Helmet Law

[Ugly]

Is up for a vote again. AAA is making a fuss with false claims as usual (call em out on it and I bet they don't respond)

All you have to do is look at the history of the law where it was originally forced upon the states or lose highway funds.

No matter what your opinion about helmets, Freedom should prevail. I believe in freedom and am disappointed TN has the law in place. I hope many of you will voice your support for the choice to allow the folks in Tennessee to be able to ride without one. Of course if this passes, anyone can still wear a helmet.

I have been riding since I was 14, have lived in several states with the law and states that ditched the law. I transferred to CA right after the year they reenacted the law and the first bike I saw when I rolled in to San Diego was a crotch rocket with a young couple on it. He was wearing swim trunks and flip flops, she had on a bikini and no shoes, they both had on nice big shiny full face helmets though. Effective law huh?

Helmet free states with safety programs showed more responsible riders, gloves boots long pants etc.

I believe in training, practice and experience as well as reminding car drivers to look twice and share the road. Laws based on false stats don't help the people.

While I wear a helmet, I prefer the choice. After all, we know they can kill just as easy if not easier than they can help. (Look at Dale Earnheart)

Thanks for reading this and hope you are part of turning this law over.

[LagerHead]

I am an ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time) rider and I believe that riding without a helmet is just the right amount of chlorine in the gene pool. However, I agree with you on freedom. If you're an adult, you should be able to make stupid decisions if you want to. I feel exactly the same about seat belts and seat belt laws. Or pretty much any law that dictates behavior of an adult.

Edited March 24, 2015 by LagerHead

[nightrunner]

Same here, I don't ride anymore, used to though. Helmet laws and seatbelt laws should not be on the books. They are only to generate revenue.

Where I used to work, you had to have a clean driving record for our department and they checked it every year. One guy who was a a great worker, had moved here from another state that didn't have a helmet law and he didn't know TN had one. He got pulled over and got a ticket for it. Then before he could get to the shop to buy a helmet he got pulled over again and they gave him another ticket for it. And technically they are considered moving violations. It was enough to have him transfer out of our department to a much lower paying job.

[peejman]

I have been riding since I was 14, have lived in several states with the law and states that ditched the law. I transferred to CA right after the year they reenacted the law and the first bike I saw when I rolled in to San Diego was a crotch rocket with a young couple on it. He was wearing swim trunks and flip flops, she had on a bikini and no shoes, they both had on nice big shiny full face helmets though. Effective law huh?

 

 

Sounds about perfect to me.  That way they're alive and conscious through the horror that is road rash recovery. 

 

 

I agree that it should be a choice for adults. 

 

On the car topic... I do question whether cars would be as safe (and expensive) as they currently are without all the regulations.  My guess is no. 

Edited March 24, 2015 by peejman

[felinesNfreedom]

I wore all my gear when I road no matter what time of year but I also agreet that it should be a choice for adults. Seat belt laws and PFD boating laws are the same.

[Spots]

So whats the best way to voice my support? How to I go about contacting the right people to support this law? I wear a helmet, but I think its a choice that should be made by the rider, just as all safety choices should.

[Garufa]

While I do support one making their own decision regarding helmets consider this:  insurance premiums will likely skyrocket for everyone that rides if this passes.

 

Anyone notice this proposal would NOT apply to those on TennCare?

[Ugly]

The bill is going to committee today, I might have jumped the gun. I saw the article and just started writing. 

 

The article on WATE's website is very minimal and written by the AP. Follows:

 

"NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – AAA motor club wants to put the brakes on proposed legislation that would allow many motorcyclists to ride without a helmet.

Currently, Tennessee law requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet. But a bill  that will be going to committee on Tuesday would allow anyone who is 21 or over who has health coverage, as long as it’s not through TennCare, to be able to legally ride without a helmet.

Anyone over the age of 21 on TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program for the poor, would be required to wear the head protection.

The bill is being sponsored by Rep. Jay Reedy of Erin and fellow Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts of Springfield.

AAA says the bill would be almost impossible to enforce and will lead to more deaths and injuries."

From what Ive seen so far, there isn't a strong showing in Tennessee's ABATE, (hope it's OK to post another group on here) usually this group is the strongest proponent of motorcycle freedom and a push for an investment for safety. I haven't gotten my feet wet with them yet but will once my life is settled a bit. ABATE is nation wide and each state runs their own organization. In PA and FL, they were successful with getting the laws overturned but more importantly, they were successful in getting the states to focus on safety and training for the populace as a whole. While there are those folks that will hurt themselves because they can, the majority of crashes are because of car drivers not seeing the biker. This is where the safety effort comes in.

I'll see if I can track down and monitor the legislative side. In the meantime, here are a few links on it. 

http://www.cmtabate.com

http://helmetfreetn.com/helmet-legalization.php

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/3/24/296667/AAA-Urges-Tennessee-Lawmakers-To-Not.aspx

http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0700&ga=109

Edited March 24, 2015 by Still Ugly

[Ugly]

While I do support one making their own decision regarding helmets consider this:  insurance premiums will likely skyrocket for everyone that rides if this passes.

 

Anyone notice this proposal would NOT apply to those on TennCare?

Why do you think insurance will skyrocket?

[LagerHead]

Why do you think insurance will skyrocket?

