Bicycle helmet law can save lives

[Garrison Hillia]

Saturday, May 1, 2004 Bicycle helmet law can save lives

------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
Editorial

Today, Cincinnati joins several area cities, along with 20
states and more than 125 communities nationwide, in taking a
small but important step to protect children's safety. The
city's new helmet law goes into effect, requiring children
ages 15 and under to wear helmets when riding bicycles,
scooters and skateboards. A first offense brings a warning;
a second triggers safety training for kids and parents; a
third means a court appearance with a fine of up to $100.

But the true measure of the law's success will be if it
doesn't have to be prosecuted. In Blue Ash, no formal
warnings or citations have yet been issued since its law
went into effect in October. Glendale, Madeira and
Waynesville have similar laws.

Unfortunately, such laws become necessary when adults
neglect to take this simple, obvious step that saves kids'
lives. Often, helmet laws work as a reminder, boosting
voluntary helmet use without putting undue burdens on
families. When New Jersey passed a state law in 1992, usage
among kids quickly jumped from 10 percent to 69 percent.
That translates directly into lives saved.

Nationally, about 250 kids a year die in bicycle mishaps,
and thousands receive serious head injuries that often lead
to permanent disabilities. Locally, about 90 percent of kids
brought to Children's Hospital after bike mishaps have head
injuries. Jennifer Ringel, a pediatrician instrumental in
the passage of Blue Ash's ordinance last fall, argued that
helmet use could prevent 75 percent of bike fatalities and
86 percent of head injuries.

Helmets can be costly, but affording them shouldn't be an
issue in most cases. Children's and other area organizations
support programs that supply helmets for a nominal fee or
even free. Civic groups such as the Kiwanis accept donated
helmets for those who cannot afford them, and Cincinnati
Police Officer Kathy Horn has been collecting helmets for
kids who need them; call her at (513) 979-4418. Cheviot,
which also has a law going into effect today, will sell
helmets for $10 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Cheviot
Municipal Building.

Requiring helmet use is a common-sense measure that can
prevent needless costs to society and heartache to families.
More communities should follow suit.

------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/05/01/editorial-
_ed1b.html

 

[S O R N I]

Garrison Hilliard wrote:
> Saturday, May 1, 2004 Bicycle helmet law can save lives
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
------
> Editorial

Only thing worse than a lame troll...

...is a lame troll TO THE WRONG GROUP!!!

Bill "and I'm pro-helm*t" S.

 

[Jobst Brandt]

Garrison Hilliard writes:

> Bicycle helmet law can save lives.

Troll! Ged-outta-heah! Was you born yestiddy?

Jobst Brandt [email protected]

 

[Eric S. Sande]

>Garrison Hilliard writes:

>>Bicycle helmet law can save lives.

>Troll! Ged-outta-heah! Was you born yestiddy?

>Jobst Brandt [email protected]

Wear a helmet if you prefer, it largely isn't mandatory if
you are an adult.

However there are jurisdictions that require helmet use.

Know your local regulations and never assume that your local
regulations are generally the rule.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY
MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------ __________306.350.357.38-
>>[email protected]__________

 

[Pete]

"Garrison Hilliard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Saturday, May 1, 2004 Bicycle helmet law can save lives
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
------
> Editorial

[snip]
> Jennifer Ringel, a pediatrician instrumental in the
> passage of Blue Ash's ordinance last fall, argued that
> helmet use could prevent 75 percent
of
> bike fatalities and 86 percent of head injuries.
[snip]

So why is it, that in places where helmet use has been more
universally required and regulated (Oz, NZ), that hasn't
been shown to be the case?

Pete from the suburbs of Cinci

 

[Lioninoil_a T_n]

To the tune of "Old Man River",
with apologies to Oscar Hammerstein:

-

Ol' Man Hilliard, that Ol' Man Hilliard He must post
somethin', but he don't say nothin' He just keeps trollin',
he keeps on trollin' along

He don't know skaters, and he don't know trialers, And them
what knows 'em is soon called liars, But Ol' Man Hilliard,
jest keeps trollin' along

You and me, we sweat and strain Bodies all achin' and
wracked with pain Tote that bike and climb that hill Ya get
a little wobble and ya lands in hospi-tal

I gets weary and so sick of tryin' I'm tired of ridin', but
I'm feared of dyin' And Ol' Man Hilliard, he just keeps
trollin' along

 

[Remove The Poli]

Is this a case of "When you don't have facts, cry "troll"?
An ad hominem attack?

