Originally Posted by
rumrunn6
haven't been aware of ANY helmet "enforcement" anywhere, ever. maybe I'm not observant?
Historically, they are VERY selectively enforced.
Three summers ago there were several high profile incidents in Greater Boston.
(Covid has put a temporary stay on the harassments.)
Emphasis added below:
Originally Posted by
mr_bill
This topic is still destined for the everlasting gobstopper thread, but....
The only change to Massachusetts bicycle helmet law that I support is this: STRIKE: "A bicycle operated by a person under the age of eighteen in violation of this section may be impounded by the police department, or in a town which has no police department, by the selectmen, for a period not to exceed fifteen days." Springfield, Lowell, and Salem all had high profiles abuses of this section this summer, but this is abused constantly and it has to stop. (A nice side effect of striking that sentence? There would be no penalty for not wearing a bicycle helmet in Massachusetts. If that bothers someone too much, I suggest the fine be set at $1.00 for a first offence, $2.00 for subsequent offences, with a coupon that can be redemed for a helmet.)
Bicycle helmets are a medical question, not a legal question. The usual suspects here can argue with their own doctors all they want.
Bicycle helmet giveways are a proven intervention by the way. Surprisingly high percentage of people continue to wear a helmet once they start wearing a helmet.
-mr. bill
-mr. bill