Why?

The most motorcyles I've ever seen happened a few years ago when I was
trying to cross the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from St. Pete, FL to Sarasota.

They were gathered at the St. Pete side and rode slowly across the
bridge with one cycle in each lane of the 2 lane road. I think there were
more than a thousand. By slowing bridge traffic they were protesting
Florida's motorcyle helmet law.

They succeeded. Motorcylists do not have to wear helmets in Florida.

Why do I have to wear a seatbelt when driving my car?

Lou...

IF (very big if) everyone who wants "freedom" as in no helments or no
seatbelts was required to carry enough insurance to fully pay all medical and
other costs of damage to themselves I would not care.

NHunkele...

More than half my property tax goes to the local schools. See my
answer to David.
Norma

Sue...

You forgot to mention that two of those bikers were killed later in the
day. Maybe they wouldn't have died had they been wearing helmets??

david...

Ok, stan, take notes as I go through this...

First, gather a few thousand drivers who don't want to wear seat belts
Second, line them up at the Sunshine Skyway bridge
Third, have them cross slowly to screw up traffic and annoy everyone
Fourth, keep repeating until the law for seatbelts is repealed
Fifty, move back to Florida... :)

Anne Jackson...

For me, the solution is simple......I don't!

Lou...

Joy...

What about the people who have to clean up the mess? Somebody has to haul
those mangled bodies to the mortuary and clean up the spattered brains from
the street. My take is, if you won't wear a seatbelt or a helmet for your
own protection, do it out of consideration for others.

david...

I agree. this is a big part of it. The cost to provide medical help to
people who choose to wear no protective gear is a cost NOT borne by the
injured person, but by society.

Hope you have a will.

Anne Jackson...

I have a very strong will.....but a very weak "won't"! ;-)

Sorry, shouldn't joke! Yes I have a will, and it is six pages long!

Lou...

And good long term disability insurance in case you get in an accident that does
not kill you but merely leaves you a physical wreck?

Anne Jackson...

You have failed to notice that I live in the UK? We take good care
of our "physical wrecks" here, with or without insurance!

That, to me, is the mark of a civilised society!

Lou...

Yup, did not notice UK. So if you get totally messed up by not wearing a helmet
the tax payers get socked. Since this is supposed to be a friendly group I will
not comment further.

Anne Jackson...

Where did I say that I didn't wear a *helmet*? I said that I don't wear
a seatbelt! Besides which, I AM a taxpayer, and have paid National
Insurance contributions all of my working life (almost 50 years to date!)!
In other words, I am currently paying for the treatment that others are
receiving...and others will pay for any treatment that I will
doubtlessly
need at some time in the future!

That's how insurance works, is it not?

Lou...

Oops on the helmet. BUT not wearing a seat belt is even worse.
As I tried to say earlier, cost is not the real issue, its what can happen to
you when you are in an accident and not killed. Of course that is your choice.

Anne Jackson...

If I had been destined to die in a car I would have done so in
1973! As it happened the wearing of seat belts wasn't a legal
requirement then, which is just as well, for had I done so I
would most certainly have been a goner!

Anne Jackson...

Exactly. I object with all my heart to 'the nanny state' and
will exercise my freedom of choice until the day I die! YMMV.

BTW Ever hear of the Darwin Awards?

Anne Jackson...

Yes, and I'm not eligible, having already contributed _much_ to
the gene pool.....any other questions/observations, before I move
on to something more interesting?

Lou...

A long time ago I had a friend who spent over a year in 'Nam defusing
bombs. Made it thru that OK. Came home and died in a car crash when he
was thrown from the car, Happened three weeks after he came home. As
you said YMMV.