If this is a freedom of choice issue, why should non-helmuted drivers who receive head injuries be allowed to collect tax payer supported benefits through Medicaid or Medicare?
The cost of their decision to ride without a helmut ultimately costs every one of us.
I agree with Dave. I’m all for letting the donorcyle drivers decide as long as their bad decisions don’t cost me money. The same should apply to motorists who don’t wear seatbelts. They want to be cavalier with their lives fine, but the taxpayers shouldn’t pay for the consequences when they become a quad.
Not surprisingly, natural selection works. The accident victims were probably counting on their unmuffled exhausts to protect them. Well that didn’t work either….
” taxpayers shouldn’t pay for the consequences when they become a quad.” and neither should safety concious individuals who’s personal vehicle insurance rates increase to account for the upswing. If ridership has increased as stated since 2000 – considering the fuel crisis across the board, I’m sure every state will see a dramatic increase in cycle owners.
If the injuries could have been avoided, or greatly reduced by using helmets or seatbelts, those individuals who choose to forego these protective devices shouldn’t be compensated for their lack of personal responsibility.
Ok folks, so you dont like motorcyclists who dont wear helmets. Tell me where you would draw the line on so called dangerous activities. No med coverage for sky divers? scuba divers? ATV riders? Bicyclists w/o helmets? Automobile drivers w/o helmets who receive head injuries. Has anyone here ever given thought to the principles of freedom upon which our country was founded? How much restriction of freedom are you willing to put up with for the so called common good? While we are at it, why should anyones accident or illness cost the rest of us? It is not one of the powers given to the state. Open the marketplace to private heatlth insurance, get the government and all other busy bodies out of it, and let everyone buy their own insurance. And keep our freedoms. By the way, I ALWAYS wear a helmet, but that is my choice. Done ranting. :)
I actually don’t have a problem with the freedom thing. If you don’t want to wear a helmet, I support that. (In my personal opinion, not wearing one is stupid. If you want to feel the wind in your hair, buy a blow dryer.)
Here’s where I want the line drawn… this isn’t a freedom argument.
If you DON’T wear a helmet, then you DON’T get compensated for your head injuries. That’s the kind of legislation I would like to see.
Likewise for cars, if you DON’T wear a seatbelt, you DON’T get compensated for your injuries.
That way, those who need or desire “freedom” from seatbelts and helmets can still have it their way. And those of us who don’t want to pick up the tab for their irresponsibility via our tax dollars or premiums can still have it our way. Everyone wins.
Personally, I’m so tired of bearing the burden for the poor choices of others. I don’t want my tax dollars paying for Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary/preventable injuries. I don’t want my insurance premiums to increase due to unnecessary/prevenatble injuries.
Responsible people shouldn’t have to bail out the stupid people all the time. But we do and we’re tired of it.
Are they free to be idiots? Yes. And they should continue to have that freedom. But if their moronic choices cause them to end up in a pinch, too bad so sad. Find a way to pay. Can’t pay? Not my problem.
(Disclaimer… I do believe in using tax dollars to fund programs that benefit our elderly, our disabled, and our needy children. I’m not totally heartless, just grumpy.)
People who choose not to wear helmets are no different from people who choose to smoke or drink. If they end up costing me and you millions of dollars through their own stupidity, why should we flip the bill? Why should we be burdened with the cost of HIV/AIDS when it’s mostly a lifestyle decision? Where do you draw the line on reality and not anger the liberal world?
i am confident the guy who lives across the street from me, who never wears a helmet and has a very loud bike, who races out of his driveway and up the street swerving back and forth at 3am will soon provide more statistical support for natural selective.
If this is a freedom of choice issue, why should non-helmuted drivers who receive head injuries be allowed to collect tax payer supported benefits through Medicaid or Medicare?
The cost of their decision to ride without a helmut ultimately costs every one of us.
And they thought what? That they would decrease?
I agree with Dave. I’m all for letting the donorcyle drivers decide as long as their bad decisions don’t cost me money. The same should apply to motorists who don’t wear seatbelts. They want to be cavalier with their lives fine, but the taxpayers shouldn’t pay for the consequences when they become a quad.
Not surprisingly, natural selection works. The accident victims were probably counting on their unmuffled exhausts to protect them. Well that didn’t work either….
” taxpayers shouldn’t pay for the consequences when they become a quad.” and neither should safety concious individuals who’s personal vehicle insurance rates increase to account for the upswing. If ridership has increased as stated since 2000 – considering the fuel crisis across the board, I’m sure every state will see a dramatic increase in cycle owners.
If the injuries could have been avoided, or greatly reduced by using helmets or seatbelts, those individuals who choose to forego these protective devices shouldn’t be compensated for their lack of personal responsibility.
Ok folks, so you dont like motorcyclists who dont wear helmets. Tell me where you would draw the line on so called dangerous activities. No med coverage for sky divers? scuba divers? ATV riders? Bicyclists w/o helmets? Automobile drivers w/o helmets who receive head injuries. Has anyone here ever given thought to the principles of freedom upon which our country was founded? How much restriction of freedom are you willing to put up with for the so called common good? While we are at it, why should anyones accident or illness cost the rest of us? It is not one of the powers given to the state. Open the marketplace to private heatlth insurance, get the government and all other busy bodies out of it, and let everyone buy their own insurance. And keep our freedoms. By the way, I ALWAYS wear a helmet, but that is my choice. Done ranting. :)
I actually don’t have a problem with the freedom thing. If you don’t want to wear a helmet, I support that. (In my personal opinion, not wearing one is stupid. If you want to feel the wind in your hair, buy a blow dryer.)
Here’s where I want the line drawn… this isn’t a freedom argument.
If you DON’T wear a helmet, then you DON’T get compensated for your head injuries. That’s the kind of legislation I would like to see.
Likewise for cars, if you DON’T wear a seatbelt, you DON’T get compensated for your injuries.
That way, those who need or desire “freedom” from seatbelts and helmets can still have it their way. And those of us who don’t want to pick up the tab for their irresponsibility via our tax dollars or premiums can still have it our way. Everyone wins.
Personally, I’m so tired of bearing the burden for the poor choices of others. I don’t want my tax dollars paying for Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary/preventable injuries. I don’t want my insurance premiums to increase due to unnecessary/prevenatble injuries.
Responsible people shouldn’t have to bail out the stupid people all the time. But we do and we’re tired of it.
Are they free to be idiots? Yes. And they should continue to have that freedom. But if their moronic choices cause them to end up in a pinch, too bad so sad. Find a way to pay. Can’t pay? Not my problem.
(Disclaimer… I do believe in using tax dollars to fund programs that benefit our elderly, our disabled, and our needy children. I’m not totally heartless, just grumpy.)
KLS: well stated……I concur w/you 100%.
People who choose not to wear helmets are no different from people who choose to smoke or drink. If they end up costing me and you millions of dollars through their own stupidity, why should we flip the bill? Why should we be burdened with the cost of HIV/AIDS when it’s mostly a lifestyle decision? Where do you draw the line on reality and not anger the liberal world?
i am confident the guy who lives across the street from me, who never wears a helmet and has a very loud bike, who races out of his driveway and up the street swerving back and forth at 3am will soon provide more statistical support for natural selective.