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Suburbia has definitely changed, it seems like that is what you are bemoaning, not additional safety of children. I can remember even in the 80's some dicey things happening to children because they were not restrained in automobiles. Sometimes the child was ok and it seemed like a miracle, sometimes the child did not survive. You can't legislate for stupid but you can at least try to keep people responsible when they do get stupid.
I remember being allowed to roam where ever with my mother not knowing which direction we went. The only rules, get your chores done and be back by dark. I think it is amazing that we survived that. My 2 year old brother went missing once and the whole village turned out to search for him. Two boys playing in an arroyo about 2 miles from the village found him and brought him home. Their parents were like mine, as long as they got home before dark no one knew where they went. Sometimes things happen that can't be prevented and often things happen that could be prevented.
As for the playground equipment, I hang out at the parks with my grandchildren and they have much cooler equipment to play on than we did, though we probablly had better imaginations. And I remember kids falling off of the monkey bars and breaking arms, if they had landed differently it could have been their neck. You are just making stuff up to be chuffed about. The world changes and we all can change with it, even you have changed with it, you just want to pretend like something is wrong. There is ALWAYS something wrong to complain about.
I agree with you. When I was a kid, we were allowed to chase the mosquito man all over the neighborhood and ride our bikes in and out of the toxic plume coming out of his vehicle. He’d wave at us in the side view mirror. Sure it was fun, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing that kids aren’t riding around in plumes of toxic poison. Or that kid’s science kits no longer include Mercury. Or that lawn darts aren’t deadly weapons anymore.
Heck between 14 and 17, hitchhiking was my primary mode of transportation. But I would never pick up a hitchhiker today, and I would never allow any teenager to even consider such a thing. I don’t consider any of that being wussified.
Common sense may make you think an occasional bike ride behind the fog truck isbad, but there's no empirical data to support that conclusion.
Medical experience and the theoretical physics tell us that helmets are of no use whatever at speeds over 15mph and unnecessary at speeds less than 10 mph, yet half the states require them on MC riders...???
We could go on & on with examples of "protective" laws & regs that have absolutely no support from the empirical data yet we are still subjugated to them.
If you're under 70y/o you have no idea what Freedom is.
I think a great many members of our culture believe we (the Government) should have all bases covered. That somehow we should be able to anticipate every possibility of error or accident and set up preventative measures.
When the unpredictable happens immediately we see a rush to point the finger of blame. That is usually whichever party has the most cash. Don't people believe in accidents anymore?
I think people used to be more realistic in the matters of injury and mortality. We read of people doing unlawful and/or incredibly stupid stuff and dying because of it. What's the first thing we hear? "Yes, that was wrong, but nobody deserves to die for making a mistake." Since when did we start imagining life could conform to our emotions?
We accepted that death or injury was around the corner for all of us because our work world was so much more dangerous than it is now.
I want an improved future but I think it is foolish to assume we can make life utopian. It sets people up for discouragement and depression. Treat people as though they are fragile and they will become fragile.
I don't believe all accidents can be prevented, but that does not excuse failing to take measures to eliminate the ones that can. Wearing bicycle helmets or seat belts are two examples of injuries that can be mitigated.
Blame is a part of accident prevention. Only when responsibility is assigned can we begin to talk reasonably about the steps that can be done to prevent future accidents. In a capitalist economic system it is important to balance risk against benefit and take those steps which are economically reasonable to prevent the loss of life and limb.
The term "accident" can be a misnomer. Accidents are non-intentional in nature. That is not the same thing as saying they are unpreventable though. Only accidents like lightning striking someone or someone being killed by large hail stones are truly unpreventable. Most accidents have a cause that can be identified.
Life will never be Utopian. It can be better and safer.
I see someone is now the foremost expert in motorcycle helmet efficacy in accidents, lol. Wow.
So as a rider that has gone thru MSS multiple times (alway good to refresh), been off a bike offroad and on.. I can assure you the fatality rate for helmeted vs. non-helmeted rider is stark.
Motorcycle helmets save lives
Motorcycle helmets not only prevent brain injuries but also lessen their likelihood and severity. The probability of fatality in motorcycle accidents is reduced by about 50% when a helmet is worn. Your chance of dying in a motorbike accident without a helmet is essentially equal to a coin flip. According to the CDC, slightly more than 1800 bikers avoided fatalities as a result of using helmets.
Motorcycle helmets, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reduced fatal motorcycle injuries to riders by 37% and to passengers by 41%. According to their estimations over a fifteen-year period, motorcycle helmet use helped save more than 25,000 lives.
