Helmets to become compulsory in Northern Ireland?

[downfader]

[QUOTE 1268383"]
What do I think?


I've worked with Headway a fair bit. They're an excellent organisation. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.


[/quote]


This I agree with, however they seem to have a major bee in their bonet regarding cycling in the UK. My opinion stands (as it always has) that helmets should be a matter of choice, and that the best thing we can do as society is to tackle bad roadcraft that does actually contribute to risk.

Headway and some politicians really need to stop whining like babies over the helmets as it overshadows everything else they do for people. They know they've been brought to task over the claims they made in the past, too (hence the comment their lady campaigner said on BBC Radio4 this summer)

I really do hope it doesnt pass through into law. If England ever passes such a law I have already said I will withdraw from cycling. The less choice you have the less freedom we all have.

 

[chillyuk]

If the proposals ever did come to England and were adopted into law I wonder how much difference it would make to those cycling, other than having to don a helmet.

I remember all the arguments when motorcycle helmets were being made compulsory along with warnings of doom and gloom for the motorcycling community and industry. In reality it made not a scrap of difference.

It strikes me that the only real effect will to be to make the helmets more expensive as people will have to buy one and the dealers wont want to miss a chance to cash in.

I do wear a helmet most of the time, but fully support those who want the freedom to choose whether to or not.

 

[downfader]

If the proposals ever did come to England and were adopted into law I wonder how much difference it would make to those cycling, other than having to don a helmet.

I remember all the arguments when motorcycle helmets were being made compulsory along with warnings of doom and gloom for the motorcycling community and industry. In reality it made not a scrap of difference.

It strikes me that the only real effect will to be to make the helmets more expensive as people will have to buy one and the dealers wont want to miss a chance to cash in.

I do wear a helmet most of the time, but fully support those who want the freedom to choose whether to or not.

I think the worrying thing is that motorcycle helmets havent reduced motorcycle KSIs since the law was brought in.. or rather in the way we assumed it would. A motorcycle helmet is an entirely different beast to a cycle one, too, its tested differently and is designed to slide and take knocks at greater speeds.

The majority of people cycling locally that I see are just riding to work, the shops, etc, they're out for a pootle and not to speed around. In those circumstances it seems of little risk to ride along at 10-15mph.

I also worry that by slapping a £50 fine on a helmetless cyclist or child's parents that we're somehow saying "its a worse 'crime' to ride bareheaded than to jump lights, or fly down a pavement with no lights on your bike"

 

[TrevorM]

The NI Assembly is debating this proposed law today.

 

[tyred]

I sincerely hope that it is rejected.

If it was made law, who would enforce it? The police here don't seem to enforce the existing rules of the road without adding even more of them.

 

[Mark_Robson]

It would be interesting to know how many people who are against compulsory helmet wearing for children insist that their own children wear one?
And if legislation to ensure that children wore helmets was introduced to what age should it be enforced?

 

[summerdays]

It would be interesting to know how many people who are against compulsory helmet wearing for children insist that their own children wear one?
And if legislation to ensure that children wore helmets was introduced to what age should it be enforced?

Why is that a problem ... I encourage my children to wear them ... not all do - the eldest often doesn't. I do it because they are more likely to have low speed falls when mucking around than adults (well some adults anyway), and their skulls are thinner.

That doesn't mean I want compulsory helmet wearing as it would be a barrier to children cycling, putting them off or producing law breakers.

Well before they decide what age should they stop wearing helmets if they brought in that rule, they should work out at what age they should stop cycling on the pavements - currently they can until they are 16 effectively since it is dealt with using Fixed Penalty Notices which can't be given to the under 16's. So how would you enforce the helmet wearing... you can't give them a FPN.

 

[Dan B]

It would be interesting to know how many people who are against compulsory helmet wearing for children insist that their own children wear one?

Parents might quite reasonably insist that their children wear helmets to protect against cuts and scrapes and still worry that enshrining this into law for all children is unwarranted - and possibly will be the first step on a slippery slope towards helmet compulsion for adults too.

 

[ttcycle]

The case in Australia where legislation was brought in making helmet wearing compulsory has really impacted on cycling in that less people do so now. Sorry not got a link to statistics to hand.

I'm not for compulsory helmet wearing - I would wear one for racing but not for daily commuting or general use as the research is not conclusive that wearing a helmet is actually safer. However, I wouldn't contest someone who wanted to wear a helmet- it is after all, their choice and that's what I'm all about.

Other reasons - a lot of people are put off cycling for vanity reasons- helmet wear being a prime reason- I'd like to see more folk on bikes- ie more cyclists statistically = safer roads.

In places like Copenhagen where there are high levels of cycling - there is not compulsory helmet wearing..cycling should be normalised and having to wear helmets can pyschologically (misinform) people that cycling is a more dangerous activity. Pedestrians walking along a street or car drivers are statistically more likely to have accidents when compared to cyclists.

That's how I feel about it so hope they have some sense and don't bring in the bill.

 

[TrevorM]

I should clarify that today is only the 2nd stage of the bill out of 6 stages. So i suppose it could be rejected today but it can't be passed. There are committee stages and more voting to come. If anyone it really interested you watch the debate live via BBC northern ireland news page or google NI Assembly. About 5:50 pm

 

[Klaus]

I wear a helmet, not out of conviction but it could just make a difference as far as head injuries are concerned (this is my non-scientific opinion).
However what I always find disappointing with the attempts to make it into law, is that it's proposed in isolation. No attempt is made to couple this with improving the cycling infrastructure - provision of proper cycle paths, enforcment of traffic rules, etc. etc.

 

[tyred]

However what I always find disappointing with the attempts to make it into law, is that it's proposed in isolation. No attempt is made to couple this with improving the cycling infrastructure - provision of proper cycle paths, enforcment of traffic rules, etc. etc.

I think that's easy to explain. It doesn't cost the government anything to force people to buy a helmet.

 

[numbnuts]

I wear a helmet, not out of conviction but it could just make a difference as far as head injuries are concerned (this is my non-scientific opinion).
However what I always find disappointing with the attempts to make it into law, is that it's proposed in isolation. No attempt is made to couple this with improving the cycling infrastructure - provision of proper cycle paths, enforcment of traffic rules, etc. etc.

you can improve all you like, but you still have prats in cars like it or not

 

[Davidc]

I wear one, mainly to keep the wife happy. I'd wear one anyway when going along the canal - it helps reduce scrapes on the head from the bridges.

There's one piece of conclusive evidence that they're a bad thing. It's that compulsion leads to a reduction in cycling.

As yet there isn't any evidene to prove that wearing them leads to heads being twisted off in accidents - it's all anecdotal. Neither is there any evidence to prove that they reduce injuries in low speed falls and crashes. That's all anecdotal too.

Leave it voluntary until there's some properly researched evidence.

 

[classic33]

The case in Australia where legislation was brought in making helmet wearing compulsory has really impacted on cycling in that less people do so now. Sorry not got a link to statistics to hand.

That's how I feel about it so hope they have some sense and don't bring in the bill.

Piece on the Austrailian expierience.
http://www.cycle-helmets.com/index.html


OR
you could try an alternate piece of "safety wear"!!
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/653/blonde-wigs-safer-helmets-cyclists