Guys/Gals: We can choose to wear a lid or not...but we don't own the road. Yes, we pay taxes and all that for upkeep...blah blah...but we as riders do not legally 'own' the road. The government does. If the government says "We want you to wear a helmet because it prevents fatalities, which in turn keep insurance rates down, which in turn free EMS up for other critical care calls, which in turn...blah blah blah", then they can do that if enough people want it to happen. Riding a bike without a helmet is not some sort of birthright. Nothing is stopping you from riding in the back woods somewhere without a helmet...but when you ride on public roads you are talking about a totally different animal. I'm jumping all over the place here...and I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do. All I guess I'm saying is...it's a f#cking helmet..not a chastity belt or a damn straightjacket. It's meant to protect your dome. It's not like the government is trying to HARM you, they're really protecting you from yourself. And before anyone starts...I was hit from behind back in May. 17 year old chick on a cell phone. I was making a right turn and she was behind me....but she didn't stop. She plowed right through my back tire and threw me for a high side. I was ejected from the bike ..backwards.. and I hit the ground. Head first. My helmet, without question, saved my life. Yeah, you can choose not to wear one, but if you would take that kind of a chance with your life (and not only YOUR life...what about your family and friends that have to deal with your scrambled remains?!?!) when you could wear something that would greatly reduce the chance of injury, that says a lot about what kind of person you are. I don't know about you guys, but riding a bike is dangerous enough, and I have way too much to lose.