Quote:
Originally Posted by blueash
There is no such thing as a brain damaged person who does not hurt anyone else. There is no one who has enough health insurance to cover a lifetime of 24 hr/d nursing care. Would you accept that if you wish to ride with no helmet then you must carry a different policy to cover those health care costs so they don't fall on the public welfare?
Riding with no helmet is the quintessential example of Free-dumb
There are many studies comparing death, disability, $$$, if you want evidence.
One study looked at outcome data for helmet wearing vs helmet refusing riders involved in hospitalization [not even considering those who did not require hospital care]
"Conclusions
In summary, our study using the National Trauma Data Bank supports the use of helmets in motorcycle riders. In this series, which included data from 10,345 patients involved in MCCs, unhelmeted MCC patients had more severe injuries (increased ISS, decreased GCS), higher rates of ICU admissions, higher rates of mechanical ventilation, and increased in-hospital mortality when compared with helmeted MCC patients. The unhelmeted patients were also more likely to be uninsured or government-insured. Our analysis suggests the need to revisit the issue regarding laws requiring protective headwear while riding motorcycles because of the individual and societal impact. Helmet use is truly a societal issue, as the cost burden is endured by the public, and must be addressed in a nationwide policy reform of helmet law"
Now tell me again how not wearing a helmet doesn't impact anyone but the stupid rider. It is good for the organ harvest business. Donorcycles |
Freedom costs. If you eat a poor diet and the suffer diabetes and heart failure is society then going to ban certain foods? Should mountain climbing, skydiving, and swimming be banned? Should cars have governors so they can go no faster than 55 mph, thus reducing high speed crashes? Smoking is allowed and that causes far more health issues than motorcyclists not wearing helmets. People become brain damaged from doing stupid things and yet society has not collapsed from that. The percentage of the cost of healthcare has been impacted very little by motorcyclists not wearing helmets in the past and present. The rising costs are mostly from increased obesity and people living longer and suffering a varity of ailments in their older age, as well as driving like Mad Max and causing vehicle accidents. Also you are paying increased fees due to health insurance now covering pre-existing conditions, which is fine and I'm personally in favor of that, but it does impact costs. Other things have come about that are totally ridiculous that also impact the cost of healthcare, such as hormone treatment for transgender women. Medicare, the program for the elderly and disabled, lifted its ban on covering sex reassignment surgery.
Besides motorcycle helmet laws, I'm even against seat belt laws except for those under the age of 13. I would not drive without wearing a seatbelt every single time because that is the smart thing to do. Should you wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle? I believe you should. At least on the highways. However, I don't want some law telling me I have to wear a seatbelt or wear a helmet. As adults we should have that freedom of choice, and yes I am willing to be part of paying for that. Because freedom matters more than saving a few bucks on an insurance policy.