compulsory helmets

[Kev L]

Is it time we let it go? Discuss -

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-new ... 24411.html

[Steve97]

Yes.
why would you not, I had about 2 month's of no helmet law when I first started , apart fromfreedom of choice, theres no good reason not to wear one

[Stratman]

When I first started riding I sometimes didn't wear a helmet. It was bloody uncomfortable!

Making the wearing of helmets or seat belts doesn't take away your freedom of choice - you can choose not to ride or drive if you like. In every walk of life there are laws to protect people from themselves and when you see and hear some muppets then it has to be a good idea, surely?

[VTRDark]

I think it's more to do with having the choice. But I believe this ones a loosing battle especially in today's nanny state. If I want to take the risk and be able to ride without a lid then I should be able to do so. It''s my life!!! why should the goverment have control over how long I live. They most likely only after more years of my tax It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.

If I had the choice I admit there are times when I would quite happily ride without a lid, especially if only going locally around town or taking the bike for a quick test run down the road after doing some maintenance. Higher speed/longer journeys I would wear one as it helps keep the hair out my eyes.

Thinking about it...if it was pissing down with rain not wearing a helmet would be safer, as long as I don't crash. I would not have the problem of restricted vision from steaming up or rain on my visor which is just as, if not more, than dangerous. Do we try to prevent an accident in the first place or protect us from an accident if it happens All I would have to contend with would be rain on my glasses. Anyone that rides and wears glasses knows it's like having two screens covered in water droplets in front of your eyes, plus a bit of misting and it's lethal, not to mention the extra light glare/flare at night from oncoming traffic. There's plenty of moments of being totally blind for one or two seconds or so. A bit like closing ones eyes and stepping out into the road. Riding with no lid would also slow me down as rain can hurt at speed.

(:-})

[Stratman]

It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.(:-})

It isn't

[Wicky]

I would quite happily ride without a lid, especially if only going locally around town or taking the bike for a quick test run down the road after doing some maintenance.

"Two thirds of road accidents occur within five miles of a motorist’s home…" > http://www.which.co.uk/news/2009/08/mos ... me-182595/

"...52 percent of reported crashes occurred five miles or less from home and a whopping 77 percent occurred 15 miles or less from home..." > http://www.drivingtoday.com/features/ar ... z2ryWscP7w

If you have a crash without a helmet would you be prepared to be turned away from hospital or would you expect to be treated immediately - or even if you were admitted to hospital do you have sufficient means to pay if you were billed for treatment due to not wearing a helmet.

Patients denied care ‘if they fail NHS fat and fags test’ > http://metro.co.uk/2012/03/06/patients- ... st-342423/

MAg's cause is a hangup from when & why they formed in the 70s. They should forget digging up this Dodo and concentrate on what they have been doing well for many years.

History - Fred Hill > http://www.mag-uk.org/en/aboutmag/a6325

A very good reason to wear a helmet > https://www.headway.org.uk

[leevtr]

I agree with it being ' your choice ' as to whether or not you choose to wear one, but I'm also of the opinion that if you crash without one, you're on your own. Bit like smokers who get lung cancer, or fat fcukers that eat shite all the time, then want the NHS to treat them when they have a heart attack, or pay for a gastrik band ( however you spell it ), they made their own bed, lie in it.

I don't wear a seat belt, hate the bloody things. Wont expect any sympathy if I go through the windscreen though, tough shite on me !!

[Virt]

It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.(:-})

It isn't

Only if you succeed

I genuinely don't give a sh1t whether it's required by law or not. I will always wear a helmet, same as I always wear ( at least ) boots, gloves and a jacket as well.

If they succeed and someone crashes due to not wearing a helmet, then they won't get any sympathy from me and I hope the NHS do the same. It's your own choice to not wear something designed to protect your head, and so it's you who should pay for it/suffer the consequences. Not your average taxpayer.

So basically, I agree with Lee.

[leevtr]

It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.(:-})

It isn't

r.

So basically, I agree with Lee.

And so you should

[lumpyv]

I agree with it being ' your choice ' as to whether or not you choose to wear one, but I'm also of the opinion that if you crash without one, you're on your own. Bit like smokers who get lung cancer, or fat fcukers that eat shite all the time, then want the NHS to treat them when they have a heart attack, or pay for a gastrik band ( however you spell it ), they made their own bed, lie in it.

I don't wear a seat belt, hate the bloody things. Wont expect any sympathy if I go through the windscreen though, tough shite on me !!

I agree, apart from the bit about the seat belts.

[sirch345]

I can hardly believe it was that long ago that the wearing of crash helmets was made compulsory

I do get the part about having another of our choices taken away on wearing a crash helmet, and that is what the MAG is fighting. Lembit Öpik, MAG's Director of Communications says:-

"It's not because we're against safety; rather it's because we're pro-choice. At the heart of any truly free society, citizens have the right to make personal decisions about their welfare and the level of risk they're willing to entertain.

Safety wise I would always wear a crash helmet when riding my motorcycle whether it was law or not.

Chris.

[VTRDark]

It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.(:-})

It isn't

I always thought it was. I shall take your word for it as I guarantee your a lot more knowledgeable on the subject than myself.

"Two thirds of road accidents occur within five miles of a motorist’s home

Yep so they say. Most likely because of more confidence on well known roads and may let our guard down.

As for the NHS, that's something else. Whether we smoke, don't wear a helmet, seatbelt or put yourself under unnecessary risk for whatever we are told is risky. Where do we draw the line What happens if I fall off a ladder and bang my head while not wearing a safety helmet or trip over the pavement and bang my head. Next it will be we are not fit enough and don't do enough exercise to be treated. Who's going to monitor us to make sure we are going down the gym twice a week The way I see it we either have an NHS system and treat all UK citizens the same. Or we scrap it altogether and go down the privatisation route.

(:-})

[AMCQ46]

when I was a lad on the farm we never wore helmets on our field bikes, and my brother who is the farmer now is still happy to blast round the fields, roads and rocky quarrys on a 450 enduro bike in a woolly hat. when I go ride with him I have to wear a helmet as I dont feel comfortable riding at any speed without one. I wouldn't even ride my trials bike without a helmet.

Same for roadbikes, I don't need the law to be there, I would wear one as a matter of common sense for protection against everything from insects, rain and hitting the road.........that and the fact That I have big ears and they cause instability at speed

[ging500]

I'm going to honest and a bit harsh!! Let any moron who doesn't want to drive with helmet on do it!! Even more I hope that plaster there faces over some tarmac!! In sick of the goverment acting al soft which has led to a load of dopes on the road !!

Lets help the decent drivers and the stupid ones by Darwin's theory of evolution!!

[Tweety]

I think it's more to do with having the choice. But I believe this ones a loosing battle especially in today's nanny state. If I want to take the risk and be able to ride without a lid then I should be able to do so. It''s my life!!! why should the goverment have control over how long I live. They most likely only after more years of my tax It shouldn't be against the law to commit suicide either.

Well, I think the counter argument is that you end up costing the society a fair amount of money if you survive the crash not wearing a helmet...

So, I'd say fine, ride without a helmet... Bet then you have no right to any medical care, or whatever needed when you crash... Pay your own costs, 100%...