We Americans can get emotional about personal freedom. Operating a motorcycle can be, in itself, an emotional experience. Take it from me, opening up my V-twin Honda, with only 500-cc displacement, at full throttle, back when I was a mere youngster of fifty, was a major thrill. Getting an aggressive wasp inside my jean jacket on a sharp curve of a two-lane road evoked another strong emotion called terror – I’m still amazed that I brought the machine to a safe stop while the little bastard stung me four or five time. So it’s understandable that some bikers love the feeling of the wind in their hair and say it’s no one’s business but their own if they ride without a helmet. I suggest they stand in front of a fan, because they’re wrong, and here’s why:
Years ago I was riding my cycle up Milwaukee Avenue, in a suit, attache case strapped to the luggage rack, when a driver suddenly pulled out from the curb and clipped my rear. It could have sent me headfirst into oncoming traffic; I managed to steer away from that, but couldn’t help going down. The other driver was a nice guy who just miscalculated the speed of my cycle, a fairly common problem.
Because of my case guards and luggage rack, I avoided a broken hip, barely. My helmet left a streak of red paint five feet long on the pavement, but my brain remained in its original container. As a result:
- Traffic was held up for five or ten minutes, not a half hour to an hour;
- The officer who came was able to enjoy her supper that evening;
- The man who hit me was charged with only a minor offense;
- His insurance company just bought me a new suit and paid to fix up my cycle, and;
- They paid only a few hundred for my pain and suffering, and I really didn’t deserve more;
- I was at work the next morning. My accident didn’t cause a backlog at my job;
- I continued to support myself and pay my taxes;
- You, as a taxpayer, didn’t pay hundreds of thousands in disability and rehabilitation.
All because I was wearing a helmet.
You see, we live in something called a civilization. Inevitably, many of the decisions you make for yourself will have an impact on me and other citizens. Some states still pretend that not wearing a helmet is a personal decision for a motorcyclist. That is a very misguided attitude. Helmet laws protect everyone, not just those who wear the helmets.