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Are We Becoming Weak?
Posted Monday, March 23, 2009, at 3:15 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
Are We Becoming Weak????
"The rider wasn't wearing a helmet". Why are these six words so important to reporters? A motorcyclist goes down and these six words appear every time it can. It doesn't matter what kind of injuries are involved. For example, last week there was an accident in Martinsville where the motorcyclist was struck by another vehicle that violated the right of way of the motorcyclist. The biker suffered severe injuries to his leg. No head injuries were reported, yet the reporter made sure those infamous six words were included in his account. I'm curious as to how the reporter thought a helmet would have helped this rider. I'm especially anxious to know how it could have prevented the other person from hitting the motorcycle. This is exactly the kind of biased reporting that incites people to ask for helmet laws, noise ordinances, smoking bans and demonstration bans. Facts are conveniently ignored for the purpose of these so called do-gooders protecting us from ourselves. We obviously need a law because we aren't capable of making good decisions on our own. And how far do we take that philosophy? Red meat is bad for us too so do we stop eating beef? The farmers and ranchers would love that. What about tanning? Should we limit the time allowed for sunbathing? After all we could get skin cancer. How about jobs? Crab fishing is the most dangerous job in the world according to TV so should we protect the fishermen by banning crab consumption? Before you begin thinking I'm exaggerating, think of this. In the 60's and 70's we rode bicycles with no helmets and no knee pads. We had accidents but learned to be more careful. We used sticks for guns when we played cowboys and Indians and we got dirty. I'm sure there were copious amounts of bacteria. We rode mini bikes and go carts without restraints or helmets and yet we survived. Now we put helmets on our kids riding a bicycle, we put knee pads and elbow pads on them when they skate, we sanitize them with anti-bacterial soap because apparently regular soap doesn't work. I'm sure you can think of more examples. If we continue down this path, how long before we become a society of wimps and mama's boys? How long before we decide to allow our government to tell us what to think or feel? Perhaps I'm too hung up on the freedoms I enjoy, but I'll bet John Wayne would have rode without a helmet. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
MacGyver's Motorcycle Thoughts  - Archives - Blog RSS feed ![[Feed icon]](http://www.bannergraphic.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon} - Comments RSS feed - Login Dan Stockton is a Putnam County native and graduated Salutatorian from North Putnam High School. He earned his BA degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville. He is a co-author of research for the Indiana Academy of Science Journal and currently writes a column for "The Hoosier Motorcyclist". He is often seen at the Putnam County Playhouse and is an avid motorcyclist. He and his wife of 25 years have two children.
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A motorcyclists not wearing a helmet is as much as news as someone who is in a car that is severely hurt or killed that's not wearing a seat belt. It's just as much about mandates and states getting federal money (even before stimulus was a buzz word) for having seat belt laws as it is something to promote safety. Seat belts have proven to save lives...and so has helmets on motorcyclists. There's already ordinances on the books of some municipalities of not using a cell phone while driving while being distracted by eating or sipping a soft drink can be just as hazardous but there's no laws preventing that.
Then you have some people that just shouldn't be aloud to drive, seat belt or not. Here's a quote I heard in a documentary movie of mine about another controversial subject(steroids)..."People just need to get off their self-righteous soap boxes and start loving each other."
I will never agree that there should not be a "Helmet Law" yet on the other hand everyone should have Freedom of choice in everything in their life as long as it does not infringe on another's rights. When I think if some of the stuff my friends and I did as kids it's a true miracle that I lived past 25 y.o. Guess I had to much time on my hands so that I could think up what "stunt" was going to be next. If I had some video games or a TV in my room my mind would not have had the time to think up all those "What would happen if I did this" stuff.
"This is exactly the kind of biased reporting that incites people to ask for helmet laws..."
...and this is the kind of biased writing that makes it seem like there is no benefit to wearing a helmet. (The same weekend there was a story in which a biker in Indy died who was not wearing a helmet and the coroner is investigating whether or not the helmet would have saved his life) Yes, you choose not to wear a helmet. It is your choice. As much as I wouldn't make the same choice, I am more than okay with it staying your choice, because it only affects you.
However, don't complain about people with an opposing point of view trying to make your choices for you by spending all of your time trying to make their choices for them. It's irony at its best. And to even equate a helmet law with a smoking ban--smoke hurts EVERYONE in the area--is a poor attempt to somehow equate toughness or masculinity with unhealthiness.
A rational discussion weighs the risks and benefits of a choice, as well as the roles that the "choosers" should take (i.e. individuals and government). An irrational, bully mentality type discussion uses only examples that support one's view and simply tries to act tougher than the opposing side.
You long ago convinced me that there is no need for a helmet law. It's the tactics you now take in the debate that leave more to be desired.
Thank you for your remarks. I too am upset with the reporters. Even on the news they tend to give the wrong report. Such as an accident was reported as a truck driver was involved in a accident and he ran a light. With such a report as that, everone would think a BIG RIG was involved but it was only a pickup and not a Big Rig.
