Helmets and seat belts… again

Big topic on the message boards from yesterday’s paper was apparently motorcycles. Motorcycle operators say cars don’t watch out for them enough. Car drivers say motorcyclists drive like crap. That’s somewhat true but also a tad hypocritical coming from most drivers I’ve seen in Springfield. And then the whole debate of to helmet or not to helmet came up.

First of all, regarding helmets, they’re exactly like seatbelts. I think they absolutely SHOULD be worn- by everyone. It’s a no-brainer. However, I don’t believe that it’s up to da Gubment to tell us we HAVE to wear helmets and seatbelts. If we choose to take the risk by not wearing them, that’s our binniss. If a motorcycle driver winds up spreading grey matter all over the street because he was too macho (from the Spanish meaning “small penis”) to wear a helmet, how does that harm anyone else? Same with if someone chooses not to wear a seatbelt, and they wind up going through their windshield. (Heaven knows the herd needs thinned out a little anyway.) Obviously, children should be required to wear them until age 18. Hypocritical, maybe a tad, but they’re children, folks. We should protect our children, and children aren’t always the best at making proper choices. Come to think of it, neither are many adults, but that’s another issue. Children are required to sit in booster seats until they reach 8 years old, 80 lbs., and apparently, 4′9″ tall now. So since children “have” to sit in them, adults should have to sit in booster seats also? No. But that’s the logic of the “if children are required to wear seatbelts, adults should be too” argument. Hey, like I say, I think EVERYONE should wear seatbelts and helmets (motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, snowboard, whatever). Hell, even Gov. Blowjobovich wears a Hair Helmet™ everywhere he goes. But if someone chooses not to wear them, I’m perfectly fine with that as well. They sure as hell don’t deserve a ticket for it. You can’t legislate stupidity. Subsequently, this whole thing of writing and passing bullshit laws to “save us from ourselves” is ridiculous.

Now as far as the operating of motorcycles on the road, I have to side with {most} motorcyclists on that one. Let me preface that by saying that motorcyclists COULD do a better job of making themselves more visible (brighter clothing, more reflective materials on their clothes and their bike, etc.), but the bottom line is that car drivers have got to be more alert for motorcyclists. Many motorcycle-vs-car accidents are caused by the driver of the car “not seeing” the motorcycle for whatever reason. Again, motorcyclists would do themselves a huge favor to ditch the whole dressed-in-all-black-leather-makes-you-a-bad-ass dress code and wear clothing that provides them greater chance of being seen, but car drivers simply have to be on the alert for motorcycles (and bicycles!) the same way they need to be on the alert for children and animals darting into the street in an instant or for other car drivers running stop signs and red lights. In other words, hang up, slow down, and pay attention to the world around you. (Hmmmm… that sounds vaguely familiar…)

However, there is some measure of blame that does need to go to motorcyclists, and it mainly goes to most of the limpdick crotch-rocket riders out there. I’m talking about the assholes that drive as fast as their bike will go simply because it goes that fast. I’m talking about the assholes that drive down the lane lines between two cars. I’m talking about the assholes that do wheelies and other “look at me, I’m stupid cool” tricks on Veterans Parkway- and any other street, for that matter. You boys need to find another way to display your impotence for all the world to see.