Of Bikes and Helmets

Every so often there is a push in the Ontario legislature for similar legislation here. See, for example,

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/reports.htm

Education of politicians is necessary. We need to continue to point out, politely and respectfully, that mandatory helmet laws actually result in more deaths and serious injuries by discouraging cycling.

Point out the Australian experience and all the deaths that happened there with a mandatory helmet law. Point out that Holland is the safest place in the world to cycle, and almost nobody wears a helmet there. Point out that car pollution kills 440 people in Toronto every year, and injures 1,700 so seriously that they have to be hospitalized.

Make it clear that a mandatory bicycle helmet law in Ontario will result in a large number of people being killed or seriously injured. And that this carnage will be on their conscience.

I live in Cambridge, Ontario. In 1995, I was 7 1/2 years old. I was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. I was not wearing a helmet. I now suffer from a severe brain injury. the helmet law was passed in 1995 for cyclists 18 and under to wear a helmet. Adults have the choice if they would like to wear a helmet or not. I disagree a bit because I think that all cyclists, no matter what age should wear a helmet, even Adults. It is for safety. I am 31 years old now, and I wear a helmet while biking. I don't want another brain injury. One time a year or two ago, I saw a young boy riding his bicycle on the sidewalk with his helmet on the handle bar of the bike, not on his head. He rode across the street which was a bit busy. I though that he would get hit, but he didn't which was good. There was a police car nearby that was stopped at a red light, he saw this, and did nothing. I went to the police station later, and told them about what I saw, and they told me this "Well, what would you like us to do?. I told them that they can stop the boy and talk to him, and tell him why it is important to wear a helmet on the head, and not on the handle bars. They told me, "We can't really do that". That upset me, because there is a law about cyclists under the age of 18 who are required to wear a helmet on their head while riding a bicycle, and the police do nothing? The police are supposed to serve and protect. They did not do this in this case. My thought on the law is still every cyclist no matter what age should wear a helmet on their head, starting from when they start to ride a tricycle when they are very young to when they are elderly riding two wheel bikes. If we can teach the young children to wear a helmet, while riding their bicycle, or even tricycle, and the importance of it, then maybe when they are older, and over the age of 18, they might still wear helmets. However, it is not just the schools that should be teaching this, because they are teaching this, but it is also the parents thst should be teaching this. I see sometimes parents riding a bicycle with their children. The children sometimes have a helmet on their head, and the parents sometimes do not. What kind of example and message does this send the children, I think to my self. In other cases I do see some parents riding a bicycle with their children, and both parents and children are wearing helmets, which is very good, and sets a very good example and message. In my last words of thought, helmets are for every one, every cyclist, every age. I think helmets should be also introduced in the daycare's/childcare's, so the children can wear a helmet while riding the tricycles there. Even though there is no traffic of cars there, they do fall off them sometimes. Accidents do happen. Anyways, that's all for now, but thank you very much for your time. I hope that this message, a long message, can be helpful.

Hello it's me again, I just forgot to mention another thing about the helmet law. It should be more and better enforced by the police to protect everyone. There is no excuse to not protect. Thank you again.

I made a little mistake. It wasn't 1995 that I was hit. It was 1985. I was 7 1/2 years old.
I am now 31 years old.