Mandatory Helmet Law?

[Ten Bears]

Should we make laws that interfere with natural selection?

Mandatory Helmet Law?

An Emmett man was killed near Yellow Pine Saturday (10/11/03) when his ATV rolled. The man hit the brakes hard when his baseball cap blew off. The abruptness of the braking caused the ATV roll. The man died of extreme head injuries. My condolences to his family.

BUT WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING RIDING WITHOUT A HELMET!?!?!? This makes at least 5 people killed this year in IDAHO that I know of. That does not count the Idaho man killed in Jarbidge Nevada. At least 3 of those deaths probably could have been prevented had the rider been wearing a helmet. This is not my guess, but the stated opinion of the attending county sheriff in each location

It ain't rocket science, you don't have to be a brain surgeon, but what do you have to be to wear a helmet? Why do people not wear the brain bucket? Helmet hair lasts a day, death lasts forever. Is it vanity? (Personally, I thing wearing a helmet is cool). Is it the wind blowing in your hair? The gravel grinding in your skull? I know!! A few bricks are missing, that's it!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned three wheelers a while back when they were determined unsafe. They are currently (as in now, 2003) looking at stepping into the 4-wheeler fray. Another death just makes it that much closer to them being able to reduce or ban our sport in some way. And the environmentalists are right there beside them, egging them on. This is not hearsay, but documented fact. Our sport is under a magnifying glass and if we cannot step up and police ourselves, the CPSC is going to do it for us. Just like the 1980s and 3 wheelers.

A helmet will not prevent death or injury, but it will go a long way in helping protect you in the event of a crash. I have seen what happens to a family that losses a loved one in an ATV accident. I went to the funeral. It is not pretty and it sure as HELL is not worth whatever petty reason you can come up with not to wear a helmet.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Many deaths resulting from head injuries in automobile accidents could be prevented if we required all automobile passengers to wear helmets.

 

[JoseCuervo]

I think a Caldwell man was killed this weekend, over on Idaho Power property in Hells Canyon when his ATV flipped over. Not sure if he was weaaring a helmet, but I think the story was he was not.

In any event, a sad deal for his family.

 

[Bullhound]

and yet again, Ithaca shows no class whatsoever....................

You are so very low..............

 

[Washington Hunter]

Bullhound, what was "so very low" about Ithaca's statement? It made perfect sense to me.

 

[Bullhound]

It appeared to me as if he is making light of the situation (deaths).

There is not one person here that would ever dream that a law would be passed that required all passengers in a regular vehicle wear a helmet. WH, if you think a law requiring such is a possibility, please advise.

 

[pawclaws]

Bullhound; I'm sure someone said the very same thing about seatbelts once upon a time. Fact is; if a person doesn't bother to wear a helmet when on a motorcycle, bicycle, ATV, four wheeler, or whatever doesn't have a roof and travels at a good pace; probably doesn't have anything that needs protected by a helmet anyway!

 

[Washington Hunter]

I took Ithaca's statement to mean that if helmets are required for people riding ATV's, then they should also be required for people riding in automobiles.

My personal opinion...people should do what they want. The government's purpose should not be to protect every person from every thing that could possibly happen. I don't agree with seat belt laws, I don't agree with hunters having to wear orange laws, and I don't agree with helmets being required for anybody doing anything.

 

[pawclaws]

I rest my case!

 

[Bullhound]

Paws,

Are you saying you think it's possible that a law would be passed forcing people to wear a helment in their passenger vehicle? I may not be the brightest bulb in the closet but I can't see that happening.

I happen to be one of the idjits here with regards to wearing a helmet. When I ride with my freinds, I ALWAYS wear my full face helmet. We tend to beat on each other and get a little out of hand. When I ride with my sons, 10 & 15, I don't usually wear my helmet. I know, this probably doesn't make much sense. The reason I do this is because I keep my 10 year old between me and my older boy. I'm up front just in case someone comes from the other direction at any time. This makes sure I'm the one contacted first, not one of the boys. When my 10 year old is behind me, I keep my ears pealed to listen for any problems with him or the older boy. I just can't hear with the helmet and am somewhat paranoid that I'll miss something with my boys behind me. I take it real easy but they are always trying to get outa line, if ya know what I mean.

