GOP Lawmaker who voted to repeal state's motorcycle helmet law... dies in motorcycle crash.

[aaaaaa5a]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/13/health/lawmaker-dies-in-motorcycle-crash-trnd/index.html



A Michigan state lawmaker who voted to repeal universal helmet laws has died in a motorcycle crash, according to Michigan State Police.

Rep. Peter Pettalia was riding southbound on M-33 in northern Michigan late Monday afternoon when a pickup truck turned left into his lane. His motorcycle broadsided the pickup. Pettalia was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said. The driver of the truck, a 59-year-old woman, was not injured, police said.

Pettalia, 61, a Republican from Presque Isle, was an advocate for motorcyclists' rights and had served the state's District 106 since he was elected in 2010.

In 2012, he voted to repeal universal helmet laws for all motorcycle riders over the age of 20. Michigan is one of 28 states that do not have laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

House Speaker Kevin Cotter called his death shocking.


Full story at link.

At least he was smart enough to wear a helmet.

[doc03]

1. But he had the Freedumb to ride without a helmet nt

[kairos12]

2. He was truck by car-ma.

[Funtatlaguy]

3. Boom Shaka Laka

Ding dong!

[NashuaDW]

5. Really ? FreeDUMB?

Seems exceptionally judgemental from someone who probably has no idea what they're talking about.

For the record - he WAS wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
For the record - over half of the states DO NOT require helmets

Sounds to me like you favor a nanny state type law requiring them.

Care to explain the pejorative spelling?

[doc03]

6. So you are saying he would be alive if he wasn't wearing a helmet.

If you ride a motorcycle and don't wear a helmet you are dumb. Every day the EMTs scape the brains up from one of
those bad ass cyclists that want their fucking freedom to die. He was unlucky but that helmet could have saved his life.

[louis-t]

7. Uh, about your "nanny state" comment....

Since Michigan did away with the law requiring a helmet, the number of deaths on motorcycles has gone up. So, I'm assuming you're not one of those people who claim the death toll will "go down with out all of those useless laws"?

edit: by the way, this is the very conservative Detroit News.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2016/06/07/motorcycle-deaths-helmet-law/85581388/

[lunatica]

8. Enjoy your stay

[GeorgeGist]

10. Sounds to me your in favor of society paying for stupidity.

[bighart]

11. From the linked article

"Rep. Peter Pettalia was riding southbound on M-33 in northern Michigan late Monday afternoon when a pickup truck turned left into his lane. His motorcycle broadsided the pickup. Pettalia was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said. The driver of the truck, a 59-year-old woman, was not injured, police said."

Exactly what stupidity was he engaged in?
The stupitdity was on the part of the driver of the pickup truck don't cha think?

I have had friends killed on bikes in exactly the same way and it WASN"T BECAUSE THEY WERE ENGAGING IN STUPIDITY, IT WAS ENTIRELY THE FAULT OF THE OTHER DRIVER!!!!!!!!!!

[gratuitous]

4. I hope he had an organ donor card

Something good might come out of this tragedy.

[jmowreader]

9. A helmet wouldn't have helped him in this case

Plastering yourself against the side of a truck when you're going 55 mph will kill ya every time.

[LuvNewcastle]

12. Yep, motorcycling is risky, but it's a hell of a lot of fun.

People who don't ride don't understand the feeling you get when you're on your bike. It's the closest you can get to flying without leaving the ground. Like all things enjoyable there is risk involved, and everybody crashes at least once in their lives. Fate decides who gets up and who doesn't.

[WinkyDink]

16. BT, DT. I think swimming is "the closest....."

[Major Nikon]

17. The post WWII motorcycling craze was started by former aircrew members

[LuvNewcastle]

20. I didn't know that.

I knew it was begun by people who were in the military, but didn't know it was air crew members. Very appropriate.

[Major Nikon]

22. Many of the post WWII motorcycle gangs can trace their history to aircrews

http://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/from-bombers-to-bikers-the-real-story-of-the-hells-angels-and-the-military

[LuvNewcastle]

24. Thanks for the link.

I should've known that the Hell's Angels were started by people who flew bomber missions and other members of air crews. Those guys were fearless! They were a unique bunch, for sure.

[REP]

15. It sounds like he got plastered

From the article cited, it sounds as though the pickup truck was at fault. I've seen a lot of drivers blissfully unaware of an object the size of my (bright red) small two-seat coupe; a motorcycle can disappear in a blind spot as narrow as a ballpoint pen.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

13. The tax payers are on the hook for the medical bills.

If said motorcyclist is brain damaged
,somebody is going to have to change his diapers for 20 years or so.

[WinkyDink]

14. In the immortal words of Condoleezza: ""I don't think anybody could have predicted...."

[lame54]

18. What good did the helmet do him...

I don't understand the point of this post

[Skittles]

23. of course you don't

[smirkymonkey]

19. There is a reason ER doctors call them "Donorcycles"

Unfortunate.

[Glassunion]

21. I ride. I also happen to live in a state with no helmet requirement.

I wear a helmet every single time I ride. Period. It should be a universal law requiring the use of the DOT approved (SNELL would be better) helmet.

Just like the seatbelt, they do save lives. Sadly, this was not one of those times.