Oi! Look! Important stuff ----->

Crapaud

I know that you lot are a bit insular and don't get out into the wider forum much* so I thought I'd draw your attentiion to an important, IMO, thread in Campaignabout mandatory helmet laws in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Please have a read and sign (or not) the petition.


*

dhope

Northern Island and Scotland?
Important stuff?

Sorry, I don't follow :twisted:

kelsen

This is a local shop, for local people; there's nothing for you here!

(signed btw)

davmaggs

Wasn't the N.I idea just something mentioned and floated by some politican that isn't actually going anywhere at all?

Crapaud

dhope wrote:

Northern Island and Scotland?
Important stuff?

Sorry, I don't follow :twisted:

C0ck. I should haver just typed "the dark lands of Mordor". :roll:

jonny_trousers

I'm not sure I'm that fussed about it to be honest. I wear a helmet anyway and if making hemet wearing compulsory stops those who think they can just grab a Boris Bike and get out there into serious urban traffic without a care in the world, or those little toe-rags who have a bike they were 'given' from a friend of a friend of a friend, and who have absolutely no respect for those around them, from getting in my way then I'm all for it.

Is compulsory helmet wearing really that big of a deal?

wgwarburton

Hi,
Thanks for that. I'd encourage all to sign the petition, even if you choose to wear a helmet.
Those who cling to their faith might like to take a long hard look at the references and links. While I'm not suggesting that they will necessarily convince everyone they may help explain why some are skeptical.

Cheers,
W.

hatbeard

I thought northern island was in scotland. I am confuse.

signed

notsoblue

Signed.

Crapaud

davmaggs wrote:

Wasn't the N.I idea just something mentioned and floated by some politican that isn't actually going anywhere at all?

It's got through a second reading. It might not get anywhere, but the CTC have taken it seriously enough to start a petition. If we don't respond it might just float through and then it'll, IMO, be used as a springboard for the rest of the UK. Have a good read and decide for yourself.

It won't do any harm to let them know if you're against it.

Moodyman

I'm all for helmets.

In fact, I have two - one for the head above my shoulders and the other for the head below the waist.

Mr Plum

notsoblue wrote:

Signed.

...sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Kieran_Burns

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I'm not sure I'm that fussed about it to be honest. I wear a helmet anyway and if making hemet wearing compulsory stops those who think they can just grab a Boris Bike and get out there into serious urban traffic without a care in the world, or those little toe-rags who have a bike they were 'given' from a friend of a friend of a friend, and who have absolutely no respect for those around them, from getting in my way then I'm all for it.

Is compulsory helmet wearing really that big of a deal?

So because you think you should, you wish to take away the choice for people?

Irrespective of whether wearing one or not is effective (a debate done to death several times) people should not have an unenforceable law forced upon them for no good reason.

Fireblade96

Signed.

While I may choose to wear a helmet while cycling, I very much want to retain that freedom to choose. Helmet compulsion will primarily discourage casual cycle use - I don't want to have to get all "geared up" when I'm just popping to the shops

dilemna

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I'm not sure I'm that fussed about it to be honest. I wear a helmet anyway and if making hemet wearing compulsory stops those who think they can just grab a Boris Bike and get out there into serious urban traffic without a care in the world, or those little toe-rags who have a bike they were 'given' from a friend of a friend of a friend, and who have absolutely no respect for those around them, from getting in my way then I'm all for it.

Is compulsory helmet wearing really that big of a deal?

So because you think you should, you wish to take away the choice for people?

Irrespective of whether wearing one or not is effective (a debate done to death several times) people should not have an unenforceable law forced upon them for no good reason.

other than their safety :roll: .

shm_uk

Excellent.

Another 'to helmet or not to helmet' fight...

(puts kettle on, pulls up chair)

Kieran_Burns

shm_uk wrote:

Excellent.

Another 'to helmet or not to helmet' fight...

(puts kettle on, pulls up chair)

No - to enforce or not to enforce

Kieran_Burns

dilemna wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I'm not sure I'm that fussed about it to be honest. I wear a helmet anyway and if making hemet wearing compulsory stops those who think they can just grab a Boris Bike and get out there into serious urban traffic without a care in the world, or those little toe-rags who have a bike they were 'given' from a friend of a friend of a friend, and who have absolutely no respect for those around them, from getting in my way then I'm all for it.

Is compulsory helmet wearing really that big of a deal?

So because you think you should, you wish to take away the choice for people?

Irrespective of whether wearing one or not is effective (a debate done to death several times) people should not have an unenforceable law forced upon them for no good reason.

other than their safety :roll: .