 

[pawclaws]

Why not? You know I'm sure that one day some wise cracker lawyer is going to get his "Manslaughter" charged client reduced to reckless driving just cause the deceased failed to wear a seat belt, and a helmet, and sat too far away from the air bag, and forgot to have his brakes checked on schedule. Lawyers are like that! Annnnnnnnd I guess there really is something to be said for mitigation.

 

[Ten Bears]

Like with seat belt laws, I just don't see were it's the gubermints place to keep protecting people from their own stupid acts. But those same people that get seriously hurt and live are the same ones that become a tax burden when they file for SSDI because they can't work anymore.

 

[pawclaws]

Roger that!!

 

[Oak]

I agree to a certain extent, but I think laws that require kids to be buckled up or wearing helmets are good.

Oak

 

[Ten Bears]

I agree that children should be protected from studipity, and taught what is right, but once they become adults...... They should be on they own......

 

[Tom]

The motorcycle people here in this state lobbied to get the motorcycle helmet law repealed and succeeded, as I understand it.

They pointed out, if safety was the issue, they wouldn't be riding motorcycles. They ride motorcycles because they enjoy it and want some fresh air and wind in their face, etc. It should be their choice, if they want to be safer or not and not it should not be required. If requiring safety was important, motorcycles should be outlawed also. People should just stay home all the time, that's safer yet.

They got it repealed here.

 

[Ithaca 37]

I was only pointing out an obvious fact.

 

[Hangar18]

That's all fine, but when Darwin and stupidity start costing me more $$ in insurance premiums, I have a problem.

Many deaths resulting from head injuries in automobile accidents could be prevented if we required all automobile passengers to wear helmets.

Though I don't find any offense with Ithaca's statement, I think the helmet would cause more of a problem because it would create blind spots. The car's frame and shell plus SRS are designed to provide some protection to those in the interior.

BTW - I do not know one snowmobiler that goes without a helmet.

 

[Wapiti Slayer]

Originally posted by Ten Bears:
Should we make laws that interfere with natural selection?
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Mandatory Helmet Law?

An Emmett man was killed near Yellow Pine Saturday (10/11/03) when his ATV rolled. The man hit the brakes hard when his baseball cap blew off. The abruptness of the braking caused the ATV roll. The man died of extreme head injuries. My condolences to his family.

BUT WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING RIDING WITHOUT A HELMET!?!?!? This makes at least 5 people killed this year in IDAHO that I know of. That does not count the Idaho man killed in Jarbidge Nevada. At least 3 of those deaths probably could have been prevented had the rider been wearing a helmet. This is not my guess, but the stated opinion of the attending county sheriff in each location

It ain't rocket science, you don't have to be a brain surgeon, but what do you have to be to wear a helmet? Why do people not wear the brain bucket? Helmet hair lasts a day, death lasts forever. Is it vanity? (Personally, I thing wearing a helmet is cool). Is it the wind blowing in your hair? The gravel grinding in your skull? I know!! A few bricks are missing, that's it!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned three wheelers a while back when they were determined unsafe. They are currently (as in now, 2003) looking at stepping into the 4-wheeler fray. Another death just makes it that much closer to them being able to reduce or ban our sport in some way. And the environmentalists are right there beside them, egging them on. This is not hearsay, but documented fact. Our sport is under a magnifying glass and if we cannot step up and police ourselves, the CPSC is going to do it for us. Just like the 1980s and 3 wheelers.

A helmet will not prevent death or injury, but it will go a long way in helping protect you in the event of a crash. I have seen what happens to a family that losses a loved one in an ATV accident. I went to the funeral. It is not pretty and it sure as HELL is not worth whatever petty reason you can come up with not to wear a helmet.

</font>[/QUOTE]Hell no! If they are to dumb not to wear a Helmet let them get hurt or die! Maybe Elkcummer will get bucked off a Horse without his helmet and knock some sense into his dumb ass! We can wish for the best can't we?

 

[WH's OutdoorsChick]

My personal opinion...people should do what they want. The government's purpose should not be to protect every person from every thing that could possibly happen. I don't agree with seat belt laws, I don't agree with hunters having to wear orange laws, and I don't agree with helmets being required for anybody doing anything.

I do not agree with that. I think People are sometimes whining to much about the law to realize that these laws are enforced for their own safety. It kills me to see motorcycle riders with out helmets and shorts on the highway, I hate seeing parents letting their children sit in the back seat with out being seat belted in.
We need those laws!!
The laws are there for our safety. People sometimes think they are invincible, so they have these laws to keep them in check!!!