 

Insurance premiums are based on the likelihood of the insurance companies being required to pay out and how much they are likely to pay. Riding without a helmet increases both of those in case of an accident. Although Still Ugly states that riders who don't wear helmets tend to wear better gear, very few people die from road rash. I'd have to see stats from an independent source to know what the actual affect is on deaths and accidents.

[Garufa]

Why do you think insurance will skyrocket?

 

Well, first off why would the law not apply to TennCare people?

 

Increased risk = increased insurance.  If half your brain ends up on the highway then medical costs increase as does what the insurance bastards have to pay out.

[Ugly]

The Tenn care thing must be an appeasement for support. 

My point about helmet less riders being better dressed is because of the focus on training instead of just a law. Same thing here if the effort is placed on training versus just having a helmet law. 

 

While it is logical for the insurance co's to increase rates, a good portion of that would be because of opportunity (in my opinion). In Florida (I need an example from somewhere) legislation was passed to restrict insurance companies from gouging rates. Of course FL is unique because the state doesn't require motorcyclists to carry insurance on the bike, to get the law passed they did require medical coverage though. 

 

TN had 4.5 million licensed drivers in 2010, I'm guessing about 300K have a motorcycle license. If rates sky rocket due to a potential several thousand drivers, something is fishy. 

 

http://www.statista.com/statistics/206453/total-number-of-licensed-drivers-in-tennessee-in-2010-by-age/

 

I've got to find some real stats (not skewed gov ones) and when I do I'll post em. 

[2.ooohhh]

 I'd have to see stats from an independent source to know what the actual affect is on deaths and accidents.

 

I could interject here but I'll hold my tongue for the moment.

[Patton]

Insurance premiums are based on the likelihood of the insurance companies being required to pay out and how much they are likely to pay. Riding without a helmet increases both of those in case of an accident. Although Still Ugly states that riders who don't wear helmets tend to wear better gear, very few people die from road rash. I'd have to see stats from an independent source to know what the actual affect is on deaths and accidents.

Pretty much, I was a traffic investigator in a state that did not require helmets. I have worked some pretty gruesome car and motorcycle wrecks that also become ugly court cases. It was also a no-fault state; I can not image the craziness with the way insurance is in TN.

While I believe in freedom, You are utilizing local, state, and federally funded roads. When the police have to detour traffic and spend hours upon hours investigating a wreck that has become serious because of the lack of safety equipment like helmets and seatbelts, it becomes a government interest.

[Guest The Incredible Bulk]

Slightly off topic; I'm new here and live out of state. Is TN a No-Fault insurance state ? I had to deal with that decades ago in another state.

[Garufa]

The Tenn care thing must be an appeasement for support.

 

I think it speaks volumes.

 

Are the republicans now trying to stick it to the poor folks via a helmet law?  I think not.  They know well the financial ramifications.

[Ray Z]

If you don't wear a helmet when you ride, you don't have anything that needs protecting.

[Tncobra]

To spare the world of my ugliness, I wear a lid.

[Sam1]

I think helmet laws are silly, if you want to get on a bike without a helmet, then that's your problem not anyone else's.

[Chucktshoes]

Pretty much, I was a traffic investigator in a state that did not require helmets. I have worked some pretty gruesome car and motorcycle wrecks that also become ugly court cases. It was also a no-fault state; I can not image the craziness with the way insurance is in TN.

While I believe in freedom, You are utilizing local, state, and federally funded roads. When the police have to detour traffic and spend hours upon hours investigating a wreck that has become serious because of the lack of safety equipment like helmets and seatbelts, it becomes a government interest.

Roads and officer salaries funded through extortion and larceny. The type of reasoning you use here can and has been used to justify literally any and every type of government regulation. It is the antithesis of liberty.

[Ugly]

Some lively conversation :)

Looks to be about 167,566 bikes registered in TN. That is a lot less than I guessed. I have two registered and I'm guessing I'm not alone.

I would also guess that a lot more than 170,000 butt monkeys are in accidents a year due to texting alone.

http://www.statista.com/statistics/191002/number-of-registered-motorcycles-in-the-us-by-state/ Edited March 25, 2015 by Still Ugly

[LagerHead]

Pretty much, I was a traffic investigator in a state that did not require helmets. I have worked some pretty gruesome car and motorcycle wrecks that also become ugly court cases. It was also a no-fault state; I can not image the craziness with the way insurance is in TN.

While I believe in freedom, You are utilizing local, state, and federally funded roads. When the police have to detour traffic and spend hours upon hours investigating a wreck that has become serious because of the lack of safety equipment like helmets and seatbelts, it becomes a government interest.

 

Tens of thousands of people are killed in all kinds of vehicles every single year. How far should we take this so that the government isn't inconvenienced?

[LagerHead]

I could interject here but I'll hold my tongue for the moment.

 

Interject. Interject.

[Pain103]

I could see insurance companies refusing coverage for not wearing a helmet regardless of fault. I personally don't care if they do away with the helmet law but I've seen aftermath of not wearing the proper helmet resulting in open skulls and brains on the roadway.

[frankmako]

been riding for many mango seasons.  went down in 72.  I am against the helmet laws, but I wear one and will no matter the law.  I don not like someone telling me what I can wear and not wear.  I feel the same way about seat belts.  I wear one just don't like the government telling to do so.