Michigan just revoked helmet law

It doesn't take witnessing too much nastiness to become an ATGATT believer. Things like the guy that had half his nose ground off by road rash, the toes ripped off a foot and still hanging on the bike, the various bones poking out of the skin at really peculiar angles. Seeing the results of more than a few helmet-less crashes convinced me not to ride without one. Even ATGATT guarantees nothing, but increases your chances. I am a firm believer in personal freedoms, but also personal responsibilities. All that said, I don't need or want the state to tell me what I have to wear, whether it's common sense or not.

Saw my first one earlier tonight, a middle-aged guyon a Harley wearing nothing but a do-rag on his melon.

I've always said, if you don't think you need a helmet, you're probably right.

I saw two guys on sport bikes riding without helmets today...in the rain. Safety aside, that didn't look fun to me.

I work in a state where there is no helmet law, and live in a state where there is. Supposedly, you can ride southbound on State Line Rd. without wearing a helmet, and get pulled over going northbound for doing the same.

No helmet law in IL. Sadly 85% of riders I see are helmetless. It just doesn't make sense to me, but then I remember the majority of the population is composed of people with precious little brain power.

I seriously wonder how long it will be or was from the moment the law went into effect to the first completely avoidable fatality..

Caleb wrote: I personally can't stand it when i see guys without helmets, I mean really is it so freaking hard to protect your most vital organ. I bitch about this all the time it just pisses me off. For example a few weeks ago i was in myrtle beach SC and watched a guy on a new gixxer crossing a intersection get t-boned by a inattentive driver at about 10-15mph bike went down and i saw his head split wide open on the asphalt. He was killed instantly all because he wasn't wearing a helmet...like i said it just pisses me off

not to sound hard hearted ( well maybe ) but at least he's dead and we ( you, me and everyone else ) aren't supporting him with our increased insurance premiums

pulled from the hotlink thread

nocones wrote: I seriously wonder how long it will be or was from the moment the law went into effect to the first completely avoidable fatality..

That's probably already happened.

Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, my insurance company can charge me a little more for both motorcycle and life insurance.

Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the statistics look worse and the cops get more leeway to go after me.

Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the public image of motorcyclists gets reinforced and it gets harder to convince drivers to switch to two wheels.

Motorcyclists should lobby for mandatory full-face helmets with visors for all riders and passengers. The more of us out there, the safer it gets for us. The more of us that just ride for fun and economy, the better our per-rider stats look.

It blows my mind to see people ride without helmets. Saw it in TX everyday...I don't understand how anybody could be that stupid. My cousin was, he died in his neighborhood going 20mph.

Thankfully I'm back in Oregon where all I can laugh at is stupid squids riding around in shorts/tank top/sandals. Still fools in my book.

I used to work as a photog for a daily Paper in central PA. I probably averaged 2 events a week where there was a state or national representative. The comments I heard far more than any others at the time were requests to repeal PA's helmet law. If the pol's would draw statistics from the people they meet requesting no helmet laws, they would have to assume that 80% of the population doesn't want the laws.

I'm not saying that the pol's are making the right decision, I'm sure they are getting more information. But my point is that the groups that want to ride without a helmet really have the grassroots lobbying thing mastered.

chaparral wrote: Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, my insurance company can charge me a little more for both motorcycle and life insurance. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the statistics look worse and the cops get more leeway to go after me. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the public image of motorcyclists gets reinforced and it gets harder to convince drivers to switch to two wheels. Motorcyclists should lobby for mandatory full-face helmets with visors for all riders and passengers. The more of us out there, the safer it gets for us. The more of us that just ride for fun and economy, the better our per-rider stats look.

I don't enjoy full-faced helmets although I frequently wear one. With the visor down they make the experience too much like watching T.V of me riding a bike. I prefer open-faced helmets but understand those who choose not to wear anything at all. They know the consequences, they know they'd be better off wearing protection, but it is their choice.

I also don't support automotive "nanny" intrusions. If I could buy a light, non ABS, non airbag, non stability controlled car I would. (I actually do--- just used)

Riding any bike in any gear is dangerous. If you are concerned about safety, don't ride. If you follow ATGATT good for you, you are obviously going to be better off in a wreck than someone who doesn't. That alone does not make you superior, or smarter though. You have just made a different choice and decided to hedge your bets. The safest thing (smartest?) would be not to ride at all.

I understand the implications of the insurance industry, but I'd rather pay higher premiums than force everyone to use whatever new safety systems the government deems necessary. Before long they'd have us in "safety-proof" bubbles.

Around KY(a not required helmet state at least it was a couple years ago), I was amazed that a lot of the sport bike guys were wearing shorts, flip-flops, wife beaters and a full face helmet but a lot of the Harley guys would wear plenty of leather and then a do-rag...

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I agree with the decision and would for all seat belt, air bag, and other personal safety legislation. I believe every man has a right to be a bloodstain on an otherwise boring stretch of asphalt. With upwards of 6 billion people on the orb - we gotta stop protecting people too stupid to live. I am ATGATT by choice regardless.

Man, I really do tend to agree. I think it's a bad decision to drive without a seat belt or ride a bike without a helmet, but it is a free country. While they're at it, revoke all the air bag legislation and let me decide if I want to pay extra for that.

