[workbike] Re: workbike digest V2 #180

Moves afoot in the UK here too. Consensus of opinion here is that though
helmets are a good idea we are being made to wear them because crap-head car
drivers wont drive properly and we just being made scapegoats
-----Original Message-----
From: workbike digest <workbike@ihpva.org>
To: workbike-digest@ihpva.org <workbike-digest@ihpva.org>
Date: 09 September 1999 12:47
Subject: workbike digest V2 #180


>
>workbike digest      Thursday, September 9 1999      Volume 02 : Number 180
>
>
>
>[workbike] mandatory bike helmets
>Re: [workbike] mandatory bike helmets
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 08 Sep 1999 08:13:42 -0500
>From: Easy Living Services <ezliving@execpc.com>
>Subject: [workbike] mandatory bike helmets
>
>Ladies & Gentleman - There is a bill here in Wisconsin that is trying to
>make it mandatory to wear bicycle helmets if you are under 18 years of
>age. While this is a life saving practice, why does government stick
>there nose where it doesn't belong? I understand that this is a
>mandatory law in some states. How do workbikers, especially pedicabbers,
>handle this? If I had to carry helmets for all our underage passengers,
>we would have to carry about 8 helmets at all times. The hassle of
>fitting helmets before each ride would be a bummer. And does this set us
>up if something happens and it is not fitted right. Let me tell you all
>that my wife Pam and I are bicycle instructors and we encourage helmet
>use. We always get flack when our students see us on our pedicabs
>without helmets. We tell them its the nature of the beast. Slow, very
>stable three wheeled vehicles, helmets make the pedicab look unsafe to
>the general public, and the need to carry many sizes for passengers. We
>are contacting the legislature to stop this bill, at least try to get an
>exception for business. This will shut us down if it goes into law. The
>other question is how and who will enforce it. Bicycle laws are not
>enforced now! We've all seen idiot cyclists doing crazy things, unsafe
>things, (sometimes even us?), often in front of police. Why aren't these
>things ticketed? We are legal vehicles entitled to the roadway. Treat us
>that way. Helmet use will not prevent crashes, they will only save the
>victim. Lets focus on education, not ridiculous legislation. Any
>comments would be appreciated....Ride On!!
>Mike Gerke
>Easy Living Pedicab & Services
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 08 Sep 1999 20:53:52 -0700
>From: Mark Mueller <mhp@mueller-hp.com>
>Subject: Re: [workbike] mandatory bike helmets
>
>We have this law in California, and I too am a 'always wear a helmet'
>person. This law is silly because it is enforced as poorly as all the other
>laws pertaining to bikes (like the California Motor Vehicle Code for
>example.) When kids ride with their folks the norm is that kids have
helmets
>and grown ups don't. I believe the kids learn that one should wear a helmet
>because "its the law" not because it's safer. After all, these parents
don't
>feel any driving need to wear a helmet. I think motorcycle helmet laws
>shouldn't be also. I always wear a motorcycle helmet.
>
>Mark.
>
>Easy Living Services wrote:
>
>> Ladies & Gentleman - There is a bill here in Wisconsin that is trying to
>> make it mandatory to wear bicycle helmets if you are under 18 years of
>> age. While this is a life saving practice, why does government stick
>> there nose where it doesn't belong? I understand that this is a
>> mandatory law in some states. How do workbikers, especially pedicabbers,
>> handle this? If I had to carry helmets for all our underage passengers,
>
>[snip]
>
>>
>> Mike Gerke
>> Easy Living Pedicab & Services
>
>- --
>Mark E. Mueller
>Mueller Human Power
>http://www.windwrap.com
>mhp@windwrap.com
>4893 Artino Court
>Eureka, CA 95503
>phone and fax: 707-442-8133
>toll free US and Canada: 877-267-1645
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of workbike digest V2 #180
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>
>