DISCLAIMER: I am not ranting for or against people wearing helmets or seatbelts. These are entirely my opinions with exception to my hopes that Big Ben gets better and lays the smack down on the field again.

On-topic:

I feel bad for the guy because it could've been anyone on that bike. Not much saves you when you're thrown from a moving vehicle (or one that just rapidly got stopped). I hope he recovers enough to get back into the game and carry on life as usual.

That being said, the following is entirely my opinion about seatbelts and bikers.

In Florida, it's not against the law to not wear a helmet. That's kind of *****ed up considering you see signs that say "Buckle up, it's the law". Maybe they expect the person to be dead after any kind of accident, who knows. I don't have any sympathy for any biker who doesn't wear anything more protective than clothes. A friend of mine has a 1000cc bike and he wears the entire outfit of riding "armor" as well as a full helmet. Will that save him if he gets hit by a car? No, but nobody can say "Damn, that guy was an idiot for not wearing a helmet or riding gear". I can wear my seatbelt all day and it won't matter when I get hit head-on by a semi going 90 but nobody can say "Tsk tsk, should've worn a seatbelt". Neither of these examples are at all what the point of the message is and that's "It should be common knowledge to do the most you can to protect yourself". That includes helmets, riding gear, wearing seatbelts, forcing EVERYONE in your car to strap up. I've pissed off people who don't even talk to me anymore simply because I say "Either wear a seatbelt while in my vehicle or you can walk; this truck isn't moving". My vehicle, my rules and if they want to give me the excuse of "Nah, I'd rather be thrown from the vehicle", tough sh!t. I won't be on the news just by chance that I get into an accident and my passenger gets ejected out the windshield and dies of "massive head trauma" or some crap.

And while we're on the subject of seatbelts (just so nobody thinks I'm ragging on just bikers who don't wear helmets).

Nothing pisses me off more than to see a *****ing entire family in something like a Ford Excursion hauling @$$ down the road and everyone in the backseat is just doing whatever, hanging out the windows, etc. Remember the Firestone/Ford fiasco a few years ago? That guy on the side of the road holding his dead 12 year-old and tried to blame faulty tires? Yeah, he was speeding and his F'ING KID WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH NO SEATBELT. Dad wore one and came out alive but his kid didn't. Let me guess, I can't imagine how hard it is to get my kid to sit still with his/her seatbelt for five minutes? Hmmm, somehow my parents did a good job. We didn't go anywhere unless everyone in the '79 Land Cruiser was strapped in. Just my opinions.

As for defensive-driving bikers...well, let's just say the number of those I see on a daily basis is so few and far between, it's not even funny. Mel and I were driving down I-4 and we got passed by two guys on crotch-rockets. They proceed to get in front of us and POP THE BIKES UP ON THE ONE WHEEL WHILE DOING EIGHTY FREAKING MILES AN HOUR. Yeah, that's defensive alright. At least they had helmets on though! Yeah, the helmet won't do much when ONE LOSES CONTROL AND I RUN HIS SORRY @$$ OVER...God, I hate stupidity like that. That being said, the ones I do see that are driving safely and actually obey the road rules, I entirely support them being on said bike. The rest don't get any sympathy from me.