Feds say all motorcycle riders should be required to wear helmets

[gone-ot]

...the saying used to be "...Mother knows best..."

...but, now, it's "...Government knows best..." (even when gov't ill-informed)

[jason1973tl]

Not sure if this got covered or not, but here in Ohio, it is now legal again to ride without a helmet. Ohio tried the law for a while, but the Harley riding guys came out in droves and paraded around the statehouse lawn to get the law repealed.

They can't be made to where a helmet riding a Harley, now that would just not be cool.

[d0sitmatr]

Ive owned 4 bikes in my lifetime, and you would never catch me riding without a helmet, insurance, law or not. its just plain stupidity.

[Big Dave]

Indiana is rider's choice about helmets.

[juan2011]

Image of the man injured in his head made me dizzy
Will wear a helmet everywhere

[Ford Man]

I've ridden bikes for the better part of my life. (51 years) I wear a full faced helmet now anytime I'm on the highway, but back years ago when I was in my upper teens and lower 20's even though it was required by law I would sometimes get on back roads and take my helmet off, it's now clear to me how stupid that was. I've been involved in a couple accidents on bikes over the years without any serious injuries head or otherwise, but just one hard lick on the head could easily put your lights out for good and no a helmet doesn't protect other parts of your body, but it does protect one of probably the 3 most vital parts head, abdomen, and chest. Many other parts of the body although road rash is painful the skin will grow back. Only a few years ago a neighbor was riding a four wheeler in his yard probably going no more than 10 mph, hit a bump and turned it over without a helmet on, was life flighted to the hospital and spent several weeks in the hospital and a few months in rehab where if he'd been wearing a helmet he'd probably have walked away without injury. I always require my passengers wear a helmet too. Before my son got his driver's license he had a go cart and even though it had a roll cage and seat belt I still required him to wear a helmet or he didn't ride. My head hasn't made impact with the ground or any other object in any of the accidents I've been involved in. I am familiar with a few states helmet laws, NC helmet required, TN required, KY not required, SC not required.

[Frank Lee]

It's not whether wearing a helmet is good for you or not; it is should the Federal Gubbermint make you do it, and take your money if you don't.

[roflwaffle]

It seems the same as other stuff. If the cost to society is too high, and society itself doesn't behave in a manner that minimizes those costs, then the government will probably step in sooner or later. Like most other things, this wouldn't be an issue if people weren't asses, and in those situations it does suck a bit for those who are responsible but are caught in a situation they don't like. Something similar in CA was the requirement to smog diesels. It wasn't required in the past, but after the surge of "chips" to get more power by running super rich plus numbnuts drivers who like to jump on the go pedal too much CA is now smogging diesels 98 and newer or whatever the year is.

[Frank Lee]

Like was said many pages ago, there's a line in the sand; where should it be drawn?

If there weren't 400 zillion people on the roads at any given time would it be an issue?

[autoteach]

So, if the cost to teach people with special needs becomes to high can we have mandatory castration of those with a genetic propensity to reproduce such defects? How about a mandatory intelligence level to breed? How much do premature babies cost society? Should we mandate that they should die if they cant survive on their own. I vote no on life support, cost too much. No on premature babies. No on stupid people. Well, what do you think about that? Offended, I hope someone is.

The University Record
"On average, helmet use led to average hospital costs that were about 20 percent, or $6,000, less than costs for those who didn't wear helmets."

For $6000 dollars, let the rider decide.