No-Brainer Article of the Week: "CDC says helmet laws cut deaths, costs"

[COMPUABLE]

Here is most definitely the "No-Brainer" Article of the Week:
"Motorcycle helmet laws greatly reduce deaths"

I was a bit surprised to read (within the article) that the CDC determined that:

"CDC researchers looked at a government tally of fatal traffic crashes. They focused on 2008 through 2010 and counted 14,283 deaths of motorcyclists.

That included 6,057 bikers with no helmet. Only about 12 percent of those deaths occurred in the 20 states that required everyone on motorbikes to wear helmets.

WOW - 14,293 "deaths" between 2008 and 2010 (and over 6000 deaths of the complete idiots who chose to ride without the benefit of wearing a helmet) and costing $1.4 billion which 'might' have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets." Still almost 15,000 deaths of motorcycle drivers in only 3 years - that's incredible IMO. I mean, had this been the airline or railroad industries they would most likely be out of business or at least under investigation.

Good Luck! -- COMP

[gman863]

Based on this article, Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection is obviously alive and well.

[COMPUABLE]

>> Based on this article, Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection is obviously alive and well. gman863 <<

lol... I totally agree with you gman.

I mean riding a motorcycle is dangerous, period. But, what kind of person would decide to hop on and then ride a motorcycle on the road nowadays - without even the benefit of having a helmet on? <suicidal, I'm guessing!>

Good Luck! - COMP

[gloozit]

So you would allow the gov't to tell you to brush your teeth, when to eat, what to wear or when to have kids? Tell you not to parachute, climb mountains, scuba dive or spelunk?
Every one of those 14,000 were going to die someday, they just did it sooner.
Those 6000 died, without being a tool. They were in charge of their own lives. At least in their last moments.
Does that article happen to say, how many of the 6000 would have died, even with a helmet on?
Does it say how many would have lived, if the cage drivers had paid attention to the biker?
Does it say how many died from broken necks, from wearing a helmet?
Does it say how many involved, (cars/bikes) were breaking traffic laws?
Or are they just scare statistics, slanted for the anti-bikers?

Natural selection, huh? I prefer culling to that.
Culling the herd should start with the non-thinkers, the ones who let the government dictate to them. The ones that think the government knows best, are the ones that are the most dangerous to the herd.

We voted the no helmet law, here in Michigan, that makes us all suicidal and without brains.

BTW, do either of you ride?

The CDC spent good gov't money to get that report? Money that could have been used for a noble purpose?
All these baby sitter laws cost too much money.
I could have written those statistics up like that, if someone paid me, too.

[gloozit]

Re-looking at those statistics, my way.

14,283 deaths/6,057 bikers with no helmet

I already stated they did not give any real statistics, just numbers. Where are the percentages showing the causes of death? How many deaths are related to not wearing a helmet? Related to wearing one? How many caused by stupid, un-alert car drivers, possibly texting or talking on the phone? How many were caused by 100+ speeds?

12 percent of those deaths occurred in the 20 states that required everyone on motorbikes to wear helmets.

So this is the basis of the whole article? This is their proof?
There isn't any other.

"In 2010, more than $3 billion in economic costs were saved due to helmet use in the United States," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in a statement. "Another $1.4 billion could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets."

What "economic" costs? Mysterious statement not worthy of even noticing because of it's generalness.

According to the CDC, motorcycles account for about 3 percent of the registered vehicles on the road. But about 14 percent of the people who die in traffic accidents are motorcyclists.

So if we saved all 6000 people, then that is less than half of the total bike deaths and makes this statistic "8 or 9 per cent of all people who die in motorcycle accidents are the 3% of total registered drivers."
Maybe you two should campaign to get Bikes outlawed.
After all, 8 or 9 percent of all traffic deaths, even wearing helmets are motorcyclists.

urged motorcyclists not to wear the 5X5 brand, SA-08 model

And just how many deaths were caused by this helmet, that the gov't passed for use?
Before the CDC statement? The gov't can't even babysit properly.

And did any deaths in the cars, happen to get into these statistics? To confuse the report even more?

[BILLMCC66]

When i first started riding motorcycles there were no helmet laws and we were cool just wearing sunglasses but when i think back to the number of bugs i got in my eyes then maybe it was not so cool.
I survived a really serious accident where an auto pulled out of a car park in front of me, I was doing 70 or80 MPH and almost cut the auto in two, I went over the top of the auto and through a store front window,it was my helmet that saved my life without any doubt.
I am now an invalid due to the accident but i could have died at the scene.
I am against government intervention on a lot of things but not the helmet law or the "no texting and driving" because there are people out there who just do not realize the danger they put themselves and other in.

[gloozit]

I will reiterate, Babysitter Laws cost far more to create, legislate, and enforce, than they save money. (or lives)
They save SOME lives, as Bill said, but where do these laws stop?
Here is a government, telling me I can live longer if I wear a helmet.
But that gov't sold 10's of 1000's of guns to Mexican drug gangs, they approve medical drugs, whose side effects, kill, they have prohibited a plant that has 1000's of uses, because it would hurt other industries wallets, if legalized. They are corrupt money grabbers, who write up a bill for those with the lobby money, and the list goes on for pages.

