Boston Bikers Want Helmet Freedom

OFF THE WIRE

http://www.allaboutbikes.com/motorcyle-news/law-legislation/6440-boston-bikers-want-helmet-freedomBoston Bikers Want Helmet Freedom

 Thursday, 01 December 2011 14:28 Written by Dan Evon

Motorcyclists in Massachusetts showed up at the State house yesterday to encourage lawmakers to pass a bill which would make helmets a matter of personal choice.
Currently, Massachusetts requires all riders and their passengers to wear a helmets. A new bill introduced to a Joint Committee on Transportation would give motorcyclists over the age of 21 the choice to not wear a helmet.
Jimi Ricci of Waltham, former chairman of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association's board of directors, said: "Currently, 30 states allow free choice. Massachusetts is in the minority,"
Paul Cote, New England region road riding delegate to the American Motorcycle Association, said that Massachusetts motorcycle helmet law costs the state millions of dollars every weekend as riders head out of state for helmetless excursions. Cote also stated that the helmet law prevents out-of-state bikers from traveling into Boston.
Even if Cote's numbers are accurate, brain injury advocates say that the cost of not wearing a helmet is far greater. According to the Metro West Daily News, a brain injury could cost as much as $9 million.
Michigan is also considering its helmet law. Earlier this month the State House voted to repeal the current law and allow motorcyclists over the age of 21 to drive without a helmet, as long as they have two years of experience and $20,000 worth of medical insurance. The senate will vote on soon.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/massachusetts/bikers-to-legislature%3A-%22i'm-a-grown-up%22 Bikers to Legislature: "I'm a grown up"

 Motorcyclists want mandatory helmet law repealed Updated: Thursday, 01 Dec 2011, 8:35 PM EST Published : Thursday, 01 Dec 2011, 4:05 PM EST
Christine Lee, 22News State House Correspondent BOSTON (WWLP) - Should a grown man be told to wear a helmet? A group of biker enthusiasts say "no".
Thursday, motorcycle advocates stood before lawmakers with their hands in the air, saying "I'm a grown-up, which one of you would make me wear a helmet?"
They are testifying in favor of a bill that would remove the state's mandatory helmet law. Advocates say requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets is a deterrent for them to ride in Massachusetts, considering that neighboring state's like New Hampshire give you the choice to wear one or not. They say Massachusetts is losing food and service revenue because of the strict law.
“A lot of the motorcyclists refuse to come over the border, to come into Western Mass and spend money in the Berkshires or anywhere like that. And there's some beautiful riding, but they refuse to put the helmets on because they don't have the choice,” said “Tanker” Griswold of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association.
Critics maintain that the mandatory helmet law is there for safety, but Rick Gleason, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association, says that helmets are not a necessity. “Helmets don't particularly save lives, crash avoidance saves lives,” Gleason said.
Proponents of the current law say that helmets save lives and prevent insurance premiums from going up.