JimmyNH

I haven't been here in ages, glad this place is not dead yet.
What brought me here is that proposition SB192. I saw the other tread and I did my best to read all the posts. It seems there is a consensus that we don't need another "big brother" law, or as TrojanHorse put it - "nanny-state dogooderism". So if you are one of the guys/gals who agree with the above statement, please sign the petition below to stop SB192.

https://calbike.org/stopsb192/?page=...ion/sign&sid=3

Thanks a million! (Yes, I'm biased).

calamarichris

T'sup, tavareech?!

TrojanHorse

Alright, I signed it but only because you mentioned me by name. I think people who don't wear helmets .... ah, who cares, right?

Seriously, it's a ******** law. Next thing you know we'll have to wear padded shorts to ride a bike.

Kevin De Leon is a moron, just thought I'd throw that out there.

Edit: Apparently you can't insult people of lower intelligence, like our state legislature. It's not a ******** law, it's a fine law designed by fine people who are perfectly suited to be state legislators. (let's see how that parses out, I'm sure you all get it)

JimmyNH

Ek is lekker, boet, geen klagte! I got a bit of a cold, can't do anything useful, so I turned to politics. How have you been? Did you sign my petition or you want me to go to jail for not wearing a turban... err... a helmet? We must get together for a ride and beer. Maybe do that Fallbrook route? The beer in that place in Oceanside was reaaaal good!

JimmyNH

Thanks TH! I get it.
That lady Carole must be a wise woman who knows a lot about cycling, helmets, etc. I'm sure that law will pass, so I already invested in a brand new helmet. It's black-blue-white (to match my bike), it weighs only 125 g, it protects me against falls, cars, monster trucks and nuclear explosions. It's only $750 and it's manufactured by the same guys that made the emperor's new clothes a few years back. So Carole, if you see me on a bicycle and it appears that I don't have a helmet, you know who is to blame.

trailangel

""nanny-state dogooderism"
yep.. I like that.
Can I smoke a cigarette while riding a bike?

JimmyNH

Sure!

trailangel

So they are going to pass a law and make me put one of those dirty, filthy bubbles on top of me.
They are unclean. Not Kosher. Helmut must be washed facing east before each use.
I have never worn a helmet, and have kissed the pavement my share of times.
What really got bad was the thick pad of skin on the palm of my hands when I put my hand down without gloves.
Completely ripped away. Looked like raw hamburger.
We need a "no riding without leather gloves on" law now because that is how I ride.

calamarichris

It isn't really a political discussion on the internet until we start dropping F-bombs on each other.
You've got my Eddress. Let me know when you're feeling better and we can ride. I can bring a growler or two of beer up there if you'd rather ride GMR or Onyx. GF and I are hoping to train our bikes up to Anaheim stadium and ride back home on SART and PCH, in the coming weeks, now that the days are getting longer.
Heal up soon Comrade!

jimblairo

Sometimes the State has to protect people from themselves. I live in a social democracy and we get lots of that.

trailangel

Damn, with a head like that we need the helmet law.....

PlacentiaJim

Hey Jimmy, long time no see. Hope everything is going well with you. Just signed the petition. There's a GMR ride planned on March 1st, riders meeting at Boulder Springs Rd., departing 8am Or how about another Left Turn Tour of the OC?, most fun ride I had in a long time. See ya, Jim.
'

TrojanHorse

Perhaps of MORE interest to CC - there's an Irvine to Pizza Port ride penned in for April 8 or so, I forget the details. All I know is there's beer at the end and then something about a train back up north. Anybody who wants to tag along with growlers is most certainly welcome.

JimmyNH

Thanks Jim! We definitely must organize a forum ride. GMR would be great, but I can't do March 1. Maybe later in April? What TrojanHorse says (Irvine to Pizza Port in Oceanside) sounds fun too. TH, any "insider" information on that ride? Who's organizing it? April 8 is Wednesday, I think that's prohibitive for most of us, weekend warriors.

TrojanHorse

Sorry, April 4th! That's a Saturday.

Feel free to organize up a repeat of last year's left turn tour of OC - I had to miss that one unfortunately.

