On Jun 26, 2009, at 11:34 AM, Oliver Barry wrote: > This is probably a thfgt issue, but I think that anyone who rides a > bike, motorized or not, without a helmet should have his/her head > examined. (pun intended) > We ride every weekend and won’t let anyone ride with the group > without a helmet. Tennessee has a helmet law that has come close > to being struck down with each session of the legislature. So far > it hasn’t. I’ve lent my voice to those who have a vote many times.
We have 4 neurosurgeons in our town; at one point I represented 3 of them. To each, I asked the question whether society had a financial interest in mandating motorcycle helmet laws. The answers, although uniform, surprised me. Each indicated that the type of injury that a helmet would save the life of a motorcyclist would leave a spinal compression fracture (the cranium being protected by the helmet). The biker would be alive, but likely quadriplegic. The cost to society, even if the biker had insurance, of a quadriplegic is astounding. However, they also indicated that helmets should be mandatory for bicycle riders. A low speed crash with a head blow that could kill a bicyclist would leave the cyclist unharmed if wearing a helmet. I like that UF's policy applies equally to bicycles at it does motorized vehicles. Food for thought. -Zeb --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