I suggest you go away and research relative risks before making that statement. Look into accidents on bikes, accidents while walking, accidents while driving, accidents in the home etc etc

This kind of law is equivalent to forcing every pedestrian to wear a helmet, as more accidents happen to people walking than to people cycling.

Look at health benefits, cost of implementation and effectiveness of enforcement while you're at it.

hatbeard

or even just think what other things going on in the world warrant their attention more than whether people have polystyrene hats on.

cambs

Signed. I nearly always wear a helmet but i think they are a deterrent to cycling for some people so i'm against it.

jonny_trousers

cambs wrote:

Signed. I nearly always wear a helmet but i think they are a deterrent to cycling for some people so i'm against it.

A lot of people should be deterred from cycling. I'd say a good 50% of those out there are a danger to themselves and to others.

notsoblue

Yeah, but its safe to RLJ in some situations.

CiB

Signed. Where's the RLJ petition then? And the Pavement Pansies one? I'd like to have that made a mandatory capital offence.

King Donut

notsoblue wrote:

Yeah, but its safe to RLJ in some situations.

But but but.

Done.

tailwindhome

I'm not sure how effective how a group of cyclist, however large, from outside NI signing this petition may be. I think it may even be counterproductive. (Only my take on it, I may be wrong)

I would suggest that any one on here from Northern Ireland, who is against this legislation, writes directly to their MLA to try to influence their vote. IIRC this legislation only got through the last stage by a very narrow margin (of the few who turned up)

In the past I would have scoffed at this idea but gave it a go as part of the Eilidh Cairns (sp?) campaign and was astounded to get a positive response from one of our MEPS

If you aren't from NI but have relatives/friends here ask them to do it on your behalf.

There's no point you doing it yourself ...you're not in the constituency.


Cycling Ulster piece on the topic

http://www.cyclingulster.com/?thenewsid ... table=news


Personally I think Cycling Ulster have summed it up well in the past.....100% in favour of helmets but 100% against legislation.



[/soapbox]

Hey Spen, is this what commuting was like in the old days?

mudcovered

Fireblade96 wrote:

Signed.

While I may choose to wear a helmet while cycling, I very much want to retain that freedom to choose. Helmet compulsion will primarily discourage casual cycle use - I don't want to have to get all "geared up" when I'm just popping to the shops

This is the killer argument IMO. While I wear a helmet and full cycling gear most of the time it is this reason alone that I'm opposed to making it compulsory. It would also completely kill all the city cycle schemes like the Boris bikes in London completely.

If they want to make it mandatory then the case for reduction in death and serious injury needs to be made much more strongly that it has been to date.

Prime reason I wear a lid is I do a lot of offroad riding in the dark and being hit in the forehead by low tree branches is a lot more survivable when wearing one.

Mike

Fireblade96

TailWindHome wrote:

I'm not sure how effective how a group of cyclist, however large, from outside NI signing this petition may be. I think it may even be counterproductive. (Only my take on it, I may be wrong)

Used my Dad's address :-)
When I was over in NI last week I rode a mini Tour of the Glens sans helmet, and very pleasant it was too. No children or animals were harmed, and only one large ice cream consumed. Yeah, it was sunny :-)

Jay dubbleU

Done - I may or may not wear a helmet but I'm bu**ered if I'm going to be told to

CiB

Having trawled through a lot of the references on OP's original link, it strikes me that our govt would do well to discourage car use by introducing mandatory helmet laws for car drivers. That group does seem to be more succeptable to head injury than any other group. If the effects of that law were consistent with countries where cycle helmets have been mandated, car usage would instantly drop by a decent proportion. Result or what? How could any self-respecting Min Of Env discount that as an idea?

I'll send it to someone at Central Office right away.

rjsterry

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Done - I may or may not wear a helmet but I'm bu**ered if I'm going to be told to

Buttered?

Blacktemplar

Signed.

I agree it should be a matter of choice not compulsion but backed by an education campaign to give people all the facts so their choice can be an informed one.

I think the Australian experience is an interesting one. Anecdotally 95% of teenage girls stopped cycling after compulsory helmet law was introduced.

Even the police here are (allegedly) against introduction of such a law here for U16's as it is "unenforceable"

This is an interesting link, particularly the very well thought through and reasoned set of arguments posed by Dr Paul Docherty - over a decade old though!
http://www.mertoncyclists.talktalk.net/helmets.html

Oh and I came across an interesting factoid that says that approved helmets only resist impact up to 23kph (14mph) - surely a speed we all exceed daily contained in the attached link;
http://www.fiab-onlus.it/andare/helm_gb.doc

Unfortunately we live in a Nanny State where we aren't allowed to choose what risks we accept. How in gawd's name did any of us survive childhood? :roll: