TAMPA,FlA.

OFF THE WIRE

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/new-push-to-make-motorcycle-helmets-mandatory-111710 New push to make motorcycle helmets mandatory Updated: Wednesday, 17 Nov 2010, 5:30 AM EST Published : Wednesday, 17 Nov 2010, 5:30 AM EST
TAMPA - Ron Raezler lives for the open road. He's been riding for more than 35 years.
"It's freedom," said Raezler. "It's like all my worries, all my stress just goes away."
But in 1977, he nearly died. Raezler was hit head-on while riding his motorcycle. His helmet, he says, saved his life.
"I had a broken neck, cracked helmet, screwed my back, my legs and everything else up," he said.
Over the last decade, safety officials say motorcycle crashes have spiked. 4,400 bikers in the U.S. died last year alone, mainly due to head injuries. Now, federal safety officials want to force bikers in all 50 states to wear helmets.
"I think it's the rider's prerogative," said longtime biker Dave Weaver.
After 45 years on the road, Weaver says helmets aren't the answer. He says helmets make it extremely tough to see and hear. Unless you're riding high speed, he says they can actually do more harm then good.
"The helmet will come right back and snap your neck right at the third cervical vertebrae and break your neck," said Weaver. "That's more likely to happen than a head injury."
He and other bikers fought to repeal Florida's helmet law, and he says they'll fight it again.
"For me it would be a very difficult time wearing a helmet," Weaver said. "The extra weight and the extra wind restrictions of the wind hitting the helmet gives me a stiff neck from riding."
Ron Raezler says he'd fight it too. Given a choice, surprisingly, he doesn't wear a helmet either, despite his near-death crash.
"It's just the spirit of being free, I guess," Raezler said. "It's kind of like saying you've got to have your windows rolled up in your car in winter. Why tell me what I got to do?"
Florida law says riders who are 20 years old or younger must wear a helmet. Just 20 states require all bikers to wear them. Only Iowa, Illinois and New Hampshire have no restrictions.