This is an important subject, if you don't want to discuss
it, you don't have to.

 

[Zog The Undenia]

Garrison Hilliard wrote:
> Saturday, May 1, 2004 Bicycle helmet law can save lives

> Requiring helmet use is a common-sense measure that can
> prevent needless costs to society and heartache to
> families. More communities should follow suit.

As we British would say, "Bollocks!" A similar law was
proposed in the UK, but failed last week. The problem is
that bike use declines massively as soon as a law is brought
in. It takes years to recover, if it ever does.

H**met laws are nearly always pushed by people who don't
ride bikes. The two main promoters of a law in the UK are
both fat, unhealthy-looking and haven't been on a bike
for years.

 

[S O R N I]

LioNiNoiL_a t_NetscapE_D 0 T_NeT wrote:
> To the tune of "Old Man River", with apologies to Oscar
> Hammerstein:
>
> -
>
> Ol' Man Hilliard, that Ol' Man Hilliard He must post
> somethin', but he don't say nothin' He just keeps
> trollin', he keeps on trollin' along
>
> He don't know skaters, and he don't know trialers, And
> them what knows 'em is soon called liars, But Ol' Man
> Hilliard, jest keeps trollin' along
>
> You and me, we sweat and strain Bodies all achin' and
> wracked with pain Tote that bike and climb that hill Ya
> get a little wobble and ya lands in hospi-tal
>
> I gets weary and so sick of tryin' I'm tired of ridin',
> but I'm feared of dyin' And Ol' Man Hilliard, he just
> keeps trollin' along

Egggsellent.

Bill "early up for a roadie tomorrow" S.

 

[Mseries]

remove the polite word to reply wrote:
> Is this a case of "When you don't have facts, cry "troll"?
> An ad hominem attack?
>
> This is an important subject, if you don't want to discuss
> it, you don't have to.

There are no facts to demonstrate that use of a helmet
saves lives.

 

[Evan Evans]

Isn't this one of the 10 commandments? So why do we need
another law?

 

[Jeff Starr]

[email protected] (remove the polite word to reply) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Is this a case of "When you don't have facts, cry "troll"?
> An ad hominem attack?
>
> This is an important subject, if you don't want to discuss
> it, you don't have to.

This "important subject" has been discussed many times,
already. Nothing gets solved, the pro helmet people state
their position, the anti helmet group then counters, and
very little is ever agreed on. Then there is the third
position, which is mine, that it be a matter of choice for
adults. I am pro-choice on many issues. I strongly disagree
with mandatory helmet laws. I wear a helmet, it's my choice.
If you don't want to wear one, that's ok with me. Do a
search on helmets and you will find hundreds of posts on the
topic. Trust me, there is nothing left to discuss.
Everything I have said, above, has been said before.

Life is Good! Jeff

 

[Tim McNamara]

Garrison Hilliard <[email protected]> writes:

> Saturday, May 1, 2004 Bicycle helmet law can save lives

Ah, the quarterly helmet thread. Goody. Did you write
this nonsense?

> Editorial
>
>
> Today, Cincinnati joins several area cities, along with 20
> states and more than 125 communities nationwide, in taking
> a small but important step to protect children's safety.

<snip>

> Unfortunately, such laws become necessary when adults
> neglect to take this simple, obvious step that saves kids'
> lives. Often, helmet laws work as a reminder, boosting
> voluntary helmet use without putting undue burdens on
> families. When New Jersey passed a state law in 1992,
> usage among kids quickly jumped from 10 percent to 69
> percent. That translates directly into lives saved.

Prove it.

> Nationally, about 250 kids a year die in bicycle mishaps,
> and thousands receive serious head injuries that often
> lead to permanent disabilities. Locally, about 90 percent
> of kids brought to Children's Hospital after bike mishaps
> have head injuries. Jennifer Ringel, a pediatrician
> instrumental in the passage of Blue Ash's ordinance last
> fall, argued that helmet use could prevent 75 percent of
> bike fatalities and 86 percent of head injuries.

Again, prove it.

> Requiring helmet use is a common-sense measure that can
> prevent needless costs to society and heartache to
> families. More communities should follow suit.

