I kinda have mixed feelings on this one, i think everybody should wear a helmet, but i think if it was a law that you must wear a helmet, less people would ride bikes. whats your thoughts on this?

I'm with you, Sno. I wear a helmet when I ride and feel weird if I don't because I am so used to it but far be it from me to foist my helmet beliefs on my brother and sister cyclists. It seems that whenever some dogmatic yahoo comes up with what s/he believes is a great idea, s/he has to rush off and try to make it a law. I say enforce the laws we already have on the books and quit trying to legislate every aspect of our citizens' lives.

Acqua "I like my helmet" Cheta =)

Sno,

A real controversial topic. I've ridden for many years. I've toured, commuted & raced. As a whole, my personal observation is that bike riders are the biggest lawbreakers on the road. Routinely blowing off stop signs, traffic signals, failing to signal, riding on the wrong side, etc., etc. To request that they wear helmets will, in my opinion, have little or no effect. So called "serious cyclists" frequently wear helmets now, but what % are we of the total bike riders out there? How 'bout all those elementary & jr.high kids out there? They gonna wear helmets because somebody recommends it? I doubt it.

If getting folks to wear helmets is the goal,enacting legislation is the only way to go. This is repugnant to me, 'cause I think there is way too much big bro. as it is. The fact is, though, people (especially kids), just won't do it unless they &/or their parents are fined.

Q

I think everyone should wear one, and compliment children who do when I'm riding. I don't think it should be made a law. I think regulars should educate all them come in contact with.

i think it should be mandatory because i am a freestylist and my helmet has saved my LIFE more times than one. if you are a seriouse rider, you should always wear a helmet

I agree that all cyclists (except unicyclists) should wear helments... I used to be a keen motorcyclist and I learnt that most motorcycle helmets are ineffective above 30mph . Since most people can travel at that speed on a bicycle, I believe there is no excuse not to wear one. However, I don't think it should be law, people should be free to choose, as I found that not wearing a helmet on a motor cycle, made myself drive a lot safer.

Helmets, huh?

I'm reminded of a Jerry Seinfeld stand-up routine, in which he discusses helmets. He observes that there's something scary about a culture that invents activities that are so dangerous, you have to wear head protection... but what's REALLY scary is that THEN you have to pass a law, to make people wear those helmets!

As a long-time cyclist and MOTORcyclist (who lives in a state where I am "free" to choose), I wear a bike helmet 100% of the time, a motorcycle helmet 95% of the time. (Sometimes when I'm running a local errand, I'll wear the bike helmet on the motorcycle, rationalizing that it probably won't help me if I'm colliding with a windshield or body panel or telephone pole, but it might help me if I suddenly find myself skidding head-first along the pavement.)

A local safety group does a "Melon Heads" demonstration at the elementary schools - they show the kiddies what happens to a watermelon withOUT a helmet as compared to a watermelon WITH a helmet. Education will always be more effective than legislation.

As for those who choose not to wear a helmet, I see a gradual but steady improvement to the human gene pool, as the non-helmet-wearing population is reduced, knowhatImean, Vern?

Ride on!

[This message has been edited by bikeboy (edited 03-06-2000).]

None of us have a hard enough head to keep us safe when we're cycling, but many are hard-headed enough to ignore a helmet law. What can we do? The best thing we can do for each other and the children who see us cycle is wear helmet - they watch what we do much more than they listen to what we say. I don't have a lot of respect for the intelligence of those who don't wear helmets.

Here in Australia we have had mandatory helmet laws for about a decade now, and the most noticeable thing about it is that they haven't really made people (particularly teenagers) actually wear their helmets. Many choose to simply tie the helmet to their handlebars while they ride (the logic of which escapes me, but I'm told they put their helmet on if they see a cop).

I personally always wear a helmet when I ride, but I support no legislation whatsoever to force people to do so. The reason for this is because I support Darwin's theories about "natural selection". If anyone is stupid enough to be a serious rider and not wear a helmet they might as well be left to suffer the consequences. Survivial of the smartest I say!!!

