kyplaskon

NY Times: Seattle Bike Helmet Rule Is Dropped Amid Racial Justice Concerns

Sorry, I can't post links yet. I have heard that in cities without so many car conflicts, helmets are not necessary. So, we wear helmets just because of cars? Should we really be enforcing helmet laws on the homeless and people of color?

JW Fas

There is already a thread on it.

No more helmet enforcement?

Daniel4

Helmet laws were devised by the automobile lobby to give the impression that cycling is dangerous.

It would make more sense for driving helmets but it's surprising that with so many safety features in a car (seatbelts, airbags and ABS brakes) nobody considers how dangerous driving is.

JanMM

Smells like a conspiracy theory.

work4bike

Geez dude....I'm no fan of the automobile industry (nor the insurance companies), but that's sounds conspiratorial and a little paranoid.


BTW, I'm against any helmet law for adults, but I'm ok with kids having to wear helmets...how about you?



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I-Like-To-Bike

Sounds like a conspiracy uncovered by "Q" or one of his minions. Any references for this "fact" or do you take credit for this revelation?

livedarklions

This is the third, actually. A thread on the King County action was already merged into the eternal helmet thread.

Troul 

No. That is the child's guardians role to enforce, not a law.

asmak

I'm returning to bike forums after a few years absence; it's nice to see the same old issues like putting on a comfortable pair of old shoes. And no, I wasn't in jail.
We have a helmet law for children and it's always amused me to see that most adults wear helmets and most children don't unless they're with their parents. Go figure.

jack pot 

In the wake of bicycle helmet laws many cyclists have found themselves stereotyped as protesters. It all stems from bicycle helmets became fashionable with the "take over Wall Streeters" and then were very conspicuous at all of the pre Covid protests (riots) ............ in Minneapolis bicyclists were often detained by police because they were wearing helmets AND in the vicinity of civil disturbances > the LEOs considered them potential rioters

vascoboy

consider how the word “jaywalking” became to be…it was a created snd perpetuated by the auto industry: victim blaming in response to the growing # of pedestrain injuries/fatalities after the model T Ford…Some research (australia, recent legislation) and you’ll find this conspiracy is not too far off the mark…

livedarklions

Uh, got anything that connects that jaywalking history with helmet laws that were enacted many decades after that? Mentioning Australia but not showing any automobile industry involvement is not exactly convincing.

The jaywalking thing is obviously irrelevant, there's no history of a major change in casualty rates occurring before mandatory helmet laws were enacted, nor is there any indication that there was any kind of threat to car usage that would have caused automobile interests to lobby for this. I believe you'll find a large number of neurologists pushing for it, and pediatricians.

To the extent that the auto industry had any influence on it, it's that overcoming the industry's resistance to seat belts and air bags through regulation provided a model for people who wanted to impose the helmet requirement.

VegasTriker

Unfortunately some parents are so dumb that things like helmet laws for children get passed. I'll bet some of the people who pushed for the law in CA were emergency room workers and pediatricians who see too many injured children where the injuries might have been prevented or lessened by wearing a helmet.
I observed it first hand when I took my recumbent trike out on Friday. The dad across the street from me was teaching his young daughter who is maybe about 6 years old to ride a bike. She fell four times within minutes and riding just a couple of houses away. No helmet supplied. After the last fall I saw him dragging the bike in one hand and a bawling child in the other. Lessons over for the day.

rydabent

While I support everyone using a helmet while riding, I do not support government law making everyone us a helmet. It is jus another revenue stream for B'crats.

dirtchurch

I think a helmet is great for protecting your noggin in most situations - not just biking. A tree could fall on your head as you are walking down the street. However, unless you are super risk averse AND don't care about what other people think about you, you'll probably only wear helmets in high risk situations. Biking in busy roadways is a good example of that. Biking on quiet streets or bike paths/lanes, it's probably not as important to wear a helmet.

Froyd Stellar

As far as I'm concerned I'd be OK if they dropped seatbelt requirements; have fun with that. I live in PA where motorcyclist don't have to wear helmets. I like to joke that these kinds of laws improve the human gene pool, then I remember that I take my life in my own hands being on a bike around traffic, so I'm sure many drivers look at me as future roadkill too, despite me wearing a helmet.

blacknbluebikes 

I bet you can buy a new skull on Amazon now, but the brain installation might take longer than you expect (budget for that). Skip the helmet - or only wear it on the days you PLAN to fall off.

WGB

Interesting article about rural medicine......and helmets.


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...life-1.6439365

Iride01 

Most of the deaths in automobiles are from head trauma. Maybe people in cars should wear helmets too.

Despite any of that, I'm glad I had on a helmet when I had my first ever really bad crash in 2019. I probably would be dead or I'd be a vegetable and more brain damaged than I already am! <grin>

edit.... drats, a zombie thread. Why didn't you start a new thread?

vidpet

I'm mostly afraid of bumping my head into something if i fall on the bike lane or something
obviously cars are also a factor, but i wouldnt limit the concern just for them

downhillmaster

We don’t wear helmets just because of cars.
If we don’t enforce helmet laws on the homeless and people of color do we also not impose the laws on all very poor people in general?
And if so, how does that get enforced?
Forget that for a second though.
If we stick to the original plan, how do the people responsible for enforcing the laws know that a cyclist is homeless?
Do we tag them like wildlife?

TLit

I'm not a fan of excess safety laws; probably would be useful in some high risk situations, in the city etc.. Loss of visibility needs to be considered too.

PeteHski

GTFOOH! lol

prairiepedaler

Hmmm. Can I say what I *really* want to here? Nah, better not.

jon c. 

Freedom is a good thing.