Consumers are too stupid to make good choices

[kandrathe]

That helmet law you cited looks to be for bicycles, and for people under the age of 18. I use a seatbelt because even if I survive a hypothetical crash without a seatbelt, there's a real possibility of me crashing through the windshield and onto traffic. So although I certainly think seatbelt and (motorcycle) helmet laws are good in general, I do it because I defer to higher laws like physics and gravity. There's no real sense arguing with that kind of law.

It only becomes excessive to me when people think the world should be made out of nerf.

As for how far should any institutions go to protect us from our own stupidity, well not so far that they don't have time to check their own I suppose.

You mean like;

As of September 2007, the New York City Council has enacted a law banning the use of non-wood bats.*

The Council declared that the use of non-wood bats poses an unacceptable risk of injury to children, particularly those who play competitive high school baseball.

Specifics of the Law:
• Who: Public or Private High School students ages 13-18 who play competitive baseball for their school team.
• What: A competitive baseball game means an organized game at which a certified umpire officiates in NYC.

So the perceive threat from me burning 20 gallons of gas in my backyard is the release of CO2 into the atmosphere? Is there a law preventing me from needlessly driving to Chicago and back then? How about flying to France for dinner on a whim? How about breathing at a rate higher than would otherwise be needed for survival?