# Florida lawyer who successfully fought Florida's motorcycle helmet law dies in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmet **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 25, 2022, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779 "2022-10-25T20:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/81 "2022-10-28T01:01:11Z")
> [@chela](#): > > It’s a risky hobby, and they are many many drivers on the road that already hate two wheeled conveyances. This thread reinforces that hate. I know you mention two wheeled conveyances, but as someone who rides both motorcycles and the non-powered versions, the hate to power two wheelers is basically non-existent. The hatred to bicyclist is _very_ real. I cycle a lot and I’ve never, ever experienced anything remotely like that riding a motorcycle. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/82 "2022-10-28T01:04:20Z")
People are afraid of motorcyclists, no one is afraid of cyclists. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/83 "2022-10-28T01:32:56Z")
I’m not so sure about that. > **[Bicyclist convicted in SF pedestrian’s death now says he was a victim, too](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Bicyclist-convicted-in-SF-pedestrian-s-death-13131019.php)** > > The 10-speed techie who gained notoriety as the first San Francisco cyclist to be... ---
**Author:** ![Abcd1000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Abcd1000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abcd1000)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/84 "2022-10-28T05:13:20Z")
Oh PLEASE! Wearing a fricking helmet is in no way to be compared to taking a toxic substance injection. WTF. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/85 "2022-10-28T09:15:37Z")
(See next post) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/86 "2022-10-28T09:17:16Z")
> [@Abcd1000](#): > > Oh PLEASE! Wearing a fricking helmet is in no way to be compared to taking a toxic substance injection. WTF. What are you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/87 "2022-10-28T09:35:11Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > What are you referring to? I suspect it’s a response to the OP: > [@ekedolphin](#): > > Perhaps “the gummint can’t tell me what to do!” is not good enough reason for refusing to follow instructions that can save your life. > > (Word to the antivaxxers.) If so, the aforementioned “toxic substances” would be vaccines (IHHO). ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/88 "2022-10-28T10:56:49Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > Low speed falls–an acquaintance was walking his dog on a bike path riding his MTB at walking speeds. The dog darted in front of him and he went head-first into the pavement. Yeah, I’m amazed anyone thinks riding a bike with a dog running alongside is a good idea (and I see it being done quite often). It doesn’t matter how well-behaved the dog is - it could easily startle at something and instantly go under the wheels of the bike, likely causing serious injury to both animal and rider (even if the latter is wearing protective gear). I guess he thought ‘walking speed’ would preclude this, but actually I’ve done an accidental cartwheel on a bike at walking speed just by grabbing the front brake too hard (new bike with much better brakes than my old one) - getting tangled with a dog or its lead could have a similar effect. Luckily for me, in my case it was on soft ground and I think I took the main impact across my shoulders, so I was completely unharmed. You live and learn - until you don’t. I always wear a helmet on my bike. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/89 "2022-10-28T12:48:11Z")
> [@Dogginit](#): > > As a grassroots contributor to ABATE, yes, I did. Same here. I fought to change Pennsylvania’s helmet law, and we managed to get it changed. I’d never ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but I appreciate being able to be the one to decide. Similarly, I helped a friend overturn a law that forced him to not allow smoking in his bar. We got the law overturned. Two days later he decided to make his bat no-smoking. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/90 "2022-10-28T14:15:54Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Two days later he decided to make his bat no-smoking. How do you get a bat to quit smoking? How do you get a bat to _start_ smoking? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/91 "2022-10-28T14:19:48Z")
Heh. His bar. And it remains no smoking to this day. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/92 "2022-10-28T15:00:38Z")
Afraid? We were taking about hating, not being afraid. I think I missed something… ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/93 "2022-10-28T15:59:01Z")
Assholish car drivers who delight in scaring cyclists wouldn’t dare to mess with motorcyclist. One might conclude from this is that they don’t hate motorcyclists, but it could be that they are just afraid to let their hate flag fly. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/94 "2022-10-28T16:14:58Z")
Ah, gotcha! It’s also a lot easier to mess with a cyclist that is going 15MPH versus trying to mess with a motorcycle that can outperform your lifted, coal-rolling, bumper nut festooned, four wheeled security blanket. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/95 "2022-10-28T16:30:05Z")
There’s also the fact that a motorcycle keeps up with traffic, while with a bicycle, you follow behind them at 10-15mph until it becomes safe to pass them. I don’t _hate_ either, but I do sometimes get annoyed by the latter. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/96 "2022-10-28T18:00:53Z")
Bicyclists of all stripes get a lot of hate, even kids on bikes get hassled. I’ve been run off the road and had objects thrown at me just for riding my bike. Motorcyclists get it too, people crowd your lane, creep up on your bumper at stop lights and knock over your motorcycle when parked. Several years ago a deranged woman in the area strung up wire across the dirt road! in anticipation of snagging a dirt biker. She did, and fucked him up. She had some piss poor excuse of mental illness triggered by loud noises. NTL she went to prison. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/97 "2022-10-28T18:59:55Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Motorcyclists get it too, people crowd your lane, creep up on your bumper at stop lights and knock over your motorcycle when parked. Not sure where you live, but I’ve never experienced that in the NW US and I ride a lot (well, this year not as much). On my bicycles while riding on the road? Often. I’ve had road motorcycles for 35 years and never had one knocked over or have any sort of thing I would say was car aggression because I was on a motorcycle. Maybe I’ve been lucky? I try to not ride like a douche so maybe that is part of it. Also, I don’t have loud motorcycles which I could see inducing rage. I hate loud motorcycles (and Subarus, pickups, etc) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/98 "2022-10-28T19:43:05Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Motorcyclists get it too, people crowd your lane, creep up on your bumper at stop lights and knock over your motorcycle when parked. Couple of years ago, a police chief in Hawaii backed into a parked Harley and claimed that neither he nor his passenger were aware that the bike was there and they didn’t recall hitting anything. > **[Chief ‘didn’t know’ he hit parked motorcycle](https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2020/11/chief-didnt-know-he-hit-parked-motorcycle/)** > > Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu said he didn’t know he hit a parked motorcycle when he backed his pickup truck out of a parking space at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, then drove away. A few hours later on Nov. 7, after the motorcycle owner discovered the... Earlier that same year, a FedEx driver pulled a hit & run on a parked Suzuki in Toronto: > **[FedEx driver totals Toronto man’s motorcycle before vehicle leaves |...](https://globalnews.ca/news/7122229/fedex-canada-damaged-motorcycle-toronto/)** > > "I had something worth $12,000 and now I have something worth $5,800." ---
**Author:** ![Abcd1000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Abcd1000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abcd1000)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/99 "2022-10-29T00:59:00Z")
To the person who said made the reference to “tHe UnVaxEd” when commenting on this helmet thread. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779/100 "2022-10-29T01:26:42Z")
I have no problem with people riding without a helmet but it’s soooo uncomfortable. I only did it once when testing a bike and it was ridiculously loud. 15 minutes on the bike and I was getting a headache. It was the road noise and not the bike. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-lawyer-who-successfully-fought-floridas-motorcycle-helmet-law-dies-in-a-motorcycle-accident-while-not-wearing-a-helmet/973779.md?page=6)