----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Overmyer" <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: Am stuck in a wheel chair :

> At 04:35 PM 24/09/2003 -0400, you wrote:

>    When mandatory helmet laws were introduced in Australia (and indeed
>    seatbelt laws too) the motivation was more about keeping the cost of
>    post-accident medical costs down,pressured by insurance companies.
>    Afterall,they only like taking our money,not giving it back.
>
>    Prime motivation was cost saving,not regulating our activities or
freedoms
>    although I conceed,that's been a by-product.

In the U.S. one of the stated motivations for these laws was that it would
reduce the cost to the Government (Federal or State) for the medical care
involved in treating people involved in accidents who weren't wearing a
seatbelt or a helmet.  Just an example of how any for of Socialism
inevitably results in a reduction of personal freedom; for the "greater
good" personal liberties are curtailed.  As for private insurers, the issue
should be fairly trivial; victims who aren't wearing seatbelts or helmets
would receive greatly reduced post-accident benefits.  Only......  that's
not possible because of the high degree of regulation (disguised as
"consumer protection") that exists.
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Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
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