are about a 50/50 split with half requiring all riders to wear one and the other half having age requirements.

 

[Kevcules]

Freedom to choose is great, as long as it doesn't affect others financially.

 

[st11ray]

Freedom to choose is great, as long as it doesn't affect others financially.

Car drivers complain that crazy people that choose to ride motorcycles make their insurance premiums go up.

 

[mortenk]

Insurance makes healthcare affordable, if everyone has insurance then insurance is also affordable. If only the sick have insurance it will be unaffordable ‍

Agreed, I just think the easiest way to ensure that everybody are covered is to roll the premiums into the tax bill...

 

[red one]

As someone from another planet , I have to ask why in gods name would anyone be allowed to ride a motorcycle legally without certified head protection.
This isn't about freedom or civil liberties, this is about life.
But each to their own. As long as I'm not picking up the actual or financial pieces.
Back to the craft.
Upt'North.

Our country is unique from the UK. When our country was founded the builders of this new republic wanted to insure more freedom and civil liberties to the individuals and less to the Government. That is why we have a right to own firearms written into the constitution by the founders of this country. On the helmet debate I wear mine on the Highway but less so when i am putting around town. I do believe its ones choice and like i posted earlier my insurance rates increases are not due to un helmeted riders.

 

[Whooshka]

I just came from Maine, didn't see anyone wearing a helmet with exception of few sportbikers. Same in NH.

Just because you didn't see anyone wearing a helmet does not mean there are no helmet laws.

"Maine Motorcycle Helmet Law
Maine law requires all motorcycle and sidecar passengers under 18 to wear a helmet. Motorcycle operators licensed within one year of completing their driver's test and those operating under learner's permits must also wear helmets.
When an operator is required to wear a helmet, Maine law also requires his or her passenger to wear a helmet.
Protective headgear must meet the minimum specifications set forth by the American National Standards Institute or the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard."

 

[paulcb]

I'm an R&D engineer in the medical device industry. I spent several years working on orthopedic devices for broken bones, spine trauma, etc. I've had several docs tell me that they thought overall health insurance payouts would go down with no helmet laws because the helmet-less rider is more likely to be dead... a few days in the morgue and a funeral are much cheaper than months/years in the hospital with brain damage.

 

[Upt' North]

Are there any countries in Europe that allow motorcyclists to ride without a helmet?

Good question, well phrased Ray.

With EU legislation being all encompassing on such matters, hey they pretty much set the world standards on helmets and protective clothing, I would have thought there would be few exemptions or exceptions from helmet law.
However, if you visit one or two of the out of the way Greek Islands then you may see some riding without and some of the old geezers on European pedal mopeds in backwater France, Italy and Spain are oblivious to such things.
It was the case and may still be that if you are a Sikh in the UK you are exempt if wearing your turban. Although there aren't many Sikhs wearing turbans on motorcycles. I think I'd have to travel at least 50 miles to see a Sikh let alone one on a motorbike.
Upt'North.

 

[Mophead]

I was in Durango, Colorado over the 4th. We were downtown having dinner and some ice cream. A young (30 something) guy comes down the main drag and starts to rev and show off. The Harley caught traction and shot him straight into a metal street light pole. His unhelmeted head met said light pole. Lots of blood all over the pole, sidewalk and curb. He was still conscious when they loaded him into the ambulance. I wonder if he will wear a helmet if he ever rides again?

Smoka da weed, reva da Hog, hitta da pole, busta da head, maka da mess. Who clean up?

 

[st11ray]

Smoka da weed, reva da Hog, hitta da pole, busta da head, maka da mess. Who clean up?

He was probably drinking the Coors.

 

[mortenk]

I agree.
My friend's wife broke a leg while skiing in Europe (can't remember if French or Swiss Alps). Her treatment cost over there was about 10x less than if it was here, according to his doctor friend who was skiing with them too. Why is that? Each time I go to Europe, I bring back medications which cost 4x less than here (and some more dosage), and others very good meds that even aren't even sold here....
Our healthcare and health insurance is a mess to start with.

Until you remove the profit component from healthcare, it's not going to improve. Healthcare should be a human right/service, not a business.