[Diny]

Am I right in thinking that it's the law in NZ to wear protective head gear when you ride on a push bike?

Either way - we've told our boys it's the law so we wont' be faced with the usual protests about how only geeks wear bike helmets.

The helmets they have here at the moment are the more rounded style (see the pic below) ...... more 'general activities' than push bike only. They are more than happy to wear these as they are 'cool'. They would rather walk than have to wear one of those brightly coloured ones which are shaped into a peak both front and back (referred to by certain people around here as 'gay boy biker hats').

So - firstly - the style below .... are they readily available in NZ. If not I'll buy new ones over here before we leave. But ...... will the British 'kite mark' be acceptable in NZ.

I know this isn't one of the most important questions to be asked on the forum - but anything to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Diny


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/Diny12/Bikehelmet.jpg

[veronica]

Yep it seems to be as long as you have a helmet on the type doesn't matter. Ive seen everything from a bloke with a full motor bike helmet on to skateboard helmets and normal bike helmets.

[wilson182]

Hi Diny

Yes, it is the law to wear a cycle helmet, and my eldest daughter was not over impressed when she found this out either. However, It is so the normal thing to do over here, everbody wears them. In fact, you would probably attract more attention if you didnt have one on.

[Moorf]

Yep, gotta wear one... I personally love to wear mine with HUGE sunglasses so that people don't recognise me after a ride ("ewww there's that woman with the hippo-bum who tried to cycle up the hill and failed")

Loads of styles and colours to match your cycling outfit too! :nice1

And Debs is right, gonna attract more attention if you're NOT wearing one.

[Diny]

("ewww there's that woman with the hippo-bum who tried to cycle up the hill and failed")

What wonderful advice - I'll bear that in mind.

Diny

[UktoKiwi]

Does anyone know what may happen if you do not wear a helmet? I mean what punishement by the law?

Do you think if I wear some sort of hat I might get5 away with it?

I have been riding cycles for over 30 years and never NEVER wear a helmet.
I gave up motor cycling in the UK when the law for helmets became compulsory.

Also I am led to believe that the suns rays are so damaging and dangerouys in NZ.
I like to go out cycling all day- maybe in the saddle for up to 8 hours. If sunny in UK or overseas I would always wear a very wide brimmed hat or foreign legion type to protect and in NZ surely even more important.In fact from reading about NZ I think I will be wearing some sort of hat whenever I am outside (irrespective of the sun shining)- especially as the head covering is rather thin now. I think very difficult and uncomfortable to do so with a damned helmet (I mean try to make some special cover)
Same applies for kids.
Risk of skin cancer more pertinent than very rare danger for cycling.

I do however appreciate if you are going off road on mountain bikes a helmet would be sensible. But I only ride drop handlebar tourers.

[heimatseeker]

From what I can tell, they are rather strict about enforcing the helmet law. There was a story a while back here in Wellington (sorry, no link - read it in the paper at the time) about a cyclist who was riding without a helmet and got fined. He had the helmet with him but had hung it on the handlebars because he felt too hot and he was on a paved road. Sigh. Needless to say, this was an adult, not a kid we're talking about.

There is, however, a movement to remove that law: http://www.cyclinghealth.org.nz/index.html

[Moorf]

The penalty for not wearing a cycling helmet is $55 - and infringements can be referred to Court with a max fine of $1000.

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/01.html

[Moorf]

Unfortunately it's not cycling that is dangerous (except some of the more extreme activities!), it's the idiot drivers that do not consider cyclists on the road...

Having said that, it is sometimes the case that an ill-fitting helmet can be worse than no helmet at all, so if the government wants to enforce the rule I do think they should also educate cyclists on the correct "fit" for a helmet.

With regards skin cancer, you should be wearing a good sunblock when out on the bike anyway - or out anywhere at all in the sun. :nice1

[veronica]

A lot of people wear a baseball cap with a foreign legion type of neck covering under their helmets to give sun protection.
It doesn't matter if you have been riding your bike for 30 years and never needed a helmet, you only need it the on day you do have an accident that involves bashing your head and that could be tomorrow. (hopefully it won't be) It may be that the law will be changed but if it is I still hope its kept for kids under 16.

