Great to hear Ben would not fold to pressure by the helmet huggers to force their opinions on those of us who want to make a decision for ourself on how to ride.
Keep America FREE. Only if that Michigan Governor had the stones to do the same. Oh well, little victories count.
I like Ben\’s approach to let everyone make their own decisions and he does not want to have his ad forcing anyone\’s decision.
I wonder if he will do the same for the \”got milk?\” ad, spaghetti sauce, T-shirt, local grocery store or soda ads that will come his way? Would that be leading people to make a decision like his?
I like Ben and I like that he thinks people should make their own decision.
I believe Ben feels he still would choose to ride a motorcycle with out a helmet and that is why he won\’t do the ad. I think his non-commital comments reflect that. If it were not for this freak accident and the publicity surrounding him, he would be helmet less. Coach Cowher warned him last year about the motorcycle and not wearing a helmet but extinguished the issue when the media heard of Cowher\’s comments to Ben. Ben as most people think \”it won\’t happen to me\”. Well, it did happen to him.
I believe in freedom of choice. I just do not understand why somebody would choose not to wear a helmet to protect themselves.
I do not understand why you do not have a seat belt or helmet for a motorcycle but you can be pulled over and given a ticket for driving a car with out a seat belt. Where is my choice for not wearing a seat belt in a car?
None of this has anything to do with insurance though.
I, too, wish to offer my \”props\” to Big Ben for doing the righteous and noble thing by being true to himself and to those who ride! Personal safety equipment is just that: a personal choice of the mature individual who decides to ride on two wheels. The \”Safety Nazies\” would have us all lock-stepping to a \”no risk\” society if it were not for a well-informed public that knows Bull S*** when they see it.
Hats (or helmets) off to those who make the personal choice not to ride with a helmet. Just please make sure that you check the Donor box on the back of your license. When you split your skull on the pavement, usually your internal organs are still good and can be used by my patients!
Ok, you guys have to be kidding. He doesn\’t want to do the commercial because he doesn\’t wear his helmet and doesn\’t plan to. Screw freedom of choice. Just b/c Big Ben does a commercial about helmets doesn\’t mean you have to wear one. You still have your freedom. Why you would choose not to is beyond me. These \”safety Nazis\” you speak of, they have to make it a law because people like you are to immature to make the right decision regarding your own safety. So you feel that if you wreck your bike, it\’s your own problem right? Wrong! Do you pay for the clean up of the accident? No! The township does which ultimately means the taxpayer. So much for it being solely your problem. Do you pay your hospital bills? No! The insurance company does. Now my rates go up cause you are too stupid to wear a helmet?! Well, it seems to me that your \”choice\” not to wear a helmet now greatly affects me and my wallet. Based on your comments I may be wrong in saying so, but your head is not as hard as a helmet. Let\’s say you are doing the speed limit on a highway (and you bike riders know that this is seldom true) if your head goes flying into the pavement, I doubt it would tickle. Why not split a helmet in two instead of your skull. I can assure you once it happens, you will regret not agreeing with me granted you are mentally capable to feel regret. These people (the Nazis) aren\’t trying to take away your freedom of choice. If you want pizza for dinner, go ahead no one is stopping you. But as for public safety, you don\’t have a choice. Well, let me rephrase that. If you don\’t want to wear a helmet, that\’s fine. But then you choose not to ride a motorcycle too. See? You still have a choice. You can\’t drive a car without a lisence right? Well, what if i \”choose\” not to get one? Well, then that\’s my choice. It\’s not \”the man\” holding me down. It\’s my own stubborn ways. Laws are made to protect you. And you can\’t deny that that is what helmets do. So why don\’t you just suck up your \”I won\’t conform to society\” attitude and save your skull. You should be so lucky that some people care more about your head than you do. Don\’t worry, us girls won\’t think you are any less cool if you wear one.
I\’m sorry but I don\’t get it. Did you read the 7/18/06 article regarding increased speed limits and 40% increase in fatalities in Indiana? How many were motorcyclists. I believe in rights and freedoms but I\’m sure your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, etc. wish you had sense enough to wear a helmet. The life you save may be your own. The hearts you will break and the lives you will change because of stupidity, should you die or severly injured, cannot be measured.
I believe you should have the choice whether or not to wear a helmet or a seat belt, if you\’re over 18. (Children are a different story, as parents and/or care-givers, we OWE it to them to protect them as much as possible.)
