I'm currently living in Germany, back in Camden for vaca a few weeks ago.  Blew my mind how many folks ride MC's without helmets.  I currently have MC's in both places and always wear a helmet.  In Germany it's the law and in Maine, we have organ doners.  Germans are practical people, they know the tax payers will foot the medical and long-term care bills for those who survive MC accidents.  They have a better sense of what constitutes the public good, spend far less time in debate and actually make decisions.

My solution for Maine would be to charge an extra $100/yr. for those stupid enough to ride without a helmet.  The money would go into a fund to offset long-term care for the idiots that get head injuries without a helmet.

Oh, and in Germany, they wouldn't chase speeders.  They have radar cameras everywhere, if you speed, you get "flashed" and in a month or two you get a ticket in the mail with a fine and probably some points.  Germans are better at business, too (ka-ching!).  And kids don't get drivers' licenses until they're 18 and pass the fahrschule course, which costs a couple thousand €'s and takes a couple years.  Solves the kids and OUI problems, too.  That and decent public transp.

Me, I just don't want to have to pay, directly (taxes) or indirectly (higher insurance rates) for someone else's so-called personal freedom to ride without a skid lid.

Thoughts to Jamie and that he and his family are doing all right through all this.  However Mr. Rollins is a complete buffoon to think that EVERY motorcycle rider has had the police turn and chase them. Perhaps in his experience they have, but I for one have never had that occur. If you are not breaking the law on a motorcycle they have no reason to turn and stop you. Please Mr. Rollins don't lump us all into your category.

My comment was not intended to start a debate and I'm not going there. Once the blue lights come on, I believe people make a choice to either stop or run.  Even if the chase is called off, that decision to run often ends terribly.  Officers must always wonder when they turn on the lights, how it will end and my guess is that it's very troubling for them because they have to live through it time after time.  Glad to hear that things are positive and my prayers go to the family.

A chain of events that could have been broken by the officer at any time however he chose to continue. Jamie chose as well and with poor judgement. Do we expect more from the police than from the offenders?

The cause of the accident?   He was speeding and alluding police.  I'm sorry that a crash took place but be realistic.  All he had to do was pull over and we would not be talking about this now.  His actions started a bad chain of  events.   Poor choices  can turn into traumatic events.  I certainly do wish him a speedy recovery and I'm sure a horrible lesson has been learned.

Life is all about choices.  I send my prayers to Jamie and his family, but unfortunately, he made a bad choice.  You can blame the police or the politicians, but the is an individual making a choice that did not end well for him.  I've known Wayne all my life and I know he knows I'm not saying anything against his boy.  The best that can happen is if people can learn that their choices create their results.  I hope and pray for a speedy recovery for Jamie.

1. I wear a helmet and I'm against helmet laws.

2. People shouldn't evade the police and police shouldn't escalate the situation by chasing motorcycles. How are you going to catch a motorcycle unless they crash? Therefore, chasing is an intent to do harm. It's a problem. Many states have SOP's against chasing over 80 mph and/or through residential streets.You are right the chase caused Jamie's accident. Police will often just hit their brakes or pull u-turns in the road after passing a motorcycle just to see if they can get a chase going. If they deny this, they are lying. EVERY motorcycle rider has had this happen.

3. A spike mat would be deadly for a motorcyclist. You may as well just shoot them. Also, there is no helmet law for adult bicycle riders and the silent suffering public are usually the ones turning left in front of us and claiming they didn't see us.

Police chases often end sadly for the one being chased as well as the officer.. Luckily his Dad reports he is holding his own.  It is good when road blocks or those nail mats can be employed. So many on the highway are put at risk during a chase. Prayers for the young man and his family as well as the officer are needed and I am certain appreciated.

Ever wonder who pays for the medical care of many injured in motorcycle accidents?  If the riders have no insurance, the citizens of Maine foot the  bill.  The bills will be considerably reduced when our legislators get enough "courage" to pass legislation requiring helmets for anyone on a motorcycle.  They did it for bicycles; they can do it for motorcycles.  Many states already have such legislation.  Maine should no longer be behind the curve when it comes to safety issues such as this.   The silent suffering public has to start becoming more vocal on this particular issue.

I heard that cyclist fly by my home in Warren immediatly proceeded by a very fast moving police car, he was being chased. I thought to myself, this isn't going to end well and said a prayer for them, I  turned on the police scanner and sure enough, he crashed in Thomaston. I don't agree with police chases it puts too many people in danger, if the suspect commited murder then yeah, chase him down, but if its for some minor thing, let him go, you have his license plate, track him down later. As for the 'cause of the accident' he was being chased. I hope and pray he pulls through, no matter what he did.