In CA. helmets for riders under 18 is the law, the UCSF requires them in all events, and no organized ride could get insurance without requiring them. All this seems reasonable to me, but adults riding recreationally should be allowed to choose not to. Next thing you know will all be required to have cyclist's licenses and liablity insurance. We need to resist paternalistic intrusions from the government.
By the way, helmets have saved me from a serious concussion while riding under 12 mph and saved my friend's life twice. If you're going over 30 mph though, your neck will likely break even if the helmet saves your melon. So whenever your descending in excess of that speed be aware that the helmet on your head will do little to save you in the event of a sudden stop (like when you are run into by a reckless driver or have a blown front tire).

i used to live in new jersey, but now i live in the UK, the helmet laws were present in NJ, but there are none, in the uk.
i always ride with my helmet on, as i know alot about biology and i have see th consiquenses of an accident first hand.

the only way my friend survived was that he had a good quality helmet on, that saved him from the tree. he still had to go to the hospital, and was in a coma for 2 days, but he was fine afterwards, this was at about 20 mph and if he didnt have his helmet on i would have seen brains, so im all for a compulsury helmet law.
although i do agree with a previous comment on darwins theory of natural selection, and im hoping that the local group of trials jerks have their genes wiped out of the human gene pool, cause they are more of a danger to any thing living than any car!!!

No i wouldnt, but i think people who ride without helmets are kind of crazy.

A motorcycle helmet saved my life at 65 mph, and in a separate incident, my wife's life at 40 mph after be tossed over a car and tumbling 3 times.

When we ride a bike or roller blade, we always put one on, because it is worth it.

As far as the gene pool, yes, they weed themselves out, but for the ones who survive and are a vegetable for the rest of their life, we all have to pay for their care as taxpayers, which can run into the millions of dollars for one person over a few decades time.

Generically, I don't like laws, but when looking at the financial burden it puts on society, a $40 (or less) helmet is not that much to require of your citizens.

One argument that motorcyclists use is that some helmets affect their hearing, are too hot, etc.

Well, in the case of bicycling helmets, they don't affect your hearing, and are ventilated enough to keep you cool, so for the life of me, I can't figure out why someone wouldn't wear one, unless they think they look "uncool". In any case, they haven't seen the latest ones out there, which are really quite good looking on my opinion.

-

Just wanted to add my thoughts on laws. We've got enough of them already. I live in FL, where children are required to wear helmets till age 18. Although this law has good intentions, it is wrong to force that decision on us. That and the people we are trying to protect(our children) are the ones who rebel and retaliate to as many rules as possible. I also see kids with their helmets on their handlebars, unstrapped on their heads, or tilted all the way back off their foreheads.

One response earlier was education is better that legislation. How True! But to go one better, "Education by example is key!" Just yesterday I saw a young family of four out for a bike ride in my neighborhood. Initially I thought, "Wow, how great the whole family is together, you don't see that very much anymore." I assumed, the Parents were trying to teach their children values and togetherness. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the kids had their helmets on, and the parents(not legally required) DID NOT! As I got closer, the kids helmets were not even strapped. I then thought how stupid the parents were. An unstrapped helmet does absolutely nothing in an accident. What are they teaching their kids? Wear the helmet just to obey the law. Our kids learn by example. The parents should also be wearing helmets, and all should be wearing them properly!! Not because it's a law, but because of wanting to set an example and to protect our most precious gifts; life, health, and the ability to think.

I do not support any helmet laws, I think we've got enough of them already. What I support are people assuming the responsibility to do things to protect themselves. Let us not depend on the government to tell us how to think, act and take care of ourselves and our children. Let's use the organ that the helmets protect, not because we have to, but because we want to.

Big Vic

As an american I think people should have a choice.

As an insurance payer I think that people who don't wear helmets should pay higher premiums (or a cap on payments)so I don't have to pay for their stupidity.

If there was a mandatory helmet law, I think it would push people away from cycling, especially kids. Mostly the ones that wouldn't want to be seen with a dorky helmet on their head but are too afraid they'll get caught without one.

