I recently noticed a UPS delivery person carting dozens of package via her bike and bike-trailer. Atop her head was a curiously small bike helmet that was so small she had to steer her bike with one hand while her other hand fastened the helmet to her head. Our state does not carry a law for people of her age to wield bike helmets (though UPS may have), but it begged an important question: what's the point in the bike helmet? Had she toppled her bike, she would have used both hands to brace her fall (allowing the helmet to fall off her head) and risked a serious head injury!
This trend of foolish bike helmet use grows among young bicyclists in my neighborhood as well. They all wear bike helmets (how responsible)... but they leave the chin straps unfastened (dumb). I understand that bicycle laws in our state require many of these young folks to wear helmets... but the older folks are not (http://www.iihs.org/laws/HelmetUseCurrent.aspx). Nonetheless, unfastened bike helmets defy both the intent and functionality of the required equipment. While many of our safety conscious states mandate that individual bicyclists dawn their helmets, I suppose the laws don't explicitly require these bicyclists to fasten these cranial safety devices to their heads. What sort of shallow legislation leaves out these important details!
Personally, I don't care whether you have to pick up your brains off the curb or not after a major spill... it should be your personal choice as to whether you use a bike helmet or not during your Sunday Fun-day. But let's not put on false pretenses. Individuals wearing unfastened bike helmets defeat both the intent of the law and the functionality of the equipment... so, use 'em or lose 'em, folks!
This trend of foolish bike helmet use grows among young bicyclists in my neighborhood as well. They all wear bike helmets (how responsible)... but they leave the chin straps unfastened (dumb). I understand that bicycle laws in our state require many of these young folks to wear helmets... but the older folks are not (http://www.iihs.org/laws/HelmetUseCurrent.aspx). Nonetheless, unfastened bike helmets defy both the intent and functionality of the required equipment. While many of our safety conscious states mandate that individual bicyclists dawn their helmets, I suppose the laws don't explicitly require these bicyclists to fasten these cranial safety devices to their heads. What sort of shallow legislation leaves out these important details!
Personally, I don't care whether you have to pick up your brains off the curb or not after a major spill... it should be your personal choice as to whether you use a bike helmet or not during your Sunday Fun-day. But let's not put on false pretenses. Individuals wearing unfastened bike helmets defeat both the intent of the law and the functionality of the equipment... so, use 'em or lose 'em, folks!
There is no question that helmets prevent severe brain injury for bicyclists and motorcyclists. However, unlike ill effects of second-hand cigarette smoke one others, the improper use or failure to use a helmet does not cause physical harm to others. Therefore, from a libertarian perspective, cyclists should not be forced to wear any type of protective gear if they don't want to.
ReplyDeleteSome collectivists will argue that cyclists who fail to use a helmet place an unfair burden on society due to the long-term medical care the survivors cost a social democracy.
A callous libertarian might respond, "Yes, but look at all the potential organ donors that are riding with improper headgear or none at all!"
A fiscally responsible conservative might interject, "Why does society have responsibility to provide expensive medical care for irresponsible people?"