Cycling in Sydney Australia
Where's your helmet?
Helmet wearers may not be familiar with this phenomenon, but I receive about one shouted "where's your helmet?" for every 10 minutes of riding. It gets old.
Why do so many people yell this out? Why do they see it as any of their business? If I saw a motorist that wasn't wearing a seat-belt I doubt I'd be inclined to yell "where's your seat belt?" at them.
I have a few theories, but I'd like to hear from others.
Why do so many people yell this out? Why do they see it as any of their business? If I saw a motorist that wasn't wearing a seat-belt I doubt I'd be inclined to yell "where's your seat belt?" at them.
I have a few theories, but I'd like to hear from others.
Tags: helmets
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cate on -
Centennial Park has always been a part of my commute with various jobs as I live almost next to it. Almost every day in summer I would remove my helmet as I entered the park, to just enjoy the park experience cooling down a bit from my ride with the wind in my hair. I figured it was as safe as it was going to get, and I really love going without a helmet when I can.
But have to say noone has ever asked "where's your helmet"
A bit disturbed to read about people being booked in the park without helmets though. That sucks.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on -
Australians are selfishly more concerned about personal safety than the safety of others.
In Australia safe is driving a vehicle with an airbag that has the weight and power to run someone else down.
Its a bit like that white Australia policy we had.
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Permalink Reply by Colin on -
I got hassled by a ranger in Centennial Park today because I wasn't wearing a helmet. He threatened me with an $85 fine. Ridiculous.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on
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Sounds like he has a case of bored security guard/inferiority complex syndrome.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Reifling on -
Hi guys,
I think anyone who has a problem with their fellow cyclists asking where their helmet is, are totally the agents in our community who want to inject anymosisty and pull our community apart.
I mean, if you are asking someone where their helmet is than your concerned by that person not having a helmet. What's wrong with that? Maybe that person asking this question has a spare helmet he/she is willing to lend this person with no helmet.
I certainly will not stop asking and I would ask others that they not stop either. We are a kind of fellowship on the road, track, or tour. We should always look out for each other to nuture this form of transport in our community.
And just wear a helmet, if you have one. If you don't I'm sure someone will offer one to you next time they aske where your is...
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Reifling on
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Another thing. The cycling community is no so advanced in our city as it is in other countries of the world. So, it's pretty pointless to be showing non-helmet wearing cyclist on the streets of Amsterdam to make some point about the matter here, in Sydney.
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Permalink Reply by Colin on
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It's not usually fellow cyclists who yell "where's your helmet?". It's more commonly motorists and pedestrians.
You say people ask this question from "concern", but I think the only concern of those that shout "where's your helmet?" is to ensure that cyclists continue to be blamed for the dangerous acts of others. The helmetless rider represents a threat to the dominant motorist mentality as it demands a greater standard of care from motorists than they currently give. It demands that they change, and nobody likes that. On the other hand, the helmeted rider reassures the motorist that it is the cyclist who is "dangerous" and risk-taking, and that motorists are not to blame should a cyclist be injured.
And if you want to develop Sydney's cycling environment into something like Amsterdam's, the last thing you would do is criminalise helmetless cycling and constantly send the message to cyclists that what they are doing is "dangerous".
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Lewis on
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You make an interesting point here Colin – "... the helmeted rider reassures the motorist that it is the cyclist who is "dangerous" and risk-taking, and that motorists are not to blame should a cyclist be injured." Perhaps... but I think it's more likely that helmetless cyclists reinforce the image that some drivers have of the reckless, law-breaking, careless and unpredictable 2-wheeled crazy. I'm certainly not saying that cyclists without helmets are in fact that, but at the least the majority of people would agree that what they are doing is dangerous.
I strongly support the wearing of bicycle helmets. Not to wear a helmet on your bike would be like not wearing your seatbelt in a car. Cars aside, we often travel quickly on our bikes and potholes and other hazards happen. Anyone who would let a light-weight, well-vented (if slightly uncomfortable) protective device put them off cycling has very little respect for his or her grey matter and even less interest in riding.
And yes, when I see a fellow cyclist without a helmet I'm concerned, firstly for their precious brain, secondarily for their family and friends who may be caring for a person with a serious brain injury for the rest of his or her life and thirdly because of the image they project of the reckless cyclist.
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Permalink Reply by CM on -
I strongly support the riding of bicycles. - regardless of whether the rider is helmeted or not. Their choice.
We all suffer from compulsory helmet laws.
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Permalink Reply by sydneyCommuter on -
You are misguided. Cycling is NOT a dangerous activity. It has a similar level of risk as being a pedestrian, & much lower risk than many other sports.
Key facts about injury when cycling in perspective
Assessing the actual risks faced by cyclists
Health benefits of cycling
You seem overly concerned about a risk that is minor, while blindly assuming that helmets are the solution.
Comparing a bicycle helmet with a seat belt is completely wrong. It highlights the leap of faith many people have in bicycle helmets, despite the fact they provide little protection, and are not designed for accidents above 20 km/h.
If helmets are so essential for cyclists, why aren't they mandatory for pedestrians & many sports?
How would you feel if the govt decided that all pedestrians must wear helmets, 'for their safety', because they might be hit by a car?
Wouldn't you challenge the govt flawed thinking, requiring it to focus on better road design & traffic rules to minimize the risk of accidents instead (and keeping the responsibility where it belongs, with car drivers) ?
Or would you blindly accept your 'responsiblity' to wear a helmet? Would you accept to be labelled 'reckless' for not wearing a helmet when many cyclists are being killed or seriously injured despite wearing their helmet? Would you even harass other people who refuse to comply with this non-solution?
Polystyrene hats are not the solution to bicycle safety. The helmet law hasn't improved safety at all. So don't tell me that you are 'concerned about my safety' & have decided to slap a polystyrene hat on my head as the magic solution. That's ridiculous. There are far better ways to improve bicycle safety.
There is nothing reckless about cycling without a helmet. Many people are doing it safely all over the world. To label cylists without helmets as 'reckless' is singing the tune of the car drivers, who would like to transfer the responsibility for bicycle safety into cyclists. Do you really think the best you can do to influence car drivers behavior is to wear a helmet? Studies have shown that drivers are less careful with helmeted riders.
It is actually far more risky and dangerous to believe that you are safe because you wear a polystyrene hat. If that is your approach to safety, you would be better off without a helmet.
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Permalink Reply by Saskia Howard on -
good one. I wish I could remember all this when I'm faced with bike riders and non-bike riders giving me grief for not wearing a helmet. I'm never quick enough !!!
it's all very sad - energies should be better spent on fixing roads/infrastructure and educating maniacs on the road to be respectful to each other (by maniacs I mean speed cyclists AND car drivers - anyone selfishly riding with little concern to other road users).
Freedom of choice should not be dismissed.
www.aspiritofplace.com
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Permalink Reply by sydneyCommuter on
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I wish I could remember all this when I'm faced with bike riders and non-bike riders giving me grief for not wearing a helmet.
Luckily, that doesn't happen to me much at all these days. All I get is people looking down at me or rolling their eyes. You can almost hear their thinking: "What an idiot for not wearing an helmet". I don't let it affect me. The irony of it amuses me more than anything else.
People who give you grief are trying to hide their intolerance of others making a different choice under the smokescreen of safety. They are narrow-minded people who believe that the helmet law gives them the right to impose their preference on others.
I prefer to avoid them and stay away from these people, just like I avoid the drunks I might encounter in the street.
Don't waste your time arguing with intolerants.
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