Body crash risk zones

[TheIronWarrior]

Personally I believe people have the right to be idiots with their own safety. Don't believe in seatbelt laws or airbag requirements in cars, but I wear a seatbelt and wouldn't buy a daily driver without airbags. Don't believe in helmet laws either, but I'm an ATGATT guy. Ride your ride. Live your life. Your liberties only end when they infringe upon the liberties of others.

Where that argument falls apart for me wouldn't be applicable to the US, but with Canada's universal healthcare, someone who gets insane road rash and needs skin grafts or ends up in hospital for a while for whatever other crash related reasons directly impacts everyone, since we all pay in to everyone's healthcare, and we all rely on the same services so if he's trying up a bed, that's a bed someone else might have needed.

The other arguments are less tangible, but for instance if someone was involved in a car-on-bike collision, the emotional damage due to watching his brains scatter over the pavement and feeling at least somewhat responsible for that... Though if everyone just drives safely we have no need for "safety" devices.

There's also the argument that as safety devices have improved, people's acceptance of risk has risen. I'm reminded of the video of a crash test between an old Bel Air and a modern Malibu. The Bel Air is destroyed and the test dummy battered. The Malibu takes a beating, but the passenger compartment and simulated occupant are relatively unscathed. If you know crashes are much much more survivable, it seems people tend to care less about DRIVING safely and rely on the inherent safety of the vehicle.

 

[melensdad]

Where that argument falls apart for me wouldn't be applicable to the US, but with Canada's universal healthcare, someone who gets insane road rash and needs skin grafts or ends up in hospital for a while for whatever other crash related reasons directly impacts everyone, since we all pay in to everyone's healthcare, and we all rely on the same services so if he's trying up a bed, that's a bed someone else might have needed.

The other arguments are less tangible, but for instance if someone was involved in a car-on-bike collision, the emotional damage due to watching his brains scatter over the pavement and feeling at least somewhat responsible for that... Though if everyone just drives safely we have no need for "safety" devices.

There's also the argument that as safety devices have improved, people's acceptance of risk has risen. I'm reminded of the video of a crash test between an old Bel Air and a modern Malibu. The Bel Air is destroyed and the test dummy battered. The Malibu takes a beating, but the passenger compartment and simulated occupant are relatively unscathed. If you know crashes are much much more survivable, it seems people tend to care less about DRIVING safely and rely on the inherent safety of the vehicle.

Being from the USA we don't have your healthcare situation

But point #2 about the car-vs-bike collision, I've actually been on the scene, as it happened, where 2 motorcycles were hit by a car. In a state with helmet laws. 2 fatalities. Both the guys on the bikes. One would guess the driver who screwed up carried emotional damage from that for years.

Life is full of uncertainties. Plan to self-rescue. Plan to live it to the fullest.

But I promise you, if I take over the world it will be my goal to leave others alone.

 

[the Ferret]

It's hard to talk healthcare costs and responsibility together no matter what country you are in. Does one of these, cost the people/govt/healthcare system more than the others? ...motorcycle accidents without gear...cigarettes...alcohol...legal drugs.... illegal drugs...poor dietary habits?

I'm guessing motorcycle accidents without gear would be at the bottom of the list

 

[TheIronWarrior]

It's hard to talk healthcare costs and responsibility together no matter what country you are in. Does one of these, cost the people/govt/healthcare system more than the others? ...motorcycle accidents without gear...cigarettes...alcohol...legal drugs.... illegal drugs...poor dietary habits?

I'm guessing motorcycle accidents without gear would be at the bottom of the list

Valid points, but living in a province where a significant portion of the population does not have a GP, anything that saves the overall healthcare system money is helpful, especially when it doesn't cost the taxpayer.
Tobacco and alcohol are (meant to be) offset by the exorbitant taxes charged on those items (I cannot legally buy a beer at a bar for less than $2.50 and something like 40% of the cost at the liquor store is tax).
There is no Big Mac tax yet though, so...

 

[TheIronWarrior]

Being from the USA we don't have your healthcare situation

But point #2 about the car-vs-bike collision, I've actually been on the scene, as it happened, where 2 motorcycles were hit by a car. In a state with helmet laws. 2 fatalities. Both the guys on the bikes. One would guess the driver who screwed up carried emotional damage from that for years.

Life is full of uncertainties. Plan to self-rescue. Plan to live it to the fullest.

But I promise you, if I take over the world it will be my goal to leave others alone.

I don't disagree that you can wear all the gear that exists and still meet a fatal collision, but it is generally accepted that the more and better gear you are wearing, the more likely you are to keep your insides on the inside.
To be clear, I fully agree that personal safety is a personal choice, I'm just identifying some negative outcomes of some of those decisions.

 

[melensdad]

I don't disagree that you can wear all the gear that exists and still meet a fatal collision, but it is generally accepted that the more and better gear you are wearing, the more likely you are to keep your insides on the inside.
To be clear, I fully agree that personal safety is a personal choice, I'm just identifying some negative outcomes of some of those decisions.

ATGATT is known to help significantly in single vehicle crashes/offs. And while it can help in a multi-vehicle crash, a car or truck hitting a bike usually ends up with pretty bad outcomes, even if the rider is wearing ATGATT