No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

Legislation due to come into effect in October this year, details that
cyclists must wear helmets when riding on a public road in South
Africa.

The amendment was published on the 5 October 2001 and comes into force
on the 5th of October 2004.

for more see http://sa-cycling.com

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

"David Cowie" wrote in message
...
Legislation due to come into effect in October this year, details that
cyclists must wear helmets when riding on a public road in South
Africa.

The amendment was published on the 5 October 2001 and comes into force
on the 5th of October 2004.

for more see http://sa-cycling.com


In 2007 actually

The Oct 2004 regulation covers motorbikes only

(2) After expiry of three years from the date of commencement of
this regulation, no person shall drive or be a passenger on a pedal
cycle on a public road unless he or she is wearing a protective helmet
which fits him or her properly and of which the chin straps is properly
fastened under the chin. (date 5 October 2004)


Curious

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

We have had mandatory bicycle helmet legislation in British Columbia, Canada
since 1992. You still see people riding without helmets and we still have
many people killed or brain damaged each year as a result.

Legislation may help and effective enforcement might help even more, but in
the long term it is impossible to help people who refuse to help themselves.

I have insisted that my children wear helmets since they started cycling
with me at very young ages, before the legislation was even considered. My
daughter has only destroyed 2 or 3 helmets. My son who is now a competitor
in both road and off-road racing has destroyed more helmets than he can
count. Thanks to helmets both of them are functioning adults and not
vegetables.

Scott Elliot
"David Cowie" wrote in message
...
Legislation due to come into effect in October this year, details that
cyclists must wear helmets when riding on a public road in South
Africa.

The amendment was published on the 5 October 2001 and comes into force
on the 5th of October 2004.

for more see http://sa-cycling.com

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

We have had mandatory bicycle helmet legislation in British Columbia, Canada
since 1992. You still see people riding without helmets and we still have
many people killed or brain damaged each year as a result.....

Or are they killed as a result of being hit by incompetently driven
motor vehicles, almost irrespective of whether they are wearing a
polystyrene hat or not...

Perhaps helmets are available on the Canadian market that far exceed
the impact absorbtion abilities of helmets sold everywhere else in the
world? (Or perhaps the laws of physics don't apply in Canada...).

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

David Cowie wrote:

Legislation due to come into effect in October this year, details that
cyclists must wear helmets when riding on a public road in South
Africa.

What kind of helmets? My cycling buddy Pete Rawlinson was shot in the
head in Cape Town waiting at traffic lights. I'm sure South Africa has
more important concerns, like armed robbery, AIDS and Zimbabwe.

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

"Scott Elliot" wrote in message news:2rBCc.17875$mm3.1603@clgrps13...
We have had mandatory bicycle helmet legislation in British Columbia, Canada
since 1992. You still see people riding without helmets and we still have
many people killed or brain damaged each year as a result.

As a result of what?

Comparing BC data for 1995 and 1997, the two full years before and
after the helmet law was introduced in September 1996, head injuries
decreased by 29% a lower reduction than non-head injuries which
decreased by 36%. Were helmets responsible for decreasing non-head
injuries too?

These declines were undoubtedly partly from other safety measures
introduced around the same time such as a crackdown on speeding using
photo radar as pedestrian injuries decreased also, by 7%. But probably
the greatest influence in the reduction of injuries was the reduction
in cycling because of aggressive police enforcement of the law.

Interestingly, since the law was introduced to 2002 (latest available
data)helmeted rider deaths continue to outstrip unhelmeted rider
deaths 18 to 16. In Canada as a whole there is no evidence that helmet
use has had any effect on fatality rates. See Fatality Trends at:
http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc

Legislation may help and effective enforcement might help even more, but in
the long term it is impossible to help people who refuse to help themselves.

I am not sure you are qaulified to give unsolicited advice to others.
It would appear you are not familiar with facts from your own back
yard and you are rearing a couple of completely incompetent young
cyclists. (see below)

I have insisted that my children wear helmets since they started cycling
with me at very young ages, before the legislation was even considered. My
daughter has only destroyed 2 or 3 helmets. My son who is now a competitor
in both road and off-road racing has destroyed more helmets than he can
count. Thanks to helmets both of them are functioning adults and not
vegetables.

I wouldn't be so proud of such an appalling record. My kids grew up
without helmets but of course they were properly instructed in bicycle
handling skills.
I suggest you take your parenting responsibilities seriously and
quickly get your children cycling instructions.

Vance C.
Canada

Scott Elliot
.....

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:18:19 +0200, David Off
wrote:

David Cowie wrote:

Legislation due to come into effect in October this year, details that
cyclists must wear helmets when riding on a public road in South
Africa.

What kind of helmets? My cycling buddy Pete Rawlinson was shot in the
head in Cape Town waiting at traffic lights. I'm sure South Africa has
more important concerns, like armed robbery, AIDS and Zimbabwe.

Not sure the legislation only says protective helmets. No further
details than that.

Yes, SA does have more important things to worry about.

Apart from the fact that at least half the public using bicycles,
can't afford a helmet.

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

Is this newsgroup really a forum for who-thinks-what
about motorcycle helmets?
Complete with all the adolescent sarcasm?

Why not move it over to this one?
rec.motorcycles

No helmet no ride, says South African Government
 

"VC" wrote in message
om...
I have insisted that my children wear helmets since they started cycling
with me at very young ages, before the legislation was even considered.
My
daughter has only destroyed 2 or 3 helmets. My son who is now a
competitor
in both road and off-road racing has destroyed more helmets than he can
count. Thanks to helmets both of them are functioning adults and not
vegetables.

I wouldn't be so proud of such an appalling record. My kids grew up
without helmets but of course they were properly instructed in bicycle
handling skills.
I suggest you take your parenting responsibilities seriously and
quickly get your children cycling instructions.

Vance C.
Canada

Vance, I'm glad your children have survived your instructing them to cycle
without helmets. If they have never crashed, you certainly have not managed
to teach them the joys of competitive cycling.

I certainly have not seen all my children's crashes, but I will describe two
that I did see. My daughter was coming down a gentle hill on an easy tour,
took a drink from her water bottle and dropped the bottle as she was putting
it back in the rack. The bottle wedged between the front wheel and the
frame, sending her over the handle bars. The helmet ended up with a
noticeable dent just behind the right ear. My daughter had some road rash,
but would have been much more seriously injured if that dent had been in her
skull.

My son was in a criterium when one of the riders in front of him crashed.
He managed to avoid hitting the person, but the bike slid into his front
wheel sending him head first into the road. The helmet did not have much
damage other than a slight flattening on the front left. Helmets are not
designed to take more than one crash and the manufacturer replaced that one
under its warranty program.

Both of these children have extremely good cycling skills and were acting
responsibly, but it is impossible to completely avoid this type of incident
if you want to fully live your life. I suppose a safer alternative would be
sit home in front of the TV and watch other people play.

You can spout all the statistics you want, but the fact is that I have seen
bicycle helmets prevent serious injury. Certainly they do not prevent all
injuries but to state they are not necessary is not common sense..

I suggest that you teach your children to play and work safely and stop
criticizing others who are more responsible.

Scott Elliot