This is how cycling is "encouraged" in Australia

[jefmcg]

I reckon the policeman officer saw the cycling lady student and got a bit ...he wanted the start a conversation but got all when it came to the crunch, so instead of asking her for a date he figured he'd woo her with his professionalism .... this story may not be over yet.

Not necessary. A sister of a friend was once pulled over by a cops in Victoria and commended on her excellent riding. They even gave her a certificate (presumably designed for children). That night one of the cops called her for a date.

 

[Tim Hall]

I once pulled a copper at a protest rally...




..much to the amusement of his sergeant.

<That's funny, we only got an orange at United>

 

[ufkacbln]

The lady's name was Sue Abbott and the case is reported here


The Judge stated

''Having read all the material, I think I would fall down on your side of the ledger,'' the judge told Ms Abbott after she had spelt out her case against the laws that exist in few countries other than Australia and New Zealand.

''I frankly don't think there is anything advantageous and there may well be a disadvantage in situations to have a helmet - and it seems to me that it's one of those areas where it ought to be a matter of choice.''

 

[jefmcg]

I googled for the cycling laws in Victoria, and found this site.

• Police can stop bike riders and issue a fine or a warning for not wearing a helmet.

That's all it said about fines. There is a pdf brochure attached, that says

There is a fine for not wearing a securely fitted helmet. For more information visit vicroads.vic.gov.au/bicyclerules

That link, of course, doesn't work but if I navigate to the relevant page on the site, it's the same one as above that doesn't mention fastening.

There is nothing in Australia like the Highway Code, so after finding no definition of securely fastened I found the legislation - don't bother downloading it, it's huge. Guess what? There is no definition there either, just stuff like this (and similar for motorcycle helmets)

A passenger on a bicycle that is moving, or is stationary but not parked, must wear an approved bicycle helmet securely fitted and fastened on the passenger's head

So how can the police decide what is securely fastened or not? And how difficult should it be for someone to find this out?

Note, it used to be common to see helmets not fastened at all in Australia, which I think was legal at the time.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The lady's name was Sue Abbott and the case is reported here

I remember the days when I had exuberant hair too.

GC

 

[avalon]

Seems a bit lenient. I mean it's not as if they tackled her to the ground and dragged her around by the neck, is it?

GC

And he's not even black!

 

[Spinney]

Mod note: as a couple of posters have realised, this is verging on a 'helmet debate'. Fine if you stick to discussing how the law should be/is applied, but if the discussion starts on whether or not helmets work the whole thing will be transferred to the helmet debate thread.

Just saying...