NY motorcyclist dies after hitting head on pavement during protest against helmets.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...s=rss_national

Oh the irony, here's the article to save you a click::

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ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike’s handlebars and hit his head on the pavement.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in the town of Onondaga, in central New York near Syracuse.

State troopers tell The Post-Standard of Syracuse that 55-year-old Philip A. Contos of Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets.

Troopers say Contos hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and Contos toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Troopers say Contos would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet.

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Any death is tragic, and I'm sincerely sorry for his relatives.

That being said, I have to be honest : I cannot refrain myself from thinking : Darwin, then Newton won.

Once again, any death is tragic, but if this guy didn't care about his own safety, ok, to each their own, but he should have thought about the ones he is leaving behind, if any.

Poor ignorant guy sure hurt his cause. I wonder what the other helmet less protesters felt? Did they learn anything?

I wouldn't dare say that he deserved it; he may have been a really nice guy. Life, however, has a way of making examples out of people. Maybe we should be careful about how strongly we wish to portray our opinions.

Personally I will wear a helmet but that should be the riders choice and not the governments

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Originally Posted by Gardo

Personally I will wear a helmet but that should be the riders choice and not the governments

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A long as the helmet less rider is refused treatment for head injury in the ER then I will go with gardo's statement.

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Originally Posted by barnone

A long as the helmet less rider is refused treatment for head injury in the ER then I will go with gardo's statement.

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I disagree with that, would you refuse someone treatment for an eye injury if they were working in the yard and the weed eater kicked up a rock and hit them in the eye because they werent wearing eye protection. Accidents happen with or without gear. Granted it may be worse without but to refuse treatment is wrong

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Originally Posted by Gardo

I disagree with that, would you refuse someone treatment for an eye injury if they were working in the yard and the weed eater kicked up a rock and hit them in the eye because they werent wearing eye protection. Accidents happen with or without gear. Granted it may be worse without but to refuse treatment is wrong

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It's like saying you have the right to be admitted to a movie theater, you have the right to be served at restaurant like anyone else. Well it's not quiet the same really. Doctors and nurses are always under pressure and would like to limit patients as much as possible. You walk in with a head injury and you're taking away time and resources from other people who's injury was also a mistake, but an unexpected mistake. To put it more bluntly, yes, to people who deserve treatment more than you do since you didn't care enough to protect yourself. That's why seatbelts are mandatory by law, same for helmets.

drive a car >> wear a seat belt
welding, casting working on the lathe, or any kind of metal work >> protective clothing and eye protection
baking > wear oven mitts

Do you see the pattern? Possible to do any of the above without wearing safety gear and not get hurt, but you are taking an unnecessary risk.

Normally Darwin's law takes care of idiots but hospitals and society are getting in the way. If you're stupid, or out to make a fashion statement, then it's your choice and you should be responsible for it. I'm trying to be polite here. But really this is just stupid, not wearing a helmet.. because I'm free, or it looks good, or I know how to ride ...

-A person suffers an injury that (in this instance) may very well have been avoided had they used the proper protection regardless of what the law states.
-Another person uses the proper protection but still suffers an injury equal to the guy above (I don't know why. Use your imagination).
Should the guy below get a discount in the hospital?
Should the guy above have to pay a bit extra?
Nobody should be turned away from a hospital and I doubt that it will ever be that way but still, it's a large subject containing plenty to discuss. More importantly, those who go without protection (for whatever reason) are setting an example for other people/younger generations who may, due to the wrong influence, get themselves killed one day just like the protesting NY biker did.
This thing could go to a whole new level with some other examples.

look as a Semi responsible adult I lobby for the choice, I am not against helmets and WILL NOT ride without one, but the choice should still be there. I know even fitted with the best of gear there is always a risk when I get on my scoot. hell there is danger crossing the street when i walk to work. The bottom line is though this poor guy is dead, and its a shame when life is snuffed out when it might have been prevented, I still believe in the right to choose. Some people may be okay with the govt making their decisions for them, here there or anywhere, but I'm not there yet.
Either way law or not my hat stays firmly on my head

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Originally Posted by soberpete

-A person suffers an injury that (in this instance) may very well have been avoided had they used the proper protection regardless of what the law states.
-Another person uses the proper protection but still suffers an injury equal to the guy above (I don't know why. Use your imagination).
Should the guy below get a discount in the hospital?
Should the guy above have to pay a bit extra?
Nobody should be turned away from a hospital and I doubt that it will ever be that way but still, it's a large subject containing plenty to discuss. More importantly, those who go without protection (for whatever reason) are setting an example for other people/younger generations who may, due to the wrong influence, get themselves killed one day just like the protesting NY biker did.
This thing could go to a whole new level with some other examples.

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Yes, if you forget to wear your helmet and crash, you should be treated the same as a rider who crashed wearing a helmet.

But my comment followed barone's. If someone wants helmets to be optional, i.e. not required by law, then yes, they should be refused treatment at the hospital.

Do you agree to laws enforcing car passengers to use seatbelts? It's the police's job to make sure you don't forget to fasten your seatbelt. A fine or two should help one's memory. It should be the same for riders.

OK, fellas, I think we've all made our respective points, and done so politely and respectfully -- which is as it should be. Seems a fellow rider gave his life so we could have this discussion. I'd hate to see this thread degenerate into a hockey match or a "which oil" debate, if you know what I mean. I'm no moderator, but I'm in favor of moving on...

cheers!

I'm with Euphonius on this, we can agree to disagree and still laugh over a pint

someone said pint?

Here is a helmet for you "government ain't gonna tell me what to do" guys.
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...-helmets11.jpg
:lol8:

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Originally Posted by barnone

Here is a helmet for you "government ain't gonna tell me what to do" guys.
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...-helmets11.jpg
:lol8:

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pure genius .. now combine that with a wig of your choice, and no one could ever notice it's not the original artsy you! Source please barnone?

Edit: google skinhead helmet >> http://good.kz/adds/EXPERIMENTS/Helmets

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...h/HELMET_3.jpg
And what your head looks like if you don't wear a helmet.