Whether or not one chooses to wear a helmet should be that person's own business. The same should be true of seat belts in cars. The state should have to prove it costs the public more to scrape someone off the road without a helmet than it does with one. They've managed to pass the seat belt law everywhere, probably because the insurance companies pushed it through, but so far as I've ever heard, they never had to justify it. I really do hate it when someone tries to help me before I ask them to, especially when I've asked them not to!!  

Actually, in many states it is your own business. But I suggest you read through the various articles on the subject contained in the MC Cruiser website before being so quick to assume that they're just all out to get you. Personally, even after reading all the articles and studies (yes, there are studies out there)over the years, I'm still somewhat ambivalent about making it LAW; but I wear my helmet just to pull my bike in the garage.

As for automobile seatbelts, there are decades of safety statistics and actual test data (you know - the crash test dummies you see in commercials) which make it very clear that anyone of legal driving age with enough physical and mental capacity to earn a driver's license, who doesn't "buckle up" is a fool and/or in total denial. (I didn't include total idiot because one probably could not pass the driver's test being a total idiot; but there a many "mostly" idiots out there...) There's plenty of information available on this subject in the NHTSA website, and I'm sure most state DPS websites  

It's not about being smart or not; I wear a helmet and I buckle up. It's about having the right to decide. Before the state makes a law it should have to prove the law benefits the state enough to take away the individual's right of choice. The laws against prostitution being another such situation. Too often it's a religious issue, not a health or crime issue. Nevada has had prostitution for a lot of years and it's not even close to being a problem. Their biggest problem, like most places, is the drunk driver. We have very few freedoms left, we need to protect each one of them. The one law, Do No Harm, is plenty for all of us.  

Victimless?? If I decide to nude sunbathe and someone sees me, there's a victim (trust me..they could be blinded for life, just from the glare).

Humor aside, there are a lot of studies on head injuries from motorcycles. On average it costs more if you don't wear a helmet. If you regularly ride with no helmet, and have an accident, you are relying on helmeted riders to make up the difference in medical costs. Mind you this is all academic, but, since you are forcing them to pay more for your accident, they could be considered victims.

I'm not wild about mandatory helmet laws or seatbelt laws, but, I understand the financial impact to others too.
Maybe we just need a get out of helmet free card that we can buy.  

I'm just really big on people staying out of my business, regardless what it is, and over the years the government has inched its tentacles into a lot of areas I see as personal. The analogy about sunbathing in the nude is a good one; if you're far enough out on the beach so you shouldn't be a bother to anyone, but someone does happen upon you, common sense would seem to be that the newcomer owes you privacy, not the other way around. Nudity isn't against the law in most advanced cultures. Here, it's an unspoken horror! My whole point is that before a law is enacted that takes away someone's rights, there should be proof shown that the law is needed to protect the general public. Nudity, adult seat belts, helmets, gambling, prostitution... all could be problems or not. So could over-consumption of whipped cream.  

Many states allow you to make that decision but require that you have decent medical insurance to cover extended medical costs.  Why do we pay such extravagent insurance costs?  Covering bills of those who either don't have enough insurance or make poor choices.  Have any idea how much it cost for a few days in ICU?  I had four days for 50K, and I didn't have head injuries.  Oh!  The dog I hit won't have to worry about where to bury his bones any longer.  I personally don't like paying eight hundred dollars a year for coverage, but I do.
 As far as helmets, Florida has a huge increase in head injuries during both bike weeks...go figure.  I don't like wearing a bucket either, but since riding isn't idiot proof, I do...been there, killed the poor pooch, didn't get the Tee shirt.  

All of which makes good sense to me; if the state wants to come right out and say that I'm a threat to them if I choose not to wear a bucket, fine, but they need to get all their ducks in a row when they do that because lots of people are going to wonder in court why they arbitrarily raise the insurance rates. For me, as I've said, I just get awfully tired of taxes going up on cigarettes (I don't smoke) because it's unhealthy, someone saying it's bad to spank your child (I was spanked, my kids were spanked, and we still obey most of the common sense rules of society)because it's cruelty, and implementing any other such rules without explaining exactly why the rules affect the society. Four days in ICU is very expensive, but would you have gotten a break on the cost if you told them you were wearing your helmet? Was it the alcohol, the speed, or the helmets at fault in Florida? I've been riding for a lot of years, have always worn a helmet, usually wear leathers unless it's just too damned hot. I've been down a couple of times (never hit a dog, thankfully) and I've had some scary moments. I still ride. I like riding. I like the people I meet when I ride. Some of them haven't got the sense God gave a goose. But, bigod, as I see it, we've all of us got just as much right here as does any other peace loving citizen. Stupid isn't always bad, but yes, it's always stupid.  

