Notes on Protective Headgear

Pennsylvania's stupid law that does not require motorcycle riders to wear helmets very likely today cost the Super Bowl-champion Pittsburg Steelers their star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who was riding his hog without head protection and was involved in a wreck. What a dumb way to loose your career, if not your life. In fact, Ben Roethlisberger had been warned about the dangers ...

Asked why he doesn't wear a helmet -- something he wouldn't think about doing on a football field -- Roethlisberger pointed out Pennsylvania's 35-year-old state law requiring helmets to be worn was amended two years ago.

"Obviously Pennsylvania doesn't think people need to (wear a helmet)," he said. "There's a law you've got to wear it in football."

I've always been on the fence about motorcycles. On the one hand, they're obnoxiously loud and the people who ride them often have a Cowboy Complex whereby they don't feel good unless they are ripping by you at 100+ m.p.h. or revving their hog in the middle of the night outside your house.

On the other hand, motorcycles get pretty great mileage, so they're much less evil than, say, cars or SUVs despite their annoying quality.

But common sense dictates you should wear a helmet at a minimum when out riding, just as you should wear your seatbelt in a car. Now, I realize bikers are busy lobbying state legislatures to revoke helmet laws in the name of personal freedom. After all, who wants Big Government (unless you live in New Orleans)? But often laws are on the books for good reason: You should wear your helmet on motorcycle; you should not drink and drive; you should not possess fully automatic weaponry; you should not possess heroin; you should have to support your kids financially.

Maybe, now, Pennsylvania will reevaluate the price of so-called personal freedom. Or at least maybe the Steelers will reevaluate how they structure their contracts...

Many NFL contracts prohibit engaging in dangerous activities, but Roethlisberger's deal apparently doesn't specifically ban motorcycle riding.

[Steelers coach] Cowher didn't criticize Roethlisberger's riding, but is visibly uneasy with it.

"I certainly don't condone that," Cowher said. "It (playing pro football) is a very small time in your life and you've got to be very careful -- you can see it documented with Kellen Winslow in Cleveland. There are choices and consequences ... not just in riding motorcycles, but where you go and who you associate with. You have control over them but once you make your decision, they control you."