[kiwidebs]

There was woman who really pushed for this law to be instated in NZ. Her son was severely brain damaged when he fell of his bike and hit his head on the curb. It means that peer pressure isn't an issue, NZers have to wear cycle helmets and that is that. Not such a big issue for idiot adults who want to damage their heads (and can make a reasoned decision to take that risk), but a big issue for kids who aren't necessarily ready to make that sort of decision on their own. I am a great believer in cycle helmets. My brother recently came off his bike at great speed (blew a tyre), lost large chunks of skin and cracked his helmet. He's lucky - he has permanent scars on his arms and back but his head is intact. When I was 14 I was knocked off my bike - I had minor head injuries - what would it have been like without the helmet.
Sorry, but this is one of my personal soap boxes. On a bike you are so vulnerable, I can never understand why people take so many chances with life and intact brains. To me its the same as our car doesn't go anywhere till seatbelts are on. Why take unnecessary risks?

Debs

[UktoKiwi]

Dear Kiwi Debs
I fully appreciate and accept your personal thoughts on helmets.
I would not dream of persuading you and your family not to wear cycling helmets etc..

My thoughts are very different but it is not necessary here for me to go in to the many reasons.

I do agree that for children it would normally be safer for them to wear a helmet re the possibility of an accident.

However I have been a member of various cycling organisations in my time as well as representing organisations as a cycling liason representative with councils in the UK.

I have also been involved with training people to cycle in Greater London and in my opinion by far the best way to make someone safe on a cycle is to instill the appropriate knowledge and skills.
Making them aware of all the dangers, how to look out for potential dangers, take responsibilty and care for yourself as in an accident a cyclist generally comes off badly and worse, how to react to appropriate situations, being in control, how to cope with various traffic circumstances so as to be able to take evading action if required etc etc..

As I said before though, I have little experience of off road and I suspect a helmet may be essential for that activity especially going down hill. Plus other protection perhaps.
And certainly there are some pressing arguments for youngsters.

I do however think people should be allowed a choice, unless there is overwhelming evidence for the benefit of cyclists and the community at large. I would suggest that there is not.

[UktoKiwi]

I forgot to thank the people who have responded to my question and I appreciate the interesting and useful advise as well as the links.

[kiwidebs]

My husband, who cycles in London, assures me there are two schools of thought on this issue - both with valid reasons. I will continue with my belief that helmets make the world a safer place (but agree wholeheartedly that cyclists are only safe if they have knowledge, skills and awareness), but am not out to change anyone else's opinions on the matter. My children will be taught road safety alongside wearing helmets.
This is just my opinion on the matter and, as I have very few strong opinions on much in this world (more a sit on the fence kinda gal), I'll stick with it.

Debs

[veronica]

whats the disadvantage in wearing a helmet, is it a minushealth thing or what. Why do all the proffesional/amatuer road racers wear them then.

[kiwidebs]

I asked my husband that - apparantly there is more risk of serious neck injury if wearing a helmet. I wondered if that was because if you had a helmet you were alive but with a damaged neck but without a helmet....well....hmmmm.......dunno. Anyway, I can't shed any more light on it than that. Hubbie always wears his helmet and I seem to recall loads of helmets in the Tour de France (but not being an avid watcher am happy to be called a liar!! :laugh )

Debs

[Iain]

whats the disadvantage in wearing a helmet, is it a minushealth thing or what. Why do all the proffesional/amatuer road racers wear them then.
The disadvantage of wearing a helmet is that it can get hot and uncomfy. I used to commute 14 miles, along busy roads on a bike and didn't wear a helmet for that reason.

Professional riders almost all wear helmets because they are sensible, and have seen other cyclists killed by simply falling off at speed.