If you\’re in an accident and your injuries are far worse because it was your *choice* to pass on the helmet or seatbelt, then YOU should cover the cost. Can\’t cover the cost? Then maybe you should consider the helmet or seatbelt. Why should my taxes or premiums increase because you CHOOSE to be negligent?
Taxes and insurance premiums are absolutely affected by the choices people make. I don\’t need nor want careless \”Choice Nazis\” and their opportunistic attorneys digging any deeper into my piggy bank, thank you very much.
Hooray is sorely lacking in education and that is fine except that it affects me and every other taxpayer. If motorcyclists don\’t want to wear a helmet, fine but please sign this waiver/release of liability that states you give up your right to sue anyone when you get involved in an accident and you accept to cover all costs associated with the your injury. \”Personal freedom\” should equal personal accountability/responsbility.
I love the idea of the waiver. Maybe at time you get your license? You agree to incur all costs associated with injuries due to not wearing your helmet. Beautiful! Freedom of Choice and freedom of personal accountability and responsibility for that choice.
I\’m tired of hearing all this moaning and pissing about loss of personal freedom. Bob is exactly right. Until you agree to be personally accountable for the outcome your silly decisions, you are not ENTITLED to personal freedom.
Folks, like it or not, in this great land, there is a scarcity of resources.
How would you like it if a parent or other close family member died of a heart attack for lack of EMS while one of these \”free souls\” is being treated for head injuries that could have been avoided by simply wearing a helmet?
Great idea…..waive my rights to sue the idiot who causes the accident in the first place. The idiot is likely one of you 3 on your cell phone or just not paying attention in general.
I happen to live in the country where the worst thing that happes is you get hit by a big bug. So you want to legislate my freedom away because you are worried about premiums or an insurance company having to settle. If that is your best argument for giving up your freedoms and taking mine away, you really need to get a life and a better paying job or switch carriers. Try Am Fam genious. LOL
Rock on!! I AM a rider and am so sick of hearing people repeat the same old pablum over and over. How many people have actually pulled a helmet off the shelf and read the tags?? I found a warning about the helment is not guaranteed to be effective for injuries sustained at speeds over 13 mph (YES 13!!). Also, lets take every accident out of the \”statistics\” that is proven to be caused by the OTHER driver. Oh, I guess you can\’t do that because when I\’m hit by a 1/2 ton vehicle who claims \”But, I didn\’t see her\”, there is only one voice left. You\’re drunk, you\’re yakkin on the phone, stuffing your face,changing your tunes, weaving all over the road and smack into me, but because I don\’t have a helmet I AM WRONG? Give me a break. Dude, keep your eyes on the road so you don\’t hit me and I won\’t be in the hospital.
I think you should read slower. You obviously couldn\’t grasp the concept right away. Allow me to simplify: if you fall with no helmet you get hurt. Hurt results in: accident clean up, medical bills, and unnecessary use of EMS workers. You don\’t pay for any of those things. Taxpayers and policy holders do. So guess what? We don\’t care about your freedom when it compares to my hard earned money flying faster out of my pocket due to your idiocy. So yes, I would legislate your freedom away if it means stable premium. Hey you want to crack your head open, go for it. Wouldn\’t bother me none, right up until the point where I am affected by it. I honestly hope you will grow up one day and stop taking your life for granted. Good luck hooray; you\’ll need it.
Sorry non? idiot, but you have it backwards. If I get hit by a car that is breaking the traffic laws – I get hurt, period, helmet or not.
As far as your statement \”I would legislate your freedom away if it means stable premium\”. My freedom IS your freedom. This country is based on equal rights for all. Why don\’t you do a little research on your own into the truth before you start lobbying for \”big brother\” government.
Oh, by the way, I have a family,own my own home,am employed and a productive member of society. I pay my own insurance premiums and taxes for the EMS and police force. I have every type of insurance coverage on me needed to protect me and my family in the event some idiot decides his pocket change is more important that the red light he just ran.
I want to end by thanking you for your post. I am sending an extra check to my state ABATE chapter so they can continue the fight to keep our rights. You have done us a great service by strenghtening the resolve of our legislative committee.
Thank you lady rider….well said. That\’s the problem with this country….80-85% of the population think like non-idiot.
