Missouri: repeal of motorcycle helmet laws sees deaths jump 47%

[wizzard426]

We need to discuss why the "pond" is "golden."

I thought that movie sucked back then......then LDG and I watched it again and I realized that we had become the Thayer's

 

[Wat_Tyler]

That dude’s a maniac. Probably owns guns too.

Completely unhinged!!! I bet he has a few old cars for shits-n-giggles, too.

If it's the only water source nearby and you're living next to it, it's bound to happen eventually...

Insh'Allah no droughts then.

 

[Wat_Tyler]

I thought that movie sucked back then......then LDG and I watched it again and I realized that we had become the Thayer's

You don't thay??!?

 

[wizzard426]

You don't thay??!?

We became depressed and despondent, decided to go ahead and die sometime in the future

 

[wizzard426]

Here I have spent 57 years looking for Walter and this devil's child catches him on the first cast

Without insurance a helmet or a life jacket

I was so pissed I tricked him into wrecking the boat to drown his ass

Then the olde bitch comes along and ruins it all

Fuck ponds

 

[Wat_Tyler]

We became depressed and despondent, decided to go ahead and die sometime in the future

Check with Billy Pilgrim. He can tell you about that.


So it goes . . . .

 

[Buffalogurl]

Yup.

And I love how they're turning it into the motorcycle version of Wat's "guns" thread - as if motorcycles (or guns) offend us.

I love motorcycles. Too bad some of our PB members seem to have shit taste in them, but that's to be expected.

Oh....quit sniveling, go outside and get some fresh air! Crawl on your crotch rocket, roll the throttle back and face the wind ..... (it'll clear your stuffy head)......

 

[Comshaw]

I've been riding a long time. I bought my first bike in 1967 ( a 1964 CL77 305 Honda scrambler) at the tender age of 17. It was March of that year. The time of year is important. Even back then my state had a helmet law. When I bought it the guy gave me a helmet, an old aluminum racing helmet with canvas webbing inside. I rode 4 blocks and went to turn a corner. Unfortuately for me it had been a bad winter with lots of snow so there was a pile of sand at the corner from the sanding trucks. I hit the pile. The bike stopped...I didn't. I ended up on the street on my face. I had a big goose egg over my right eye and blood streaming down my cheek. The helmet had a nice little dent in it. Had I not had on a helmet that goose egg and scrap would have been a dent in my skull the helmet took.

I rode a lot over the last 59 years of riding. I still do. I crossed the 450,000 mile mark on a bike a couple of years back. I've had 4 major accidents in that time. Two were my fault. Two were others' fault. Out of those a helmet saved me from major head injuries three times. Helmets do save lives; as you can see, they saved mine more than once.

Helmet laws are a good thing. Yeah, I know the argument for not wearing one, "The only person that gets hurt is me!" Which isn't true at all. Now it is true we would have more organ donors without a helmet law. But there would also be many who aren't quite at that point but still can't function on their own. Where do they go? On the public dole of course. So if you're one of those who argue against helmet laws, but for individual responsibility, are you carrying enough insurance to cover you for life if that happens? If not and you expect the government to take care of you, that's a classic hypocritical argument.

As far as the fatality rate for riders going up 47% after repealing the law, yeah it COULD be other things, but logically a jump that high that fast with only one change in the conditions (no helmets) would point to that one changed condition. Trying to muddy the water with "well, it could be something else!" is bogus.

So what do I ride now? A 2013 Triumph Trophy se, a 1999 Triumph Legend with a sidecar, a 1981 MX175 for offroad cow trailing (I'm too damned old to go balls to the wall MXing) and one my son gave me for my birthday two years ago: a 1985 (first year for those) Yamaha VMax with 8,700 miles on it. I get all kinda' guff from Harly riders about my bikes. My answer? "Why should I buy and ride something that costs twice as much, has a third less horse power and is half as reliable? Ain't gunna happen!"


Comshaw

 

[Buffalogurl]

Who ends up paying for the treatment of uninsured head trauma of Motorcycle riders, or meets the social/financial costs of families who have lost a breadwinner? Are the increased cost imposts and deaths, sufficient to require helmets over the individual freedom to kill or injure oneself?

Here I'll help ya out..... in your post you neglected to include....... it's for the children........... love ya Bubba

 

[Buffalogurl]

I've been riding a long time. I bought my first bike in 1967 ( a 1964 CL77 305 Honda scrambler) at the tender age of 17. It was March of that year. The time of year is important. Even back then my state had a helmet law. When I bought it the guy gave me a helmet, an old aluminum racing helmet with canvas webbing inside. I rode 4 blocks and went to turn a corner. Unfortuately for me it had been a bad winter with lots of snow so there was a pile of sand at the corner from the sanding trucks. I hit the pile. The bike stopped...I didn't. I ended up on the street on my face. I had a big goose egg over my right eye and blood streaming down my cheek. The helmet had a nice little dent in it. Had I not had on a helmet that goose egg and scrap would have been a dent in my skull the helmet took.

