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8 tips on contacts with 'open carry' citizens

amlevin

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In California we used to ride helmetless on July 4th and had orange t-shirts made up that said "I dressed myself today" on the front and had various bits of the Constitution on the back. No one ever got arrested or charged that I remember but the premise was that if we were charged we would argue that it was a political protest and covered under free speech.

You ought to check out the Freemont Solstice Parade held in June in this Seattle neighborhood. Lots of "bikers" expressing their political right to free 'speech' too.

http://nebel.smugmug.com/Events/Fremont-Solstice-Parade/3016017_x3gh6#163776353_U3kbZ

Caution: nudity. At least most are safety conscious and are wearing helmets.
 

amlevin

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Their parents must be so proud.

There are many parents in Seattle that probably swell with pride when their kid does something like this. After all, Seattle prides itself in being one of the centers of the universe of "Free Thinkers".

Certainly you remember the 60's and 70's and Seattle was right there leading the charge.
 

sudden valley gunner

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Whatcom County
In California we used to ride helmetless on July 4th and had orange t-shirts made up that said "I dressed myself today" on the front and had various bits of the Constitution on the back. No one ever got arrested or charged that I remember but the premise was that if we were charged we would argue that it was a political protest and covered under free speech.

Id partake in a similar event done here in Washington.
 

Metalhead47

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Apr 20, 2009
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South Whidbey, Washington, USA
Stupid helmet laws in this state.
I really detest laws that protect someone from themselves.

Y'know its funny... when I lived down in PHX (no helmet laws), I ALWAYS wore a full face helmet, never even thought about not, except maybe once or twice to literally go around the block...

Now that I'm up here I can't wait for the weather to warm up just so I can wear my "barely legal" cheapo beanie helmet...

Yeah, lotta good that law's doing me.
 

sudden valley gunner

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Y'know its funny... when I lived down in PHX (no helmet laws), I ALWAYS wore a full face helmet, never even thought about not, except maybe once or twice to literally go around the block...

Now that I'm up here I can't wait for the weather to warm up just so I can wear my "barely legal" cheapo beanie helmet...

Yeah, lotta good that law's doing me.

Hawaii didn't have helmet law when I lived there, I mostly did wear it but some days, it was nice to go cruising in a tank top shorts and sunglasses.

Arizona and Hawaii very weather friendly places and people ride all the time, why is there no more head traumas there than here that I heard of? Interesting I might look into that.

I agree with Navy on this cop's opinion though, when you first read it compared to many other LEO's you think wow this cop is alright. But that is only compared to some of the other statements we heard, when you reread it you can see this cop is not cool with it and is only looking after protecting himself and other officers from getting in trouble.
 

amlevin

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North of Seattle, Washington, USA
I agree with Navy on this cop's opinion though, when you first read it compared to many other LEO's you think wow this cop is alright. But that is only compared to some of the other statements we heard, when you reread it you can see this cop is not cool with it and is only looking after protecting himself and other officers from getting in trouble.

The biggest problem with any "unbiased" article is that BOTH sides end up bashing it.
 

Metalhead47

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South Whidbey, Washington, USA
Hawaii didn't have helmet law when I lived there, I mostly did wear it but some days, it was nice to go cruising in a tank top shorts and sunglasses.

Arizona and Hawaii very weather friendly places and people ride all the time, why is there no more head traumas there than here that I heard of? Interesting I might look into that.

I agree with Navy on this cop's opinion though, when you first read it compared to many other LEO's you think wow this cop is alright. But that is only compared to some of the other statements we heard, when you reread it you can see this cop is not cool with it and is only looking after protecting himself and other officers from getting in trouble.

Isn't that sort of the "first step" in the right direction tho? Look at anything else that's slowly come into acceptance in society, it usually started with the opposition's grudging tolerance, or at least just trying not to "get in trouble" over it.
 

amlevin

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Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
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North of Seattle, Washington, USA
Hawaii didn't have helmet law when I lived there, I mostly did wear it but some days, it was nice to go cruising in a tank top shorts and sunglasses.

Arizona and Hawaii very weather friendly places and people ride all the time, why is there no more head traumas there than here that I heard of? Interesting I might look into that.

Here is an article worth reading on Helmet laws and health care/insurance.

http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/helmet_use.html

Read #7 under "all questions".

Only slightly more than half of motorcycle crash victims have private health insurance coverage. For patients without private insurance, a majority of medical costs are paid by the government.

The last word in the quote should be "Taxpayers".
 

sudden valley gunner

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Whatcom County
Here is an article worth reading on Helmet laws and health care/insurance.

http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/helmet_use.html

Read #7 under "all questions".



The last word in the quote should be "Taxpayers".

Then they should push for no helmit laws I bet cheaper to bury someone than fix them up.....:lol: (sarcasm)

Our state doesn't are exempt from motorcycle insurance too...interesting.
 

sudden valley gunner

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Whatcom County
Isn't that sort of the "first step" in the right direction tho? Look at anything else that's slowly come into acceptance in society, it usually started with the opposition's grudging tolerance, or at least just trying not to "get in trouble" over it.

You make a good point. Many other social problems aren't just instantly accepted by all groups. I guess you can compare that to many who say something similar about homosexuals, yet in the past would have been vehemently against it to the point of sounding violent.
 

Metalhead47

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South Whidbey, Washington, USA
You make a good point. Many other social problems aren't just instantly accepted by all groups. I guess you can compare that to many who say something similar about homosexuals, yet in the past would have been vehemently against it to the point of sounding violent.

Good parallel. And just as with that, there will always be those from which the best that can be expected is a kind of grudging tolerance, which after all is their right, as long as they act within the confines of the law.
 

heresolong

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Oct 4, 2007
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Blaine, WA, ,
Read #7 under "all questions".

Only slightly more than half of motorcycle crash victims have private health insurance coverage. For patients without private insurance, a majority of medical costs are paid by the government.

The last word in the quote should be "Taxpayers".

Except that this isn't true. They've been quoting this "statistic" for years. Motorcyclists are insured at the same rate (or slightly higher in many cases) than automobile drivers. Where this dubious statistic comes from is in the flawed reporting of insurance claims for accident victims. For example, if you are in an accident and you have a cap of $100,000 on your insurance, your company picks up the first $100,000. If your bill is $100,001 the box on the reporting form is checked as insurance didn't cover and this is what the breakdown shows.

As an aside, I don't know where this idea comes from that the "government or taxpayer" pays the rest. Actually the hospital absorbs the rest. They try to get it back from you, but failing that they overcharge all other patients a little bit to make up the cost, which means you pay more for your medical. But since motorcyclists are not uninsured at a higher rate this doesn't really apply to any greater extent than the general populace.

PS The IIHS is a non-profit institute that has been funding questionable studies to "prove" that there should be mandatory motorcycle laws throughout the country for years. They are not exactly unbiased on this issue and many of their studies have been demonstrably flawed.
 
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