The problem with giving an inch is they always take a mile. This is why it is so important to never give them the inch in the first place.
Motorcycle helmet laws are an instance of the inch given – that will lead to the mile taken.
The inch is acceptance of the argument that it’s legitimate to force a motorcycle rider to wear a helmet because it decreases his risk of serious injury or death if he wrecks.
Having accepted that, why not just forbid him to ride the thing at all? 
Isn’t the argument essentially the same? The haggle is over degree. Having ceded the argument in principle, it becomes harder over time to defend against further demands and restrictions until the day dawns when someone makes the final argument – outlaw motorcycles altogether. Precedent and practice make it almost inevitable that this day will come.
And so it has.
The British Motorcycle Federation – a kind of two-wheeled AAA – recently published an expose about an eyes-only White Paper called Local Transport Connectivity Plan 5 (LTCP5) produced for internal discussion by Oxfordshire bureaucrats. Within the many pages of obfuscatory and pedantic government-ese was found the statement that “motorcyclists are a danger to themselves” and also that “motorcycles substantially lag behind the car industry in creating less polluting, smaller engines and electric bikes have been slow to the market.”
Just in case the sssssssssssaaaaaaaaaaafety argument doesn’t do the job by itself.
John Broad, who is active in the BMF and the Vintage Motorcycle Club as well as a local district councillor himself, dug up the skullduggery – which the public wasn’t supposed to be privvy to – and spilled the beans, publicly.
“What I found was an incomplete and biased document that was being presented as the basis for future transport policy,” he wrote in an article published by the BMF. “The compilers of the document seemed to have cherry-picked (data) to support their pre-existing bias towards the holy trinity of public transport, cycling and walking,” he wrote.
Does it have a familiar theme?
Like, for instance, the cherry-picked (and presented) data regarding who is “at risk” of dying from the WuFlu?
There is actually much less risk, by the numbers, to go about showing your face than there is to ride a bike – helmeted or not.
The lifetime odds of death on two wheels are 1 in 770.
The odds of someone not already near death from old age or 2.6 other serious illnesses such as COPD, severe hypertension/cardiovascular disease and so on dying from (as opposed to the despicably obfuscatory with) the WuFlu are not even a whole number.
You can calculate your particular odds by taking the Infection Fatality Rate associated with your demographic (age, sex and general health status) and then factor that in context of the general population. If you’re not already near death from old age or chronic serious illness, your IFR is on the right side of the decimal point and the number of zeroes before you even get to a fraction of a whole number increases with youth and vigor.
WuFlu is a serious threat to the very elderly and the already very sick only.
Yet Face Diapers have practically been force-wrapped around the entire planet.
How can motorcycles – so much riskier! – be tolerated?
For that matter, how come they haven’t shut down the highways – or at least imposed a maximum speed limit of 10 MPH, since traffic flowing 70-75 is a danger to feeble elderly people with glaucoma?
And to those who say it’s just the rider who’s at risk – and whereas the Undiapered is putting others at risk – once again the numbers. You’re still more likely to get slumber-roomed by a motorcycle (a 1 in 1,000 lifetime chance) than you are to be slumber-roomed by the WuFlu.
So it’s not surprising that motorcycles are being targeted.
The wonder is it took this long to get around to it.
. . .
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They’re picking a dangerous group to target. Though most motorcyclists are more waxer than biker, those of us who ride hard and often are not accustomed to bending the knee and sure as hell not averse to risk. When my bike becomes a Red Barchetta those enforcers of the Motor Law may not like the type of “push back” they get. Try to eliminate my life style? Well, turnabout’s fair play and all that.
Eric, I love how that odds of death table shows it’s more dangerous to WALK than ride a motorcycle.
On another note. Motorcycles have to be banned or at least made unaffordable and inconvenient if the saints of gaia succeed in killing the gasoline car. Once the cars are all 30-thousand-plus dollar turds people will likely flock to motorcycles and the three wheeled loophole machines such as the polaris slingshot. China figured this out long ago and deleted motorcycles from their major cities.
God bless the bikers!
