MHL madness in Australia

[Shut Up Legs]

Aargh! The cluelessness of our government (state and federal) continues to amaze me. They introduced the MHL* over 20 years ago, causing the rate of cycling amongst the population to plummet (and never really recover). A few years ago, Melbourne Bike Share started, and its rate of use is so dismal that it has needed continual government support to stay afloat. Now, our transport minister has admitted the requirement to wear helmets is the cause of this low usage (well, derrr....), and has proposed the amazing solution: attach shared helmets to each bike! All I can say to that is: ewwww! I know my hair hygiene is high, but I can't speak for everyone.

So our government continues to ignore the overwhelming evidence from most other countries that MHLs are bad for cycling.

Regardless of your opinions on MHLs, the fact remains that MHLs here are what will cause our bike share scheme to go bankrupt. It's just a matter of time until it occurs.

Here's the article: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/f...jumpstart-bike-share-plan-20130321-2gh6r.html

* Mandatory Helmet Law, but possibly you already knew that.

 

[Hacienda71]

I remember The Age back in the early eighties when I lived in Brighton. Printed on light green paper iirc.

Oh and totaly agree, bloody stupid idea shared helmets

 

[ianrauk]

I will have to go check but I think another country had MHL for their hire scheme. The scheme did rubbish, so they repealed the law and now it's thriving.

 

[benb]

Barmy. Even people who think helmets are 100% effective must realise that this is counter-productive as more deaths must be caused by obesity than can possibly be saved by helmets.

 

[snorri]

I will have to go check but I think another country had MHL for their hire scheme. The scheme did rubbish, so they repealed the law and now it's thriving.

Mexico City and Tel Aviv.
http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1192.html

 

[ianrauk]

Mexico City and Tel Aviv.
http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1192.html

Thanks Snorri.
Some interesting reading there.

 

[avalon]

It's a great idea to have a bike share scheme, and one I would be very keen to use on my rare visits to cities, were it not for the fact that I would have to carry my helmet around all day or borrow one that has been on somebody else's head. So, until the MHL is repealed I will continue to contribute to the congestion and pollution in our cities.

 

[ianrauk]

It's a great idea to have a bike share scheme, and one I would be very keen to use on my rare visits to cities, were it not for the fact that I would have to carry my helmet around all day or borrow one that has been on somebody else's head. So, until the MHL is repealed I will continue to contribute to the congestion and pollution in our cities.

Just like thousand's of others who are not using the bikes....
Sad and very short sighted by the government law makers.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Just like thousand's of others who are not using the bikes....
Sad and very short sighted by the government law makers.

Agreed.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I just read the BikeSnobNYC's latest blog, which made a very funny, and extremely ironical, point: apparently, obesity is the new helmet! A New York study found that obese people were more likely to have less severe injuries in a car impact, compared to their slimmer fellows. So that's the situation we have in Australia: MHL leads to more obesity, which leads to more insulation against impacts by cars, which I guess means that it's less important for helmets to be mandatory! I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry at this.

 

[Licramite]

share helmets is a stupid idea. as stupid as compulsory helmets, as I understand it the assue insurance system for medical and legal is based on apportioning blame, so if you suffer a head injury and didn't wear a helmet it would count against you, so why compulsion, especially on aussies who are fairly independantly mind.