I rode a lot over the last 59 years of riding. I still do. I crossed the 450,000 mile mark on a bike a couple of years back. I've had 4 major accidents in that time. Two were my fault. Two were others' fault. Out of those a helmet saved me from major head injuries three times. Helmets do save lives; as you can see, they saved mine more than once.

Helmet laws are a good thing. Yeah, I know the argument for not wearing one, "The only person that gets hurt is me!" Which isn't true at all. Now it is true we would have more organ donors without a helmet law. But there would also be many who aren't quite at that point but still can't function on their own. Where do they go? On the public dole of course. So if you're one of those who argue against helmet laws, but for individual responsibility, are you carrying enough insurance to cover you for life if that happens? If not and you expect the government to take care of you, that's a classic hypocritical argument.

As far as the fatality rate for riders going up 47% after repealing the law, yeah it COULD be other things, but logically a jump that high that fast with only one change in the conditions (no helmets) would point to that one changed condition. Trying to muddy the water with "well, it could be something else!" is bogus.

So what do I ride now? A 2013 Triumph Trophy se, a 1999 Triumph Legend with a sidecar, a 1981 MX175 for offroad cow trailing (I'm too damned old to go balls to the wall MXing) and one my son gave me for my birthday two years ago: a 1985 (first year for those) Yamaha VMax with 8,700 miles on it. I get all kinda' guff from Harly riders about my bikes. My answer? "Why should I buy and ride something that costs twice as much, has a third less horse power and is half as reliable? Ain't gunna happen!"


Comshaw

I'm not saying wearing a helmet is a bad thing, I wear a helmet 90% of the time .... what I'm saying is let those who ride decide.... it's absolutely none of anyone's business except the bike rider... this goes along with so many other things in life as well...

 

[wizzard426]

Oh....quit sniveling, go outside and get some fresh air! Crawl on your crotch rocket, roll the throttle back and face the wind ..... (it'll clear your stuffy head)......

The only way to clear that level of pflem would be if she were to cross her legs, hold her nose and fart

 

[IrezumiKiss]

I'm not saying wearing a helmet is a bad thing, I wear a helmet 90% of the time .... what I'm saying is let those who ride decide.... it's absolutely none of anyone's business except the bike rider... this goes along with so many other things in life as well...

This sounds like you're advocating for people to do irresponsible things in the name of "freedom" so that, when they eventually get injured or die, they create employment and/or work for other people to doctor them or handle/dispose of their remains.

in effect, creating a society that relies on chaos for a pseudo-sustainable cycle of life. True, on paper, it seems all neat and logical, a very cut and dried progression of humanity. Someone has to make things and then someone has to clean the mess from using the things people make.

but...this only favors people who are wealthy and educated enough to cushion their mistakes or order others in their employ to do things for them so they avoid doing irresponsible things in the heat of the moment that may damage their lives when exploiting the parameters of that "freedom." Everyone who doesn't fit in that social bracket are mere ants or grubs to be sacrificed so that the gossamer-robed celestials above them can thrive.

that's...that's so...so...bleak.

oh, Buffalogurl...

 

[ll74]

I'm not saying wearing a helmet is a bad thing, I wear a helmet 90% of the time .... what I'm saying is let those who ride decide.... it's absolutely none of anyone's business except the bike rider... this goes along with so many other things in life as well...

Lawsuits are the reason for helmet laws.

 

[Comshaw]

I'm not saying wearing a helmet is a bad thing, I wear a helmet 90% of the time .... what I'm saying is let those who ride decide.... it's absolutely none of anyone's business except the bike rider... this goes along with so many other things in life as well...

Apparently, you didn't read all of my post. If the government has to take care of you because you didn't wear a helmet and sustained an injury that crippled you to the point you were unable to do for yourself (which many head injuries do) it IS the business of those paying your way, the taxpayers. So yeah it is other people's business.

The other point brought up is lawsuits. Even if it's the fault of the other guy in a bike vrs other vehicle crash, wearing a helmet reduces the chances of having severe head injuries. In so doing it reduces the chances of someone paying out the nose because the rider didn't want to wear a helmet and ended up as Broccoli.

Again, yes, it is every person on the road's business, not just the rider's.

Comshaw

 

[Bn2f]

I really hope butters is enjoying this.
The lefties are now making the fiscal conservative argument that there is no monetary benefit to the general society, the state, or the health and insurance industry to pay for motorcycle injuries and the Deplorable response is: alone leave I, me likey brain injuries.

 

[Pad_Foot]

Motorcyclists. If you are driving between cars as the law apparently allows in some cases. Watch Out! I watched a guy in LA traffic bounce against a car and then wobble at speed. Somehow he didn’t fall over in from of my car!

The law must have limits which would prevent the possibility of me killing a lovely Darwin volunteer.

Two other Darwin devotees decided to pass my car at about the same time. Driving their lovely loud machines, my reaction is usually to give room to a cyclist passing me. In this case at almost the speed limit, making that correction almost put me into his buddy on the far side of the car.

