Big Ben=Big Bang

[The Leaper]

My hard earned tax dollars should not be spent on additional emergency workers and vehicles because people want their "right" not to wear helmets or seatbeats.

As I mentioned before...if people want to CHOOSE to not do those things, then they should have no problem paying fines and/or taxes to cover the cost of their choice. It is no different than someone who wants to build a house next to the ocean...they have to accept that their insurance payment will be higher.

Alcohol is taxed. Tobacco is taxed. I have no problem mandating the use of safety equipment in vehicles, and fining those who choose not to obey. If Ben doesn't want to wear a helmet, then pay the fines as you rack them up and shut the hell up.

[MJZiggy]

i'm sorry, but IMO you are not a safe and responsible rider if you are driving THAT bike

and to not wear a helmet on that rocket is just plain stupid

I agree Red, you know when you think about it, the steelers should probably sue, shouldn't they?

I'd be surprised if there wasn't some kind of standard dangerous behavior clause in his contract. I think Winslow had one and I know Jay Williams had one.

Sheftler on NFL.com had it in his column this morning. Evidently there is a clause in his contract for losing playing time to a non-football injury. IF he cannot make it to training camp, they COULD theoretically go after $400K signing bonus and up to 5 mil in other bonuses. They're extremely unlikely to do it according to Shef.

[Patler]

The facts are also pretty clear that low fat diets extend lives and that obesity shortens lives. Should the government be able to mandate what we eat or how much we weigh?

Should the government intrude on and regulate other dangerous pastimes like mountain climbing, rock climbing, etc. etc.?

I have ridden motorcycles for 40 years and would not now ride without a helmet, although I did when I was younger. I feel everyone SHOULD wear a helmet. However, I have never been comfortable with the government regulating to protect us from ourselves. Government should protect us from others, not from ourselves.

When the young uninsured rider who decides against wearing a helmet comes rolling into the ER on a stretcher, should we then just let him die? Or do we have to open our collective wallets to pitch in for his stupidity?

Just playing devils advocate here, as I'm against legislating common sense too.

Well, who pays for the Coast Guard rescues of idiots that don't have enough sense to listen to weather forecasts and stay in port or get back to port ahead of the storm? Who pays for the emrgency room care of participant victims in gang violence? Who pays for the rescue of stranded mountain climbers who had to stay out with the blizzard coming, or spelunkers who had to go deeper and deeper into the cave just for fun?

You can ask those kinds of questions almost forever. Individuals in civilized society have always and will always contribute to the support and care of their foolish and ignorant members.

[The Leaper]

You can ask those kinds of questions almost forever. Individuals in civilized society have always and will always contribute to the support and care of their foolish and ignorant members.

Sure...and they can also support a government willing to force these idiots to pay for their right to be dumbasses.

Climbers going up Everest pay the government huge amounts of money to do so. Many other "high risk" endeavors also come at great personal cost to the person partaking in them.

If you want your "right" to not wear a helmet, then don't gripe and moan about paying hefty fines when you disobey the rules society mandates as common sense. Helmet laws should be mandatory, and those who wish to be stupid idiots can pay for that right.

[FavreChild]

Making a mistake isn't necessarily stupid; not learning from that mistake is.

[FavreChild]

He'll be waking up tomorrow feeling like he was sacked at least 300 times!

Assuming Ben is able to recover physically, there's still the issue of whether he'll be able to recover mentally. I'd sure be skittish about 300-pound lineman trying to knock my block off.

(Although in my case, that would be true anytime.)

[Packers4Ever]

I haven't been to a Brewer game in like 4 years. Do they still bring out pitchers from the bullpen on a Harley? Do those guys where helmets?

Fosco, far as I know the Brewer pitchers still get to the mound on something other than their 2 feet, lol.....I'll have to pay closer attention. Last night at the Cincinnati - Brewer game, the Cin pitchers had to run like heck from the pen to the mound, looked rinky-dinky.....

[Patler]

Climbers going up Everest pay the government huge amounts of money to do so. Many other "high risk" endeavors also come at great personal cost to the person partaking in them.

Your Everest example just doesn't work. Everest fees are a foreign country trying to generate income from tourists for an asset they have.

Last I heard there is no big fee paid to climb Mount Hood outside Portland, and there have been a number of rescues required there in the last few years. How much to rock climbers pay in our National and State parks to partake in their dangerous sports?

[FavreChild]

I haven't been to a Brewer game in like 4 years. Do they still bring out pitchers from the bullpen on a Harley? Do those guys where helmets?

Nah, they just walk out to the mound - nothing fancy. They haven't done the ride for quite awhile. A few years ago, a rep would ride the cycle around the track to signify a pitching change, but it was not the pitcher himself.

However, if a player hits for the cycle, they get a Harley. (At least that was the case last season.) Not sure if they are actually allowed to ride the Harley they win (don't think anyone has won one).

[Zool]

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

[Rastak]

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

He was going west, she east and she turned in front of him by the looks of it. She wasn't ticketed so I really don't know who may have been at fault. I would think the Pittsburgh papers would say something on this soon for those that are interested.

[Little Whiskey]

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

this is exactly why you must wear a helmet!!

[Row 67]

Exactly. The problem with motorcycles is that other drivers typically don't see them and pull out or turn in front of you, merge into you, etc. That's why you need to not only wear helmets, but leather, boots, etc, to protect yourself WHEN it happens. Notice I didn't say IF. My wife had a bike when we first met. After she was the only one left in her group of friends with bikes that hadn't had a serious accident, she got smart and sold it.

They sure are fun, but riding one is like an accident waiting to happen. Another thing- riding in Wisconsin and other rural areas of the US creates another problem- Deer! You've seen what happens when they jump in front of cars. Imagine hitting or being hit by a deer while you're on the highway!

[billy_oliver880]

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

this is exactly why you must wear a helmet!!

From the looks of the bike it looks like he wasn't going slow. It takes some force to break a front wheel.

[Tony Oday]

Lets just hope and pray he is OK.