Comments on: Losing our heads about compulsory helmets

By: Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 04:29:39 +0000

I am a cyclist , I ride daily , off road , and on the road.
Touch wood , I haven’t been hit by a car yet , but I have had a couple of bad spills out in the bush recently in which my helmet most certainly saved me from serious injury.
My son tried ducking under a branch of a tree at speed on his bike , hit his helmet , and the branch lifted him right out of the seat.
His helmet was destroyed , he was shaken up.
I don’t worry about “helmet hair” , I’m happy to wear one , whenever I ride.
The same riding horses “no helmet , no ride”.

By: Joan

Joan — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 05:07:07 +0000

I ride into the city for work and would not feel safe without a helmet, whether on-road or on shared path. I don’t mind other people not wearing them however I don’t like how Bicycle Network are campaigning to ride on footpaths in Victoria. I would prefer governments invested in separated bike lanes in as many places as possible and arguing for footpath riding (in conjunction with relaxing helmet laws) is a bad move.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 02:24:25 +0000

Indeed, there is an “issue” problem with bicycle riders and bicycle riding in Australia. The polarisation is almost surreal; you’re either a cyclist or a motorist, you’re either with us or against us. One thing the emphasis on safety gear does is make cycling appear to be a dangerous activity, one for which special headgear is required as it with with caving or bungee jumping, and brightly coloured clothes are worn as they are in dangerous workplaces such as building sites. This means of course that the cyclist has voluntarily undertaken a dangerous activity and it is her/his own fault if he/she is injured or even killed. Their rights are to some extent forfeit. This, I think, is the unintended and invidious effect of mandatory cycle helmet legislation.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 10:47:37 +0000

Most pro-MHL people don’t even ride a bike. We get the same nonsense:

‘The helmet cracked in half, it saved his life.’ It’s a styrofoam cap. Just because it cracked in half doesn’t mean it saved a life. The human skull is stronger than a bicycle helmet. These are not a true helmet like a motorcycle helmet which is designed to reduce sudden acceleration/decceleration of the head. A bicyle helmet lowers the risk of skull fracture, which seldom kills. If you get hit by a bus and die without a helmet, a helmet wouldn’t have saved your life. It’s a bus!

‘Let’s repeal seatbelt laws then.’ Seatbelt laws do not have a negative health impact on society. MHL’s do. MHL’s also impose a measurable financial cost on society.

‘Ride without a helmet, but pay medical expenses.’ What about shark attack victims, do they have to pay? Should surfers be required to wear chain mail? What about diabetes treatment for chubby little kids whose parents fill them up with chips and cakes and softdrink? Should we mandate fruit-and-vegetable camps for chubby little kids?

Despite claims from some tunnel-visioned brain surgeons, bicycle helmets rarely save a life. The clue is in the fact that, unlike motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets are not designed to prevent brain trauma. It’s a styrofoam cap.

The accepted figure for cycling decline in the early 90’s due to MHL’s is 30-35%.

People who don’t ride a bicycle shouldn’t be commenting on MHL’s.