dbd33

But I speak from a position of authority being, I imagine, one of only a few posters who've had to clean motorcyclist's parts off the paintwork. It's not something one even remembers three weeks later.

Alan2005

Not if you're a psychopath, no.

ireland2canada

I don't really understand your point. How can you make a distinction? Between hitting someone with a helmet vs no helmet. Why does it matter? If you hit them, you have to accept part of the blame. Would you feel better if the helmet wearing biker was "just" paralyzed? If you killed the non helmet wearing biker would you feel justified that it was their own fault?

iaink

No, of course not, its not about fault or blame, its about consequences.If you dont get it I dont really see the point of explaining it, but here goes.

If for example I was T-boned by a biker running a red light and there were serious consequences, I would be devastated by it, regardless of fault/ blame. I feel bad enough about road kill, never mind the death of someones son or daughter.

If a helmet would have prevented the consequences being as serious, then not only would the biker likely be better off, so would I. I might not wake up in the night in a cold sweat quite so often for example. We dont all brush these things off as lightly as dbd would make out.

If they were wearing a helmet and leathers etc, and still ended up dead or paralysed, well, at least they were prepared for the worst and trying to mitigate the risks not only to themselves, but the other people affected by their decisions... like I said, its selfish, but I dont want to hurt or kill a biker any more that they want to be hurt or killed.

Alan2005

Your selfishness limits the freedom of others. Don't you see this as a problem?

iaink

If limiting the freedom of others in the name of the greater good was an issue to me, do you think I would have agreed to be a moderator

Alan2005

Damn that 'greater good'....

ireland2canada

There's really no need for the patronising tone. I am not an imbecile simply because I challenge your point of view. As I see it, and as is reflected in your post above, you are making a distinction between how you would feel about hitting someone wearing a helmet vs not wearing a helmet. I find that rather odd.

iaink

Patronising? dont get me started. I was simply saying that if it wasnt clear from what I had already written it was unlikely to be clearer next time around.

I find it odd that you find it odd to be honest.

Are you saying it wouldnt bother you any more to have had someone die as a consequence if hitting your car than if they say broke a leg but were otherwise OK?

Seems perfectly reasonable to me to be more shaken up by someones death or serious injury, but maybe thats just me. Just seeing a rider with their brains splashed all over the pavement would give me nightmares for weeks, even if I wasnt personally involved in some way.

dbd33

It didn't bother me very much but the point at issue is whether or not one would feel worse depending on the injured party's attire. To me, a severed limb is a severed limb, whether or not there was a local helmet law and whether or not the injured person was in compliance with any such law.

ireland2canada

Yes. Patronising.

I have actually said nothing about how I would feel in the eventuality that I would be responsible for mowing down a motorcyclist. You have tried to put words in my mouth there.

If that were to happen, if I was to hit someone on a motorbike, I can assure you that the last thing on my mind would be their clothing and/or head gear choices. I would certainly not feel that, as you ascertain, at least they were prepared for the worst anyway. I would not make any distinction between someone wearing a helmet and someone not. It simply would not matter. I would not be more concerned about my "waking up in a cold sweat" rather than the well being of the person on the bike.

iaink

I give up.

ireland2canada

Toys exit pram. Over a difference of opinion. What a shocker.

iaink

Who is throwing toys, I just give up trying to make my point clearer.

Seriously, if you cant see that what a motorcylist is wearing is going to have an influence on the outcome of an accident then me spelling it out again wont make any difference.

I havent put words in your mouth, I asked a question that all, "Are you saying it wouldnt bother you any more to have had someone die as a consequence if hitting your car than if they say broke a leg but were otherwise OK?"

You didnt answer it, but I dont care now anyway. If you want to jump to concusions that arent there and get all chippy and argumentative then you will have to find someone else to play with.

ireland2canada

Jesus. I thought you'd "given up".