Freedom of Choice

[terbang]

I allways wear my gear when riding as I see it has to improve my chances if and when I go down onto the cheese grater (again)! Had an interesting perspective when I was on a layover in New York recently and visited a friend who lived in Conneticut. I was kindly loaned his Missus's Harley so that we could do a bit of riding around the state (a boys trip). I had no gear as I was travelling lightly and was wearing Jeans and sweatshirt when I arrived. Mauri looked surprised at my enquirey about a helmet and admitted that he didn't own one and loaned me a denim jacket and a robust pair of sunnies as a token for protection. The guy isn't a dick, he is a safety thinking, responsible person in his world, who for a living, commands a large business jet in the NY area. However when it came to wearing leathers and a helmet on his bike he had never given it much thought and was of the culture of his region. Over 4 days riding I enjoyed riding a Harley for the first time and followed Mauri with his gentle style of touring in a nice part of the world, though I never got comfortable not wearing a helmet. Guess its all about what you are used to and, through the eyes of Americans, "freedom of choice".

[Jackrat]

I allways wear my gear when riding as I see it has to improve my chances if and when I go down onto the cheese grater (again)! Had an interesting perspective when I was on a layover in New York recently and visited a friend who lived in Conneticut. I was kindly loaned his Missus's Harley so that we could do a bit of riding around the state (a boys trip). I had no gear as I was travelling lightly and was wearing Jeans and sweatshirt when I arrived. Mauri looked surprised at my enquirey about a helmet and admitted that he didn't own one and loaned me a denim jacket and a robust pair of sunnies as a token for protection. The guy isn't a dick, he is a safety thinking, responsible person in his world, who for a living, commands a large business jet in the NY area. However when it came to wearing leathers and a helmet on his bike he had never given it much thought and was of the culture of his region. Over 4 days riding I enjoyed riding a Harley for the first time and followed Mauri with his gentle style of touring in a nice part of the world, though I never got comfortable not wearing a helmet. Guess its all about what you are used to and, through the eyes of Americans, "freedom of choice".

Interesting,,,he wouldn't like living in NZ but,,wouldn't like this site either,,,people here don't want you or anybody else to have freedom of choise,,,an they all practice the company line daily just so their ready when somebody that does want freedom of choise,,,or freedom of anything else for that matter, comes along.
But of course the road rules an the police are all/both fucked an THEY should be able to do what THEY want.

[marty]

I LOVE~ riding the busa/TL around town in shorts/t-shirt/sneakers/helmet. feels so free. a bit like surfing without a wetsuit. or having sex without a condom.

tell me about it. i've received more red bling for this post than i had TOTAL before it.

PC wankers.

[Macktheknife]

,people here don't want you or anybody else to have freedom of choise,,,an they all practice the company line daily just so their ready when somebody that does want freedom of choise,,,or freedom of anything else for that matter, comes along.
But of course the road rules an the police are all/both fucked an THEY should be able to do what THEY want.

Freedom of choice in spelling perhaps? lol
Seriously though, choice is a funny thing and I find it really amusing that you and others here are choosing to defend the right to be stupid!
This is not freedom, nor is it a rational thing to defend, surely you do not wish us to think of you as someone who chooses to be stupid? If you should have the right to be stupid by choice, what right should I have if your choice offends me?
Is it reasonable for you to watch a person risk their life and well-being because they have the right to be stupid if they want to be? Any rational, reasonable person would at least warn the idiot concerned, and try to get them to choose differently.
If you wish to die slowly and in great pain, while putting your friends and family though hell with all the 'If only...' things that always follow an accident... then please reconsider. I, like others here, am not trying to remove anyone's rights, we are just pointing out that the 'right to stupidity' is something like fucking for virginity. (to steal a phrase) You may not like the fact that someone has pointed out that stupidity but that does not change the nature of it, or the fact of it.
By the way ACC, is probably one of the best things that we could have here in NZ, and you would be foolish to want a private system. When it was tried the private companies that entered the market to compete did what insurance companies always do and spread the risk by re-insuring. When the true cost of accidents started to show it caused 2 of the largest european insurance companies to go broke because they could not cover the amounts involved. ACC is expensive true, but its better than the current options.
All I or anyone else here is saying is freedom always carries responsibility, and that responsibility is not only to oneself, live with it.... or dont.

[Ixion]

Have you considered the irony of posting this in a motorcycle forum? Where everyone reading it chooses to indulge in a pastime that is , by the standards of the vast majority of society stupid , pointless ,and almost certain to cause us to die slowly and in great pain, while putting our friends and family though hell.

Be careful what you wish upon others , for you may end up getting it for yourself.