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Cynic wrote:

Well, a couple of years ago in my town, acollege student wiped out on inline skates, fell off a short cliff, and sustained head injuries that later killed her.  Now the parents are suing the city for a large sum of money.  If they win, where do you think the city will get the money from?  That's just one example.  There's also the fact that more preventable injuries increases the cost of medical insurance.

Whatever. In today's litigous sue-crazed society, any smurf head lawyer who thinks they can squeeze a few bucks out of the system has no problem bringing suit. It's allways someone else's fault in this country.

My biggest problem is when the government starts making helmet laws, and seat belt laws, etc. And saying that my children ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to wear a helmet. That should be my decision. I raise my kids, not the government.

But it seems that most people in this lazy ass country would rather the government do that job for them.

(not really ranting at you, just my frustration of the way this country handles personal responsibility.)

MuckSavage wrote:

resedit wrote:

MuckSavage wrote:

Why do you care what other people do? Mind your own business.

When there is a fatallity or serious injury - it impacts everyone.

How so?

Would anyone care if you died?

Seriously, what if you died from severe head injuries while riding a bike without wearing a helmet. If a helmet could have saved you, then your decision not to wear one would effect all those who would miss you when you're gone.

benightedbastard wrote:

Would anyone care if you died?

Seriously, what if you died from severe head injuries while riding a bike without wearing a helmet. If a helmet could have saved you, then your decision not to wear one would effect all those who would miss you when you're gone.

Then I hope they'd say, well he could be alive, but he chose not to wear a helmet. That was his choice. He made it, he's an adult.

I've actually already been "technically" dead from a massive head injury once. We were playing tackle basketball in the gym. Needless to say, it was a rough game, and in no way sanctioned by the administration. If I had died that day, I think that maybe my parents would have sued the school for "allowing" us to play. But that's bullsmurf. We knew what we were doing. It would have been my own damn fault.

It all comes down to personal responsibility to me, and this country is sorely lacking in that.

benightedbastard wrote:

If a law concerning helmets results in more people wearing then and less people dying, then what is the harm in it? If it keeps you alive and with those people, then hasn't it done good?

I don't believe it's the government's job to babysit irresponsible people. I think people SHOULD wear helmets. I just don't think it's the governments job to tell us to. Turns us all into fat lazy children, incapable of taking care of ourselves.

I guess I just don't like being treated like a child.

I don't feel as though it's encouraging people to take care of themselves. It's encouraging them to become dependant on someone else to take care of them.

A bicycle is a vehicle on the road, it should be treated as such. Where I live it's illegal to ride without a helmet, as well as working front and back reflectors and/or lights. I'm not seeing the issue is with this.

I think what bugs me more than people not wearing helmets are the people who actually think its their concern or business if someone isn't wearing a helmet.

Given how kids can be absent minded, they'll forget their helmets sometimes. But- I've also watched kids stop everything, and look for their 'brain bucket'. It seems if it has a nasty/kewl name, they don't mind it as much.
The habit is a nice thing to see kids do. Like buckling their safety belt in a car, and turning off their cellphone when they go in the theatre.
Kudos you good kids!

benightedbastard wrote:

If you were being treated as a child there'd be a policeman at the door making sure you had your helmet on and a packed lunch.

I understand what you're saying about personal responsibility and so on, but while I think it's a noble ideal, in practical terms if laws that encourage people to take care of themselves help to keep people alive then I'm all for them.

Then by your logic cigarettes, alcohol and many other thing should be banned by the government as some people may die from engaging. I extremely disagree, and this also goes with the relatively new seat-belt law enacted in Massachusetts as well (Just another way for the state to get money from citizens by the police issuing fines to people for their personal decisions ! - Just another law to control people's behavior!)

Personally I don't like wearing a helmet while riding my bike. There are many people who don't like wearing a helmet even while riding their motorcycle also. All you have to do is go to Laconia, NH for Motorcycle Weekend and you will see that 95% (no exaggeration, probably higher as you hardly ever see anyone with a helmet) of people not wearing helmets. Although I would wear a helmet if riding a motorcycle, I respect a state (New Hampshire) that gives the person the right to make that decision.

I'll quote NH's license plate motto, "Live Free or Die". Or don't wear a helmet and possibly die. It should be your choice not the governments regardless.

Last edited by wellfleation (2005-02-21 1:22 pm)

fizzwinkus wrote:

i don't wear a helmet when i ride, i feel like it interferes with my hearing too much

That's why I use an iPod.
The buds work very well - helmet goes on just fine over them.

Malkin wrote:

resedit wrote:

I think I'm going to write a letter to the city office asking they have the cops crack down on this - last year they did a huge seat belt crackdown, but they need to do one with bicycle helmets, because apparently people here are idiots.

Why not try to do something a little more positive?  Maybe start a drive to donate helmets to kids who can't afford them.  Or you could volunteer at a biker education day at a local school.  Perhaps you might write a letter to your local newspaper reminding people of the importance of wearing helmets.  But getting police to "crack down" on something like this just causes resentment more than anything.  And police generally have more important matters at hand.  If this is an issue you really care about, I see it as a wonderful opportunity to get personally involved and make a difference in your community.

A part of me really wishes I thought that would work. But I don't. People are lazy, and some of them are dumb, too. They need consequences.