Amen, Anon –
I just got my ’03 ZRX back together; gave it the old Italian Tuneup on the straight stretch just down the road from me. I can usually clear 150 before I need to start braking….
Why not just keep everybody in diapers and swaddling clothes from cradle to grave?
This Covid stuff is driving me mad! You’re so flooded with the Covid propaganda, it’s ennui nonpareil. lol
The spam detectives won’t allow the link, another try and then the website url in a reply.
Not that it is news, but this is interesting:
Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson MD, PhD is a Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with a PhD in Pharmacology, with special interest in neurotoxicology, environmental medicine, neuroregeneration and neuroplasticity. This is what she has to say about masks and their effects on our brains:
“The rebreathing of our exhaled air will without a doubt create oxygen deficiency and a flooding of carbon dioxide. We know that the human brain is very sensitive to oxygen depravation. There are nerve cells for example in the hippocampus, that can’t be longer than 3 minutes without oxygen – they cannot survive. The acute warning symptoms are headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, issues in concentration, slowing down of the reaction time – reactions of the cognitive system.
When in ten years, dementia is going to increase exponentially, and the younger generations couldn’t reach their god-given potential, it won’t help to say “we didn’t need the masks”.
An ignorant person is someone who doesn’t know what you just found out. – Will Rogers
https://healthandmoneynews. wordpress.com/2020/10/09/brain-damage-from-masks-cannot-be-reversed/?fbclid=IwAR0v8i3crjjRl4BNQ6PPDIEIl2iGLxuLM37SIBYnGZsk7GIfsxmN_hcoWYc
Try it again.
There is a space between the period and the w. Remove it and it should work.
“Motorcycle helmet laws are an instance of the inch given – that will lead to the mile taken.”
Mandatory motorcycle helmet laws are Just Crazy.
We Need More Organ Donors!
Another benefit of not having helmet laws……when a rider dies of head trauma, the hospital can get extra credit by listing it as a “Covid Death.”
I’ve often wondered about that “burden on society” thing one hears regarding helmets. I have two friends who went rubber up over the years wearing helmets. One is a quad and the other is a para. I wonder how all those decades of care (neither were rich) stack up against the bikers who simply die…
Eventually, all the non-elites will be a “burden on society”. And you know what that means.
It means we need fewer Elites.
But I said that over ten years ago… And everyone said I was crazy. Firebrand. Dangerous.
“This song is dedicated – to all the Guns N Roses fans – who stuck with us, through all the F-ckin’ SHIT. And to all those opposed – Hm, Well?”
Have you people caught up to me yet? Anarchotyranny has been here for decades.
As the insurance companies found out to their dismal back in the late 70s/early 80s
Sounds like the work of new urbanists. This wing of collectivist control freaks hates independent transportation. They use all the typical leftist techniques to advance their agenda. First they make sure they are the only ones heard in government. That means of course papers the public and others don’t get to refute. When they have public hearings they set them up after the decisions are already made and often when productive people can’t attend.
They also are using bicycling as a vehicle to discourage motorized transportation but eventually they’ll turn on bicycling as well. They hate vehicular bicyclists like me more than one of the vocal commenters on that subject here does. You have to be the right kind of bicycle rider to be acceptable. Which of course will eventually be no bicycle riding at all.
The way I see it, the way you do it is still useful to them, just not as much. If you know that TPTB are just using cycling against drivers and are planning to turn against cyclists later, then why wouldn’t you be trying to keep car culture as alive as possible now?
Speaking of car-hating new urbanists:
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/10/james-howard-kunstler/the-car-in-the-landscape-a-love-story/
Kunstler? That name rings a bell, but not necessarily a good one.
