Would ditching bike helmets encourage more cycling?

[Fronj]

Chris Rissel, a public health academic from The University of Sydney thinks we should ditch mandatory helmet laws to encourage cycling over cars, and keep Australia's weight problem in check. Read his piece here

But Max Cameron, from Monash Uni's Accident Research Centre disagrees. He says, "The health benefits of more cycling would need to be multiplied countless times before they could offset the loss of life and health harms caused by serious head injury."

What do you think? Comment here

 

[tonyzackery]

An individual's excuse for not riding a bike is that they're required to wear a helmet???

Obviously, attempts to legislate away stupidity will forever be fruitless...

You can kinda guess where my sentiments are leaning on this issue...

 

[Leo H.]

****. The anti helmet idiots from bikeforums.net are bleeding over here

Let's see, motorcycles, race cars, skateboarding, rock climbing, kayaking, horse racing, hang gliding, snow skiing all wear or you're seen as an idiot if you don't wear, a helmet but somehow, riding a bicycle in traffic, on asphalt and concrete, among motor vehicles up to dozens of tons, the rules of physics do not apply the same.
Makes PERfect sense.

If the people who don't want to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle were HONEST with themselves and they asked people they knew who didn't ride bicycles in traffic why those people did not do so, they would realize that people don't ride bikes in traffic is because of a fear of getting HIT in traffic, not because of any physical reason or perception of their appearance while wearing a bicycle helmet. I have NEVER heard of anyone say to me, 'you ride a bike to work? I'd never ride a bike in traffic because you have to wear a helmet and I think they don't work'

If you are using the contrarian position that 'styrofoam' doesn't protect your head, so why bother wearing anything; then wear a more substantial helmet.

I can't help equate the lines of 'reasoning' that folks who are strongly against bicycle helmet use with children who don't want to eat spinach, and 'you can't MAKE me eat it!'

No doubt, they're likely pining away for their lost foreskins as well....

 

[SierraSlim]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]"Chris Rissel, a public health academic from The University of Sydney thinks we should ditch mandatory helmet laws to encourage cycling over cars, and keep Australia's weight problem in check"?[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]It'll keep their weight problem in check, alright. People in comas from head injury usually just waste away. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/nonono2.gif[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[jhuskey]

No helmet laws for adults here. To get more people to ride we would need a law against being a lazy fat a**

 

[64Paramount]

Originally Posted by SierraSlim .

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]"Chris Rissel, a public health academic from The University of Sydney thinks we should ditch mandatory helmet laws to encourage cycling over cars, and keep Australia's weight problem in check"?[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]It'll keep their weight problem in check, alright. People in comas from head injury usually just waste away. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/nonono2.gif[/COLOR][/SIZE]

And we can always use more organ donors.. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

 

[finnrambo]

I don't think they should be required if you're just riding up a mountain, but the issue with that is once your up the mountain you also have to go down the mountain. If there was anything truly stupid it would be the fixie riders who don't wear helmets or install brakes. 64paramount already found a place for those fixie riders .

 

[davereo]

Well its safe to say we should be able to harvest some healthy organs.

 

[rc10]

I just started cycling and when I was in the process of choosing a bike that fits my budget I immediately set aside fifty dollars on helmet I really don't feel like relearning how to tie my shoes

 

[z44z]

I feel the same about cycling helmets, motorcycle helmets and seat belts. Let people have the right not to wear one.

However, if such people are ever involved in an accident, they forfeit any right to be treated first by ambulance attendants, and they also forfeit any right to claim insurance or sue for damages if injuries could have been prevented by a helmet or seat belt.

People never pay attention to their own safety or the safety of others until it affects their wallets, not their lives.

Originally Posted by Fronj .


Chris Rissel, a public health academic from The University of Sydney thinks we should ditch mandatory helmet laws to encourage cycling over cars, and keep Australia's weight problem in check. Read his piece here

But Max Cameron, from Monash Uni's Accident Research Centre disagrees. He says, "The health benefits of more cycling would need to be multiplied countless times before they could offset the loss of life and health harms caused by serious head injury."

 

[finnrambo]

Originally Posted by davereo .

Well its safe to say we should be able to harvest some healthy organs.

I would like a new pair of knees....... guess those aren't organs though

 

[jpr95]

When I was younger, I didn't necessarily wear a helmet on my bicycle or my motorcycle. I also didn't wear a seatbelt in my work truck while in town (wasn't required in Indiana until a few years ago). I consider myself fortunate that I never paid the penalty for ignoring the laws os physics. Now I wear a helmet whenever I ride, save for quick test rides around the neighborhood. That said, I still firmly believe that a helmet only serves as an accessory in protecting my best piece of safety equipment--the rock-filled lump on which it sits.

But I don't think we need laws forcing us to wear or not wear helmets.

Jason