New helmet freedom Advertisment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8o1eDFCbTk
This add series was aired by a friend on TV in Brisbane recently. :-)
QLD recently had change of government the original nanny state party is gone so there is now a good chance that there could be a change to the helmet laws either to an NT style exemption or complete exemption for all adults.
It is remarkable that at time when we are about to be hit with a CO2 tax and with all the public concern over global warming and the huge burden on the health system of sedentary lifestyle diseases that the most efficient and healthy form of transport has been and is still being discouraged by helmet laws. As a result of this law the predominant type of riders remaining on our roads seem to be lycra wearing men on racers - this would tend to suggest that repealing this law would result in a huge increase in the number of other people riding especially women (the NT has the highest participation of women riders of any state - it is also the only region with a bicycle helmet exemption for adults ).
At the same time there is a lack of any statistical evidence of effacicy of helmet laws in fact their failure and large deterrent effect on cycling is both used as...
- so why are we still burdened with this counter productive nanny state law.
Even though 1500 people die in car accidents yearly car drivers are not forced to wear helmets, in fact the government takes our tax and gives it away to incompetent car companies who cant balance their books. !
http://afr.com/p/opinion/labor_great_car_industry_betrayal_ZSBFO4nK...
The government's bias is clear, in your car it's air-conditioned comfort but ride a bike and you get will get fined if you refuse to wear a sweat box on your head even at low speed or offroad.
The Labor governments poor judgment and steadfast refusal to admit their bias is obvious - it is simply appalling that this law not only results in thousands of innocent people being fined every year, which is at best a waste of police time and resources. It also deters thousands more from cycling in favour of motor cars which are one of the primary sources of pollution including not just C02 but other toxins which can cause health problems for people living near roads. Motor vehicles are also responsible for the great majority of pedestrians killed each year and over 90% of cyclist fatalities.
Whether you personally prefer to wear a helmet or not please show your support for reform and support the right of others to choose for themselves.
Tags: helmets
Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Charles on -
Terry, how could even suggest that such is possible in these pages - Helmets are EVIL and we all know it.
PS of course that person must have been a "racer", and not a trendy on a fixie with the wind flowing through her Sunsilk washed hair, a hand bag strapped over the front handle bar and high heels, doing 12KMH.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Tim on -
Yeah look at all these scofflaws campaigning for cycling safety. Oh that's right they are not scofflaws - they have a choice and look how many choose to ride bicycles. The thing is apart from Australia and NZ and a couple of shining examples of enlightenment in the Middle East, no countries have all ages mandatory helmet laws and nowhere else are they so rigorously enforced - usually with sanctimonious lectures thrown in for good measure.
Just accept it - you MHL people are in the minority. Isn't this about the laws and their effect, rather than the helmets and their effect? So, how does it feel to be part of a strident minority?
-
-
Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
Looks like the old guy at lower right has a big red blancmonge on his head
-
-
Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on
-
Edible bike helmets..now theres an idea. It would solve the problem of people sick of lugging their helmets around while off their bike.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Matt Jones on -
I love how this has become a "If you not with us , you're against us" argument.
Seriously if you're that passionate about , dont bleet here, go to your MP and get them moving on it.
Me I've given up on this thread, I'd rather put on my helmet and hop on my bike.
-
-
Permalink Reply by GlenM on -
You've just marked yourself as "one of those against us" because you've made a reasonable suggestion as to how the MHL's can be removed.
edit: Added quotes to make the meaning clearer
-
-
Permalink Reply by Charles on
-
Why dont 'the ones for MHL reform' have a helmet burning ceremony, you can have my old one cause theres a lovely MET in red that I want to buy, that matches perfectly my group ride jersey and black bike frame.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Matt Brennan on -
Is that bike helmet Carbon?
-
-
Permalink Reply by GlenM on
-
I disagree - In my opinion the standing is t'other way round as the anti MHL Teamm haven't come up with any convincing arguments yet. :)
Notice - I waited till well after 9
-
-
Permalink Reply by stephen on
-
I have a feeling it's only a matter of time before one of the states repeals helmet laws.
This is an article from WAhttp://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/13614581/wa-should-di...
This is one about bike share - The die hard helmet law supporters are practically paying people to ride the bikes to avoid the embarrassing truth by having subsidised or free helmets at tax payers expense !.
These share schemes cost millions to install and run and are heavily subsidised by government, if few people use them then rates payers and tax payers get slugged with the cost of the schemes failure. While success on the other hand will at least have a chance of breaking even.http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/02/13/is-the-law-on-helmets-why-bike-...
What some people seem to ignore is that getting a correctly fitted bike helmet is a hell of allot harder than a for example the simplicity of an auto tensioning seatbelt in a car. Then what do you do with something so big it would fill most of a backpack - maybe try and sell it ?.
What should be a 30 second swipe card and go instead becomes a 10 minute ordeal trying to buy/find a suitable helmet which is going to do nothing but make you uncomfortable then having to cart it around all day or try and sell it most likely encrusted with sweat and bacteria and dandruff by the time you finish with it.
By the time you do all that it would be faster and cheaper to just walk, drive or catch a taxi or train.
Yet they wonder why few people hire the bikes ! and come up with all sorts of excuses for the schemes lacklustre performance while ignoring the most obvious one of all. -
© 2013 Created by Gus K.
