Cyclists wanting to get rid of compulsory helmet wearing

**onearmedbandit** · 30th July 2010, 09:40

Originally Posted by jim.cox

Compulsary ANYTHING is a bad idea

Its a small jump from Foam Hairnets to Six Pointed Yellow Stars IMHO

Compulsory seatbelts? Are they a bad idea? Because the cost of injuries to this nation would bankrupt us straight away if that was done away with.

Compulsory qualifications for electricians? Wouldn't want my house wired up by someone that didn't know what they are doing.

Sometimes compulsory is better. Because humans don't know better.

**jim.cox** · 30th July 2010, 09:43

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

Compulsory seatbelts? Are they a bad idea?

Yes,

I think they are.

Perhaps they should have to be fitted

But, for adults at least, the wearing of them should be personal choice

**onearmedbandit** · 30th July 2010, 09:46

Originally Posted by jim.cox

Yes,

I think they are.

Perhaps they should have to be fitted

But, for adults at least, the wearing of them should be personal choice

Can you explain why they are?

And if you want to choose not to wear them then as long as you choose to pay for your own personal medical expenses I'm not worried, you can fly through the front window of any car you like. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a 'safety-nazi', but seatbelts are proven to save more lives than they take.

**Icemaestro** · 30th July 2010, 09:56

had a friend who came off at about 30km/h coming down a hill without a helmet, TBI, rehab for 18-24 months, still has trouble with energy levels, can only work part time 3 years later

**jim.cox** · 30th July 2010, 10:01

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

Can you explain why they are?

Because, as matter of principle, I dont believe that the State should have the right, or even attempt, to regulate the personal lives of its citizens

Its not that I'm against Seat Belts per se - its the compulsary I find obnoxious

**onearmedbandit** · 30th July 2010, 10:22

Originally Posted by jim.cox

Because, as matter of principle, I dont believe that the State should have the right, or even attempt, to regulate the personal lives of its citizens

Its not that I'm against Seat Belts per se - its the compulsary I find obnoxious

How far do you take this personal stance? Are you against compulsory schooling for children? Do you feel 'STOP' signs are an affront to your personal freedom?

I admire your stance, and that you have principles, but how far can it go it today's society? We're such a mixed up bunch of personalities/disorders/etc that some level of personal regulation is almost a necessary eveil.

And you can choose to not wear a seatbelt as an adult. However as it's a law you just have to pay for the privilege.

**imdying** · 30th July 2010, 10:26

Had a great one last night at about midnight. This dilly bitch was ignoring the red and continued to pedal through the lights as I was coming up to my green. Yes love, I can see the lovely reflectors on the wheels, but no I'm not going to stop. She must've been pissed... I was in the right hand lane (one way street) and she got to about half way across the second lane before she figured I wasn't going to stop. Panic brake, wobble wobble, and over she goes

Another top tip; locked up wheels scare the shit out of cyclists. Similar situation to above, some crazy cyclist ignoring the road rules, so I kept my speed up, even though I was not getting around this one, right of way or not... at the last minute, hard on the anchors, car slows down, then a good hard stab on the pedal; wheels lock up loudly. I knew I wasn't going to hit the bike, but the rider didn't

Must've shit themselves good, took them a good 5 seconds before they started to scream and yell. Strangely I have no sympathy for cyclists who ignore the road rules so all they got was the bird.

**imdying** · 30th July 2010, 10:27

Originally Posted by jim.cox

Because, as matter of principle, I dont believe that the State should have the right, or even attempt, to regulate the personal lives of its citizens

True beau! I wanna bash your kids with a meat tenderiser, how dear those honkies in the hive say I can't! It's my choice!

**Woodman** · 30th July 2010, 10:37

Originally Posted by jim.cox

Because, as matter of principle, I dont believe that the State should have the right, or even attempt, to regulate the personal lives of its citizens

Its not that I'm against Seat Belts per se - its the compulsary I find obnoxious

Then you should not pay tax and get zero amount of support from the state or the use of the facilities that they provide.
The argument about seatbelts and personal choice is one of those silly academic arguments that have no place in reality.

**nudemetalz** · 30th July 2010, 10:43

When my old man had his fatal accident, he was hit by an old fart who pulled out in front of him while he was cycling to work. This was before the compulsory helmet laws but back then they were urging people to wear them.
His head hit the car windscreen pillar.
Had he worn a helmet, he would have survived but most likely been a vegetable for the rest of his life.
Should I have wished he had worn a helmet? Probably not.

**p.dath** · 30th July 2010, 10:43

I can tell you what would help me make up my mind on this one.

Since the introduction of cycle helmets, what has happened to the accident rate, and in particular, the number of head injuries?

Put another way, what was the drop in the rate of head injuries?

**onearmedbandit** · 30th July 2010, 10:59

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

When my old man had his fatal accident, he was hit by an old fart who pulled out in front of him while he was cycling to work. This was before the compulsory helmet laws but back then they were urging people to wear them.
His head hit the car windscreen pillar.
Had he worn a helmet, he would have survived but most likely been a vegetable for the rest of his life.
Should I have wished he had worn a helmet? Probably not.

While I appreciate that it is a sensitive issue for you, and I mean no disrespect by my comments, but you can't be entirely sure of that. You could fall over standing still and crack your head on a curb and die, but if you were wearing a hemet you wouldn't even have a headache.

**nudemetalz** · 30th July 2010, 11:12

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

While I appreciate that it is a sensitive issue for you, and I mean no disrespect by my comments, but you can't be entirely sure of that. You could fall over standing still and crack your head on a curb and die, but if you were wearing a hemet you wouldn't even have a headache.

You're quite right there, OAB. I will never know if a helmet may have kept him here or not.
It was just what the surgeons told us. Speculation on their part too of course.