{"id":40,"date":"2020-06-05T10:55:53","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T17:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/?p=40"},"modified":"2020-06-05T11:06:33","modified_gmt":"2020-06-05T18:06:33","slug":"thoughts-on-motorcycle-helmet-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/?p=40","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on Motorcycle Helmet Laws (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every now and then someone will comment on an older post. Like today, when a reader commented on this one, written 16 years ago. I couldn’t remember what I said back then, so I re-read the post. Hmmm … it appears my thoughts on motorcycle helmet laws have evolved.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"IMG_0393\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My feelings are no longer mixed. Helmets should be mandatory for motorcycle riders and passengers in all 50 states.<\/em><\/p>\n

When I wrote the original post, I still occasionally rode without a helmet, but those days are long gone. I always wear a helmet now, and have for years. As for making it a requirement for everyone, it’s what I said in the original post: riding a motorcycle on public roads is not a right. States impose all sorts of regulatory restrictions on vehicles and operators, and requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets is no different from requiring cagers to wear seatbelts.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here’s the original post from September 2, 2004.
\n\u2014 Paul<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Helmet laws suck. Helmets, on the other hand … I have mixed feelings on the issue of mandatory helmet laws. I don’t want the government to order me to wear a helmet, but if it does I’ll strap one on in order to continue riding.<\/p>\n

I live in Arizona, a no-helmet-law state, and on weekend rides in the country I generally don’t wear a helmet. Frankly I’m glad I live in a state where I can choose.<\/p>\n

However, I work on a USAF base, and in order to ride on base I must wear a helmet (plus full-finger gloves, over-the-ankle boots, long sleeve shirt, eye protection, and reflective vest). I don’t have any problem with that. I think the USAF is within its rights to require that of me.<\/p>\n

If the Arizona legislature started talking about enacting a helmet law I’d fight it to the extent of writing my representatives to ask them to vote against it, participating in anti-helmet rallies, and signing ABATE petitions … but I wouldn’t fall on my sword over the issue, and if Arizona were to pass a helmet law I’d shut up and comply with it.<\/p>\n

Why? Because riding a motorcycle on public roads is not a right. Going to the church of my choice is a right. Speaking my mind is a right. Voting for someone other than George W. Bush, no matter what Zell Miller<\/a> thinks, is a right. Operating a vehicle on public roads is not a right. When I got my Arizona license I entered into a contract with the state, agreeing to comply with traffic laws and regulations, and I expect my fellow drivers to do the same.<\/p>\n

As far as the safety side of the debate, there’s really no argument. Personally, if I were king (and had the sense of responsibility toward my people a king ought to have), I’d impose a universal helmet law and make sure it was enforced. Good thing I’m not the king, eh?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Helmets should be mandatory for motorcycle riders and passengers in all 50 states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-big-brother","category-motorcycling"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26546,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40\/revisions\/26546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwoodford.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}