Helmets save lives. It will unfortunate for yhou to realize that when it's too late. You cant depend on your skill alone to save hour arse. Some cage runs a stop sign or turns into your lane and hits you...you will wish that you had a bucket on.
On the financial end of it. I don't want my insurance rates to go up because you got into an accident and have to be on life support for the rest of your life. Whoa, not so victimless now is it?!  

WISCONSIN is a right to choose state.i knew a gal back in 2000 who rode behind her boyfriends custom HD.it was bright orange and looked like a show bike.they bar hopped alot.they never wore helmets and id always tell her she should wear one because she could fall off and get KILLED.she said her boyfriend didnt think it looked COOL to ride with a helmet.everybodys got a reason to ride.sometimes i wear mine and sometimes i dont.BUT if somebody told me they KNEW i was going to go down today i would choose to be wearing a helmet because i think id have alot better chance of survival.  

This is one topic that gets everybody going. Choice is good. It's the 'FREEDOM THING' but this can get in the way of logic and rationale. Hey, before you make your choice just take a walk into a brain injury rehab unit and take a good hard look of what might be you if you draw the short straw and then ask your self "is it worth the risk?" How cool would you look as you dribble, *** and piss yourself while waiting for the nurse to come and clean you up? Keep the shiney bit up guys.  

I'm all for a person's right to choose, but what irritates me is that I have to pay higher insurance rates for people who splatter their heads on the road.  My health insurance is higher for it and it is to the point where it is getting out of control (albeit, it is just not because of riders who do not wear helmets).  I chose to wear one because I like to make it home to my wife and kids.  I have seen way too many people in my area killed because a lack of head protection.  

If you were out on the roads today in Providence, you'd want a helmet, body armor, and anything else you could lay your hands on (shotguns, helicopter gunships).... and I was driving a car.

It was the nicest day of the year, and I was glad that I didn't take the bike. How sad is that???  

LOL...Red if I would have thought to ask for a discount for wearing a helmet I would have.  Here's some food for thought, I had seven broken ribs, collapsed lung, road rash, and a ruptured spleen.  During the events of the wreck with poochie, my helmet was cracked, scraped, and generally distroyed.  Luckly by the grace of God, a good helmet, and some determination, I eventually got up, walked to the bike and made my own 911 call.  Early morning trips on country roads does not insure someone will find you.  If I had been knocked unconscience I would have bled out laying on the side of the road....almost did anyway.  So I will not argue the safety of wearing one as I was blessed that it is a law in my state (as I am one who will ride without when not challenged too)
 Hopefully you will continue to wear a lid and forever have safe rides where you can return home to your children and tell them wonderful stories of your rides and adventures.  Your children may be the best arguement for wearing a helmet as they are one of the few things you can think of outside of the pain while trying to save yourself.
 Maybe one day (if you so choose) you can move to a state that doesn't require a helmet and have peace.  For me...Florida has a wonderfully long riding season and the farm is up for sale.  When I get down there, come on down and we will ride to Earl's Hideaway for a beer and burger with the best view's of the bay just the otherside of a few motorcycles, some asphalt, and a little sand.  Good riding and stay safe. d  

A friend of my niece had been browbeaten my my niece and one or 2 friends to wear a helmet, and buy a proper jacket.

Less than a month later, he was doing wheelies, and screwed up. My niece recalls seeing a body flying up into the air, flailing in the wind, and it came down hard, and skidded.

Bottom line: His helmet was toast, it had a huge chunk out of it. The jacket was shredded into little bits. His jeans survided the first 2 or 3 feet.

Any part of his body with the gear on it needed no medical attention. His lower body needed dermabrasion, and gravel removal.

On the flip side, his insurance company GLADLY paid to replace the helmet, and the jacket (and not so gladly.. the bike)  

The insurance companies pushed the seat belt law. They did this so that if a driver is in an accident and not wearing a seat belt, they could jack-up their insurance rates, sometimes doubling it. It was nothing but a money maker for insurance companies and had nothing to do with safety. It's not the government's job to protect us from ourselves. All citizens should have the Right to choose. As for me, I always wear my seatbelt, and sometimes wear my helmet. My choice!