Lawyer who successfully lobbied to overturn Florida motorcycle helmet law dies in motorcycle crash while not wearing helmet

[Morrison71]

Smith didn't like being told what to do and valued his independence, said Dave Newman, who met the attorney through an American Legion post in Old Town where they were both members.

"He thought everybody should have their own choice," Newman said.

In 2000, Smith's aspiration was realized when the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing motorcyclists over 21 to go without head protection as long as they had $10,000 in insurance coverage for motorcycle accident injuries.

In August, Smith and his girlfriend, Brenda Jeanan Volpe, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. They were headed to a memorial service for another biker who had died of cancer.

Smith crashed the bike as he tried to slow for traffic ahead of him. Both he and Volpe were killed.

Neither was wearing a helmet.

 

[The Tradition]

It was actually drinking Pepsi and driving that caused the accident.

 

[Morrison71]

 

[TheCainer]

View embedded media

Smith didn't like being told what to do and valued his independence, said Dave Newman, who met the attorney through an American Legion post in Old Town where they were both members.

"He thought everybody should have their own choice," Newman said.

In 2000, Smith's aspiration was realized when the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing motorcyclists over 21 to go without head protection as long as they had $10,000 in insurance coverage for motorcycle accident injuries.

In August, Smith and his girlfriend, Brenda Jeanan Volpe, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. They were headed to a memorial service for another biker who had died of cancer.

Smith crashed the bike as he tried to slow for traffic ahead of him. Both he and Volpe were killed.

Neither was wearing a helmet.

Kismet.

 

[IowaPackFan]

Would he be alive had he worn a helmet?

 

[SolarHawk]

Isn‘t it ironic….dont ya think?

 

[SolarHawk]

Would he be alive had he worn a helmet?

Probably not, but you can’t deny the irony of it all.

 

[The Tradition]

Isn‘t it ironic….dont ya think?

No, "Irony" is the firehouse burning down.

This isn't remotely similar to that.

 

[Chewback]

He did it his way.

 

[IowaPackFan]

Lobbying for pit bulls being safe family pets then having your pit bull eat your family is irony.
Lobbying to not be required by law to wear a seatbelt or helmet then dying in an accident is not irony.

 

[MitchLL]

Gee, that's too bad.

Darwinism at work?

 

[SolarHawk]

Lobbying for pit bulls being safe family pets then having your pit bull eat your family is irony.
Lobbying to not be required by law to wear a seatbelt or helmet then dying in an accident is not irony.

Lol, wut?

 

[mustang_hawk]

Kismet.

Karma?

 

[Gonolz]

Lobbying for pit bulls being safe family pets then having your pit bull eat your family is irony.
Lobbying to not be required by law to wear a seatbelt or helmet then dying in an accident is not irony.

Lobbying for your choice of dangerous activity to be allowed on the grounds of it is not unsafe or you should have the freedom to be unsafe and then that activity causing great harm is certainly ironic. Maybe even more than rain on your wedding day.

 

[ericram]

Well that ended about as expected.

 

[IowaPackFan]

Lobbying for your choice of dangerous activity to be allowed on the grounds of it is not unsafe or you should have the freedom to be unsafe and then that activity causing great harm is certainly ironic. Maybe even more than rain on your wedding day.

If he died because he wasn’t wearing a helmet is one thing. We don’t know that answer. Therefore it’s a stretch to say it’s ironic.

 

[isuisshit]

Florida man strikes again.

 

[Jedhawk77]

Lobbying for pit bulls being safe family pets then having your pit bull eat your family is irony.
Lobbying to not be required by law to wear a seatbelt or helmet then dying in an accident is not irony.

Here is a quote from the Tampa Bay Times.

It’s impossible to say whether a helmet would have prevented Smith’s and Volpe’s deaths, experts said. Smith’s autopsy report lists blunt head trauma as his cause of death and an initial report from the Hillsborough Medical Examiner’s Office also lists Volpe’s cause of death as head trauma.

I would say you and Trad are picking nits.

 

[The Tradition]

Here is a quote from the Tampa Bay Times.

It’s impossible to say whether a helmet would have prevented Smith’s and Volpe’s deaths, experts said. Smith’s autopsy report lists blunt head trauma as his cause of death and an initial report from the Hillsborough Medical Examiner’s Office also lists Volpe’s cause of death as head trauma.

I would say you and Trad are picking nits.

NFL QBs get head trauma every week while wearing helmets.

 

[franklinman]

View embedded media

Smith didn't like being told what to do and valued his independence, said Dave Newman, who met the attorney through an American Legion post in Old Town where they were both members.

