HAWAII: Viewpoint: Helmets should be motorcyclists’ choice

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Viewpoint: Helmets should be motorcyclists’ choice


 September 28, 2011 The Maui News Save | I would like to introduce myself to the motorcycle riders of Maui County, as well as the community at large. I have recently been elected as president of the Maui County chapter of Street Bikers United Hawaii. We are the premier organization in the state for the advocation of motorcycle safety training, awareness and motorcyclist rights. We have a new board of officers committed to our mission, which includes sponsorship of the annual Toys 4 Tots run in partnership with the United States Marine Corp. We are an all-inclusive organization representing the interests of all who ride.
I would like to let everyone know that SBU has been working diligently with the University of Hawaii Leeward Community College with the help of a U.S. Department of Transportation grant, to re-establish a motorcycle safety training course on Maui. While the details and dates for these courses are not yet established, I have been told that November is the target date. I will be doggedly pursuing the re-establishment of this vital course and will keep our members informed of my progress.
I would also like to address the issues raised by recent letter writers regarding the use of helmets and accidents involving motorcyclists.
There is much made in the media about a motorcyclist who dies while not wearing a helmet, but it is rarely mentioned when a rider perishes while wearing one, not to mention when a downed rider who was wearing a helmet survived only to be a vegetable for the rest of his or her life.
The argument has been made that there is a cost to the taxpaying public for riders injured while not wearing a helmet. Many use this argument for justification for mandating helmet use. If this is to be the measure for public policy, then all manner of human activity could be banned or regulated by government bureaucrats. How much do we spend rescuing hikers from Iao Valley? How much do we spend sending lifeguards and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters out to search for and rescue swimmers or paddleboarders blown out to sea? Should we ban those activities based on that criteria ? I think not.
As president of SBU - Maui County, I do not object to the government instituting extra protective laws that apply to minors, such as the current law requiring anyone under 18 to wear a helmet. But I will fight all who try to infringe on my right, as a mature adult, to make that decision for myself. We at SBU do not advocate not wearing helmets, rather we advocate letting those who ride decide.
If you ride or care about this issue, please join us at our next meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cary & Eddie's Hideaway restaurant in Kahului. There are three bills being circulated in the state House to mandate the wearing of helmets and we need a uniform voice to let the bureaucrats know that this will not be tolerated.
* Jake Jacobus is the president of Street Bikers United Hawaii - Maui County.