From: news@massey.ac.nz (USENET News System)
Subject: Re: Kevlar vests to be made COMPULSORY for pedestrians in NZ
Organization: School of Maths and Info Sciences, Massey University, NZ.
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 19:13:17 GMT

In article <58sis-b@massey.ac.nz> N.Perry@massey.ac.nz  

>On Friday it was announced that after an investigation into road
>safety that (a) a zero-alchol limit would not be imposed as it was
>unrealistic and (b) cyclists would be forced to wear helmets.

>Cycling is not an inherently dangerous activity (certain types might
>be, such as racing, but general cycling is not). As such people should
>not be forced to protect themselves, though if they wish to they may,
>as it violates a fundamental principle that people should be protected
>from injury by others (or from their own activities). NO OTHER section
>of society is forced to protect themselves from injury in this way.

I disagree. Cycling is just motorcycling with a smaller motor. Motorcyclists 
are required to protect themselves with helmets. 

Cyclists and other road users are already required to use equipment that has 
no use other than to protect them from the actions of others. I am refering 
to tail lights. These are only required so that other road users will be 
warned of your presence and won't run into you accidently. All road users 
are required to travel at such a speed that they can stop in the clear road 
ahead of them (half the clear road if the road is unmarked). This means 
that if everyone obeyed the rules there is no reason to have tail lights as 
road users would adjust their speed for the conditions and would be able to 
stop before they hit any vehicle they were behind. Do you think that tail 
lights should not be required?

I am sure there are other examples of laws that require people to protect 
themselves from the action of others.

>Will such an action reduce the road toll? Maybe, but probably not the
>accidents. 

So you object to a law that will reduce injuries and deaths.

>On Friday I (unusually) came to work by car, whilst driving
>down a residential street I was overtaken as I was clearly going too
>slow - i.e. 50 Km/h in a 50 Km/h area. Will cycle helmets stop that
>driving from being a criminal? 

Cycle helmets are designed to reduce injuries to cyclists, not reform bad 
drivers.


>And for the future...

>The NZ Government today announced that it would be acting
>on the findings of the select committee on the safety of areas
>frequented by pedestrians.  From January 1994 all it will become
>compulsory for all pedestrians in public areas to wear protective
>Kevlar vests, so as to reduce the injuries when they are shot. A
>government spokeperson stated "It is highly irresponsibile for people
>to involve themselves in dangerous activities without taking suitable
>protective measures.  We believe that the compulsory wearing of these
>vests will greatly reduce the number of people seriously injured
>during armed robberies."

We are already required to conform to certain dress standards in public, so 
this is just an extension of the existing situation :-)
        Philip Plane      __|__     P.J.Plane@massey.ac.nz
       --------------------( )--------------------
      Glider pilots have no visible means of support
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