Thoughts on HB1200 (ATV Helmet law)

[bocefus78]

I'd be dead if it weren't for my helmet. I cracked it taking a header into a large tree. Yes....cracked the helmet. I was knocked out. If it weren't for the helmet, my brains would've been splattered on an oak tree in parke county and my buddies would have the memory of watching it happen.

Do I like the way it's written? No. Do I think a brain bucket should be worn on any public trail or road? Absolutely.

 

[Old Dog]

Having had a motorcycle crash back in high school I am a firm believer in helmet usage (it saved my bacon). Indiana law requires all motorcycle riders/passengers under 18 to wear a helmet. They don't have to convince me, I wear mine all the time. I had a good friend die from an ATV crash on his farm, hit a parked wagon while showing off. Spent night in hospital, was getting ready to go home and keeled over. Blood clot broke loose in his brain and it was all over in about 15 seconds. Saw a kid that died from a crash into a truck bumper on his farm. So helmets are useful and we would be better served by a public education effort rather than a poorly written forceful law. I do not wear a helmet on my ATV but I also do not ride stupid, or in dangerous places. If the state passes this law maybe they should include lawn mowers and garden tractors. Do you know how many small children have died while on the lawn mower with Grandpa?

 

[JTScribe]

If this only applied to public roads, I'd be okay with it.

The government telling you what you're allowed to do on your own property is a different matter entirely, absolutely no.
If you've ever lived on or near a farm, you know this is a common means of getting your mail, hauling a cart around, or pulling up tree stumps. What next, are they going to demand you wear a helmet while driving a tractor? Make you wear a helmet while mowing the lawn?

Absolutely ridiculous.

This.

I have a friend that got a DUI for an ATV accident on his own property. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

 

[91FXRS]

Well if .gov is going to do it properly then how about a chest protector, goggles, boots, long sleeves, gloves....... my son has to have all of these on if he is gonna ride his quad. I think they have better things to spend there time on then telling us how to parent.

 

[jamil]

I am against the law.

That's all I heard.

 

[HoughMade]

That's all I heard.

Good. The rest was pontificating. I mean, I was right, but it was pontificating.

 

[Leadeye]

I wear one when I think it's a good idea, concussion number 5 happened when I was pitched off the back of an ATV while pulling a log.

 

[HubertGummer]

Much like seatbelts, it's a good idea to wear a helmet, I would make my kid wear one, but it's absolutely NONE of the governments business, period.

 

[MisterFurious]

Yes I edited the post.
Come on fellas, just because it will skirt the filter does not mean we should do it.
If it gets reported we have to look.

Sorry, wasn't thinking. I guess I've just about had it with these never-ending laws...

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

A year or 2 ago, I subscribed to a couple of the DNR's regional Facebook feeds. And every summer, especially the summer of 2015, the number of ATV accidents they report on is amazing. I'm not surprised some nanny in Indianapolis has decided they "just have to do something". I'm against it. I'm against it on public roads, private property but then again, I'm against seat belt laws. But let's face it...like many of you (I'm sure), I do tend to wear a seat belt because I don't want to get fined. And this law will probably encourage a certain number of ATV owners to make sure their kids are wearing theirs. I don't like it. I'm against it. But "if it saves just one life" mentality is hard to defeat.

 

[churchmouse]

Sorry, wasn't thinking. I guess I've just about had it with these never-ending laws...

I completely agree. It is frustrating.

 

[churchmouse]

A year or 2 ago, I subscribed to a couple of the DNR's regional Facebook feeds. And every summer, especially the summer of 2015, the number of ATV accidents they report on is amazing. I'm not surprised some nanny in Indianapolis has decided they "just have to do something". I'm against it. I'm against it on public roads, private property but then again, I'm against seat belt laws. But let's face it...like many of you (I'm sure), I do tend to wear a seat belt because I don't want to get fined. And this law will probably encourage a certain number of ATV owners to make sure their kids are wearing theirs. I don't like it. I'm against it. But "if it saves just one life" mentality is hard to defeat.

As to seat belts I have worn them since they were put in cars and I put them in a few older cars I modified. They hold me in the seat and I have no issues with that.
As to the law.......not a fan.

 

[Floivanus]

I had a neighbor once who was going ahead and giving ATV rides to the neighborhood children (all around 5 years old) while drunk, people do stupid crap period, other people are complacent in it as well.

As someone who has had a few mikuni carburetors on bikes/quads magically have their slide jam up full open due to bad coatings, varnish or just random bad luck, and have to deal with the task of shutting it down safely I can say 'crap happens' out of your control. Throw a kid on the machine and you have a very bad situation on your hands.

I'm absolutely for helmets, my kids wear one period.

 

[bwframe]

These laws don't get passed because gov't wants to make itself bigger and more intrusive. They get passed because people witness "parents" who aren't smart enough to parent and the bad results of their negligent actions. Our youth has always thought themselves bulletproof, it's our job to save them from themselves and their dumbassed "parents".

The recent trend is the ATV, but this is not new. 20-25 years ago every summer numerous kids were killed or maimed when the innocent ride in the bed of a pickup turned tragic from even the slightest bauble or fender bender.

 

[CampingJosh]

So much for kids taking up golf.

 

[Steeler]

Public trails, public roads, yes. Private land, no.
My family rides, several riding trips per year. When my kids are riding around the yard, I make sure they always wear helmets. Now as others have said, there are a lot of times we will use an atv for work. Pulling a little trailer, spraying weeds, stuff that is no riskier than mowing the grass. Helmets should not be required for those activities.

 

[cordex]

I think everyone should be required by law to wear a helmet with full face shield and fireproof, frag-resistant, foam-filled overalls at all times. If you don't support this, you clearly don't care about children.

I have seen people hurt in situations where they would have been hurt less if they wore more protective gear. Thus and therefore it should be law to require that they protect themselves to a greater degree.

Also, we can be sure of the efficacy of this law because people who make poor choices about the safety gear they require their children to wear (or wear themselves) will absolutely be sure to always abide by every law that applies to them in every situation.

 

[CampingJosh]

We use golf carts and a Gator at the camp. None of these is capable of reaching 15 MPH. And yet my 17 year-old lifeguards wouldn't be able to drive down to the pool without a helmet? Ridiculous.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

As to seat belts I have worn them since they were put in cars and I put them in a few older cars I modified. They hold me in the seat and I have no issues with that.
As to the law.......not a fan.

Oh yeah, I was a believer until it became mandatory...

 

[DodgebyDave]

So.....what's next? What's to be done after a child dies while wearing a helmet? What will the next mandatory piece of equipment be?

That leads me to this......How many of you safety-tards wear helmets while driving your car? Have a fire extinguisher that you can reach? Seatbelt cutter/glass hammer?

So, in summation, sheeple need hamfisted reactions and feel good laws. I'm glad we clarified that!