German helmet news

neilo23
neilo23 Posts: 783
edited June 2014 in Road general
Just thought this might interest some of you (sorry if it unleashes "the helmet monster debate" :-) ). Was just on the news here in Germany.

A couple of years back a middle-aged woman was cycling along when a car driver opened her door without looking: cyclist crashes into door, suffers minor head injuries and can't work for a few weeks. Her private health insurance company (everyone in Germany has private health insurance) didn't want to pay her compensation as they deemed her to be partly responsible for her injuries as she wasn't wearing a helmet.
She went to court and the court ruled in her favour: she was abiding the laws of the land, riding correctly in a country without a compulsory helmet law, and she is entitled to her compensation in full.
Spokeswoman for the German cyclist association is pleased as they wish to keep cycling fun and allow personal choice re helmets. According to them 15% of German cyclists already always wear one (although, from personal observation, I would put the figure much higher). They were also worried that the case would be an excuse for a compulsory helmet law to be introduced but were pleased that this didn't happen as the cyclist should be free to choose.

Comments

  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    It might not be obligatory to wear a helmet, but poor old Helmut must have a StVZO certified light on his bike.
    The Master
    The Moser
    The VN
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    Term1te wrote:
    It might not be obligatory to wear a helmet, but poor old Helmut must have a StVZO certified light on his bike.

    You mean the Germans have rules and regulations about stuff? :o
  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    You don't know rules about stuff until you've lived in Switzerland!
    The Master
    The Moser
    The VN
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    Term1te wrote:
    You don't know rules about stuff until you've lived in Switzerland!

    I just noticed where you are. I hope they'll let you stay there ;-)
  • earth
    earth Posts: 934
    Term1te wrote:
    It might not be obligatory to wear a helmet, but poor old Helmut must have a StVZO certified light on his bike.

    When I use my Exposure Strada I get quite a lot of people saying it's too bright. One guy asked me to stop and made a big point of saying it dazzled drivers. I like having a bright beam that reaches down the road but I don't want to blind on coming drivers. Some rules about beam pattern would be useful. Can't be impossible to do as some cars now have 3000 lumen LED headlights.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Term1te wrote:
    You don't know rules about stuff until you've lived in Switzerland!

    I had a Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm with open cans for 3 years in London. Sounded gorgeous. Popped wheelies in 2nd.

    Moved to Geneva. The police there pulled me within 3 days, and were very nasty with me. Had to have the original cans couriered over from the UK within 7 days or prison!!!
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    bernithebiker wrote:
    Term1te wrote:
    You don't know rules about stuff until you've lived in Switzerland!

    I had a Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm with open cans for 3 years in London. Sounded gorgeous. Popped wheelies in 2nd.

    Moved to Geneva. The police there pulled me within 3 days, and were very nasty with me. Had to have the original cans couriered over from the UK within 7 days or prison!!!

    Don't see what's nasty about it. Although the UK police are generally too busy or not particularly interested in loud cans on cars and bikes, when it's used anti socially or in the wrong place, you deserve everything you get. Anyway, it isn't a Firestorm but a Fireplace on account of how sedate and boring they were.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    philthy3 wrote:
    Anyway, it isn't a Firestorm but a Fireplace on account of how sedate and boring they were.

    Depends how you ride it mate.

    It was a better all rounder than my 999.
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    bernithebiker wrote:
    Term1te wrote:
    You don't know rules about stuff until you've lived in Switzerland!

    I had a Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm with open cans for 3 years in London. Sounded gorgeous. Popped wheelies in 2nd.

    Moved to Geneva. The police there pulled me within 3 days, and were very nasty with me. Had to have the original cans couriered over from the UK within 7 days or prison!!!

    Fortunately they are less likely to put you in prison here otherwise some of my japes would have got me locked up a long time ago :D
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    This story was on the front page of several national newspapers today. It's been hailed as a victory for personal freedom, as it should be.

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