CommuteCommando

The people behind this are the same as the ones behind the motorcycle helmet law-the insurance companies. They are all about the statistics, and wearing a helmet reduces the odds that someone will suffer a traumatic brain injury in an accident. TBI's are very expensive to the insurance companies and even a small reduction in the number of them is good for their bottom line.

I wear a helmet because I am mathematically literate.

lopek77

What's wrong with wearing the helmet? Just because, or are there any real reasons behind it.

To me, it feels really good riding without one, but it feels even better when I wear one. It's the only protection we cyclist have, and it's a protection of pretty damn important part of our body, which is the easiest to be damaged by hard impact.

My 7 years old son destroyed his helmet on just 1 ride. Not sure why it happened like that, but it wasn't his lucky day for sure. He crashed really hard 3 times, each time hitting his head. Other than bloody elbows and knees, he was ok. His helmet was cracked and flatten in few places... Guess what...I will never see riding without a helmet as a good idea. And I survived my crazy bicycling years as a kid, crashing a lot, and not wearing helmets - because they were not on the market yet. Still - they are a pretty good thing to wear.

trailangel

True.
But maybe your son would have crashed only one time without a helmet, decided to wise up and ride better so he doesn't do it again.
Don't get me wrong. I have never ridden with a helmet but I have started looking at them online and probably buy one.
I am over 60. I am ready to go.....helmet or not.

rubic

I wear my helmet on most of my rides and I do believe that it reduces the risk of serious head injuries most of the time, my choice. However, so many cyclists, including myself, sometimes go out for a casual ride without a helmet. Look at the commuters riding to their low paying jobs as an example. Look at the vast majority of riders participating in CicLAvia. The Mandatory Helmet Law is unenforceable and goes against the majority of cyclists. Yes, I signed the petition to stop this nanny law, proposition SB192.

prathmann

Making it mandatory discourages short utility rides such as to a neighborhood store since it's one more thing you have to find and put on before hopping on your bike and then you have to do something with the helmet at the store. I'd like to see bicycling become the most convenient option for short trips and even minor inconveniences can hinder that goal.

And making helmets mandatory seriously complicates city bike sharing programs (such as New York's CitiBikes) which have been started in the SF area and are proposed for LA. Australia has a mandatory helmet law and it has been blamed for the relative failure of Melbourne's bike share system in comparison to those in similar cities without such a law. Customers of a bike share system are unlikely to always have their own helmets with them so the rental stations need to provide helmets in addition to bikes. But the helmets need to be sanitized between uses which makes for complicated procedures and added expense at the bike share stations - and many potential customers may still be uneasy about donning a rental helmet.

It should also be noted that despite initial dire predictions by some pundits about unhelmeted and inexperienced bicyclists using the bike share systems (Jon Stewart proposed starting a 'Street Brain Removal Service' on his Daily Show), the actual safety record has been quite good. With over 23 million trips taken on various systems in the US (about half in NY city) there have been no fatalities and few serious injuries. Expansion and proliferation of such systems seems like a good idea for improving health and social interaction in our cities and I'd hate to see adoption of this proposed legislation jeopardize that.

skidder

Not saying whether I support or oppose this bill, but how many of you have actually read it? Here it is:

Bill Text - SB-192 Bicycles: helmets.=

I do find it odd when I see parents protecting their kids with helmets and (occasionally) safety vests, yet don't wear the stuff themselves. Not really setting a good example for the kiddies, are they?

CommuteCommando

I agree. I am a strong proponent of leading by example. By my observation way more than half of adults riding with helmeted kids don't wear helmets themselves.

As to the argument that it will discourage cycling, I'm sure that there are some who think the extra hundred bucks to buy it, and the extra fifteen seconds per ride to use it will be a deal killer. I'm fine with that.

The guys breathing from a machine, and being fed through a tube are doing it on my dime, either through taxes or insurance premiums. I am fine with taking care of those in unavoidably sad circumstances. Like the anti-vaxers, the anti helmet people seem to think of it only as an assault on their freedom. it isn't.

GP

What reflective class is required?

KingCat

I think you might need to get out a dictionary and look up the word freedom.

jimxyz

I think we are all already scofflaws, violating CVC 21201 - riding without all those cool reflectors. I can only imagine what the "high visibility safety apparel" in the proposed Bill will look like. Time to buy even more gear. Here's a tip from the DMV on how to wear your helmet