If a law only saves one life it’s worth it… right?
If that were the case, then all driving would be banned immediately. Like most things in life the answer isn’t always as obvious as many have us believe.
Public health & safety is serious but it is important to weigh up all the risks and benefits so we may put them into perspective. Too often the issue is patronisingly simplified, with plenty of emotion, to justify a law. This is particularly the case when that law is imposed by people unaffected by it.
Mandatory bicycle helmet laws are one such example. It’s about time Governments looked at the issue more broadly, from a public health perspective. If they looked at the evidence it would be quite clear that mandatory bicycle helmet laws are a public health disaster, not to mention the disastrous effect it is having on our public bicycle hire schemes.
Don’t forget to add your support to the Freestyle Cyclists petition. Helmet choice is about just that: choice. It’s not about forcing you to wear helmets and it’s certainly not about banning helmets as some helmet law supporters would have you believe.