Thursday, March 7, 2013

The Motorcyclist Liberty Restoration Act

My first thought, when I saw this come up, is that the satirist from Notsville made it up, but no.  This is real.

A bill to be considered by the Tennessee House and Senate this week would give motorcyclists 21 years old or older to have the option of wearing a helmet while riding.  Tennessee is currently one of 19 states, most of them southern, that require cyclists to wear a helmet while riding.

I know the motorcyclist's helmet does not go with the ethos of the open road, but is this law really a good idea?  Yeah, your hair blowing in the wind while riding the Tail of the Dragon (U.S. 129 through Deal's Gap) is romantic; but concussions and contusions are not so cool.

It also begs the question: maybe the existence of a freedom does not necessarily require that someone act on it.  Sometimes simple prudence should trump those rights!  Yeah, I'm all for rights, and screw the Federal government; but sometimes a little bit of law is a good thing.  Helmets reduce the extent of injuries; and motorcyclists have more than their share.  And more injuries = more costs for TennCare.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130226/NEWS0201/302260006/Motorcycle-helmet-could-become-optional-adult-riders-TN


Obeying the helmet law.

8 comments:

  1. There should be a special no helmet insurance for the soon to be brain dead.

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  2. Is naked motorcycling okay in Tennessee?

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  3. I'm persuaded that there are some laws that are necessary for keeping stupid people from doing too many stupid things. Some things are good ideas, like getting vaccines or prenatal care. And wearing a helmety, even if it doesn't go with the outlaw image.

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  4. If ass clowns who insist on preserving their freedom to ride motorcycles without helmets only hurt themselves when they crash, I'd say let 'em squash their stupid heads and be done with it. Unfortunately, chances are probably very good that these same morons aren't insured, or would sue everyone under the sun for their injuries, thereby driving up the cost of medical care and insurance for everyone else. If people were thoughtful and intelligent, we would need a lot fewer laws.

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  5. Doesn't going naked on a motorcycle also show dumbness?

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