Words to Live By

Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid it will never begin.

Monday, September 10, 2007

My Rant

Brought to you by the Arizona Republic... Biker who fell on freeway dies A motorcyclist who fell 25 feet and suffered serious injuries on the Mini-stack at the junction of Interstate 10, Loop 202 and Arizona 51 has died. Brandon McLaurin, 24, of Phoenix, was riding Saturday before noon with a group headed east on I-10 near Arizona 51 when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a retaining wall. He was thrown from the motorcycle, went over the ramp wall and landed below on the Loop 202. Westbound Loop 202 was closed to traffic while the Arizona Department of Public Safety and emergency medical crews responded. McLaurin was wearing a helmet. OK. I love the last line of the story...he was wearing a helmet. Like a helmet would make a difference when you fall 60-75 feet onto a freeway! Gotta love this conservative paper; everytime there's a motorcycle accident they always report whether or not the person was wearing a helmet. This really has no bearing on the story. It is an attempt to outrage people who do not ride motorcycles and know nothing about them. These non-riders then lobby for a helmet law in our state! Here I go on my rant: We ride and choose not to wear helmets. That is our choice in the state of Arizona. I understand that there are riders who choose to wear helmets, and I respect that. I do not respect people who do not ride at all (our government) trying to take away our choice. When people ask me why we don't wear helmets, I tell them we are exercising our right to make that choice. In a lot of states, there is no choice. I don't want Arizona to become one of those states. Aren't you thankful that you get to make choices each day? Don't let the government take those choices away...whatever they may be! Thanks for choosing to read this blog...

15 comments:

Big Daddy said...

That's my Girl!!!!!
If people ever wondered why I love you...Now they Know.

Veronnica said...

I was helmet-free in California for awhile before they changed the law. Although when we moved here, we both bought helmets and wore them - it was a personal choice for us. Although I can tell you firsthand that quite a few people who choose not to wear helmets and have accidents, they and their family then decide to sue everybody and their mother, especially in this state where there is no law. So yes, it's a personal choice, but with our sue happy country, its no wonder they're trying to cut down on the number of lawsuits. Oh and...

Veronnica said...

... the news did mention that it was apparently only the 2nd day that he had the bike, speed was a factor, and he was not an experienced rider. Go figure!

Jane said...

As a general rule I wear a helmet. That said, there is nothing better than the wind against your skin and hair blowing in the wind.

I'm with you on the choice to do so :)

Queen B said...

Interesting... I'll give the perspective from a wife of a motorcyle man. I enjoy having a helmet law, so the husband doesn't have a choice :) When left to his own decision-making, he doesn't always make the right choice :) I'm trying to teach him, but in the meantime it's nice to have a law.

Kim Thomas said...

Hmm....politics see this is why I usually stay out of them.

I agree that the government shouldn't take away our rights. Nothing I say here is going to be helpful so how about:

3 cheers for no helmets!!!!

Anonymous said...

It's your personal choice not to wear a helmet. It's my personal choice not to care for you if you come to my hospital with a head injury b/c you weren't wearing a helmet, laying in a bed in a vegetative state with drool coming out the side of your mouth, wiping your ass as you shit yourself everyday.

Ruth Anne said...

I choose not to ride.

Cheers to free agency! And taking responsibility for the choices you do or don't make.

Ann said...

I could argue with ignorant people like anonymous all day long and it wouldn't make a difference. Good thing for anonymous that we have free speech, too!

Queen B said...

Ann - you are better than I at upholding freedom of speech. I so would've deleted Anonymous :)

Ann said...

Queen: I do hold our freedoms in the highest regard...even for ignorant people. They have the same rights as the rest of us. But I was tempted to delete the comment!

Big Daddy said...

ANONYMOUS/IGNORANT should check facts before giving a comment . IT is a FACT that state with helment laws have HIGHER FATALITIES and severe INJURIES. This is the goverments own statistic sheet. And more than one Prominent Medical doctors and reasearchers agree that in a huge ratio of cases, That helments actually do more damage.And as for Anonymous's statement ABOUT CAREGIVING You are in the wrong proffesion if you can VIOLATE your oath to care so Easily. BIG D

Big Daddy said...

BTW V. I DON'T REMEMBER YOU ASKING FOR A HELMENT WHEN YOU RODE ON BIGDADDY'S BIKE>>>>>>>>>IN FACT I HAD TO TELL YOU TO PUT ON BOOTS FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION........BIG D

Ann said...

I love my hubby! Go Daddy!!!

Ann said...

I do agree with Big Daddy that anonymous may be in the wrong profession if he/she could let someone sit in their own shit...could this person work at Arrowhead Hospital??