Retired Trucker
Dan if nothing else your blogs sure can get some debates going. Never fails. Most of your co-horts are lucky if they get 1-2 comments for every 5 blogs. The guy with the funny hat used to but he went "tame". Guess we'll need to wait until the next NFL season.
i just want to say that everyone should wear a helmet it's just safer that way...oh wait a minute. WHAT MOM! Okay i back can you believe my mom wants me to take out the trash. i'm 40 years old i shouldn't have to take the trash out. besids it dangerus out by the road. anyway back to the helmet thing. Last week when my mom took my training wheels off i crashed in to our redwood deck. i didn't get hurt 'cuz i had my helmet on and nee pads and ebow pads. I didn't even bit my tougue this time cuz mom bought me a mouth gard for my birthday. She is the best! i'm never leaving home. i'm saving my allowance for a buble wrap jacket
"...and yet we survived." Yes, "we" did, but not every child did. I grew up in Putnam County and personally know (different!) people that lost eyes to sticks, 1/2 an ear to the pavement, toes to a lawn mower, and one person paralyzed permanently from a 3-wheeler. Bad stuff did happen to "us" in the 50's -70's, just not to everyone.
I happen to agree with you on helmet laws - if you're stupid enough to ride without one, that's your choice.
Accidents happen everyday and everywhere in ways that we can't even imagaine. I choose NOT to live in fear. I do respect my motorcyle, chainsaws, guns and etc. I own all those things and use them. I respect them but they don't control me.
Life is short. We don't have to be reckless but should be free!
You know, I truly love the responses and dialog I get from these little anecdotes. I'm glad so many people voice their opinion. That's why I started writing these in the first place. I wanted feedback and you're all giving it to me....I mean your feedback. Aaannyway, it seems there is a common theme. Most people appreciate acting safely but don't want laws telling us how to. Thank you all and keep reading......and commenting.
Yes we are getting weak. If an adult does not want to wear a helmet or a seatbelt fine. Harden up America.
I once watched a video (required as part of my military indoctrination)called "Room to Live," produced by the state police (of what state I cannot remember) and designed to enourage viewers to wear their seatbelt. It worked. Velocity is an irrestable force while you're bouncing around on the inside of a metal cage. Having seen the results of several motor vehicle accidents while working for a local ambulance, I didn't need all that much encouragement.
Listening to my helmet bounce off the pavement several times as I involuntarily rolled down a county road after a low-speed cross-up convinced me that a helmet isn't such a bad idea either; especially after seeing the cracks in the helmet afterwards.
Most who have experienced severe trauma, particularly of the head, end up not being able to pay but a fraction of their medical bills, even after an insurance settlement. Which means the medical facilities involved end up losing money. Since medical facilities are not in the business to lose money, that equates to higher health care costs for everyone else, to make up the difference. Much of the rising health care costs are borne by....the Government. Thus, seat belt and helmet laws are for those too stupid to realize that skulls hitting hard objects at 20 miles an hour can gork you out for a long time while bankrupting everyone that cares about you, be it your family, your insurance company, the military, or the state medicaid office.
So unless you're willing to tattoo DNR (do no resuscitate) on your forehead and save everyone the expense of your long-term care, I'd recommend that you try to play as safely as possible and think about others for a change.
"Most who have experienced severe trauma, particularly of the head, end up not being able to pay but a fraction of their medical bills, even after an insurance settlement. Which means the medical facilities involved end up losing money. Since medical facilities are not in the business to lose money, that equates to higher health care costs for everyone else, to make up the difference."
Very true. Sadly, being free to make your own choices sometimes affects others. You could make the same argument for a lot of things that happen around us. The world is not made by Nerf, and no amount of documented processes will change that.
This really wasn't a topic for helmet use but rather what a helmet had to do with leg injuries and how reporters are quick to focus on helmets rather than the real issue. That issue is violation of right of ways. Pulling in front of or turning in front of a motorcyclist is the real cause of most accidents. Why don't we work on fixing THAT problem?
Then, like the responders to your blog, perhaps you should have stuck with that point, rather than ending the article with:
"If we continue down this path, how long before we become a society of wimps and mama's boys? How long before we decide to allow our government to tell us what to think or feel? Perhaps I'm too hung up on the freedoms I enjoy, but I'll bet John Wayne would have rode without a helmet."
You could have said: "...but I'll bet John Wayne would have pulled out his 44 and blasted that idiot who turned left in front of him."
We are a distracted society with too much time on our hands, dedicated to doing things other than the business of surviving. The politicians and their puppet media are doing everything they possibly can to ensure that we remain distracted long enough to ignore the total erosion of our 'rights,' which they feel are granted through the power of the state alone. You've no right to smoke, drink in public, build on your own land, assemble with an antagonistic opinion or ride/drive unfetterd and at risk.
Now, where's that tattoo parlor?
shucks, another politically correct blogger!
Failing to yield is a major cause of crashes in general, not just when people do so to motorcyclists. It's not always about the motorcyclist.
Fail to yield in a cage and you get a bent bumper and maybe some minor injuries. Fail to yield to a motorcyclist and they die. And by the way, this entire series of articles is devoted to motorcycling so for my purpose here, it's ALWAYS about motorcyclists.
Helmet laws, seat belts, smoking bans and eventually, regulations on what we're allowed to buy in restaurants and grocery stores are the treacherous acts of politicians like Bi... er,um... Mitch Daniels who represent insurance companies or whoever else will line their pockets instead of their constituents.
Everyone has a guilty pleasure or two. Yours will be lost forever along with your basic rights if you keep jumping on every nonsense bandwagon that singles out lifestyles you don't agree with. They will eventually get around to yours and you will then discover that all the soap boxing you did about everyone else has set a precedent... no more snack cakes for you.
This brings to mind a person I know who screamed bloody murder supporting the smoking ban, reasoning that somehow, bans in taverns would protect her children from second hand smoke yet she burns sooty scented candles around her kids in a sealed up house all winter long... go figure.