Cycling advocates call for helmet law reform

Why do we always get those people who think "no helmet law" means "law to not wear helmets" - is it because these people are rule bound morons. Listen up you people that use that argument - You CAN wear a helmet even if there are no rules to say you have too- so stop that argument its a waste of space! and there is always some other who claims "it saved my life so everyone has to wear one!" - YES YES it saves lives but so does so many other things - why not wear a blow up suit - that could save lives too - or maybe not leave the house - pass that law it could also save lives - but for me - the argument is not about the helmet (so stop making it about the helmet - yes yes they are great so wear one) its about the law - and as some other thoughtful person has said - why not pass a law forcing us to wear vests [see discussion above) - actually i'm against the government telling me what i can and cant wear - and thats what this is all about because - patently biking around is not a dangerous activity and shouldnt be treated by the government as if it was. Dangerous driving by drivers is whats wrong here and should be treated as the problem - not the cyclists.

Good grief! If compulsion was removed, there is nothing to stop you wearing a helmet if that is your thing. So why do people feel they should be able to force OTHER people to wear them? What a crazy law you have. Laws should be in place to stop you harming others. Not wearing a helmet doesn't hurt anyone. So why is it a crime? Do pro-helmet advocates also encourage the use of pedestrian helmets and driving helmets? These two activities are just as dangerous as far as head injuries are concerned.

Let's be truthful......cyclists do get hit....helmets will save lives.....car drivers say "I never saw them" so it's the cyclists fault....get real....it's the car driver at fault. Let's put them in helmets, make them wear bright clothes.....end result they will still get hit. Same as motor-cyclists with head lights on, nothing changers in a tin top dominated world we call NZ. How about we enforce all vehicles to have that radar/sensors that activates the brakes etc take driver error out of the mix......we all know they are the cause of the cycle vs car accidents

The research clearly shows that forcing people to wear cycle helmets increases the number of deaths and injuries: http://cyclehelmets.org/1079.html The links are indirect however and no-one is quite sure exactly what is happening. Coming from a country where there are no compulsory laws - I hate bike helmets. You look like a dork in them. Most bike geeks don't mind but I am a commuter cyclist and I hate them. You wouldn't see Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt out on their bikes with helmets on. So you look like a dork and it is more dangerous - this is a no-brainer. Style and science trump. :-)

I am cuurently at home recuperating after a cycling accident. Ambulance and Police staff credit my helmet with saving my life! People who advocate cycling without a helmet are ill-informed and simply do not appreciate the realities of cycling and I am appalled at their naivety. Helmets are not a fashion accessory - so lets not treat them as such. They are as important to cycling as having a bike is. Cycling enthusiasts look first at the type and quality of their bike and second at the type and quality of their helmet. There is no question of the need for one. We must not treat helmets like fashion accessories.

Can I suggest that people actually do some research before they write posts that display their ignorance of this subject. There is plenty of literature available, see http://cyclingauckland.co.nz/rules/helmets/. Feeling and believing something is so, does not make it true.

BLOODY ROADIES! Look, you keep getting bad press... There is a reason why helmets are now required in tour de france and not skull caps... BECAUSE when you crash, it can save your life. You don't see the mountain bikers wanting to remove there helmets cause they know that if you miss a corner and hit a tree, your gonna get hurt... Same for all cycling, miss a corner and hit a truck... Same thing. My helmet has saved me multiple times from head injuries and concussions. Just wear it!

I generally wear bright clothing when conditions demand it (at night or in murky/foggy/limited light conditions) but there is no way I would support compulsory use of safety vests. Why should it always be cyclists who have all the responsibility to make sure they are seen? A lot of the time it is motorists who need to be more observant. If cyclists were oblidged to weat vests at all times then cars should all be bright green with flashing red lights.

As for the argument that cyclists with head injuries cost the tax payer lots of money - experts have pointed out that the government would save more lives and reduce health costs if it were motorists who were made to wear helmets.

This article makes a lot of sense. The cost of the helmet law to the country outweigh the benefits. Let the rider decide!

Will never happen as they would lose another revenue gathering law, its not against the law to go mountain biking without a helmet yet i have never seen a mountain biker not wearing a helmet, human beings do have a mind of their own and are capable of making a decision by themselves, if someone wants to risk crashing while not wearing a helmet then let them.