One of the great joys of motorcycling is the feeling of freedom out there on the open road! There's very little that matches the experience of blasting down the road without being surrounded by a metal cage.
But some people think freedom means you have no restraints whatsoever.
Can you imagine expecting to be able drive wherever you want without looking out for other people? I really hate to see someone on a motorcycle wearing nothing more than shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops.
The thought that crosses my mind is how much skin that person would lose sliding or bouncing down the road.
All it would take is for someone else to do something really stupid.
When we go to a football game, the players are wearing huge protective pads and helmets.
We see the same at a hockey game.
Those people aren't going anywhere near as fast as a motorcycle does.
They wear that gear because it keeps them safe from serious injuries.
So, why shouldn't we be as concerned about protection when going down the road on the back of a motorcycle? Why is a helmet OK for football or hockey players but becomes an "infringement on the rights" of a motorcyclist? I've had a driver's license for nearly half a century.
Early on, I saw the value of seat belts and have worn them religiously ever since.
When I got my first motorcycle in 1966, I was in the Army.
They wouldn't allow me to ride on base without a helmet.
So, from the very beginning, I've been wearing a motorcycle helmet whenever I ride.
The value of a motorcycle helmet was driven home to me in a very personal way.
Back in the 1970's, my sister was going with a guy who had a motorcycle.
One day, he lost control of the bike when his front wheel dropped off the edge of the pavement.
He was thrown several feet through the air head-first into a utility pole.
He was barely 20 years old.
The massive brain injuries he suffered didn't kill his body but did destroy his life as a human being.
He lives in a nursing home with his care being paid for by your tax dollars and mine! A motorcycle helmet would have protected his brain from being destroyed.
While I'm not going to go the the state legislature to lobby for a helmet law, I still think every motorcyclist should wear one.
If you want the freedom to ride without a helmet, I think you, your family or your insurance company should pick up the tab for any injuries caused by that choice.
To me, it is wrong for my insurance company to charge me a higher premium to cover the costs of treating those too foolish to protect themselves from unnecessary injury.
Other peoples' choices should not cost me money.
So, is it personal protection or personal freedom? I lean in the direction of choices that will allow me to live a long, healthy and productive life.
I encourage you to do the same.