FYI…non-idiot..I too have full coverage on all of my vehicles, my home and personal possesions. Oh, forgot health and life too. On top of that I carry a large umbrella cover. As I said in an earlier post, if your unhappy with your pay and feel your underpaid, find a better paying job. Don\’t give up your and MY rights because you are living beyond your means to begin with. Also, if you paid my property tax bill which you obviously can\’t afford, my village is more than adequately reimbursed for cleaning up an accident scene as well. My final suggestion to you, don\’t procreate. If it\’s too late, let your wife raise the kids. Hopefully the kids get their smarts from her, \’cause the light at the end of the tunnel for you sir, has burned out.
for all of those that wish the rest of us to live under your thumb and give up our freedoms to choose YOU OBVIOUSLY live in the wrong country get the F–k outwhy dont you jump the sh-t of the yuppies the break the law and speed thru our residential developments almost twice the speed limit because they just worked a 14 hour day and they are in a hurry to get home ……… total disregard for others. I do ride a bike bike and in the last 22 years i have been in 2 major accidents and they were both caused by careless pieces of sh-t\’s that were driving 4 wheelers ! not giving a F–K about what is going on around them. the last was 2 weeks ago an suv came off of a side street straight into me broadside and left the scene ….1800.00 damage to the bike i ended up with bruised ribs and chest as well as torn muscles in my chest.i wasn\’t sighted but i eat all the cost of the accident and my rates go up because of the driver in the SUV that left the scene of the accident. so go jump on some tree hugging band wagon in some other country somewhere and leave rights of us hard working,tax paying AMERICANS ALONE !
Im all for helmets, but some of these non-helmet risk takers might actually be savings us money. Helmet wearers are more likely to live, thus becoming a vegtable and ward of the state for many years, where the non-helmet wearer will die more quickly.
I want to address the line that states that we have personal choices because we can go home and eat pizza for dinner if we want. Look at the amount of health insurance claims and increases in premiums stem from poor eating habits. How long will it be before the Choice Nazi\’s declare war on fat and sugar and we are left with only certain government allowed foods in our super markets. Everyone\’s choice about everything affects all the rest of us and our pocketbooks, from whether you spoil your children, eat fast food, or choose to recycle or not. So why should MY personal safety be any more concern to you than any other choice of mine. Freedom to make dumb decisions is what makes this country great.
Great to hear Ben would not fold to pressure by the helmet huggers to force their opinions on those of us who want to make a decision for ourself on how to ride.
Keep America FREE. Only if that Michigan Governor had the stones to do the same. Oh well, little victories count.
I like Ben\’s approach to let everyone make their own decisions and he does not want to have his ad forcing anyone\’s decision.
I wonder if he will do the same for the \”got milk?\” ad, spaghetti sauce, T-shirt, local grocery store or soda ads that will come his way? Would that be leading people to make a decision like his?
I like Ben and I like that he thinks people should make their own decision.
I believe Ben feels he still would choose to ride a motorcycle with out a helmet and that is why he won\’t do the ad. I think his non-commital comments reflect that. If it were not for this freak accident and the publicity surrounding him, he would be helmet less. Coach Cowher warned him last year about the motorcycle and not wearing a helmet but extinguished the issue when the media heard of Cowher\’s comments to Ben. Ben as most people think \”it won\’t happen to me\”. Well, it did happen to him.
I believe in freedom of choice. I just do not understand why somebody would choose not to wear a helmet to protect themselves.
I do not understand why you do not have a seat belt or helmet for a motorcycle but you can be pulled over and given a ticket for driving a car with out a seat belt. Where is my choice for not wearing a seat belt in a car?
None of this has anything to do with insurance though.
I feel better getting that off my chest.
I, too, wish to offer my \”props\” to Big Ben for doing the righteous and noble thing by being true to himself and to those who ride! Personal safety equipment is just that: a personal choice of the mature individual who decides to ride on two wheels. The \”Safety Nazies\” would have us all lock-stepping to a \”no risk\” society if it were not for a well-informed public that knows Bull S*** when they see it.
Hats (or helmets) off to those who make the personal choice not to ride with a helmet. Just please make sure that you check the Donor box on the back of your license. When you split your skull on the pavement, usually your internal organs are still good and can be used by my patients!