I am not saying, helmets are stupid. I am saying grow the hell up, make your own decisions. Ones based on what you and I know to be good reasons. Not reasons, some politico was paid to write a bill for or against.
Just because I may step outside and may get killed crossing a street, even if I look both ways, does not mean I should put full body armor on.
I live on the Lake Michigan coast, one of the most dangerous swimming holes there are.
But we have no lifeguards on most of the beaches and every year at least 10 people drown, (just in my town) swimming in rip currents or trying to swim the channel. The reason the toll is that low is because people do have sense and know how to take cautions. They don't need a law telling them what is good or bad or dangerous.
What provoked me was this:

<suicidal, I'm guessing!>

and this

Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection is obviously alive and well.

I am neither suicidal or stupid. Nor are the 100's of bikers I have ridden with.
Nor do I need a report or a government to tell me what I should wear, while I doing a legal activity. Next we will have a law that says you must wear a parachute, if you go skydiving. Man, the government takes the fun out of everything.
Anyone who thinks babysitter laws are good, are my nominations for the Darwin Trophy, mainly, because they would be the first to go extinct, if they found themselves having to make their own decisions.

.

[Fred_G]

"Here is a government, telling me I can live longer if I wear a helmet.
But that gov't sold 10's of 1000's of guns to Mexican drug gangs, they approve medical drugs, whose side effects, kill, they have prohibited a plant that has 1000's of uses, because it would hurt other industries wallets, if legalized. They are corrupt money grabbers, who write up a bill for those with the lobby money, and the list goes on for pages.

I am not saying, helmets are stupid. I am saying grow the hell up, make your own decisions. Ones based on what you and I know to be good reasons. Not reasons, some politico was paid to write a bill for or against.
Just because I may step outside and may get killed crossing a street, even if I look both ways, does not mean I should put full body armor on."

"Nor do I need a report or a government to tell me what I should wear, while I doing a legal activity. Next we will have a law that says you must wear a parachute, if you go skydiving. Man, the government takes the fun out of everything.
Anyone who thinks babysitter laws are good, are my nominations for the Darwin Trophy, mainly, because they would be the first to go extinct, if they found themselves having to make their own decisions."

Amen brother Gloozit! Like your sig by the way, I may steal it for use in another forum.

[gloozit]

I was buzzed on coffee and cinnamon buns.

Not sure where I got the sig, probably stole it off another forum,
Take it, it's your's.

[Fred_G]

Originally Posted by gloozit

I was buzzed on coffee and cinnamon buns.

Not sure where I got the sig, probably stole it off another forum,
Take it, it's your's.

Perhaps we need the gubment to regulate your pastry and coffee consumption. You know, for your own good.

[dyamond]

Hey if you want to go a crack your skull open, be my guest

I just can't understand why people don't want to. It's like getting on a roller coaster ride and telling the guy - "nah I don't want to be strapped in let's just see if I fall out"

I might have said this previously but my sister had a friend who drove a motorcycle and he got in and accident, flew head first over the handlebars and then slid about 50 feet? (I can't remember exactly) on his chest and scraped his entire chest off (can you say ouch?!?!?!). He cracked his helmet and was told he was lucky he was wearing a helmet because he would have cracked his skull instead.

[Fred_G]

Hey, I ain't riding one of those motorcycles, they are dangerous! (my opinion, don't ask for proof) But I would have it where adults riding them can choose to wear a helmet or not. We are all gonna die one day...

Been wearing my seatbelt long before it was a law here. My choice.

[gloozit]

It's all about choice Dyamond, period.
I hit the pavement at 45, after hitting a telephone, I survived, my helmet didn't. But it wasn't on my head. Thank God.
A helmet is not a talisman. It does not protect you from dying. It merely prevents damage, below a certain impact pressure. Beyond that pressure point, it is an egg shell.
Same thing with a leather coat, merely prevents road rash.
Millions of people are dying from deadly choices the government allows, every day. How many of you that posted, are smokers? Or drinkers? Or using prescription drugs, with serious side effects?
That is stupider, than not wearing a helmet.
What about wearing shorts on a bike? Another stupid idea. No one ever mentions that. Why isn't there a law to force big boy pants on bikes? Because people would not allow it! Same with helmets.

Btw has anyone thought of the damage caused by helmets? Like paralysis? From a broken neck, because of the helmet weight snapping necks?
I want to be able to make a choice between death and living out the rest of my life with drool running down my chin.
Seems like the ones here saying, "don't kill yourself", are saying "kill yourself" in another thread.
I'm really confused.
So it is OK to legalize euthanasia, but it is not OK to ride without a helmet?


Tell me what is safe in your eyes, but don't go to your legislator and make him write a law to keep me safe, because you are violating my personal freedom and rights! '
nuff said!

(No Dyamond that is not directed at you. It is a general statement, but one I believe wholeheartedly.)

[BILLMCC66]

What about wearing shorts on a bike? Another stupid idea.

Here in Belgium and several other european countries it is against the law to ride motorcycles in shorts and you must also wear a jacket (no T shirts)

[gloozit]

Just curious here. How many of you ride bicycles?
And do you wear those silly little, aerodynamic POS?
Seriously, I would like to know how many of you bicycle riders, wear helmets? All the time.

[gloozit]

@Bill

Originally Posted by gloozit

Tell me what is safe in your eyes, but don't go to your legislator and make him write a law to keep me safe, because you are violating my personal freedom and rights! '
nuff said!
Millions of people are dying from deadly choices the government allows, every day.

[Fred_G]

I wear one of those POS bike helmets when I ride off road. Don't when I ride on the road. My choice. So far, head has not planted on pavement. Course I don't ride much these days.

Just my thoughts, but until big gubment learns to balance it's own checkbook among other things, it can leave me alone with my personal choices.