From: cameron@spectrum.cs.unsw.oz.au (Cameron Simpson)
Subject: Re: HELMETS
Reply-To: cameron@spectrum.cs.unsw.oz.au (Cameron Simpson)
Organization: CS&E Computing Facility, Uni Of NSW, Oz
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 12:38:19 GMT

daved@convex.com (David Dorfman) recounts:
| Another vote for mandatory helmets from me:
| Today I came around a 90 degree turn to confront a patch of ice.  [...]
| My head DID IMPACT ON THE CORNER OF THE CURB, if I did not have a helmet on
| i could have sustained a serious head trauma and I could have been killed.
| With the helmet, nothing happened, I got up dusted the bike off and 
| continued on my way.
| 
| Why mandatory helmets?
| 
| 1) I was on my way to the Cash machine, only a mile from my house
| 2) The accident occurred less then 3 blocks from my house.
| 3) If there was no helmet law this is probably a trip I would
|    have considered making without the helmet

In article 1992Dec4.171156.639@spdc.ti.com Jeff Achenbach asserts:
| If the temperature is cold enough to cause ice on the road, you should be
| alert enough to see it.

Or to think, "perhaps I'll leave the bike at home today". Etc. But he didn't.

geirs@cs.hw.ac.uk (Geir Solvang) cleverly argues:
| If everybody were as perfect as you, we would live in an accident free world!

David resumes:
| I understand this is a single case, but it works for me.

Jeff counterattacks:
| So this is reason to force everyone to wear a lid? Wouldn't it make more 
| sense to say you're not qualified to operate a bike and make you drive
| a car? I didn't fall and hit my head. Why should I have to pay for your
| mistakes? Make your own choice to wear or not wear a helmet. I would 
| appreciate the same opportunity.

Geir parodies:
| And why should I care if someone made a mistake, why should *I* fucking care!
| People who makes mistakes are obviously less able than the rest of us *bikers*.
| Get them out of our sight, bloody problemchilds!
| Right attitude Jeff.

I though I was going to keep out of this. But no.

Look Geir, PEOPLE SHOULD BLOODY WELL HAVE A CHOICE.

If you aren't able to:

	see everything and ride for the conditions
    or  appreciate your limitations and not ride sometimes
    or  appreciate the conditions and upped risk of ice and dress for bad luck

then you deserve anything you get.

I wear a helmet. My choice. Big deal.

Sometimes I won't ride. (Not often, in Sydney, Oz, but I've had a windstorm
nearly kill me once and I appreciate the risk now). My choice.

I always wear a helmet, I almost always wear a leather jacket, almost almost
always boots, usually gloves. My choice.

Damned if I'll force anyone else to.

Now, one problem with no helmet law at all is that your initial attitude to
helmets is heavily influenced by who teaches you to ride. People who _might_
benefit from a helmet maybe never even try one. A good helmet is fairly
light, quite comfortable, does not restrict vision very much. Hearing? Well
at any decent speed wind noise blocks a lot of stuff anyway.

But forcing everyone is excessive. REGARDLESS OF THE RISK.

So, a comprimise, perhaps.

Out here the learning phase is typically 3 months, give or take.

Mandate helmets for learners. This
	ensures everyone at least tries a helmet out
	_does_ have head protection during the period they are most
		likely to drop the bike, and when their judgement
		is still untrained

But once licenced (and this is what a licence means, isn't it?) a rider is
supposed to be competent. This implies sufficient judgement to adapt to the
conditions. If you don't have it, your problem. And no, I don't fucking care
if you knock yourself off if you do it through your own stupidity. Evolution
in action.

It should be the individual rider's choice. That's what being an adult means,
you know: competence in making your own decisions about how you'll live.
	- Cameron Simpson
	  cameron@cs.unsw.oz.au, DoD 0743
--
"The engine purrs beneath me with a purpose,
 ready for the pleasure of my hand upon the throttle." - Peter Smith