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Court to Rule on Myrtle Beach Helmet Law

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

A sweet tricked-out Yamaha Warrior. A cruiser with an aluminum frame is not a bad place to start.

The South Carolina Supreme Court will hear cases against Myrtle Beach's helmet law today. At stake is whether a city can enact a law that contradicts state law.

Myrtle Beach’s helmet law is being challenged today in South Carolina’s Supreme Court. The city enacted a city-wide helmet law last year in an attempt to curtail the motorcycle rallies that come to the Grand Strand yearly during May. Now that law is being challenged by two primary lawsuits, one by attorney Thomas McGrath, who is representing 49 clients, and another by an organization called Business Owners Organized to Save Tourism (BOOST) who has State Rep. Thad Viers in their corner. Viers will be representing his brother Bart, who was targeted by the Myrtle Beach helmet law.

Viers realizes that the lawsuit is much larger than the superficial helmet law. If the law stands, it could open the gate for more municipalities to enact their own local laws. In essence, it empowers the city over the state.

Both sides represented in the case will have 15 minutes to argue their side before the court. When a decision will be announced remains unknown.

In a TheSunNews.com poll asking whether the S.C. Supreme Court should side with Myrtle Beach or bikers over its controversial helmet law, 73% of the 934 voters polled voted in favor of the bikers.

Post Tags: Myrtle Beach Bike Week, Myrtle Beach helmet law, South Carolina Supreme Court

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Comments

Tim P -footing the bill February 19, 2010 04:02 PM
I would rather help foot the bill of a rider who had the choice of wearing a helmet or not as to foot the bill for the thousands of illegal immigrants that are coming in to our country. Let freedom ring.

Jerry -Move the rally February 15, 2010 06:04 AM
Why not move the rally to a town that is more supportive to it? If someone doesn't want my business, I always go to the competition and spend my $$$.

Boz Martin -Citizen of Myrtle Beach February 6, 2010 08:27 AM
Tim B, if you "honestly have no knowlege of this story", that explains why you don't know how Bryan can make the statement he did concerning the reason for the laws being passed. This is common knowelege to those who have followed this case, and other aspects of this entire controversy.

Google it, and you will see that from the very beginning the City of Myrtle Beach cited their desire to curtain the number of bikers who flock to the beach in the rally month of May as their motivation in passing all the new local laws pertaining to motorcycles -- including the helmet law.

Freedom_Fighter -Who is this person? February 4, 2010 03:55 PM
Name this person who is in rehabilitation at the expense of someone else? I'd really like to know their name.... Please provide..

Tim B -Put the Responsiblity on the Rider February 3, 2010 09:50 PM
I honestly have no knowledge of this story, but how can one say the helmet law was enacted "in an attempt to curtail the motorcycle rallies"? I'm not saying it's true, but I'd like to see proof of that.

Helmet laws are a catch 22. The guys who don't wear helmets should have to carry an extreme amount of insurance. And if they don't have insurance and/or if their insurance is exhausted while trying to repair/rehabilitate them from a motorcycle crash, the hospitals nor the public should have to fit the bill. If they choose to ride without helmets the hospitals should be allowed to "pull the plug" after the insurance coverage is exhausted. Not fair you say? How is it fair that somebody else has to pay the bill to save the guys who made the choice to not protect their head while riding? Freedom comes with a price.

BTW that's an awesome orange Star motorcycle in that photo!

Bryan's Blog

Court to Rule on Myrtle Beach Helmet Law

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