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From: mwicks@sun.uucp (Michael Wicks)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.cycle,net.auto
Subject: Re: Seat belts, Helmets and Freedom of Choice
Message-ID: <5406@sun.uucp>
Date: Wed, 23-Jul-86 19:13:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.5406
Posted: Wed Jul 23 19:13:15 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Jul-86 07:32:14 EDT
References: <5348@sun.uucp> <6133@sri-spam.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
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Xref: watmath net.politics:17643 net.cycle:1852 net.auto:11794

>Michael, I have religiously worn a seatbelt for the past 6 years, and it
> law was only enacted a few months ago, and we have yet to see a longterm
> study of whether people will obey it, or whether it will go the way of
> obeyance of the 55 mph speed limit.
> 
> >   Motorcyclists have no such restrictions placed upon them, even though
> >   their vehicles are far more dangerous to them than if they were in an
> >   enclosed 4 wheel vehicle. Why is this? Is there a lobby that bikers
> >   have that speaks up whenever a helmet law is mentioned? Why would the
> 
> I appreciate your keen sense of moral values, such that you can determine
> when it is and is not OK for me to get my head crushed by someone in
> an auto.  Again, I always wear boots, helmet, gloves and leathers when
> riding my bike, but I respect others rights not to (although they have
> to be foolish).  I'm fairly new to motorcycling, but already I've learned
> that the single biggest danger to the motorcylist is not his speed or
> agility, but the ignorance of auto drivers on the road.  In fact, my
> speed and agility are the only ways of surviving when someone weaves across
> several lanes of traffic and cuts me off, without signaling.  Given
> your concern for the survival of people on the roads, maybe you would
> like to contribute to my lobby to have HE warhead missles legalized for
> use by motorcylists.  A well placed Stinger would go far to increasing
> the amount of respect and notice afforded motorcyclists on the roads
> of America.
> > 
> 					Robert Allen,
> 					robert@sri-spam.ARPA


   I realize that many drivers have a "bad attitude" towards ANYONE on
   two wheels but I'm wondering if it's because the drivers are just
   plain ignorant jerks who don't pay attention to their surrroundings,
   or if the bikers who normally weave in and out of traffic and scare
   safe drivers cause motorists to cop their attitude towards motor-
   cyclists. I suspect it's some of both. Safe cyclists don't have a
   chance against incompetent drivers anymore than 'insane' bikers
   have a chance against safe drivers. As I've stated previously--
   Laws are enacted because of worst-case scenarios and there is not
   a whole lot that can be done if most of the people comply with the
   law. I would like to see a 'free ' society where people could make
   their own choices about wearing seatbelt and helmets but as long
   as there are incompetents on 2 or 4 wheels then we're in for some
   CONTROL legislation.


           MICHAEL L. WICKS
             Sun Microsystems
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