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AMA APPLAUDS NEW PENNSYLVANIA HELMET LAW

The American Motorcyclist Association commends Pennsylvania's legislators and Gov. Ed Rendell for modifying the state's helmet law to allow adults to ride without helmets under certain conditions.

Following more than two decades of effort with the support of the AMA, ABATE of Pennsylvania succeeded in getting legislation through the General Assembly and onto the governor's desk to change the helmet law.

Rendell stated on the campaign trail last spring that he would sign the legislation into law if it cleared the General Assembly and he became governor. Rendell earned the governor's seat, and on July 6 he kept his campaign promise, signing the bill into law.

Under the new law, which takes effect in early September, motorcyclists 21 or older who have had a motorcycle operator's license for at least two years, or who have completed an approved motorcycle rider safety course, may decide for themselves whether to use a helmet. Passengers 21 or older riding with riders who meet the requirements of the law also have a choice in helmet use.

Charles Umbenhauer, state lobbyist for ABATE of Pennsylvania, said ABATE has worked on this issue for decades, and in 1998 got a similar bill to the governor's desk but that measure was vetoed.

The AMA has helped ABATE of Pennsylvania with its push over many years. This year alone, the AMA not only wrote to Pennsylvania lawmakers but sent letters to almost 10,000 AMA members in the state urging them to contact their legislators to support the bill. In addition, the AMA kept Pennsylvania motorcyclists informed by posting notices on the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com and urging members to send messages in
support of the helmet-related legislation to their lawmakers through the AMA Rapid Response Center on the website.

"This new law is a great victory for ABATE of Pennsylvania and motorcyclists in the state," said Sean Maher, AMA director of state affairs. "It shows that preparation and persistence pay off, and the importance of having dedicated individuals like Charles Umbenhauer working on motorcycling issues year after year."


From the AMA

nerdish

I hope Michigan isn't next. There's enough motorcycle fatalities as is.

Little-E

I still will wear my helmet!

slothy

ya but your condition requires you to wear a helmet at all times... on or off the bike bahaha

ynot

sounds good to me

babebblues

Bad idea.... but then again..... If you dont care about smacking your head, why should I?? But if this happens why should we have to wear seat belts by law??

X-Rated

rite on!!! I'll wear my lid anyway so it dont matta

Little-E

Go :splat yourself!!!!

Doris

i think they shouldnt make that law. maybe for the hog riders. but for people on crotch rockets i think that is a horrible idea. you crash and you can basically say that you are done.

NINER

Get rid of helmet and seatbelt laws. It's like throwing a little chlorine in the gene pool.

X-Rated

why whats chlorine do in a gene pool

ChoCha

Natural selection is a beautiful thing!!!!

Merlin

keep the helmet law....will keep insurance rates down

Casper600

they should leave it alone in Michigan that would be the best thing....And if they do happen to pass it I will always wear my lid. besides I don't like bugs in my face

Raybone

i for one would like to have the choice.....if im just cruising around stoney....or the gratiot cruise....i prefer not to wear one.....everyday riding definitely a helmet

nags

Why is it any different?

4nic8

How many of you have actually ridden without a helmet? Before i moved to Arizona I always said id always wear a helmet, after living down there for a few months though that changed quickly due to heat as well as conditions. Now granted in certain situations I would always wear a helmet, if i plan on riding high speed then its a given, but blvd cruising id rather not. The key here is it should be a choice not a law. When i ride my harley I wear a skid lid, its not dot aproved and would do nothing for me in the event of a crash, i wear simply to satisfy what the law requires. On the CBR 9 out of 10 times id always wear my shoei, just because of how i tend to ride on it. If we go strickly by numbers, the number of motorcycle accidents resulting in fatalities has little to do with if they were wearing a helmet or not. Dont believe me check out Abates website, they have all the statistics there. as for insurance levels, well to be honest i paid less in arizona on insurance then i do here, and thats a no helmet state.

nerdish

I disagree. In some cases I think the Government should step in and make things mandatory. In this case, I don't buy the idea that it should be a choice, not a law.

I'm pretty sure your wife/husband, family, friends, and the EMT that would be sponging up the remnants of your brain appreciate a mandatory helmet law.

And I hate it when they shut down highways for fatalities.. if you don't die they can fly you off in a helicopter and the rest of us can continue without the 3 hour traffic delay.

[/rant]

Edit: However, to answer your question I've never ridden in such heat. So I can understand the want/need to take it off.

4nic8

again your argument is youll die if you dont wear one, and im saying if you are in an accident of that magnitude even with a helmet you will likely be dead. Im going strickly by statistics, also if im in an swful accident, body is broken, im stuck in a wheelchair, cant move from the neck down but im alive because i was wearing a helmet, well i dont consider that living and would hope someone would bring me a gun.

The last thing we need is more government in our lives, especially over a helmet law. If you choose not to wear a helmet and get hurt, you are not risking other people on the road your risking yourself. I dont need government to save me from myself.

MichRulz

I would like to be able to choose for myself.