I choose not to wear a helmet on my push bike, but it's not a clever decision. The anti-helmet law brigade will use statistics to support their claim that there is no proof that helmets make cycling safer, but common sense would indicate otherwise.

The arguement about making neck injuries more likely applies to full face motorcycle helmets with chin bars, not cycling helmets. IMO anyone riding a motorbike without a helmet is an idiot, BUT that doesn't mean to say we should force people to wear them if they don't want to. Just let natural selection take it's course... (I am a biker BTW, and I find it equally scary when I see morons riding about in t-shirt, jeans and trainers)

[heimatseeker]

UktoKiwi,

very well said! :smile

I've started wearing a helmet myself under certain conditions, after 30 years of safe, accident-free cycling. But I'd like this to be my own choice, not the government's....

[Miffy]

To me, ther eis no decision to be made in whter to wear a helmet or not. If you have an accident its going to save you from a series head injury. If you are riding aling the road, you skid out due to some oil on the road, a pediestrien walks out on you, or someone open a car door in fron of you, or if a driver just pulls out in front of you no amount of experience is going to save you, but a helmet might.

Proffesional riders (ie tour de france) wear lids nowa days as they are made too. It took along time for then as a group to change, and they are allowed to discard them after the last descent before the finnish line.

Personally I wouldn't consider getting on my mountain bike (regardless if I'm going off road or popping to the shops along the road) with out my lid. But thats my decision but I believe in freedom of choice, even if I don't agree with what you've chosen. :mrgreen:

[kiwidebs]

Personally I wouldn't consider getting on my mountain bike (regardless if I'm going off road or popping to the shops along the road) with out my lid. But thats my decision but I believe in freedom of choice, even if I don't agree with what you've chosen.

Well said Miffy. That's exactly what I have been trying to say with all my waffling on up above - and you've summed it up nicely in two sentences!! :nice1

Debs

[UktoKiwi]

Miffy
CODSWALLOP!

1: Experience can and does save you.

2: The Tour de france which you and others bring up is irrelevant to general road cycling. In the Tour De France there are up to 150 riders cycling very fast together for up to 8 hours a day. It is incredibly dangerous at the speeds they are going. Accidents happen nearly every day in the Tour de France (I think I read somewhere that on average in a Tour de France over 200 cyclists crash- some of these are of course more than once).

3: You hit the nail on the head eventually- it is your decision.

[veronica]

Yeah but the tour d france doesn't have to cope with car drivers who may not be paying attention and miss seeing a cyclist, if you get T boned by a car or one pulls out immediately in front of you experience means nothing at all. (unless of course you are different to the rest of us mere mortals who don't have eyes in the back of our head or faster than the speed of light reflexes)
Accidents happen, thats why we don't refer to them as planned events but accidents. If you feel that strongly about not wearing a helmet go for it, when you get to NZ just pay the fine to the police for breaking the law. Its the police, poor bods who have the delightful job of sorting accidents out and going to peoples homes to tell the families of accident victims that they are in the hospital or worse.

[Gran]

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/road-user-safety/cyclists/helmets.html

Gran

[Wannaway]

I don't think UKtoKiwi can have been here before. We have travelled reasonably extensively and I can say that the drivers here are the worst I have encountered ( even worse than Naples and that's saying something!) . I would not for a minute consider riding a bike without a helmet here.

Their road death toll is alarmingly high (the country should be ashamed of its road accident statistics), not because the roads are bad but because the drivers here have an over inflated idea of their own driving skills and until they learn to take driving seriously and accept they are in charge of a lethal weapon this death toll will carry on rising.

At the end of the day, cycling experience will count for little when you encounter these hoons! If the law has been changed to protect you maybe you ought to just accept it with good grace.

[cpgrant]

...But I'd like this to be my own choice, not the government's....

Seems to me that since "the government" (actually the people) will have to bear the costs of head injuries (and they can be really, really expensive) it is not all that unreasonable that protective gear is required. If you were going to pay for your health care after an accident, I'd completely agree... it's your choice. But, if you are depending on others to help pay that cost, it's a different game.