19 October 2010

Brisbane's new bike hire and how helmet laws won't help it

Brisbane has a bright new shiny bicycle hire system in place throughout the city and inner suburbs.  For a reasonable cost, you can hire a bike and ride it point to point through the CBD and inner suburbs.  The bikes look like they are based on the adage "there's no such thing as a speed bump in a hire car".  The bikes look as stodgy and unbreakable as Russian tanks, and move with the speed of cold treacle.  High speed manoeuvres are but a dream on these oxen of the bicycle world.


However, you must wear helmets or wear a $100 fine.  Somehow, cyclists in those traffic mad cities of Paris and Rome are able to go bare headed, but Brisbane must be a disaster area for cyclists.  Associate Professor Chris Rissel from University of Sydney's School of Public Health has called to scrap bike helmets.  He says forcing people to wear bike helmets is hurting our health because fewer people want to ride. (sound familiar?)  Dr Rissel says policy makers should consider the health and environmental benefits of more people cycling, and work to remove the many barriers to riding a bike.


It also counts against the bike hire scheme, as you will have to find a helmet before you ride.  Share a helmet anyone?  


The original precaution of wearing a helmet is now causing problems where it is probably not needed.
  

1 comment:

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