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From: kgdykes@watbun.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cycle,net.politics,net.auto
Subject: re Seat belts, Helmets and Freedom of Choice
Message-ID: <472@water.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 27-Jul-86 06:04:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: water.472
Posted: Sun Jul 27 06:04:55 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jul-86 00:47:53 EDT
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Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
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Xref: watmath net.cycle:1859 net.politics:17772 net.auto:11922


>From: mwicks@sun.uucp (Michael Wicks)
>
>  either. I find it interesting that Californians have a MANDATORY
>  seat belt law in effect that no one in particular seems to object to,...
>  ...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 would the
>  persons who wrote and voted for the seat belt law NOT consider a
>  helmet law? I don't have the answers but I do say that if you are on
>  a motorcycle on the freeway WITHOUT a helmet and decide to travel 
>  between cars, you deserve to get you head mashed...
 
 Motor vehicle safety lies within the OPERATION of vehicle and
not trying to lessen the effects of a collision, like medicine,
avoidance is superior to treatment.
 To many people helmets "obviously" help in the treatment side of
accidents, there are studies that show how helmets actually
cause more complicated injuries. Also, the worst part of head injuries
is the SUDDEN DECELERATION of the brain against the skull,
no helment can help that.
The medical uses of helmets *IS NOT CUT AND DRY*
and I object to being legislated into wearing
something that MAY actually cause harm.
 On the "prevention" side of things, helmets definitely cause more harm
than good -- restricted hearing and field-of-vision, heat build-up
causing drowsiness, and a sense of over-confidence.
 
 Seatbelts on the other hand DEFINITELY allow a person to maintain
control of the car during emergency maneuvers, who cares of you smash
or face on the windshield? but studies indicate that seatbelts help a
person keep control (longer) and reduce severety (and possible involving
other innocent vehicles) in accidents.

EDUCATE, DON'T LEGISLATE!
    - Ken Dykes
      Biker's Rights of Ontario, Canada.
      {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,utzoo}!watmath!watbun!kgdykes