I know it's compelling when people tell tragic stories about a loved one that would have lived if they'd worn a helmet, and they're right- people should wear them. To me it's more a question of what I want to decide for myself and what power I want to give over to the government.

chaparral wrote: Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, my insurance company can charge me a little more for both motorcycle and life insurance. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the statistics look worse and the cops get more leeway to go after me. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the public image of motorcyclists gets reinforced and it gets harder to convince drivers to switch to two wheels. Motorcyclists should lobby for mandatory full-face helmets with visors for all riders and passengers. The more of us out there, the safer it gets for us. The more of us that just ride for fun and economy, the better our per-rider stats look.

You do make a compelling argument. I don't know. It's tricky.

Joe Gearin wrote:

chaparral wrote: Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, my insurance company can charge me a little more for both motorcycle and life insurance. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the statistics look worse and the cops get more leeway to go after me. Every time a rider dies due to not wearing a good helmet, the public image of motorcyclists gets reinforced and it gets harder to convince drivers to switch to two wheels. Motorcyclists should lobby for mandatory full-face helmets with visors for all riders and passengers. The more of us out there, the safer it gets for us. The more of us that just ride for fun and economy, the better our per-rider stats look.

I don't enjoy full-faced helmets although I frequently wear one. With the visor down they make the experience too much like watching T.V of me riding a bike. I prefer open-faced helmets but understand those who choose not to wear anything at all. They know the consequences, they know they'd be better off wearing protection, but it is their choice. I also don't support automotive "nanny" intrusions. If I could buy a light, non ABS, non airbag, non stability controlled car I would. (I actually do--- just used) Riding any bike in any gear is dangerous. If you are concerned about safety, don't ride. If you follow ATGATT good for you, you are obviously going to be better off in a wreck than someone who doesn't. That alone does not make you superior, or smarter though. You have just made a different choice and decided to hedge your bets. The safest thing (smartest?) would be not to ride at all. I understand the implications of the insurance industry, but I'd rather pay higher premiums than force everyone to use whatever new safety systems the government deems necessary. Before long they'd have us in "safety-proof" bubbles.

I have to disagree with your basic premise here. To do something "safely" doesn't mean that you must have eliminated all risk from the equation. That's not possible, even if you locked yourself in your house for the entirety of your life.

You can ride safely. I do agree with the sentiment that gear is one of many components, and, ATGATT or otherwise, stupidity, negligence and irresponsibility will still lead to fatalities.

In regards to helmet laws, I live on the MD/DE border and it's commonplace to see guys, usually on cruisers, with their helmets strapped to the fender or seat rather than on their heads. Pretty dumb, in my opinion.

I was at the Leesburg Bikefest last weekend, and less than 1% of the riders I saw within 25 miles of the town wore helmets.

They repealed it here in PA a few years back. The worst part was everyone informing me "hey, you know you don't have to wear that anymore!" Oh really, the laws of physics have been repealed? I will no longer die if smack my head on the pavement?

I live in PA. Being a Libertarian, I support the rider's right to choose to wear a helmet or not. I also reserve the right to call them a dumbass while safely wearing mine.

I had an insurance claim on a guy's H-D that he low sided at very slow speed. He still managed to scrape some skin off his arm and noggin. He informed me that he no longer gives a flying fudge if his buddies make fun of him; he's wearing a helmet every time from here on out. Unfortunately, most guys won't get that subtle wake-up before something really bad happens.

I am not a proponent of helmet laws or seat belt laws for anyone over the age of 18. I'm also not a fan of motorcycles, mostly because the one time I test road one I knew it would kill me. Call it a lack of self control. I'm just too fond of the throttle.

Here's a story for any that read this that don't wear the gear.

My son has two friends that wiped out their bikes in the last year. Both of accidents caused by cars changing lanes into them, both of them on I26 in the concrete canyons. One in all the gear, one...not.

One slid over 100 feet after low siding it at 70mph. The bike was totaled, his gear was totaled. He was in full gear, including helmet, leathers, chest, back, leg and arm protection. He went home from the wreck with a bruised hip, other than that, not a scratch. The police officer and ambulance drivers were amazed. He was sitting on the guard rail when they showed up. Usually a 70mph bike crash on I26, according to them, is just cleaning up the splatter marks and larger pieces. Insurance even paid for the $500 gear as well as the bike.

The other, well, he had a helmet on, sort of. He slid a long way after laying it down at 60-70mph. They're not sure how fast, because he still doesn't remember anything about the accident. Between the head injuries, the broken bones and the skin grafts, he'll be in the hospital for months. This was right at a month ago. He's still in there.

Granted, one of them was probably lucky, but sometime a person makes their own luck, or at least helps it out.

Ignoring the safety aspect, how much fun is it riding with the wind pounding your eardrums? I can't figure out why a person would wear a half helmet, let alone nothing at all.

I remember when I flew to TX to pick up my K1200s. The bike came with a nearly new Shoei helmet. So when the PO shows up helmetless I'm wondering where the Shoei is.....well it was in his GFs car who was following behind him. The helmet was basically brand new though.....guess he never wore it.

I've ridden through several states without helmet laws and always wear mine. When I was 14 I t-boned a Ford Taurus and flew over the roof face first. My full face helmet had rash and grooves on the chin guard....would have been a real mess with an open face helmet.