Missouri repeals all-rider helmet law

[Butch]

I will chime in as I have been a huge lid proponent forever, but also spent some Harley years where not wearing one provided some advantages... assuming you don't crash. As an FYI helmets have likely saved my life a half dozen times or more probably.

A little tongue and cheek so don't jump me

Advantages of NOT wearing a helmet.
1. It slows you down.. any thing above 80 is usually avoided. Flappy cheeks, watering eyes and yes.. bug hits get painful.
2. When you get to the bar your hair looks good.
3. Seemed that chicks dug it (this was the early 90's and I was just divorced so chicks digging it was important :laughing)
4. Speaking of chicks you are much more accessible to kissing and such.
5. Easy to flirt with a girl driving a car at a stoplight.
6. Easy for a girl to decide if you have a chance of taking her home.
7. You don't have to worry about it being stolen.

OK.. all I got.

Lead by example. True leadership.
Though... Dan...here we are. As BARF's dutiful bean counter... way rocks too.

 

[KooLaid]

That's good for them. I tried it living in Colorado but scared the shit outta myself at even 35 mph. It's nice that it was an option though. I'm glad California has a helmet law though, it NEEDS the helmet law, heaven forbid if it was an option, YIKES!

 

[Caddywumpus]

Guess they need more orgen donors

 

[lefty]

My Brother had 2 crashes w/o a helmet. The 2nd time he was in ICU for a week. He has permanent brain injuries.

He was never 'right in the head', but he is even worse now.

(In 1985) After visiting him in ICU, I went to a hardware store and bought a "For Sale" sign, so I could sell my 1982 KZ650. I then ran into a 'really old' guy (I was 21 and he was in his late 60's) on a GoldWing.

He convinced me to not sell my bike. He said that he had been riding his whole life and that he always wore a helmet. He said "Wherever you are going- it's going to be there when you arrive". In other words, you don't have to race everywhere- just take your time and be safe.

 

[bigpoppa]

He said "Wherever you are going- it's going to be there when you arrive". In other words, you don't have to race everywhere- just take your time and be safe.

Ah...the wisdom of age. The older I get, the more I’m starting to understand this philosophy and adhere to it. I still have my moments of hooliganism but overall I’ve started slowing down in both my cars and on my bikes as I’ve gotten older.

 

[Killroy1999]

The law makers must be trying to get rid of some people in Missouri.

 

[BrownDawg]

What's the point of loud pipes if when they look they can't see who you are?

 

[norcalAF]

I am a fan of helmets, that said I'm not a fan of telling other people what they do and do not have to do. If you have insurance do whatever you feel is best for your safety. I grew up in Missouri and ride frequently with my dad whenever I visit, I will continue to wear my helmet, as will he. The June bugs there are no joke.

 

[Lowerside]

I have some libertarian leanings, but i'm a fan of helmet laws (and eye protection requirements tbh). From a pragmatism POV, I do wish that lobbying bodies like the AMA would try to compromise on this though and give lawmakers the option of adding helmet laws but it comes with lanesplitting explicitly no longer being illegal. I think that that would be a worthy compromise, but I have a gut feeling that the no-helmet biker crowd has a large intersection with the lanesplitting-is-dangerous crowd.

 

[Pking]

They like the feeling of riding without, I bet it feels great. :shrug: No skin off my nuts if someone decides it's worth the risk.

I tried it when visiting family in Fla. I didn't even get 7 miles before I had to pull over and put on my helmet. Reason? All kinds of bugs were hitting me in the face. Although it wasn't painful, it was just the feeling of having stuff hit my face while riding. And it was like the faster you go the more bugs you get, ugh! I guess Floridian riders are use to it, but definitely not for me. :thumbdown

 

[Kornholio]

Even having insurance doesn't really matter unless you're going to setup checkpoints all over the place to verify if a rider without a lid is actually adequately insured in the first place and therefore allowed to ride without a helmet. Since we all know that'll never happen as the police have far more important shit to deal with, I genuinely wish the proponents of no helmet laws would just leave the insurance part out. It's basically impossible to enforce.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Desperation to lower the COVID mortality numbers- check the motorcycle crash box instead.

 

[horsepower]

Huh, No lane splitting yet head splitting is ok:laughing
Gives Don’t Tread on me a whole new irony
Meh, Let Darwin prevail.

 

[DataDan]

Even having insurance doesn't really matter unless you're going to setup checkpoints all over the place to verify if a rider without a lid is actually adequately insured in the first place and therefore allowed to ride without a helmet. Since we all know that'll never happen as the police have far more important shit to deal with, I genuinely wish the proponents of no helmet laws would just leave the insurance part out. It's basically impossible to enforce.

The age requirement is also hard to enforce. In Texas, motorcyclists under 21 must wear a helmet, but 40% of those who crash are not wearing one. Same in Michigan, but it's only 17%.

The age and insurance requirements (also training in MI and TX) give legislators cover, though they know they can't be strictly enforced. I would guess it's a add-on ticket. Get pulled over for something else, get a helmet ticket if you don't qualify.