Mandatory (bicycle) helmet bill

[Norman]

I guess I've been out of touch...I didn't know there was a mandatory helmet bill being discussed.

Lot's of interesting stuff on it can be found at TheWashCycle

[Baltimatt]

The Sun had a story today.

[octoburn]

Wonderful. Next ~ we should mandate the use of helmets while running and jogging.

[Steveg85321]

A lot of people fall down the stairs, or slip on the sidewalk. The state should make it mandatory that we all wear helmets all the time. Better yet, maybe we should all wear body armor at all times as well, or those inflatable sumo suits so we are absolutely sure nothing could ever possibly happen to us. Thanks, government!

[babylinux]

It will be amusing to see if they try and enforce this in Balto. City.

[Saticon3]

It will be amusing to see if they try and enforce this in Balto. City.

That's just it, this is a text book "feel good" law; It cannot be enforced, because there is no penalty.

When it first came out, we were given safety brochures and told to hand them out to "offenders" but that has long ago fallen by the wayside too.

[Rintrah]

A lot of people fall down the stairs, or slip on the sidewalk. The state should make it mandatory that we all wear helmets all the time. Better yet, maybe we should all wear body armor at all times as well, or those inflatable sumo suits so we are absolutely sure nothing could ever possibly happen to us. Thanks, government!

Yes! Bath tubs are especially dangerous. No bathing or showering without a helmet. Shampooing should be allowed only if you do it over the sink since you'd have to remove your bath helmet to shampoo.

[Rintrah]

That's just it, this is a text book "feel good" law; It cannot be enforced, because there is no penalty.

When it first came out, we were given safety brochures and told to hand them out to "offenders" but that has long ago fallen by the wayside too.

The story says that in Sykesville the penalty is impounding the bicycle. I guess because it's safer to leave the cyclist stranded somewhere on the side of the road than letting him ride his bike back home without a helmet.

[BiggSeth]

I guess this is just another reason to fire up the gas consuming, environment killing evil Suburban when I need to run up to the little store for just 1 or 2 things....

forcing me to buy a hlemet for my bike is akin to Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, not allowing illegals to vote AND making old people eat retarded children instead of giving them more social security money.....

[Woodbuchr]

I think it's great. All the arguments the bicyclists are using are the exact same arguments we motorcyclists have been using to fight our mandatory helmet law for 21 years. I testified today in the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee in favor to modify Maryland's motorcycle helmet law to make helmets optional for riders over 21 with 2 years experience or completion of an approved riders course and $10,000 of personal health insurance.

I even mentioned the part about people slipping on the sidewalk and falling down and hitting their head which is EXACTLY what happened to the committee chair a few years ago. Shouldn't people wear helmets to walk? How about in cars. People in cars get head injuries too.

The idea of less riders is, unlike Delegate McIntosh's statement, absolutely true. Every state that modified its helmet law to allowed choice saw increased registrations (along with increased revenue to the state for associated fees) in the years following the change.

Maryland is the state of the ultimate Nanny-crat.

[Saticon3]

The story says that in Sykesville the penalty is impounding the bicycle. I guess because it's safer to leave the cyclist stranded somewhere on the side of the road than letting him ride his bike back home without a helmet.

I didn't know that. That sounds like theft to me. What do you have to do to get it back, come to the station with a helmet? Course no one will ever take that to SCOTUS, will they?

[Saticon3]

Here's the State statute- I didn't realize some localities had hteir own:

http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/helmet/helm_md.htm

"(d) Enforcement. -- This section shall be enforced by the issuance of a warning that informs the offender of the requirements of this section and provides educational materials about bicycle helmet use."

Ohhhhhh, that'll teach them malfactors!

Ok, Ok, I'll wear a helmet, just don't give me any more pamphlets!

[mikep]

Yet we keep electing these boobs..........

[Woodbuchr]

Here's the State statute- I didn't realize some localities had hteir own:

http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/helmet/helm_md.htm

"(d) Enforcement. -- This section shall be enforced by the issuance of a warning that informs the offender of the requirements of this section and provides educational materials about bicycle helmet use."

Ohhhhhh, that'll teach them malfactors!

Ok, Ok, I'll wear a helmet, just don't give me any more pamphlets!

If I ride my motorcycle without a helmet and get caught it's a $110 ticket, bicyclists get a stern tounge lashing! That's discrimination. A seat belt ticket is $25. All the situations involve people using public roads so IMO all the fines should be the same. $25 max. That's if there are fines at all.

I believe helmet use should be the choice of the individual.