Originally Posted by
WaltPoutine
...Personally I would be delighted if those advocating compulsion would read (and understand even at a basic level) those standards and would then couple that knowledge with the currently very limited information about the typical amounts of energy involved in producing diffuse axonal injuries and subdural haematomas and the types of accidents which kill cyclists. Is that too much to ask? How about you go and make a compelling case that helmets are far more effective than most specialists and any company has claimed before you run around trying to force them on us.
(emphasis added, jcr)
First, I have not advocated for compulsory helmet wearing. I have written no letters to legislative authorities, nor have I made it a point to try to convince people that mandatory helmet wearing was the best way to do things.
I have advocated for helmet usage, here on this site, both by personal testimony and by discussions. When I talk to fellow cyclists, I don't mention helmet usage. I have complimented some families for use of helmets, and checked that my neighbor kids were wearing them correctly. How you imagine me as a militant helmet legislation advocate, I don't know, unless it is the studies that I have posted that have taken this position. Those studies were added simply to counter your militant anti-helmet rants on this site; studies which, by the way, say that these compulsory laws do work to reduce injuries, or which call for use of helmets and/or mandatory helmet laws as a way of meeting the societal need to reduce these injuries.
John