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MARINE1986

Once, always, Semper Fi
Articles Posted: 7  Links Seeded: 36
Member Since: 3/2011  Last Seen: 2/03/2012

Motorcycle and Motorcycle Helmets

Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:17 AM EDT
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By Marine1986
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What the H-E-double hockey sticks?  I live in the great state of Ohio.  They have passed a law that requires you to wear a seat belt in a car while driving.  This seems reasonable as it could save you life.  In stark contrast, motorcyclists are not required to wear helmets when they ride their motorcycles.  What are they thinking?!

Here is the other logic, in my town if you ride a bicycle you are required to wear a helmet.  It is not a law, but the police require you to wear a helmet.  It makes good sense as it could save your life.  Why not on a motorcycle?! 

Also, I love the way the Harley Davidson Motorcycles look, I think they are cool.  Why though, are they so loud?  Don't they make mufflers for these things?  If you drove a car that was that loud, you would get a ticket, why not for motorcycles?  Can someone explain this to me?  I don't enjoy having to put my child back to sleep when one goes driving by at 2AM.  Please help me to understand this.

I am not trying to pick a fight, but what is the reasoning behind this?  Does anyone have a good argument as to why not wearing a helmet is a good thing?  Maybe I am naive, but doesn't a helmet make sense?

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Marine1986

Am I just naive?

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:18 AM EDT
islandgirl-382087

Of course helmets are a smarter choice but its not guaranteed to keep you from harm, look at what tragically just happened to Marco Simoncelli (RIP). Here in Texas you aren't required to wear a helmet however you must carry extra insurance for that "privilege". As far as loud mufflers are concerned, I assure you its not just Harley's that have loud pipes. I agree they are annoying at 2:00 a.m. but they do save lives. Because lets face it, even though there are more motorcycles on the road today than ever before people don't take the time to LOOK for a motorcycle so it only makes sense that they have to be loud for their safety. If LEO would change their tune (because there are laws on the books they just don't USE them) and treat motorcyclist the same way they would a motorist or pedestrian and start charging people who are negligently killing motorcycle riders with involuntary manslaughter instead of Failure to Yield the Right of Way I believe many many more lives could be spared.

  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:49 AM EDT
my-pockets-r-mt

Near my home, at a stop sign, I look right, left and right again and still did not see the motorcyle coming from the right. He was not there the first right look and in my blind spot (which when a person thinks about it, the door jamb post isn't really much of a blind spot) the second right look. Fortunately, as I moved forward I caught him and hit the brakes. It still haunts me a bit and now as I pull forward slowly from a stop sign I do look again to the right a bit to make sure.

Brain buckets, imo, are a good idea.

On the other side of the coin when I see people on crutch rockets thinking they are just that, makes wonder how long they will be here on earth.

  • 1 vote
#2.1 - Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:35 PM EDT
Marine1986

Islandgirl! Well said, I didn't realize it was for safety, it makes sense now. Too bad there isn't a switch or something. Thanks for letting me know.

  • 1 vote
#2.2 - Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:15 AM EDT
islandgirl-382087

Marine-

I no longer ride because the risk far outweighs the enjoyment I was getting. That being said I am still an advocate of the rights of the motorcyclist. They are still treated in accidents and fatalities as though its all their fault for their choice of transportation regardless that the majority of these incidents are the fault of the motorist NOT looking TWICE (and yes, I do know that not all motorcyclist are safe riders as well). I am thankful my son has chosen to garage his street bike for good. All of his riding is now done on the racing circuit for CMRA and AMA and I'm very proud to say he just finished his season with several 1st place wins and ranked #2 overall for the season.

    #2.3 - Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:26 AM EDT
    Reply
    keith in DSM

    I'm sure the people of your State demanded this new law which saves the insurance industry money and fattens their profit margin. This is how democracy works for big corporations. What they want, they get.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#3 - Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:52 PM EDT
    Marine1986

    Kieth, you may have a point here. Still, it's funny how you MUST wear a seat belt, but not a helmet.

    • 1 vote
    #3.1 - Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:17 AM EDT
    keith in DSM

    One of our legislators tried to pass a law where motorcycle riders were required to wear seat belts. Fortunately, that fell by the wayside of stupid laws.

    We also tried to outlaw spinner hubcaps because one legislator said they were too distracting to other drivers.

    • 1 vote
    #3.2 - Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:36 AM EDT
    Reply
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