Here is what I believe is the driving force behind it
They need funding for this brain trauma unit that will eventually
come on line plus there are forces out there that want to mess with our
helmet law.
The group that is lobbying for the brain trauma unit is the biggest
lobbyist in Delaware. I've taken him on and beaten him but very rarely.
Constituent work can out gun these guys and that's what I can do better
than he can.
I've already contacted 11 Senators and started the ball rolling in
the COC, ABATE, Legion Riders, Buffalo Soldiers and some motorcycle
retailers. That's what I meant by killing them in their nests before
they gain life.
Its not like we don't
have good hospitals within travel distance like the University of
Maryland Shock Trauma, Penn Medicine Neuroscience Center, Cooper
University, University of Pennsylvania, Drucker Brain Injury Center and a
few others. The accident victim would have to be air lifted but what is
the difference if it is 1/2 hour by air or 1/2 hour by land?
Big boys want big toys and want us to foot the bill.
I just want some good public burden information to fight back with. Thus far I have used:
Transportation-related traumatic brain injuries – According
to the Brain Injury Association of America, motorcyclists comprise 6%
of all transportation-related traumatic brain injuries.
In my personal opinion because Delaware is a pro choice state,
the proposed legislation is aimed at motorcyclists because someone who
lacks the above knowledge and wants to mandate helmets, thinks bikers
are a burden to society. The majority of motorcyclists maintain
insurance and are no more a burden to society than any other group such
as obese people, people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, cancer etc.
The United States spent $1.9 trillion
on healthcare in 2004, so un- helmeted motorcyclists accounted for
.00004% of the total costs.For comparsion, caring for smoking related
health problems cost the government $12.9 billion, or .007%, making it
150 times more costly. obesity costs the government $7.7 billion in
healthcare expenses. Alcohol costs the government $12.2 billion in
healthcare expenses. Medicaid fraud costs the government $140 billion in
healthcare expenses and Alzheimer's costs $12 billion.
I know there is a new medical unit coming on line for traumatic brain injuries in the Middletown
area. I read the article where the Governor replace the committee
people because they did not believe Delaware needed the new facility and
now it seems they want bikers and bikers as the only motorists to pay
for the new facility.
I have always found this site as the end all say all of TBI
information. Its hard sometimes though to get people to listen to,
understand, or recognize anything that does not fit into their
preconcieved perceptions of how things work. For instance, the number of
kids who who recieve TBI from an auto crash annually is near the number
of motorcyclists who do the last time I checked. Yet, no one ever even
acknowledges the fact when I point it out, let alone question why no one
wants kids to wear helmets while riding in a vehicle. Apparently the
idea is just to rediculous to consider? Maybe throw the idea of making
parents pay more into a TBI fund than others would fly?
http://www.cdc.gov/