MPs voting to criminalise kids on bikes without helmets

[Andy]

Although, if passed, it won't apply to me really (turn 16 in....3 months ish), it's ridiculous.

I wear my helmet mainly, but on hot days like today and climbing hills (e.g Ide), there's no way I'm going to wear something so cumbersome.

[JayneToyne]

im torn here, i think helmets should be worn, by everyone, all the time. much the same as it is for motorcyclists.
but, on the other hand i think people should have a choice, and we shouldnt be such a nanny state.
the choice should be down to the individual, regardless of age.
If i had kids, there is no way i would let them go anywhere without a lid, i feel undressed without mine, and no one of any age is allowed to join in any training or racing session either on track, circuit or road. its already pretty much regulated when it comes to the sport side.

the recreational side is different. theres already enough excuses for kids not to get out and do stuff, like riding bikes, doing sporty healthy stuff... adding more rules will just help keep them indoors in cotton wool messing around on playstations or getting fat watching tv.

i sent a letter/email to croydon mp saying something similar.
but politicians mostly have their heads completely up their arses and do what they think is politically correct. I dont think it will matter what we say. they will get their way. they think they know what is best for us..

anyway, what about old Ron... ay, caught on open microphone.. that wasnt politically correct was it!

[Dom]

I faxed my MP on thursday, stating some facts etc from the letter above as although I always wear one, if it may have such a detrimental effect on the number of kids riding etc and causing under 16s to be criminals just cos they dont weare one its got to be a bad idea.

Sat morning, Houses of Parliament envelope on my door, letter from MP which disagreed with my point of view (fair enough) but at least he (or one of his people) had read the thing!

And big ron, not PC sure, but imho over the top reaction.

[the other Steve Dennis]

Yeah I faxed mine too - neat little website that.

No reply as yet.

But I was listening to BBC London who discussed the issue that afternoon and portrayed the whole issue pretty badly, basically by interviewing mothers of young children on the street and asking them if they thought it was a beneficial safety idea - ofcourse every mum wanted their little darling to be safe with a helmet.

Personally I reckon they should just enforce the highway code on all of us, cars and bikes, and make all road users safer. No cutting reds, riding on pavements, using bike lanes as parking spots and extra car lanes etc.

Anyway the bill failed... why?

Because NOT ENOUGH MP's SHOWED UP TO MAKE THE VOTE LEGIT!!!!!!

well that's what I think they meant anyway.

[Dom]

20mph, you reckon its a good idea?? Cos I dont see how it could be enforced and also unllikely we can hit 30mph on the roads but 20mph? that would mean we could all be nicked for speeding.

[JayneToyne]

lazy bunch of soul-less deviants those MP's

they were probably all out playing golf ( or in a dark place in soho)

20mph? thats just silly. when people are forced to drive slowly, its an obvious point to make that people start to get bored and try to do more things in the car at the same time, eating, drinking, talking on the phone, reading maps, newspapers etc. ( i speak for myself here as a guilty person)
plus a lot of motorbikes are less safe at such slow speeds. they arent as stable or easy to control at 20mph as compared to 40mph.

speed restrictions should be relevant to the time of day. kids turning up and leaving school, have speed restricted using the same thing they use on M25. 12am-5am, when no body in their right mind is walking the streets, let the speed limit increase to national, and then all other times keep it around 30-40.

anyway, surely kids should be wearing helmets all the time if life is so dangerous... plus armoured clothing. and face masks to avoid germs...
we all managed to survive quite happily through 60's ,70's and 80's without any of this politcally correct safety regulations...

[the other Steve Dennis]

Just a shame that these concerned 'mothers of young children' will apparently only ensure that their kids wear helmets if it's law instead of doing it because they love the little tinkers..

Saying that 4 little sods appeared from behind a van on bmx's forcing me to lock up into a skid and somehow pass between them and chase them into a local park to have a word. Here they all looked sheepish and denied everything until their big brother (and assorted gang of 20 odd) came over and told me that I would have been more hurt if we had crashed, at which point they were so proud of their riding skills. Next time I will be driving a van when I try to thread my way between them!!!

[the other Steve Dennis]

and most car journeys are less than 2 miles or something.

Its crazy seeing the amount of single occupancy vehicles are on the roads during the London commute.

When I were a lad I walked 45mins each way to school, giving me plenty of time to visit the sweet shop on the way back to my bed in shoe box at bottom of lake.