You wanna sell helmets to kids? Easy. Just design helmets to appeal to them. Particularly relevant to teenagers, it only needs to have things like heavy metal bands, radical politics, satanism or sex painted onto the shell. Seems to me that the helmet to which the parent says: "I won't even have you ride around the block on that thing" is the one they'll choose every time. Helmet designers just have to get a bit creative.

Regards,
Chris (who's still waiting for the Bell 666)

I work at a rehabilitation hospital that has an Acquired Brain Injury program. Nothing drives home the point faster about wearing a helmet then a visit to this ward. The cost related to care for these people is expensive. The disability is generally permanent. The devastation to the families is real.

Our province; Ontario, Canada; has mandatory bicycle helmet laws for children up to 18 years of age and for the most part the children wear their helmets here. There are still some adults that ride without helmets and that is their choice. The driving force to equip children with helmets started with emergency room physicians who were concerned about preventable cycling head injuries in young children and together with corporate donations children who cannot afford a helmet can obtain one at little or no cost through this program.

My two children use a helmet when riding a bike or using roller blades. It has become a natural part of riding a bike for them and I never have to tell them to put it on. I also wear one when I ride. Why take the chance??????

no

What a subject. This is right up there with no god/god arguments.
I think people should be allowed to choose, someone mention natural selection, this is cool. If you want to think that you are Faustio Bambini while bombing the local descent at 50 mph without a helmet go ahead. You might never crash, you might crash often. I personally am not going to put on a helmet to ride 100 yards to my mailbox(I live on a dirt road)but if I go training on the road I always wear one. Just recently I hit a little bit of sand, ended up off the road, deeeep sand ate my front wheel and I did a Jack over the bars(3's Company Jack crash).
This should be a personal option.

I think helmet laws are very location specific. If the need is there, it will be apparant. I think on the roads here in Edmonton about half of the people are wearing helmets. The issue is who among all of the cyclists in Edmonton are getting killed or injured due to head injuries from not wearing helmets and who, if anyone, is not being killed or injured because he/she was wearing a helmet. If there's a significant number of injuries resulting from not wearing helmets, then write a helmet law.
As I see it now, a helmet law is not necessary but it is an option if necessary. There's no anti-govornment part of me that says people should be free to choose for themselves in this case. If there is a significant danger to people without helmets.
I would suggest a helmet law for young people but I hate to discriminate. Besides, I hate it even more to see adults riding without helmets while their children do.

Yes, safety first. To reduce risk even further we could outlaw bicycling on roads completely. This is already the case on interstate highways - and this is VERY effective in preventing accidents. I'm sure the insurance companys would love this arrangement. People who ride on roads simply are not intelligent enough to realize the risks, so we should try to modify their behavior.

In addition to riding the road, I fly hang gliders and sailplanes. My observation is that there is a natural tendency for "some" people to control the behavior of "other" people. There is constant pressure to add new rules and laws. Additionally, it seems traffic laws in this country are becoming only occaisionally enforced.

The bottom line: everyone has their own set of sensibilities. I wear a helmet. I use a mirror. I think you should too. But that's your business. Do I stop at every stop sign? I ride on rural roads and only cow's are watching me half the time. I take responsibility for my OWN safety. No new laws please.

No I would not support it! It should be the riders option. No law making body in the world should be able to tell anyone how, when , where , and why, to wear a helmet. It is mandatory in the Dallas Ft. Worth metroplex for children under 13. It sells alot of helmets and I am sure that Bell and other manufacturer's like it. It is like madatory gun locks, or seatbelts, or anything else it is big government stepping in to "help".

I always wear a helmet when riding my bike and certainly encourage others to do so. I also believe that others will follow the examples we set, especially kids. One of the main advantages of a helmet law, is that when parents are trying to persuade their kids to wear a helmet, their argument will be a lot more persuasive if they can point out that "it's the law". Even if you believe a helmet is ineffective in some situations, at least it offers some protection, rather than no protection, why not give yourself at least some chance of avoiding serious injury? My last argument is insurance costs. We have universal (more or less) healthcare here in Canada, but it still costs us in the form of taxes if people injure themselves needlessly, and if you are in a private health plan, your costs go up for the same reasons. I agree that there will always be a core of people who will never conform, but why not get as many people to protect themselves as possible, a helmet law would encourage this.

