seat belts vs helmets (insurance, taxes, live)

[PMBird]

How come Maine drivers are required to wear seat belts, but motorcyclist are not required to wear a helmet?

[Maineah]

Good question!!! While I believe that anyone should be free to wear a seatbelt or not the same rules should apply to motorcyclists. I wear a helmet while riding only because past experiences while riding dirt bikes has taught me that a helmet can be very necessary. The helmet saved me more than once and because of that I would not ride without one. I understand why some folks don't want to wear them ,the same way I understand that some don't want to wear seat belts. In my opinion there should be a manditory helmet law in any state that requires the use of seatbelts! And that's just about all of them!

[Boomerang]

Didn't they try to pass a helmet law some years back?
I'm surprised it's not a law; should be, IMHO.

I once saw a guy in the Lakes region dump his motorcycle in the road right in front of me; he was horsing around in a group of riders and boom, down he went. Luckily didn't take anyone else with him, but it was horrifying watching him and the cycle bounce and slide down the pavement at 40 mph, narrowly missing a hit from an oncoming motorist. His guardian angel was working overtime that day. He was wearing a helmet, good boots and a leather suit and got only scrapes and bruises, nothing broken. The cycle didn't look so good though. Sincerely hope he learned a lesson about how fleeting and precious health can be.

[Maineah]

There should be a helmet law. The legislature is scared of the United Bikers Of Maine. That is the ONLY reason there in not a helmet law. But you know what they say...If you don't wear a helmet you probably don't need one!

[dmyankee]

And while we're at it, start ticketing the obnoxious after market pipes!

[puntin]

I wear a seatbelt and a helmet, when driving car and riding bike, respectively.

I have seen a motorcycle accident where a man was not wearing a helmet. Seeing him groan and convulse is forever seared in my brain. He later died. On the flip side, my husband hit a deer on his bike. Broke his collar bone, and had some wicked road rash. His helmet was what saved him I'm sure, as it was in pretty bad condition.

[flycessna]

I sometimes where a helmet, I sometimes do not. The only difference I could make would be that a seatbelt not only protects you in case of an accident, but it also helps you maintain control of a vehicle in case of evasive maneuvers and such. A MC helmet is really just to protect you. Though, I wonder how the insurance companies feel about it?

[zedzul]

While I will always ware my seatbelt, I don’t believe it's the governments’ job to make sure you do; same with helmets. It the governments job to make sure the car manufacture provides the seat beats for your use but It should be up to you to decide if you are going to ware it or not.

The government needs to stop wasting there time and our money on legislating common sense.

[elston]

Massive Head Injuries become society's burden. A person who is injured while in their 20's can be a significant financial drain on all of us thru insurance rates and taxes to keep him (or her) alive and tended to. I feel it is entirely right for laws to be passed to protect the public from unnecessary liability. If it were only a personal decision I would agree with those who feel government needs to keep out of it...but the decision to drain everyone else's pockets for years.....that isnt a personal right or decision.

Legislation works and helps. You can legislate what common sense fails to accomplish. I now wear my seat belt.

[Mark S.]

I have noticed that when I wear my helmet driving around town in my car, people tend to get out of the way a lot faster.