Compulsory lid legislation?

[Drago]

I am all for helmets. Car drivers and pedestrians should lead by example then I will consider supporting helmet law.

(And while we're at it, those damn pedestrians can start whttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sAHKWlugQ80earing registration plates before they tell cyclists to).

Well observed. Shoplifters break laws, but there's no baying from the Durrrrrley Mail masses demanding theyre all fitted with registration plates.

 

[snorri]

Newsnight on BBC2 has jumped on the bandwagon this evenoing by inviting a rep. from the long discredited Headway to publicise their views.

 

[Profpointy]

Fine, bring them on. Let's have it all out in the open so that people can judge everything on its merits.

Thing is though, many of the pro-compulsion types are happy to spout a pack of lies. It's actually hard to counter evidence which is actually lies, especially when it's more pausible than the actual evidence. The motivation for this escapes me, but sadly seems ro be human nature

 

[Drago]

Alas, they won't judge on merit. Most of the great unwashed associate helmets with safety, because that's common sense, innt.

 

[swansonj]

...
There is plenty of evidence to show that seat belts had a favourable impact on car driver safety so comparing the two are like comparing apples and pears.

OK. I'll bite. Are you sure there is such evidence?

There is plenty of evidence that seat belts reduce the severity of injury when incidents occur. But, can you point to evidence that the introduction of seat belts has reduced injuries overall?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Newsnight on BBC2 has jumped on the bandwagon this evenoing by inviting a rep. from the long discredited Headway to publicise their views.

And 5Live later, too, I noticed, and a caller who didn't know what the consequences of his accident would have been, but he wouldn't have been here to participate...

 

[Drago]

OK. I'll bite. Are you sure there is such evidence?

There is plenty of evidence that seat belts reduce the severity of injury when incidents occur. But, can you point to evidence that the introduction of seat belts has reduced injuries overall?

http://www.roadsafetyobservatory.com/HowEffective/vehicles/seat-belts

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I've written to the Nolan show to suggest that they should re-run the feature as a proper, balanced debate.

 

[bozmandb9]

If they make it compulsory for cyclists, they will have to do the same for pedestrians too as they have the same risks when they fall over or hit by a car, in other words, we will all have to wear a helmet as soon as we leave our houses. This is madness.

And anybody travelling in a car, where this risk of head injury is higher than it is for cyclists.

 

[Profpointy]

http://www.roadsafetyobservatory.com/HowEffective/vehicles/seat-belts

There is an interesting and actually very plausible paper that basicially say that seat belts,and similar measures to improve car safety have not helped overall but have in fact moved the risk from those inside the car to the vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians outside it. It makes a strong case for the crass injustice of this. The upshot is that drivers drive faster and more twatishly because they will get away with it, but the pedestrians they hit will not.

 

[Trekster]

If wearing a helmet became a legal requirement would you obey the law?

 

[Drago]

I would cease cycling.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I would cease cycling.

I would also go out of my way to become a terrible burden upon the NHS.

That'll show 'em.

 

[FishFright]

Meanwhile on the mountain bike forums it's business as usual....

 

[swansonj]

I would cease cycling.

Seriously?

Last year for the first time ever in my fifty year plus life I did an organised sponsored cycle, because I wanted to support my daughter and her school. Helmets were compulsory. The reduction in enjoyment as a consequence, both physical and psychological, wasn't nearly enough to change the net pleasure of cycling into a net debit.