Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Wear Your Helmet...You Putz!

I am just as appreciative as the next of the wonderful feeling of the wind through your hair, the sun on your face, and the distresses of helmet hair. However, I like my brains just as they are. I doubt they'd be any more useful spewed out across the pavement.

A little graffic? Perhaps.

In this wonderful state of Utah we have seatbelt laws, carseat laws, and DOT certified helmets. So why is it not law to wear them? WHY?

I can't emphasize enough how disturbing it is to me that so many motorcyclists, scooterists, and cyclists continue to go out on our congested streets. Which, FYI have had more traffic accidents this year than 2005
(see http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645193259,00.html end of the article for stats).
What would their mothers think?

While I'm on the subject of thinking, no doubt these bare-headed commuters are thinking that they are safe, they follow the rules of the road and drive defensively. In response I'd like to refer you to a recent Deseret News article, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645193961,00.html
please note the statement about half way down by Tim Buche. You may be smart (though if you aren't wearing a helmet then you probably aren't) but other drivers aren't.

Maybe they are just too cool?
Not likely. Unless they are part of the Emergency-Room-Rules gang. To my knowledge, no such gang exists.

My point, wear a helmet, someone out there loves you and doesn't want to plan your funeral. As far as I'm concerend those who go without helmets are about as bright as those who continue to smoke. Both do stupid, life-threatening, insurance raising, preventable bad habits. At least smokers can pass some (actually, very little) blame off to addiction.

Note to my brother who smokes...with love, please read above.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

In defense of our liberties, I don't think it is the government's job to keep us safe from every day life. Safe from foreign invaders, yes. Safe from ourselves, NO. That is our job. Although I am no more anxious to see someone die through non-use of seat belts or helmets than you are, I feel it is MY job to keep me safe, not the government's, not even you, my beloved sweetie pie! xoxo

Anonymous said...

I think seat belt laws are great. But bike helmet laws? Maybe only if bikes came with helmets attached. What if your bike was your only mode of transportation and you didn't have enough $ for a helmet? Or, if yours broke in your last wreck? Or, if you just lost it?
But if that is what you feel passionate about (obviously) great. It's a lot better than other things I've heard of lately.

Love ya. good site.

Robert & Taunya said...

Yes, it is our job to keep ourselves safe. But if we're going to have safety laws for cars, why not motorcycles? That's all I'm saying.
There are lots of places that have provide helmets for low income (Robert J. Debry for one) There is always DI.