Comments on: Helmets and stuff… http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/ The continuing adventures of a couple of American bikers in the Land of the Rising Sun Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:57:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: bikerstuff.info » Blog Archive » http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-9637 Fri, 19 Jan 2007 02:46:10 +0000 http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-9637 [...] Gaijin Bikers in Japan ” Helmets and stuff… Riding Sun (another Gaijin Biker) the Beginner’s Guide to … Is this the Gaijin Biker you’re looking for? metablogging. parades. videos. other stuff … [...] […] Gaijin Bikers in Japan ” Helmets and stuff… Riding Sun (another Gaijin Biker) the Beginner’s Guide to … Is this the Gaijin Biker you’re looking for? metablogging. parades. videos. other stuff … […]

]]> by: Gaijin Biker http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-3364 Tue, 27 Jun 2006 08:15:41 +0000 http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-3364 <em>Unless you’re going to make it illegal to get fat or to play contact sports,</em> Give it time, we're getting there... Unless you’re going to make it illegal to get fat or to play contact sports,

Give it time, we’re getting there…

]]> by: the Stinger http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2494 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:16:35 +0000 http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2494 Well, it looks like GB and Big Ben pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. My original point is it's ridiculous to quote statistics when arguing about helmet usage and traffic safety unless the figures are for total deaths. Helmetless deaths in this case increased because there are more helmetless riders, not because the fatality rate increased. In fact it decreased as I have shown. I must admit that it does seem like there is a disproportionate amount of burden placed on automobile drivers in the case of collision with a motorcyclist in Michigan, but it seems to me like this is a case of the need for reform of Michigan's insurance industry rather than a question of burden on the healthcare system. Well, it looks like GB and Big Ben pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. My original point is it’s ridiculous to quote statistics when arguing about helmet usage and traffic safety unless the figures are for total deaths. Helmetless deaths in this case increased because there are more helmetless riders, not because the fatality rate increased. In fact it decreased as I have shown.

I must admit that it does seem like there is a disproportionate amount of burden placed on automobile drivers in the case of collision with a motorcyclist in Michigan, but it seems to me like this is a case of the need for reform of Michigan’s insurance industry rather than a question of burden on the healthcare system.

]]> by: Big Ben http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2483 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 05:48:59 +0000 http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2483 Tag, Please read <a href="http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/05/30/anyone-who-rides-a-motorcycle-is-a-reckless-idiot-irresponsibly-putting-a-burden-on-the-healthcare-system/" rel="nofollow">this post</a>. I think it solidly refutes your point about the healthcare burden. Every choice people make puts a burden on everyone else. Unless you're going to make it illegal to get fat or to play contact sports, this argument doesn't wash. Tag,
Please read this post. I think it solidly refutes your point about the healthcare burden. Every choice people make puts a burden on everyone else. Unless you’re going to make it illegal to get fat or to play contact sports, this argument doesn’t wash.

]]> by: tag http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2436 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:12:31 +0000 http://www.gaijinbikers.com/wp/2006/06/20/helmets-and-stuff/#comment-2436 Stinger, I responded to your critique on Riding Sun, though I probably should have come back to the original source. I won't repeat myself here. I will comment on your "burden to the system" argument. This is a current topic in Michigan because the legislature recently passed (and the governor is threatneing to veto) a partial repeal of Michigan's helmet law. Michgan has no-fault insurance. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, your insurance pays your medical bills without regard to which driver was at fault. But that is not true for motorcyclists. If a bike is involved, then the biker's medical bills are paid by the insurer of any car or truck involved. Under any other rule the insurance premiums for motorcycles would have been through the roof. So bikers are subsidized by non-motorcyclists. In addition, Michigan no-fault provides unlimited lifetime medical for injuries related to motor vehicle accidents. With head injuries those can be costs in the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. The insurance companies actually only pay the first $250,000 of those expenses. Above that limit they get reimbursed by the state of Michigan through a fund paid by all motorists as a supplement to their car insurance. So motorcyclists in Michigan who "choose" to exercise their freedom do so with a major subsidy by those who don't. Stinger,

I responded to your critique on Riding Sun, though I probably should have come back to the original source. I won’t repeat myself here.

I will comment on your “burden to the system” argument. This is a current topic in Michigan because the legislature recently passed (and the governor is threatneing to veto) a partial repeal of Michigan’s helmet law. Michgan has no-fault insurance. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, your insurance pays your medical bills without regard to which driver was at fault. But that is not true for motorcyclists. If a bike is involved, then the biker’s medical bills are paid by the insurer of any car or truck involved. Under any other rule the insurance premiums for motorcycles would have been through the roof. So bikers are subsidized by non-motorcyclists.

In addition, Michigan no-fault provides unlimited lifetime medical for injuries related to motor vehicle accidents. With head injuries those can be costs in the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. The insurance companies actually only pay the first $250,000 of those expenses. Above that limit they get reimbursed by the state of Michigan through a fund paid by all motorists as a supplement to their car insurance. So motorcyclists in Michigan who “choose” to exercise their freedom do so with a major subsidy by those who don’t.

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