I haven’t voted since casting a vote for Ron Paul in 2012, and don’t wish to persuade anyone to do so but I voted early today in NC. Maskless. It was psychedelic in a bad, crazy 2020 way. As I approach the voting place, the local high school auditorium, a lady who had already voted and was exiting a door 50 feet away starts running towards the entrance in front of me, mask in hand. Starts talking to the greeter handing out masks asking for an “I voted” sticker. None were on offer. As I approach and decline a mask, sanitizer etc., the lady whirls around holding her mask to her face screaming at me “you have to wear a mask!” I said, no, I don’t, and btw, federal election laws prohibit such a requirement. She then screams “but common decency requires you wear a mask!” At this point, I said to her very loudly, “move along, I am going to vote now.” Ms. Arbiter-of-common-decency then follows me down the hall screaming “I hope you die of Covid” over and over. What a care bear! Everyone was cringing at this lunatic’s behavior.
The voting staff knew the rules and everyone was cool about me having no mask. A few chin wearers here and there as well. Still, the masks the voters and staff were wearing made it almost impossible for folks to communicate with each other. I overheard no less than two separate instances of what?huh, I can’t understand you, please remove your mask. Idiocracy in the flesh.
That woman already died of stupid-1984. She’s a zombie now. Should be sent to an insane asylum.
So if she cares so much about everyone, then why does she hope you die? I think the appropriate term for people like this is a-ho**.
You typoed “target.”
Such bizarre hypocrisy, isn’t it? Pretending they care about humanity so much, unless you don’t kowtow to the maniacal dictates, then they wish you to die a horrible death, and possibly your family and everyone you know. How philanthropic.
Either that, or they don’t want us “dissenters” to halt the gravy train.
‘Electric bikes have been slow to the market.’ — some barmy Brit
Whereas electric pickups are simply everywhere. Just kidding, y’all.
But GM has unveiled its new electric Hummer. And you’ll love the price: only $112,595! *counts loose change in pocket with dejected look*
It gets worse. “A $99,995 version will be available a year later, followed by $89,995 and $79,995 models in the springs of 2023 and 2024, respectively.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/20/gm-unveils-hummer-ev-as-worlds-first-supertruck-for-112600.html
So first-mover buyers are informed in advance that GM is going to yank the floor out from under them depreciation-wise. Not so good for buyers. But, hey, “The years-long production cadence and premium pricing should assist in the vehicle’s expected profitability – a goal of GM’s.” Thanks, losers!
But wait, there’s more. “All initial models will be identically appointed. Each features a white exterior.”
What does white mean to you? For many, the color evokes five essential things: fridge, stove, dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer. None of which move, leave the house, or exhibit the slightest panache.
“I really do think [the Hummer SUT appliance] is a beacon of the zero-zero-zero future GM is creating,” enthused a spokesperson.
Zero hope, zero freedom, zero mobility. Gotcha!
ya would of thought GM would of made the thing look a little more aerodynamic…………moving a box down the road at 70 mph still gets shitty mpg (gasoline) or newtons per mile (electric) irregardless.
This was just a “feel good” vehicle to appease the Government……………..
Yes, Mary Barra feels good about betting the company on electric vehicles:
“GM Chief Executive Mary Barra has outlined plans to invest $20 billion by 2025 in new electric vehicles and battery technology.
“The automaker is spending $2.2 billion to overhaul and retool its Detroit-Hamtramck factory to build a GMC Hummer EV electric pickup truck in late 2021, followed by an automated robotaxi and other electric vehicles.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-autos-gm/gm-plans-investments-to-expand-electric-vehicle-production-idUSKBN2742W1
A couple of dozen vehicle brands priced above $100,000 are sold in the US. Most of them are European luxury cars. Most sell in the hundreds to low thousands.
A $112,000 Hummer can expect similar boutique-level sales, since the pool of buyers is so small.
GM seems to be copying Tesla’s strategy of starting in the super-luxury category, then gradually working their way down to mass-market models.
This approach likely will crash and burn (in some cases, literally) for both GM and Tesla. Beam me up, Elon …
“GM Chief Executive Mary Barra has outlined plans to invest $20 billion by 2025 in new electric vehicles and battery technology.”
Oddly enough, that’s the exact same amount of money they got from Uncle Sugar back in 2009.
How can motorcycles possibly “pollute” more than a car? They don’t consume anywhere near as much fuel, even less than electric cars. It’s pretty obvious that if you’re only moving a few KG of mass vs many KG of mass that it requires much less energy input, and therefore much less out. Even if the engine is less efficient.