Helmets?? Hey? If you don’t wear one, you should be last in hospital triage! Others should not be affected by the amount of time wasted scooping your brains back into your skull!

 

[Comshaw]

Motorcyclists. If you are driving between cars as the law apparently allows in some cases. Watch Out! I watched a guy in LA traffic bounce against a car and then wobble at speed. Somehow he didn’t fall over in from of my car!

The law must have limits which would prevent the possibility of me killing a lovely Darwin volunteer.

Two other Darwin devotees decided to pass my car at about the same time. Driving their lovely loud machines, my reaction is usually to give room to a cyclist passing me. In this case at almost the speed limit, making that correction almost put me into his buddy on the far side of the car.

Helmets?? Hey? If you don’t wear one, you should be last in hospital triage! Others should not be affected by the amount of time wasted scooping your brains back into your skull!

There is a case to be made for lane splitting, but not the way many do it. If done correctly and safely it helps with traffic congestion and protects the motorcycle rider. doing it at speed for any reason is just plain stupid and marks the rider as a squid.

Most Car/bike accidents in stop-and-go traffic are bikes getting rear-ended. Keep in mind that with a car/car a rear-ender at 25 mph will be minor, a fender bender. A car hitting a bike at 25 MPH could be fatal for the bike rider or at a minimum some really painful injuries.

Lane splitting at less than 25 MPH when traffic is heavy is safe. Over on the other side of the pond they call it filtering and it's worked for many years there.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Squid
Squid

Another word for an Idiot or Loser or Nerd.

And

Squid

A young motorcyclist who overestimates his abilities, boasts of his riding skills when in reality he has none. Squid bikes are usually decorated with chrome and various anodized bits. The rear tires are too wide for their own good, swingarm extended. Really slow in the corners, and sudden bursts of acceleration when a straight appears. Squids wear no protection, deeming themselves invincible. This fact compounds intself with the fact that they engage in 'extreme riding'--performing wheelies and stoppies in public areas. Squids wreck alot. Derived from 'squirly kid'


Comshaw

 

[Wat_Tyler]

I knew a man who was killed on his bike at a traffic light. He was rear-ended and crushed against the car in front of him.


Good thing he was wearing his helmet . . . .

 

[TrailerHitch]

You should be thrilled that people have the freedom to die in preventable and ridiculous ways. 'Murica!

Look, you are as big a jag off as he is but for different reasons. Wishing people dead, and in great numbers, because they don't wear a motorcycle helmet is 100% pure asshole.

 

[Comshaw]

I knew a man who was killed on his bike at a traffic light. He was rear-ended and crushed against the car in front of him.


Good thing he was wearing his helmet . . . .

Fabulous! I haven't seen sarcasm used as an Appeal to Ridicule logical fallacy since Ish last used it! Way to go dude!

Comshaw

 

[RoryN]

Oh....quit sniveling, go outside and get some fresh air! Crawl on your crotch rocket blah blah

lol - I probably know more about motorcycles than you do. You don't seem particularly well-versed in anything.

Tell your Deplorable buddies to go ride their bikes. They certainly aren't doing it currently; they're in here posting bile instead. Makes me doubt that they ride very often.

 

[Isevil1976]

As an avid rider I personally wear a helmet, mostly because I constantly see people driving on their phones, applying makeup, hell I've even been at a red-light next to a guy reading a book on his steering wheel.

The issue I have with helmet restrictions is the way (at least in my state) crash data is recorded. Any time a bike goes down here and police or medical personnel respond the data asked for is whether or not a helmet was worn. So if im out for a nice spring ride and my back tire kicks out on some leftover road sand and I want to file a police report for insurance but there was no injury ill be asked if I was wearing a helmet, if I say no then this data is then utilized to propose new helmet laws saying my accident was a no helmet accident but not stating there was also no injury. I have a funny feeling most states operate this way as well.

 

[Pad_Foot]

Squid

Squid hitting pavement… not a lovely image!

What IQ does it take to NOT follow another rider vs going on both sides of a car?

Watching a rider almost die was a first! Perhaps LA Squids are extremely squidy?

 

[Buffalogurl]

lol - I probably know more about motorcycles than you do. You don't seem particularly well-versed in anything.

Tell your Deplorable buddies to go ride their bikes. They certainly aren't doing it currently; they're in here posting bile instead. Makes me doubt that they ride very often.

I've built more than my share of bikes and have enjoyed them throughly... with and without a helmet..... an unsolicited bit of advice for you rory....never assume you think you know something about someone you've never met......just because I wear bolton tits and 3" heels with short skirt doesn't prove I'm not knowledgeable......

 

[desecration]

I have never given half a shit about motorcycles.

But, people want to enjoy them and should be able to do so.

The danger is part of the thrill. It's a tradeoff: a couple hundred more deaths a year for a less neurotic society where people can enjoy riding their bikes however they want.