Our new television advertisements will begin airing in Brisbane, Australia, over the next few weeks, starting on Channel Go this evening from 19:30.
The purpose of the ads is to highlight just how isolated Australia and New Zealand are with respect to their all-age mandatory bicycle helmet laws – being the only two countries in the world to have such laws and enforce them.
Many good ideas have spread rapidly from Australia (for example seatbelts, black box flight recorders and so on), yet the countries with the highest cycling rates in the world know that forcing all cyclists to wear a bicycle helmets at all times while riding *any* bicycle is counterproductive. It is about the cheapest and laziest thing that a Government could do in the name of ‘cycling safety’, particularly considering it hasn’t improved cyclist safety at all!
The Northern Territory realised that this law was flawed and, soon after their introduction, added exemptions for adults on footpath & cyclepaths. They enjoy a higher rate of cycling – particularly for transport, not sport – and yet have a safety record which is no different to the rest of the country. There are more exemptions in the law for seatbelt use (or non-use) than for bicycle helmets (paying pedicab passengers being the only common exemption across states). We don’t even have an exemption for our crippled public bike hire schemes in Melbourne & Brisbane, despite calls from a prominent cycling journalist for a rethink. Suggestions to the previous Queensland Government of even a trial exemption for bike share were ignored.
It’s time for change.
Hope this has an impact. All the best with the feedback.
Thank you, Kathy. Looking forward to this being discussed more openly.
great stuff!
This is great, is there anywhere to throw a few dollars into the kitty?
Ride free.
Thank you. At the moment we’re funding it ourselves but we might open it up so we can play the advertisements more widely. We are also considering a billboard campaign in the future.
I never use a bicycle helmet in daylight hours. I never pay bicycle helmet fines ether, haven’t paid one for over 18 years. Cycle helmets are not recommended for outdoor use. Forcing a child to use one is unlawful, (see s326 Queensland criminal code) Exposing a child to harm outdoors or doing something that is likely to cause preventable exposure is unlawful.. This fact means the current Bicycle helmet legislation isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. It’s back to the drawing board for the Government that wasted millions implementing this law and fineing thousands of cyclist in error. We have almost 5 deaths per day from Skin cancer in Australia. The highest rate of childhood obesity in the world and one of the worlds the highest rates of teenage suicide.
There is a flaw in the legislation, Cyclist already have the freedom to choose. It’s unlawful to force people to use a hat outdoors that exposes them to the likelihood of harm. s326 qld criminal code.
great stuff alright , and not before time ,come on aussies ,come on
Message to Melbourne and any bike hire project suffering lack of use.
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&cad=rja&ved=0CKABELcCMAs&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhPjvZlAl_js&ei=8u5nUtjqE4qpiAe0tIDgBQ&usg=AFQjCNHKngSKiT3jQbXFAX8ll6k3je2hxA&sig2=1ZCq0TdQ9mh0625XbeqE8g
Why do you need money ? Com-on experts what up? The number of deaths from preventable melanoma skin cancer has risen >>>> s326 qld criminal code.<<<<<
If a child is over 7 the penalty would most likely be reduced on a sliding scale.
Copy and paste this into your letter to the local member for child safety.
Any parliamentarian sidelining this issue because they think bicycle helmets are safe is committing an unconscionable act not worthy of an elected representative.
http://www.ipa.org.au/publications/2019/australia%27s-helmet-law-disaster
http://www.cyclehelmets.org/pdfgen.php?PageNo=1193