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[ell]

I was surprised by the results of the following poll, but it was only 600 people.  This was taken from the Detroit Free Press on July 15, 2011.

I am pro-helmet but anti helmet law.  I won't ride without one (including every mile I pedal on my bicycle), and I think the majority of people think it's marginally safer to wear a helmet rather than not (I guess that's what the poll says).  Both sides of this issue will toss out numbers supporting their slant on the statistics, so I'll call that a draw.  But I still think it should be up to the rider, especially age 21 or over.

"A new poll says a majority of likely Michigan voters opposes proposed changes that would let some adults ride motorcycles without helmets in the state.


The poll from EPIC-MRA released today says 68% of those surveyed oppose proposed legislative changes that would allow some to ride without helmets. Thirty-one percent favored the legislation and 1% was undecided.

The telephone poll of 600 respondents was conducted July 9-11 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The Michigan Senate has approved a bill that would allow riders 21 or older to go helmetless if they have been licensed to operate a motorcycle for two years or have passed a safety course. Motorcyclists also would need certain insurance.

The measure is pending in the House."

[T-M-T]

Snyder (who I'm beginning to like more and more) has said he will veto this bill unless there are provisions for helmetless riders to have additional insurance to cover the increased costs of injuries and deaths.  Makes sense to me.  Choose to be unsafe (and stupid, in my book) as long as you don't force others to pay the financial costs for the consequences of your poor decisions.

[T-M-T]

ONONDAGA, N.Y. -- Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike's handlebars and hit his head on the pavement.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in the town of Onondaga, in central New York near Syracuse.

State troopers tell The Post-Standard of Syracuse that 55-year-old Philip A. Contos of Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets.

Troopers say Contos hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and Contos toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Troopers say Contos would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/motorcyclist-dies-helmet-protest_n_889427.html

[ell]

ONONDAGA, N.Y. -- Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike's handlebars and hit his head on the pavement.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in the town of Onondaga, in central New York near Syracuse.

State troopers tell The Post-Standard of Syracuse that 55-year-old Philip A. Contos of Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets.

Troopers say Contos hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and Contos toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Troopers say Contos would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/motorcyclist-dies-helmet-protest_n_889427.html

T-I saw this article in the paper.  Can you say ironic?  The helmet's not going to help much at highway speed, but I would venture to guess a large percentage of accidents are at low to moderate speeds (not counting those involving sport bikes).  I was genuinely surprised by the percentages.

[Boylanjl]

I oppose the helmet laws, but I will always wear a helmet.  As for the poor guy who was killed on the way to protest the law, he made his choice and I would bet my next month's paycheck he knew the risk.   May he rest in peace.

[forever39]

My 21 year old nephew was killed in a motorcyle accident & was wearing a helmet.  My husband & I have logged many, many miles on a motorcycle - we've always worn helmets, even in states that didn't require it. 

[SimpleMan]

Forget about helmet vs. no helmet...An '83 Harley still running? That's news in of itself.

[SimpleMan]

Troopers say Contos would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/motorcyclist-dies-helmet-protest_n_889427.html

Troopers forgot to add "Would have likely survived, but would have been brain damaged and in need of constant, extremely expensive medical care for the rest of his life if he had been wearing a helmet".  Instead, the poor soul is deceased, but at least his loved ones know he died doing something he loved, and will be spared the sight of him being propped up and kept alive like some sort of ragdoll.

[PXaiver]

They need to repeal the seatbelt law while they re at it

[Boylanjl]

Troopers forgot to add "Would have likely survived, but would have been brain damaged and in need of constant, extremely expensive medical care for the rest of his life if he had been wearing a helmet". 

Prove that statement, I know quite a few people, including family that surivied extremely serious Motorcycle accidents with no brain damage because they were wearing a helmet. 

[SimpleMan]

Prove that statement, I know quite a few people, including family that surivied extremely serious Motorcycle accidents with no brain damage because they were wearing a helmet.

I've heard about quite a few brain injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents when my wife was working in the ER and on the neurological units at UTMC, and now currently as she works in the ICU, cases in which the rider or pasenger on the bike WAS wearing a helmet. I would rather accept actual medical data from someone who treated the victims than anecdotal information about "quite a few people I know".       

[SimpleMan]

They need to repeal the seatbelt law while they re at it

Leave it to Shaggy to come up with an apples to bananas comparison like that...

Seatbelts and airbags SAVE LIVES. You drive around in your car, with it's crumple zones, with it's collapsible steering column, with it's padded interior surfaces, and all of the other technology like anti-lock brakes, traction control, lane-change warnings, and ALL of it is there to keep you safe in an accident. Most of it is mandated by law, for safety.

You hop on your motorcycle, put on your helmet because the law says you have to, and what are you protected against? You can ride shirtless, in shorts and flip flops, and that's ok as long as you have a helmet on. To ride or not to ride a motorcycle is a decision you make KNOWING it's dangerous, knowing there isn't anything to protect you, knowing that, helmet or no helmet, you're just as likely to die if a teenager texting on her phone or grandma distracted while driving her Town Car runs you over. Wearing or not wearing a brain bucket ought to be another choice you make, just like wearing or not wearing an armored leather or textile jacket, pants, gloves and boots is a choice.

[Boylanjl]

I've heard about quite a few brain injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents when my wife was working in the ER and on the neurological units at UTMC, and now currently as she works in the ICU, cases in which the rider or pasenger on the bike WAS wearing a helmet. I would rather accept actual medical data from someone who treated the victims than anecdotal information about "quite a few people I know".     

So what you are saying you have only HEARSAY to go off.  No facts, just what you were told.   My point was you have no way to prove your point. 

[SimpleMan]

So what you are saying you have only HEARSAY to go off.  No facts, just what you were told.   My point was you have no way to prove your point.

Look, my wife has been an RN/BSN for 13 years now. She has dealt with motorcycle injury cases countless times, and what she tells me about them is not "hearsay". I get alot of this information, even though I don't WANT to hear it. I ask her how her shift went, and I get all these tales of suffering, blood, guts and gore, how someone wrecked their sportbike and now has half a face and will never walk, that sort of thing. Usually they involve alcohol. 

[Tiny]

Several years ago there was a picture on Rotten.com of a guy sitting in the ER with a forehead and two eyeballs looking at the doctor. Everything below the eyes had been ripped off in a motorcycle accident. He was completely conscious just sitting there like, duh, what are you guys looking at.