"He thought everybody should have their own choice," Newman said.

In 2000, Smith's aspiration was realized when the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing motorcyclists over 21 to go without head protection as long as they had $10,000 in insurance coverage for motorcycle accident injuries.

In August, Smith and his girlfriend, Brenda Jeanan Volpe, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. They were headed to a memorial service for another biker who had died of cancer.

Smith crashed the bike as he tried to slow for traffic ahead of him. Both he and Volpe were killed.

Neither was wearing a helmet.

Ah, T&Ps.

 

[Joes Place]

View embedded media

Smith didn't like being told what to do and valued his independence, said Dave Newman, who met the attorney through an American Legion post in Old Town where they were both members.

"He thought everybody should have their own choice," Newman said.

In 2000, Smith's aspiration was realized when the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing motorcyclists over 21 to go without head protection as long as they had $10,000 in insurance coverage for motorcycle accident injuries.

In August, Smith and his girlfriend, Brenda Jeanan Volpe, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. They were headed to a memorial service for another biker who had died of cancer.

Smith crashed the bike as he tried to slow for traffic ahead of him. Both he and Volpe were killed.

Neither was wearing a helmet.

Tombstone: "Yeah, But He Owned The Libs"

 

[Joes Place]

NFL QBs get head trauma every week while wearing helmets.

Now guesstimate how long they'd last playing w/o helmets.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I cringe when I encounter motorcycles on interstate.

I either slow down or speed up to distance myself.

 

[Hawki97]

I cringe when I encounter motorcycles on interstate.

I either slow down or speed up to distance myself.

Same. I also do it when I see this.

 

[seminole97]

Isn‘t it ironic….dont ya think?

 

[Hawki97]

Alanis messed up my understanding of irony for a while....but I'mm 99% sure there's some irony in this story somewhere.

 

[Rudolph]

NFL QBs get head trauma every week while wearing helmets.

Now guesstimate how long they'd last playing w/o helmets.

Tradthought in a nutshell.

 

[redbirdhawk]

This makes me smile.

 

[Chewback]

NFL QBs get head trauma every week while wearing helmets.

But because of the helmets it doesn't kill them on the spot.

 

[WhiteSoxClone]

I am so thankful that I survived the five years in my early 20s that I owned a motorcycle. There are very few things in this world that are more dangerous than a 20 year old male, pumped full of testosterone, on a crotch rocket.

 

[joelbc1]

View embedded media

Smith didn't like being told what to do and valued his independence, said Dave Newman, who met the attorney through an American Legion post in Old Town where they were both members.

"He thought everybody should have their own choice," Newman said.

In 2000, Smith's aspiration was realized when the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing motorcyclists over 21 to go without head protection as long as they had $10,000 in insurance coverage for motorcycle accident injuries.

In August, Smith and his girlfriend, Brenda Jeanan Volpe, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. They were headed to a memorial service for another biker who had died of cancer.

Smith crashed the bike as he tried to slow for traffic ahead of him. Both he and Volpe were killed.

Neither was wearing a helmet.

You have to admire the good Lord's sense of humor.

 

[The Tradition]

But because of the helmets it doesn't kill them on the spot.

A linebacker doesn't weigh 2,000 pounds.

If a car hits you while on a bike, the helmet will have a very negligible chance of saving your life.

 

[SolarHawk]

If he died because he wasn’t wearing a helmet is one thing. We don’t know that answer. Therefore it’s a stretch to say it’s ironic.

It’s not a stretch to say you’re either being obtuse or not very intelligent. I’m guessing the latter.

 

[goldmom]

But because of the helmets it doesn't kill them on the spot.

And it’s cumulative.

 

[NCHawk5]

While this is ironic and kind of an I told you so moment, I don’t think the government should regulate helmets or seatbelts. I love driving around without one on for short trips, just so much more comfortable.

 

[MitchLL]

A linebacker doesn't weigh 2,000 pounds.

If a car hits you while on a bike, the helmet will have a very negligible chance of saving your life.

Riding a motorcycle is like living in Florida and the threat of a hurricane...you obviously accept the risk.

 

[seminole97]

Riding a motorcycle is like living in Florida and the threat of a hurricane...you obviously accept the risk.

Article should indicate if he was an organ donor.

 

[MitchLL]

Article should indicate if he was an organ donor.

Apparently he donated his brain BEFORE the accident.

 

[fsu1jreed]

NFL QBs get head trauma every week while wearing helmets.

Jezz trad

 

[fsu1jreed]

You do have your moments dude