Most of us ADV riders are ATGATT adherents. Not because someone told us to but because it's STUPID not to. If you don't want to wear a helmet- don't. You want to wear sneakers and jeans- go for it. It's your life. The rest of us simply see you as not very smart.
I see someone is now the foremost expert in motorcycle helmet efficacy in accidents, lol. Wow.
So as a rider that has gone thru MSS multiple times (alway good to refresh), been off a bike offroad and on.. I can assure you the fatality rate for helmeted vs. non-helmeted rider is stark.
Most of us ADV riders are ATGATT adherents. Not because someone told us to but because it's STUPID not to. If you don't want to wear a helmet- don't. You want to wear sneakers and jeans- go for it. It's your life. The rest of us simply see you as not very smart.
I had to chuckle at that post.
One of my very first jobs out of college was working in a rehab center in Phoenix. A significant portion of our business came from helmetless bicycle riders and motorcycle dudes. Also in Phoenix we had quite a few near drownings of toddlers. Heartbreaking.
A lot of our other customers were from the three wheeled ATVs they had back then. I guess part of the "wussification" of America was when they went to the safer four wheeled ATVs and people couldn't risk breaking their necks on three wheelers anymore.
One of my very first jobs out of college was working in a rehab center in Phoenix. A significant portion of our business came from helmetless bicycle riders and motorcycle dudes. Also in Phoenix we had quite a few near drownings of toddlers. Heartbreaking.
A lot of our other customers were from the three wheeled ATVs they had back then. I guess part of the "wussification" of America was when they went to the safer four wheeled ATVs and people couldn't risk breaking their necks on three wheelers anymore.
Here's one the anti-helmet crowd can watch. Short video- 1:35 long.
Rider on a Ducati- looks like a novice THANKFULLY wearing a FULL FACE helmet. He hi-sides off the bike and slams into a guardrail. Watch that video- all of it. If he wasn't wearing a full face helmet he more than likely wouldn't have walked away. His face would have been smashed into his skull.
As a side commentary I know precisely what he did wrong and why he hi-sided when he should have low sided the bike, BUT because he was wearing jeans and not armored chaps or leather he would've had one heckuva road rash.
When we go trail riding we are exposed to trees, rocks, uneven terrain you better bet we have full armor and full face helmets.
It's a load of fun and the guys I ride with are ATGATT. We strip off the gear when we reach the top and relax, have a bite to eat and enjoy the scenery. SAFELY.
I see someone is now the foremost expert in motorcycle helmet efficacy in accidents, lol. Wow.
So as a rider that has gone thru MSS multiple times (alway good to refresh), been off a bike offroad and on.. I can assure you the fatality rate for helmeted vs. non-helmeted rider is stark.
Most of us ADV riders are ATGATT adherents. Not because someone told us to but because it's STUPID not to. If you don't want to wear a helmet- don't. You want to wear sneakers and jeans- go for it. It's your life. The rest of us simply see you as not very smart.
Not to change the subject here, but if you analyze MC death rate numbers between "helmet states vs vs non-helmet states" the rates are IDENTICAL..You may also want to consider that 75% of MC fatalities include fatal injuries other than head trauma....We won''t add the fact that more helmeted drivers are involved in accidents than non-helmeted (reduced vision & hearing or less experience drivers?).
Why is it that it's ILlegal to wear a helmet while driving a car on the streets?
Last edited by guidoLaMoto; 03-05-2024 at 03:12 AM..
When we go trail riding we are exposed to trees, rocks, uneven terrain you better bet we have full armor and full face helmets.
It's a load of fun and the guys I ride with are ATGATT. We strip off the gear when we reach the top and relax, have a bite to eat and enjoy the scenery. SAFELY.
Well I guess call us wussies.
Off road riding where you're exposed to branches and flying rocks is anther matter. Those things won't kill you, but a helmet and face mask will save you from many nuisance injuries.
Those not well versed in physics won't t understand this, but perpendicular vectors are mutually exclusive-- when you fall off a moving bike, you hit the ground with the same force as when you fall off a stationary bike...If you don't run into an obstruction that stops your forward progress, then you're not at risk of real head injury...
...If you use your hi school physics knowledge, you can calculate that when taking a nose dive off a 3rd story balcony you'll hit the ground going about 15mph. Do you think a helmet would help save you from head or neck injury?
Common sense tells us the world is flat.
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