Helmets and texting | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "Utah senator looking to take helmet law head-on" (Tribune, Dec. 6):

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, is proposing a mandatory Utah helmet law because motorcycle riders who get into accidents "end up on the public dime."

"Why should we be subsidizing these people's stupidity?" he asked.

I am one who rides without a helmet and have for a great many years, so I guess I am displaying stupidity. That may be.

And Weiler is attempting to save lives and keep injured folks off public assistance. That's admirable.

However, there is a bigger problem that leads to accidents: cell phone usage of any type while driving an automobile. Why not tackle both problems? Are Weiler and his fellow legislators not up for challenge, or are they just stupid?

Mike Eldredge

Riverton