Dave

I don't know if it's still effective, but i remember when i lived in ontario the law was that if u were under 18 u have to wear a helmet, (as u know 18 is when ur parents aren't responsible or u ne more), I agree with that version of the helmet law, but i still feel the law is effective in atleast people are more aware that it not good in at least one sence not to wear a helmet and by the time they get tired of it hanging on there handle bar and slamming there knee they'll either ditch it somewhere and hide from the copps whereever they go, or just put it on there head where it's most conveniant AND EFFECTIVE!!!!!

Although i allways wear a helmet, NO,!! I would not support such a law, wehave enough privacy invadeing laws as it is.!!!!!

Here in Australia we have had mandatory helmet laws for the last ten years or so. Fact is, if I had a dollar for every helmetless rider I have seen during that time I would own more than just one bike (and probably multiple helmets as well). Fact is, you cannot force anyone to do something they really don't want to do (even if it is for their own good).

As far as I am concerned, if people are silly enough not to wear helmets, let them take the risks. If Darwin's theories take care of them our species will be a lot smarter as a result. I will always wear a helmet (whether it is legislation or not) because I have way too much cool stuff inside my head to want to take any additional risks with it.

Chris

Law or no law, I'm going to wear a helmet, my head is not hard enought to smash the concrete pavement...

Biker says he is a freestyler and that his helmet has saved his dome a few times. Helmet legislation would have no jurisdiction over dangerous sports that take place off the highway. Arguments based on the danger to off-road sporting cyclists are sinply not valid.
This is like using the risk to rock climbers as the basis for legislation for pedestrians.

I use a helmet, and recomend a helmet, but only as a last resort. The first resort in cycling self defense is training in vehicular cycling.
I believe there is a case to be made for compulsory 3rd party insurance, and training for riding on the road.

I think that all children should have to wear helments but for adults they can use their own judgment on if they want to or not.

yes, I have the same problem about 10 years ago, My 10 year old son , ( i Just bought him a size 24 bike ) and he wanted to go ride with me, so i ask him to wear the helmets which i also bought at the same time with the bike, and he doesn't like to wear one, so I told him no helmet no riding with me, so he was force to wear a helmet, I have a hard time convincing my son to wear a helmet, anywayz, he doesn't want to be seen by his friend wearing a helmets, what's with these?

I'm really torn on this one.

The Darwinist argument has been used with respect to snowmobilers around here for a long time, but they all seem to live long enough to reproduce and end up leaving a couple of children behind.

Maybe, instead of making them mandatory only for children under 16 we could make them mandatory only for parents of children under 16.

Bubba

P.S. I always wear a helmet.

I'm convinced a helmet helps me, can't hurt me, and might save my brain someday. But I'm not sure passing laws helps, except maybe politicians.

I always wear a helmet, but having a law requiring one would be irritating. Since the public at large seems to know so little about cycling, I think any laws imposed would tend to make the whole experience worse, rather than better.

I would like for the public at large to be made more aware of the laws (in the US, at least) that exist, i.e. a bicycle is a passenger vehicle, entitled to the use of the road, pass when visibility allows going around with safe clearance, etc. And cyclists would, in turn, adhere to the rules that exist, showing some degree of respect for motor vehicles (hey, when push comes to shove, we always lose!). I think that would do more for cycling safety than mandatory helmets.

Besides, around here, you never see any cyclists, any age, without helmets!

Here is California the cops will just warn you and let you go. But the motorcycle cops are jackazzes and will give you a ticket every time they see you. I do support the law here in cali cuz there is many kids that are stupid.. (take me for example) i am always trying to either clear a jump or do a new trick... I always get hurt and my helmet has saved me from some major crashes.