Posted On: May 29, 2007, 4:55 pm CDT

Posted By: RustyBongard

Mark wrote:
"As for a larger fine for a car who pulls out in front of a motorcycle, why is a motorcycle different than any other vehicle on the roads? How could you prove that the person who pulled out didn't see the cycle? More laws and fines will not change anything."

Personally I see no reason why there should be a difference between a fine and penalty for pulling out in front of a car vs a motorcycle Mark. Right now however, the law, the fine, and the penalty, for pulling out in front of a motorcycle is usually less because of the "I did not see them" excuse.
As far as proving a car pulled out in front of a motorcycle, thats easy. Just investigate one of the grisly bloody crash scenes and it is blatantly obivious.
And if stiffer laws and penalties do not have any effect, I would direct your attention to the drunk driving program which efficacy rates been well proven and has saved untold lives.

Getting back to the "I did not see them" excuse, I would say that crap don't wash. If you don't see them its simply because you did not look for them. And that is on you, not the person whos life you ruined. Helmets have a very limited ability to prevent TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). There are factors such as Shearing, and Coup/Contracoup that effect helmeted or unhelmeted heads in impact crashes. I suggest anyone weighing in on the helmet issue educate themselves before making wildly emotional rants about how stupid bikers are for arguing the merits of helmets. Also the vast majority of crashes cause paralysis, limb loss, blunt force trauma related internal injuries, and extensive othopedic injuries. Helmets don't touch these painful, devastating, and life altering results of BAD DRIVERS.

As I have pointed out repeatedly. Helmets have a utility. AS part of a comprehensive motorcycle safety program, which involves educating all motorists on the issues concerning the motorcycling citizens of Michigan, instead of forcing helmets on us to appease the insurance industry, who are just trying to eliminate costs purpetrated by their automobile driving customers.

There are 50 times more head injuries in Michigan each year from CAR crashes, than there are motorcycle crashes. Race car drivers of evey type and style wear helmets. If helmets are good for bikers, why are they not good for car drivers? Why hasn't the Insurance Industry lauded its concern for automobile drivers heads? The Constitution of the United States of America gaurantees me the right to be free from discrimination. If helmets are mandatory for me, they need to be mandatory for you. If your adult enough to decide what safety gear you want to wear, the same goes for me.