Ok, you guys have to be kidding. He doesn\’t want to do the commercial because he doesn\’t wear his helmet and doesn\’t plan to. Screw freedom of choice. Just b/c Big Ben does a commercial about helmets doesn\’t mean you have to wear one. You still have your freedom. Why you would choose not to is beyond me. These \”safety Nazis\” you speak of, they have to make it a law because people like you are to immature to make the right decision regarding your own safety. So you feel that if you wreck your bike, it\’s your own problem right? Wrong! Do you pay for the clean up of the accident? No! The township does which ultimately means the taxpayer. So much for it being solely your problem. Do you pay your hospital bills? No! The insurance company does. Now my rates go up cause you are too stupid to wear a helmet?! Well, it seems to me that your \”choice\” not to wear a helmet now greatly affects me and my wallet. Based on your comments I may be wrong in saying so, but your head is not as hard as a helmet. Let\’s say you are doing the speed limit on a highway (and you bike riders know that this is seldom true) if your head goes flying into the pavement, I doubt it would tickle. Why not split a helmet in two instead of your skull. I can assure you once it happens, you will regret not agreeing with me granted you are mentally capable to feel regret. These people (the Nazis) aren\’t trying to take away your freedom of choice. If you want pizza for dinner, go ahead no one is stopping you. But as for public safety, you don\’t have a choice. Well, let me rephrase that. If you don\’t want to wear a helmet, that\’s fine. But then you choose not to ride a motorcycle too. See? You still have a choice. You can\’t drive a car without a lisence right? Well, what if i \”choose\” not to get one? Well, then that\’s my choice. It\’s not \”the man\” holding me down. It\’s my own stubborn ways. Laws are made to protect you. And you can\’t deny that that is what helmets do. So why don\’t you just suck up your \”I won\’t conform to society\” attitude and save your skull. You should be so lucky that some people care more about your head than you do. Don\’t worry, us girls won\’t think you are any less cool if you wear one.
I\’m sorry but I don\’t get it. Did you read the 7/18/06 article regarding increased speed limits and 40% increase in fatalities in Indiana? How many were motorcyclists. I believe in rights and freedoms but I\’m sure your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, etc. wish you had sense enough to wear a helmet. The life you save may be your own. The hearts you will break and the lives you will change because of stupidity, should you die or severly injured, cannot be measured.
I believe you should have the choice whether or not to wear a helmet or a seat belt, if you\’re over 18. (Children are a different story, as parents and/or care-givers, we OWE it to them to protect them as much as possible.)
If you\’re in an accident and your injuries are far worse because it was your *choice* to pass on the helmet or seatbelt, then YOU should cover the cost. Can\’t cover the cost? Then maybe you should consider the helmet or seatbelt. Why should my taxes or premiums increase because you CHOOSE to be negligent?
Taxes and insurance premiums are absolutely affected by the choices people make. I don\’t need nor want careless \”Choice Nazis\” and their opportunistic attorneys digging any deeper into my piggy bank, thank you very much.
Hooray is sorely lacking in education and that is fine except that it affects me and every other taxpayer. If motorcyclists don\’t want to wear a helmet, fine but please sign this waiver/release of liability that states you give up your right to sue anyone when you get involved in an accident and you accept to cover all costs associated with the your injury. \”Personal freedom\” should equal personal accountability/responsbility.
I love the idea of the waiver. Maybe at time you get your license? You agree to incur all costs associated with injuries due to not wearing your helmet. Beautiful! Freedom of Choice and freedom of personal accountability and responsibility for that choice.
By the way, what\’s up with the anti-spam image?
I\’m tired of hearing all this moaning and pissing about loss of personal freedom. Bob is exactly right. Until you agree to be personally accountable for the outcome your silly decisions, you are not ENTITLED to personal freedom.
Folks, like it or not, in this great land, there is a scarcity of resources.
How would you like it if a parent or other close family member died of a heart attack for lack of EMS while one of these \”free souls\” is being treated for head injuries that could have been avoided by simply wearing a helmet?
Great idea…..waive my rights to sue the idiot who causes the accident in the first place. The idiot is likely one of you 3 on your cell phone or just not paying attention in general.
I happen to live in the country where the worst thing that happes is you get hit by a big bug. So you want to legislate my freedom away because you are worried about premiums or an insurance company having to settle. If that is your best argument for giving up your freedoms and taking mine away, you really need to get a life and a better paying job or switch carriers. Try Am Fam genious. LOL
Rock on!! I AM a rider and am so sick of hearing people repeat the same old pablum over and over. How many people have actually pulled a helmet off the shelf and read the tags?? I found a warning about the helment is not guaranteed to be effective for injuries sustained at speeds over 13 mph (YES 13!!). Also, lets take every accident out of the \”statistics\” that is proven to be caused by the OTHER driver. Oh, I guess you can\’t do that because when I\’m hit by a 1/2 ton vehicle who claims \”But, I didn\’t see her\”, there is only one voice left. You\’re drunk, you\’re yakkin on the phone, stuffing your face,changing your tunes, weaving all over the road and smack into me, but because I don\’t have a helmet I AM WRONG? Give me a break. Dude, keep your eyes on the road so you don\’t hit me and I won\’t be in the hospital.
