O Irony, Thy Name Is ABATE

(CNN) -- A bareheaded motorcyclist participating in a ride to protest mandatory helmet laws was killed when he was thrown over the handlebars in Onondaga, New York.

Philip A. Contos, 55, of Parish, New York, was on a ride organized by the Onondaga chapter of American Bikers Aimed Towards Education (ABATE), state police said Sunday.

Contos hit his brakes, began fishtailing and lost control of his 1983 Harley Davidson. He shot over the handlebars, hit his head on the pavement and was taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, New York, where he was pronounced dead.

State police say evidence at the scene plus information from the attending medical expert indicated Contos would have survived had he been wearing a helmet as required by state law.

Personally, I'm for helmet laws.  I am not a biker, so I do not understand the argument.  To me, it is an echo of the seat belt laws.  While they don't save all lives, they save some.  This not only protects the rider, but other drivers.  They're surely not comfortable but the best I can tell, they are necessary.  I really just picked this up because it was too poetic to pass over.