Cycling in Melbourne Australia

Bike helmet laws - the debate goes on

Very good article on helmets in the Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/head-case-20100915-15cs8....

Until our infrastructure gets safer, I'll keep wearing my hard hat in Australia, but in Europe I like to feel the wind in my hair.
http://richardtulloch.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/bike-helmets-an-on-a...

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Comment by Richard Tulloch on September 19, 2010 at 6:19pm: Sandra, I very seldom wear a helmet when riding in Holland. Hardly anybody else does either, unless they are seriously training on a road bike or in a race. But riding there is far safer because we sit upright, ride slowly, and usually use bike paths separated from motorists. We use our bikes to do the shopping, visit friends, go to business meetings, go to the cinema or opera at night. Carrying a bulky helmet would be a nuisance for these activities.

In Australia, I always wear my helmet.

Comment by Sandra L on September 19, 2010 at 6:09pm: I chose the wrong analogy, but I get what you are saying.

I find it a bit incredulous that people would refuse to cycle because of helmets. I cycled into a wall once back when I was a kid in my native country, without a helmet. That was not very fun. Apart from safety, wearing a helmet also hides the head cap if one is slightly looks-conscious.

The doctor you mention may be on to an idea. Just out of curiosity, when would you not wear your helmet?

Comment by Richard Tulloch on September 19, 2010 at 5:51pm: Sandra, don't mandatory seatbelt laws, apart from saving lives, also save money for our hospital system and those of us who pay taxes or insurance premiums? A doctor with some experience in casualty suggested to me that helmets could be made optional, but that non-helmet wearing adult cyclists should be required to pay for their own brain surgery.

There's an important difference, though. Seatbelt laws seldom discourage people from driving or riding in cars. Helmet laws do discourage some potential cyclists (though not me or you, I expect). Those who cycle or exercise less often may expect their general health to suffer, and eventually we all pay for that.

Comment by Sandra L on September 19, 2010 at 4:54pm: Made me think a bit. I've always taken helmets as a given "duh", but that it does not need to be a law is interesting, especially if one is going to cruise along (as I am wont to do) than speed around. It's not like people aren't already choosing not to wear them, but I guess another way of looking at it is raising revenue from human stupidity/stubbornness.

Much like seatbelt fines, I guess. "Don't value your life? Well, we don't either but we might as well profit while claiming that people need to learn".

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