I think you should read slower. You obviously couldn\’t grasp the concept right away. Allow me to simplify: if you fall with no helmet you get hurt. Hurt results in: accident clean up, medical bills, and unnecessary use of EMS workers. You don\’t pay for any of those things. Taxpayers and policy holders do. So guess what? We don\’t care about your freedom when it compares to my hard earned money flying faster out of my pocket due to your idiocy. So yes, I would legislate your freedom away if it means stable premium. Hey you want to crack your head open, go for it. Wouldn\’t bother me none, right up until the point where I am affected by it. I honestly hope you will grow up one day and stop taking your life for granted. Good luck hooray; you\’ll need it.
Sorry non? idiot, but you have it backwards. If I get hit by a car that is breaking the traffic laws – I get hurt, period, helmet or not.
As far as your statement \”I would legislate your freedom away if it means stable premium\”. My freedom IS your freedom. This country is based on equal rights for all. Why don\’t you do a little research on your own into the truth before you start lobbying for \”big brother\” government.
Oh, by the way, I have a family,own my own home,am employed and a productive member of society. I pay my own insurance premiums and taxes for the EMS and police force. I have every type of insurance coverage on me needed to protect me and my family in the event some idiot decides his pocket change is more important that the red light he just ran.
I want to end by thanking you for your post. I am sending an extra check to my state ABATE chapter so they can continue the fight to keep our rights. You have done us a great service by strenghtening the resolve of our legislative committee.
Thank you lady rider….well said. That\’s the problem with this country….80-85% of the population think like non-idiot.
FYI…non-idiot..I too have full coverage on all of my vehicles, my home and personal possesions. Oh, forgot health and life too. On top of that I carry a large umbrella cover. As I said in an earlier post, if your unhappy with your pay and feel your underpaid, find a better paying job. Don\’t give up your and MY rights because you are living beyond your means to begin with. Also, if you paid my property tax bill which you obviously can\’t afford, my village is more than adequately reimbursed for cleaning up an accident scene as well. My final suggestion to you, don\’t procreate. If it\’s too late, let your wife raise the kids. Hopefully the kids get their smarts from her, \’cause the light at the end of the tunnel for you sir, has burned out.
for all of those that wish the rest of us to live under your thumb and give up our freedoms to choose YOU OBVIOUSLY live in the wrong country get the F–k outwhy dont you jump the sh-t of the yuppies the break the law and speed thru our residential developments almost twice the speed limit because they just worked a 14 hour day and they are in a hurry to get home ……… total disregard for others. I do ride a bike bike and in the last 22 years i have been in 2 major accidents and they were both caused by careless pieces of sh-t\’s that were driving 4 wheelers ! not giving a F–K about what is going on around them. the last was 2 weeks ago an suv came off of a side street straight into me broadside and left the scene ….1800.00 damage to the bike i ended up with bruised ribs and chest as well as torn muscles in my chest.i wasn\’t sighted but i eat all the cost of the accident and my rates go up because of the driver in the SUV that left the scene of the accident. so go jump on some tree hugging band wagon in some other country somewhere and leave rights of us hard working,tax paying AMERICANS ALONE !
I wish Kimo \’Cheapshot\’ Van Oelhofen would ride around without his helmet!
Im all for helmets, but some of these non-helmet risk takers might actually be savings us money. Helmet wearers are more likely to live, thus becoming a vegtable and ward of the state for many years, where the non-helmet wearer will die more quickly.
I want to address the line that states that we have personal choices because we can go home and eat pizza for dinner if we want. Look at the amount of health insurance claims and increases in premiums stem from poor eating habits. How long will it be before the Choice Nazi\’s declare war on fat and sugar and we are left with only certain government allowed foods in our super markets. Everyone\’s choice about everything affects all the rest of us and our pocketbooks, from whether you spoil your children, eat fast food, or choose to recycle or not. So why should MY personal safety be any more concern to you than any other choice of mine. Freedom to make dumb decisions is what makes this country great.