[2WheelTuner]

Found on the net - passed the House, now up to the Senate. What do you think?

November 10, 2004

A bill reportedly designed to repeal Michigan's mandatory motorcycle helmet law was passed by the State House of Representatives today (Nov. 10), in an apparent bid to take advantage of a lame duck legislature - with 36 House members leaving. The final vote was
69-37 in favor with four members passing.

HB 4325, sponsored by Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Township), would
remove the mandatory helmet requirement for all riders and passengers 21 years of age or older, but does not require motorcycle riders to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage.

"It is well established that motorcycle helmets decrease the severity of injury, the likelihood of death and the overall cost of medical care," said Richard Miller, manager of Community Safety Services for AAA Michigan. "Motorcycle riders are much more at risk than persons driving or riding in a passenger vehicle."

Miller cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, which shows that, in states where the mandatory helmet laws are repealed or weakened, motorcycle fatalities increased substantially:

State/Percent increase in motorcycle fatalities

Arkansas 21 percent
Kentucky 34 percent
Louisiana 48 percent
Texas 31 percent

Nationwide, motorcycle fatality rates have reportedly been rising. The total number of fatalities is up 73 percent between 1997 (2,116 deaths) and 2003 (3,661 deaths). In addition, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles is up - from 55.3 in 1997 to 65.3 in 2002.

HB 4325 will move to the Michigan Senate for a vote and must pass the Senate and be signed by the governor before becoming law.

Motorcycle facts

* In 2003, there were 3,187 motorcycle-involved crashes in Michigan in
which 76 riders were killed and 2,644 injured.
* Helmets are 67-percent effective in preventing brain injury.
* The average paid catastrophic motorcycle claim in Michigan is $402,386, up from $377,830 in 2001.
* By an overwhelming majority (81 percent), Americans favor state laws requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets.

Sources: Michigan State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), Lou Harris.

 

[Need4Speed]

looks like abate is at it again.. uke:

wearing a helmet is a safety issue, not a civil rights issue.. :here:

 

[ShanMan14]

The law is irrelevant when it comes to helmets. Mine is always on, I don't care so much about everyone else.

 

[cerveja]

looks like abate is at it again.. uke:

wearing a helmet is a safety issue, not a civil rights issue.. :here:

No doubt man. Have you ever read ABATE's mag? They totally flip stats and misreport the exact data that Two-Wheel is reporting. You hit the nail on the head though, if you chose to smear your last chunk of gray matter all over the concrete and you willing forego the one piece of equipment that you could have had available to prevent such catastrophe - more power to you!

I won't even take my mountain bike out without a helmet. And I speak from experience when I say the gound is a lot softer and the speed is a lot slower when you have to spin the tire with your own two legs.

 

[pickle.of.doom]

I saw this the other day on a different forum as well... I was gonna mention it here because there seems to be a lot of us MI riders here... but then I thought, I really don't know how I feel about it. I know I will wear a helmet either way, and I totally support personal freedoms and all that... but I still don;t know. People don;t really think before the do, they just do it. It's a tough decision, and I can see the points of both sides really.

 

[Gas Man]

:cursin: People suck!!

I don't understand how on one hand the state can make it illiegal to go w/o a seat belt. Heck the cops setup seat belt check points...but now they are thinking about repealing the helmet law!!

F'in ABATE can suck my "beep"!!! These guys are F'in morons and deserve to die a horrible death on the side of the highway!!

I hope it doesn't pass just to piss the ABATE guys off!!! I can't stand them...

taking a :chill: ..........................

I feel better...for now!!!

 

[Need4Speed]

No doubt man. Have you ever read ABATE's mag? They totally flip stats and misreport the exact data that Two-Wheel is reporting. You hit the nail on the head though, if you chose to smear your last chunk of gray matter all over the concrete and you willing forego the one piece of equipment that you could have had available to prevent such catastrophe - more power to you!

I won't even take my mountain bike out without a helmet. And I speak from experience when I say the gound is a lot softer and the speed is a lot slower when you have to spin the tire with your own two legs.

yeah, we had a thread about that in here b/4..the reasons they give for not wearing a helmet are un believeable...actually making it seem like its better to NOT wear one!!! regardless of the safety facts!! uke:

here it is...http://www.abatepa.org/abate/legislation/lobbying/helmet-talk.htm


this is the best one..

Motorcycle helmets bounce on impact, resulting in increased brain and neck injuries. A 5 pound helmet traveling 60mph becomes a 300 pound weight on impact which can break a rider's neck. :screwy: :rant:

 

[Becca_007]

Most retarded proposal ever. Like others said, it's a safety issue. Personal choice: I wear one anyway but I don't care to pay extra (insurance rates are likely to go up) for idiodts that choose not to.

 

[Gas Man]

:wtf: is wrong with these arseholes!!! I swear if I could meet these oxygen thieves I would bash them in the head with my 5# helmet until their helmetless heads were bleeding from their ears, eyes, nose, and mouth!!!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, I am not this bad with just helmets.. I think anybody who doesn't wear a seat belt deserves to get thrown out of a car during a roll over and then to have their car roll over them and squash their pea sized brains!!

I'm with Becca...I don't want to pay out more insurance rates for all these squids not wearing helmets!!

These people PISS me off!!! They are one of the biggest MORONS I've ever heard of!! Maybe I don't want them to wear helmets because it will help with Natural Selection!! The stupid, ignorant, dumb f uck s of the world will die and leave us with more oxygen to breath!!!!!!!!!!! ARSEHOLES!!!

 

[twisty]

I hate ABATE....My dad is the group of YAHOOs. They are all clueless morons. My dad doesnt were and helment and rip him everything I see him.

 

[Gas Man]

Damn Twisty...I'm surprised you even claim relation...for such a horrible squidish move... :lol: J/K Twisty, just bustin ur ballz....but you are like me! We hate these ABATE arseholes!!!

 

[cerveja]

I hate ABATE....My dad is the group of YAHOOs. They are all clueless morons. My dad doesnt were and helment and rip him everything I see him.

Holy cow!!!! What a revelation!!! Who knew your dad was an ABATE member. Next thing you know your going to admit that he likes NASCAR to.....SCARY!!!!

 

[kanwisch]

Having lived in both IL and IN, neither of which have helmet laws, I do get kinda ticked. But not because there are people w/o helmets, but because my insurance rates are affected by them.

I have never understood why an insurance rate isn't set with a criteria that no payout will occur if you're found without a DOT helmet on.

For gov't oversight, I'm a complete minimalist. They shouldn't be telling me what I can and can't do, they should be telling me what's safe to do, and let me make that call myself. All oversight does is waste money. Saving the dumb from their own demise on my dime. Screw that.

 

[twisty]

Holy cow!!!! What a revelation!!! Who knew your dad was an ABATE member. Next thing you know your going to admit that he likes NASCAR to.....SCARY!!!!

No he doesnt like nascar, I would have to disown him again... :flush:

 

[Gas Man]

Key word there "AGAIN"!!!! :lol:

 

[chev]

No he doesnt like nascar, I would have to disown him again... :flush:

Are you going to disown me for liking NASCAR? I hope not because I would just die :sob:

As for helmets....I agree and disagree. I'll always wear one. If you don't want to, that's your choice but if my insurance is going to go up because of it...then put your damn lid on and shut the "F" up!

 

[Gas Man]

AMEN my Kaw brothern!!!