Politicians apparently aren’t required to be logical.
Same old dishonesty. A small economical vehicle inherently puts out less exhaust than a bigger one. But if you look at the percent of undesired stuff in the exhaust, it is higher on a per volume unit basis.
But since these evil bastards know that the vast majority of humanity is illiterate and innumerate as well as just plain ignorant outside of the narrowest of personal concerns, they choose to take advantage of them.
“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
Besides the valid argument you make, if one is TRULY concerned about the “environment”, one would also figure vehicle-miles in the existing fleet into the discussion. I do not have hard figures, but I do suspect the number of motorcycles in the fleet is something like 1% or less of total vehicle-miles once motorcars and trucks, etc. are brought into the discussion. So, if you normalize by vehicle-miles, I suspect all bikes would have to have a James Bond style smoke generator to make bikes even a small percentage of pollutants per vehicle-mile. The environoughts never take such logic into account, at all, much like the diapernoughts only look at DA CASES! DA CASES! It is a lack of training in logic and/or application amongst the populace nowadays that allows petty bureacratic tyrants to insert the thin end of their wedge like this, and then the entire tree-trunk later.
It is none of the gummint’s business if I decide to ride a bike unprotected. My personal decision is to do so, based on kissing the pavement years ago and the after-effects on me, personally. But, I do NOT want the gummint pointing an AGW at me and enforcing compliance. Good Idea Need for Gummint Enforcement of Good Idea!
Hmmm, try that last sentence again, it did not come out right…Good Idea DOES NOT MEAN Need for Gummint Enforcement of Good Idea!
helmet laws aren’t even a good idea in the usual socialistic cost reduction argument. For motorcyclists the helmetless will die when the helmeted suffer severe life altering injuries where many people would rather have died. Guess which one has the greater socialized cost? It’s not the dead guy who didn’t wear a helmet.
Now that is a good argument, one I have never heard personally.
The real fulcrum point is the socialized medical cost one, absent that, there is no government dog in the fight at all. Everyone paying everyone’s medical bills money laundered through Washington and the medical insurance industry makes any medical thing everyone’s problem from the busybody point of view. That, and the whole phony commerce clause argument they use to justify “regulation”.
I don’t want to scrape my scalp off in a low-speed slide across the pavement, so I decide to wear a helmet. I know that helmet won’t protect against a high-speed crash, it is not physically possible, so I do not expect it to, and ride accordingly (if I ever get the bike back on the road, that is, that’s another story).
I will not force any one else to do so, that is tyranny of the masses through the barrel of an AGW’s gun.
Ha! Great minds! I posted virtually the same thing above in response to another post.
There is not a single human activity that does not present a risk. Unfortunately, the greatest risk we face comes from the very source that pretends to be concerned about our risks. No government has ever demonstrated proficiency at anything other than killing people, which they tend to be quite good at. The Psychopaths In Charge command the by far most effective propaganda machine, spending billions of other people’s money to acquire and maintain it. It has been quite successful convincing ordinary people that the government is far more concerned about your welfare than they are about their own. That their major concern is how well you are doing. Nothing could be further from the truth. All participants in government have only one goal. To acquire as much power as possible, and to maintain that power in perpetuity. Here in Missouri, they must have decided they needed to throw us a bone to do that. They rescinded the motorcycle helmet law. I’m sure it was not done because of any conviction they had that it was an infringement on liberty. Far more likely to distract from all the other abuses of liberty we suffer, at least for a while. Wouldn’t it be something if a government at any level actually pursued the course of reinstating our freedom. Unfortunately, that is highly unlikely. While there may be a few members of government that actually have a moral foundation, they are far outnumbered by literal psychopaths. Government position is their ideal habitat, and so such positions are eventually saturated with them. No sane person has any desire to hold a gun to their neighbor’s head and force them to do this or not do that, except as necessary to keep their neighbor from doing so to them. To justify it by democratic vote is therefore insane. Gang rape is democracy in action.