Because the gov'mint always knows better?

The simple fact is that it is the helmet industry that
claims helmets save lives. This ignores the evidence,
however, which does not show a reliable correlation between
helmet use and lives saved. For one thing, many people who
die in bike accidents die from laceration and blunt trauma
wounds to abdominal organs. Helmets don't help with these.
The assumption made in the sort of specious estimates given
by distraught ER doctors and pediatricians are that all cycling-
related deaths are specifically caused by brain injury, when
in fact that is not the case. Indeed, the types of impacts
that a helmet can absorb probably wouldn't have been fatal
although they would have hurt.

This opinion is from a liberal who usually wears a helmet,
BTW, on the grounds that it is not inconvenient, not an
affront to my masculinity, won't do me any harm and might
possibly help even though I think that's unlikely. Plus it
keeps peace with my wife, and I'd rather pick a more
important battle. ;-) I have found my helmet helpful twice-
once when I crashed in a road race and it kept me from
getting road rash on my head, and once when I was knocked
off my bike and assaulted.

 

[Frank Krygowski]

[email protected] wrote:

> Garrison Hilliard writes:
>
>
>>Bicycle helmet law can save lives.
>
>
> Troll! Ged-outta-heah! Was you born yestiddy?

Garrison was quoting a newspaper editorial about a mandatory
helmet law. That's not a troll, in my book, any more than
someone quoting a Bicycling magazine article on chain
stretch or on frames going soft - to pick a couple topics
Jobst would jump on.

The idea that we should not discuss mandatory helmets in
this group is foolish. It's more pertinent than global
warming, the conquest of Iraq, gun control, and many other
recurring themes.

And while many have heard it all before, these groups are
regularly visited by newbies who are learning from the
beginning. Unlike the above topics, this is one of the few
places a person can get both sides of the story.

Ignoring mandatory helmet laws is putting your styrofoam-
covered head in the sand. If nobody presents the actual
data, legislators and even cyclists will continue to believe
the "85% reduction in head injuries" lie, and our rights to
ride will continue to be restricted.

--
-------------
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot
com, replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

 

[BaCardi]

Pro-Choice here!

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Frank Krygowski wrote:

> The idea that we should not discuss mandatory helmets in
> this group is foolish.

Perhaps rec.bicycles.misc would be more appropriate. No
reason to cross-post it to *.tech

> It's more pertinent than global warming, the conquest of
> Iraq, gun control, and many other recurring themes.

That's for sure!

Matt O.

 

[Richard Brockie]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> H**met laws are nearly always pushed by people who don't
> ride bikes. The two main promoters of a law in the UK are
> both fat, unhealthy-looking and haven't been on a bike
> for years.

So that's where David Coulthard's been going wrong this
F1 season?

--
R.

<> Richard Brockie "Categorical statements <> The tall
blond one. always cause trouble." <>
[email protected]

 

[Christopher Bri]

Tim McNamara <[email protected]> writes:
> I have found my helmet helpful twice- once when I crashed
> in a road race and it kept me from getting road rash on my
> head, and once when I was knocked off my bike and
> assaulted.

Yow! My helmet has helped me exactly once -- when a drunk
college kid randomly decided to throw a bottle at my head as
I rode by him one evening. It just bounced off my helmet and
did no harm at all...

Chris
--
Chris Colohan Email: [email protected] PGP: finger
[email protected] Web: www.colohan.com Phone: (412)268-4751

 

[Bran]

Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> spake thusly on or about Sun, 2
May 2004 07:09:41 UTC

-> As we British would say, "Bollocks!" A similar law
was proposed in the -> UK, but failed last week. The
problem is that bike use declines -> massively as soon
as a law is brought in. It takes years to recover, if ->
it ever does. ->

get them off the damned bikes and they will not be killed or
hurt their heads. proof that helmet laws save lives and
reduce head injuries.

I wear one but do not require anyone but my child to wear
one. my reasons are my own injured head and broken
helmetsover my nearly 40 years of riding. other folks my
land differently.

you could always wear the thing on your elbow...

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the
rest of the pack. silver lining?
[email protected]

 

[David Kerber]

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Is this a case of "When you don't have facts, cry "troll"?
> An ad hominem attack?
>
> This is an important subject, if you don't want to discuss
> it, you don't have to.

It has been discussed completely to death over the
last year.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return
address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.