On Thu, February 11, 1999 at 20:47:00 (-0600) [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >Bill Lear writes: > >> I don't have too much of a problem arguing against helmet laws. My >> take is that if a person does not hurt another person, then they are >> free to hurt themselves and the state should not regulate that >> behavior --- if it can be shown that not wearing helmets poses a >> threat to others, no red-blooded American should protest efforts to >> curb the harm. My guess is that helmet laws and seat-belt laws were >> done at the behest of insurance companies, not a cadre of >> pajama-wearing socialists. >> >Well I do have a problem. We have banned helmetless riders >because of the selfish cost they impose upon others. Cyclists >without helmets cause an enourmous extra cost to the insurance >system that is passed on to other sensible drivers/riders. It is the >equivalent of arguing for the elimination of laws against drunk >driving because the cost such idiots cause end up being passed on >to others and, in our case, to the health system which must be >paid by everyone. I am all in favour of individual freedom -- up to >the point that it begins to destroy other, innocent people's freedom. >Helmet and seatbelt laws are the beginning of freedom for others >on the road. > >It is sentiments like that of BigWayne that makes me question the >rationality of American discourse. That Bill Lear supports it makes >me sad and despondent! Criminy Paul, I said, if you read what I wrote, that I don't have "a problem *arguing* against helmet laws" (added emphasis), and "if it can be shown that not wearing helmets poses a threat to others" such laws should be supported. Just where in this do I "support" the sentiments (*not* of BigWayne I should point out) of his BigWayne's biker friend? I could end this by saying: "It is sentiments like that of Paul, derived from skewed readings of plain English, that make me question the reading skills of certain Canadian economics professors!", but I wouldn't do that. See, I used to ride a motorcycle in college and I always wore my helmet. I always wear a seatbelt when I drive (won't drive if passengers in my car aren't buckled in), and support laws for both helmet use and seatbelts. I don't think arguing against them, however, is in the same league of insanity as the rest of Biker Boy's twisted notions. Bill
