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helmet laws

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Should motorcycle riders be required by law to wear a helmet?

  • yes

    Votes: 27 56.3%

  • no

    Votes: 21 43.8%
  • Total voters
    48
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AJHawkfan

AJHawkfan

Wanna make $14 the hard way?
for 'em or against 'em?

Personally, I find it incredibly hypocritical of our government to say I have to wear my seatbelt while riding in the front seat of my car, but that I do not have to wear a helmet when on a motorcycle. If seatbelts are required (and they should be), helmets should also be required.
 
While I truly believe helmet laws and selt belts should be mandatory (and that's not just the insurance underwriter in me talking), I do enjoy the hilarious rationalizations that opponents of helmet and seat belt laws. My wife's brother-in-law loves to go on and on about how he'd rather take his chances without a helmet b/c he doesn't want to end up a vegatable in the event of an accident. Such stupidity...
 
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We argued about this once while discussing natural law theory in a philosophy of law class at Ohio State.

The argument began that mandatory seatbelt laws were paternalistic and thus violated natural law.

The stock pro-government answer was that mandatory seatbelt laws were not entirely paternalistic as when one did not wear a seatbelt they suffered greater injuries when in accidents and thereby contributed to higher insurance costs for all drivers on the road. (My question: should one not have to wear a seatbelt if they are self-insured in a state allowing such insurance (through an escrow account) was brushed aside as inconvenient by the punky prof.)).

The same argument could be made for motorcycle helmet laws: not wearing a helmet causes greater injury and raises the insurance premiums for all.

My initial reaction is gut libertarianism: don't tell me whether or not to wear a helmet. But upon thinking it through. . . I’m torn.

And this is coming from a guy that thinks dueling, prostitution, suicide, etc. should be legal. :)
 
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I love idiots who call helmet laws an infringment on personal freedom. Uh, last I checked driving is not a right guarenteed by the Constitution. It's an activity that's regulated by the state (which is why you need a license). And the state is full within it's rights to regulate it in a lawful manner. The state has ever right to impose a helmet requirement as OSHA has to impose a hard hat requirement.
 
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why can't we just let the stupid people die? if these persons are incapable of comprehending that moving at speeds in excess of 65 mph with nothing between the concrete and their skull is a bad idea. perhaps the world would be a better place without them in the gene pool.

besides, our road system is owned by the US military. use of their road system is not a right.
 
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martinss01 said:
why can't we just let the stupid people die? if these persons are incapable of comprehending that moving at speeds in excess of 65 mph with nothing between the concrete and their skull is a bad idea. perhaps the world would be a better place without them in the gene pool.
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are they just dying? Or are they often becoming critically injured, hogging hospital beds & limited staff as well as insurance funds?
 
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tibor75 said:
I love idiots who call helmet laws an infringment on personal freedom. Uh, last I checked driving is not a right guarenteed by the Constitution. It's an activity that's regulated by the state (which is why you need a license). And the state is full within it's rights to regulate it in a lawful manner. The state has ever right to impose a helmet requirement as OSHA has to impose a hard hat requirement.
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Not a lover of classic natural law theory or natural law liberalism, eh? :)

The "idiots" with whom you disagree could likely include Ronald Dworkin and St. Thomas Aquinas (were he alive), to name a few far from idiotic believers.

An argument that something is an infringment on personal freedom is not necessarily only valid if it follows directly from the Constitution. Certainly our nation has infringed, constitutionally (at the time), on quite a few personal freedoms in the past.

I still don't know how to vote on this. I am waiting for this thread to convince me one way or the other. :)
 
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I'd like to see a law in which claims against the state or the other driver would be limited if you refused to use your seat belt in a car or a helmet on a bike/motorcycle. It might even go so far as to make the injured party liable for a greater share of their medical costs. My thinking? Incentivise the use of safety equipment. More bees with honey than vinegar.
 
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While I think people who don't wear helmets or seatbelts are idiots, I am also opposed to the government passing such regulations. Just like in the smoking issue, let people make their own decisions and force them to be responsible for them, instead of relying on the coercive government to act as guardian.

Everyone wonders why so many people are not willing to take responsibility for themselves these days. Perhaps it is because they have become used to someone else doing it for them.
 
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I agree EXACTLY with what he just said. I wear seatbelts, and helmets, I just want the government to stop passing laws that protect me from myself. If an adult wants to risk their own life then let them. Stop trying to regulate everything... damn pussies


buckeyegrad said:
While I think people who don't wear helmets or seatbelts are idiots, I am also opposed to the government passing such regulations. Just like in the smoking issue, let people make their own decisions and force them to be responsible for them, instead of relying on the coercive government to act as guardian.

Everyone wonders why so many people are not willing to take responsibility for themselves these days. Perhaps it is because they have become used to someone else doing it for them.
Click to expand...
 
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tibor75 said:
I love idiots who call helmet laws an infringment on personal freedom. Uh, last I checked driving is not a right guarenteed by the Constitution. It's an activity that's regulated by the state (which is why you need a license). And the state is full within it's rights to regulate it in a lawful manner. The state has ever right to impose a helmet requirement as OSHA has to impose a hard hat requirement.
Click to expand...

This is perhaps the most best post tibor has ever made. I agree 100%. Besides, I don't want my insurance rates to go up to cover Roethlisberger's dental surgery.....
 
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