With many of my family in the medical field, including my wife who is a rehab doctor, I am all too familiar with the risks of riding a motorcycle. To me, with the numbers of cars on the roads today, and peoples driving habits, the risk of riding a motorcycle is too high (given the benefits, which can be reduced to "wind in your face thrill"). Since many of those who survive a motorcycle crash are permanently disabled (more often than not horrifically so), guess who pays for their long term care? That’s right, you and I do. Motorcycling on public streets should be banned as an unacceptable risk and cost to taxpayers...

What about other vehicles that are dangerous to the general public, should they be banned as well?

For example:

We have high preformance sport cars, which are marketed to the younger generations. They may be used in street racing and other inherently dangerous activities...so we might as well ban them.

Then we have the SUV’s and Trucks. The four wheel drive hype may cause some to injury and/or kill themselves and others attempting to use the vehicles offroad. Lets not forget the supposed environmental impact risk and high rollover rate, so SUV’s should banned too.

Then we have underpowered four banger economy cars, which can barely get down the street at the legal speed. They are built cheap to buy cheap and it shows. Many have inferior crash test rating, posing danger to the occupants...should we add these to the list of banned vehicles?

I could go on...but the attempts by so many to ban certain items because of a "health and safety" concern is appaling.

Thanks, Mr. Hulvey, for a good dose of common sense!! I recently purchased a jet-fuel drag racer, and was outraged to discover that the "health and safety" nannies have already started taking away my God (Jesus)-given freedoms. I’m not allowed to take this out on the freeway!! They say it has something to do with the fact that my car is 40 feet long and really can’t be steered above 5MPH, not to mention that it can do a quarter mile in 2 seconds. Sissies!! They also don’t like the noise (watch out Mr. Schramm - they probably feel the same way about your "hot and loud" bike!). I say, screw ’em!! Next thing, they’re gonna try to take away my pet lion (defending my home!) and my personal nuclear device (same purpose!) - the bastards!!!

Christopher illistrates why government programs necessarily mean less individual freedom. When government gives money or other free things (health care) it seeks to manage risk in order to maximize available resources. Governments almost always manage risk by making activites illegal. People engaging in these activities either have to pay fines (pay to engage in activities), or go to jail. I have no doubt that if government were to offer every citizen health care that smoking would become illegal within a few years.

I ride a bike. If you have not ridden one you would not understand. There is nothing better than acclerating from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, or feeling the rush of power when the bike starts turning over 5, or taking the perfect line in a turn. I cannot believe how timid and risk adverse modern Americans are; it seems unbelievable that we are the same people who went out west and tamed it. Most unfortunate.

Andrew,

The risks and known medical costs associated with cars/trucks/SUV/you-name-it-with-four-wheels do not compare to two wheeled vehicles, especially in collisions with four wheels ones.

Steve,

I have felt the rush of riding a bike, but why do I have to pay for everyone else’s? My medical insurance and taxes are demonstrably higher because we all pay for the many disabled riders who can no longer feed themselves. If not an outright ban, how about a tax and/or medical insurance that actually pays for all these horrific injuries/costs?