I don’t get it.
Motorcycles don’t have seatbelts, nor does the law require me to wear a helmet. Fine. Sometimes I don’t.
Horses run at speeds that kill. No seatbelt required on Old Paint.
And while I personally might have difficulty pedaling a bicycle up to lethal speeds, there are some steep hills around here and I could do some damage. Why no seatbelt?
Go-Carts? Nope. Riding lawnmowers? Nope. Four-wheelers? Nope.
So why then, when I drive my pickup truck down to Basha’s for a gallon of milk, or run over to the post office to pick up a birthday gift (sure didn’t need to do that this year), the law says I have to wear a seatbelt?
You’re telling me it’s okay to be a 75 mile per hour meat missile as I launch off my motorcycle after t-boning some out-of-state tourist, possibly striking innocent passers-by or destroying public property, yet bouncing around the cab of my Ford Explorer, hurting nobody but myself, is forbidden?
Why the double standard? Is this just another way for our law enforcement officials to extort money from John Q. Public? Of course it is.
What’s next? Mandatory hand-washing? Safety permits for kite-flying? How about a sunscreen requirement for anyone going outdoors?
P.S. Yes, Mom, I wear my seatbelt. I was just making a point.