Dear Mr. Milloy

I am writing to congratulate you for being concerned with the safety of cyclists. As an avid cyclist in the City of Toronto, I am always glad to hear that politicians are taking this method of urban transportation seriously, especially given the recent increase in the price of crude oil. Unfortunately I cannot say that I agree with the motion you have put forth regarding mandatory helmet laws for cyclists in Ontario.

I have several reasons for this point of view, not the least of which is that Canadian citizens do not need more legislation in their lives. From a civil liberties point of view, I firmly believe we need less legislation dictating how we live our lives. Obviously there are certain times when a law is necessary to ensure the health and safety of the population as a whole, especially since our country enjoys universal health care. Legislation should only be applied in the most extreme of situations, when facts and data can justify the legislation. Some excellent examples of this would include seat belt laws and motorcycle helmet laws. As a motorist and a motorcycle enthusiast, I can honestly say that I would use these safety features with or without legislation. Cycling however is a different matter.

What kind of effect would mandatory bicycle helmet laws have on a population? What kind of decrease could we expect to see in hospitalization of bicycle related injuries in adults? These are the questions that need to be asked when contemplating legislation of this kind. Fortunately for Ontario, this kind of research has already been carried out for us. One needs only to examine the results and consequences of western Australia regarding mandatory helmet laws for bicycles. There has been a great deal of research done on this and it is readily available on the internet.

This is a quote from one web site:

"Surveys show Western Australia's mandatory helmet legislation reduced public cycling numbers by at least 30%, yet total hospitalised cyclist injuries did not decline at all. The reduction in head injury numbers was marginal. West Australian cyclist numbers recovered in the decade to 2000 but hospital admissions have been at record levels since 1997, roughly 30% above pre-law levels by 2000. In essence, the results strongly suggest that the mandatory wearing of helmets increases the risk of accidents and thus injuries."

the URL is https://www.cycle-helmets.com/

Obviously with a statement like the one above, we need to look at the larger picture and take into consideration other possible mitigating factors that could bring about this result. I personally don't believe that I am in more danger while wearing a bicycle helmet than when I am not wearing one. It is however, possible that the decreased number of cyclists on the roads would lead to less recognition by motorists of cyclists.

There are links to several other sites containing data regarding bicycle helmets on this site. I hope you take the time to research some of them on your own to help provide you with the bigger picture.

The major safety issue we are facing is, that when you mix cyclists and motorists, you are bound to have injuries and fatalities. This is a problem that cannot be killed with the magic bullet of a bicycle helmet. Forcing people to wear bicycle helmets will not solve the problem, especially when there are other more effective courses that can be taken in order to improve safety for cyclists.

The obvious, most difficult and most costly solution is the separate bicycle traffic from motorized traffic. Either with bicycle lanes on the streets or dedicated cycling paths off the roads altogether. Another, easier to implement solution, is to modify some of the existing motor vehicles to meet safety standards already in place in Europe. Safety barriers in the sides of large commercial trucks will help prevent deaths for cyclists and pedestrians alike. These are commonplace in European countries and studies undertaken in Canada have suggested that this safety measure be implemented here; it never was.

This is an example of what I am referring to: https://bikeportland.org/wp-content/u...tbiketruck.jpg

In the past 20-30 years Ontario has seen a large increase in motor vehicle traffic. It clogs our city streets and is an unsustainable method of transportation. Cycling, especially as an alternative form of transportation, should be encouraged. Cyclists should be able to feel safe cycling to work, the grocery store, the mall or to a local park with their children. Wearing a small piece of Styrofoam on your head will not make you feel safe when 18 wheelers, or even sub-compact cars whizz past you at 75 km/h, missing you by less than a foot. The culture in Ontario is that roads are for cars and cyclists should not be on them. This also needs to change in order to ensure the safety of cyclists and is also a difficult task to achieve.

Events like "Bike Month" in Toronto are a step in the right direction but they are not enough. Motorists need to start to see cycling as a form of transportation, not a form of recreation. Motor vehicles and their operators both require license to operate on Ontario's highways, cyclists do not. The ability to freely move about, under your own power, is more than just a transportation issue, it is a human rights issue. If they obey the rules of the road, cyclists have the right to be there, motor vehicles have permission. At least that is the way I see it.

I do agree with you that bicycle helmets are more than just a good idea; however I feel that I must caution you that, by forcing people to wear helmets, you may be taking more bicycles off the road and putting more cars on them. Increased cycling can help Ontario battle it's health problems and it's traffic problems at the same time. I would hate to see well intentioned legislation impede our progress in these areas. Forcing laws on people and threatening them with financial punishment, in the form of fines, will cause people to move away from the threat of conviction; it will cause them to think twice about taking their bicycle instead of taking their car. Given the obesity and fuel crises that face our province, we need to do all that we can to encourage people to cycle instead of driving to their destination.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I certainly hope you also take the time to research this idea before legislating it.

I called around to check, just in case someone was trying to slip through a regulation change without any fanfare. Pretty unlikely, but you can never be sure.

No dice. Those 18 and older still are not compelled by law to wear a bicycle helmet. Compelled by common sense, perhaps, but not by law.