helmet bust rant
Above is "ghandy" demonstrating the use of our home-made "skateboard". It was created very spur-of-the-momently with some old office-chair wheels. It was broken shortly after we took this picture; never got on the road.
Last night we went out on our real skateboards and were having a grand ol' time cruising the smooth streets in our neighbourhood. We don't move very fast. We skate at off-peak car times and move off the road when cars come. We don't really know or attempt any tricks... We just like to feel the wind in our hairs and enjoy the feeling/freedom of transporting our bodies in a manner less common to us than the usual ways: walking/biking/car-ing. So when we were approached by the police and told we need to get helmets I was annoyed.
I wasn't annoyed at the cop - he was just doing his job. Also, he was probably amused that the two young "skate-punks" he had come across turned out to an old, nerdy, married couple. He treated us very politely.
I'm also not annoyed by helmets in general. They are great for protecting your head in dangerous situations. I wear one when I snowboard or when I mountain bike on rough terrain or busy roads. If I had the skill to go in a skatepark, I would wear one there.
I am really just bothered by the laws that make you wear a helmet while using any wheeled vehicles at any time.
I understand that it is easiest to make these board, blanket rules because they are easier to enforce but honestly, I really think that an adult person should be allowed to use their discretion in helmet use (and other matters).
If I am taking a leisurely bike-ride around Point Pleasant Park on a hot, sunny day, there is no need for me to be wearing a heavy, sweaty helmet. Similarly, if I am skateboarding casually on an empty side street, I don't need a helmet. Having to be shackled to a helmet in these situations is uncomfortable, excessive, and annoying. I just feel like I should be allowed to make the choice of when/where I need a helmet. The fact that I can't choose and have to lug around a helmet really dampens the fun of going out for a quick bike or skate tour.
Maybe senior citizens who have wheels on their walkers should wear helmets too. Oh! And joggers! No wheels but if they went over on an ankle - by geez, they could crack their skulls! And helmets for winter-joggers should be mandatory - all that ice! Dog-walkers too!
I know all the statistics they use to defend the helmet law but I have made it to age 29 using my own discretion about helmets and I've never contributed to the stats. I feel like I should be allowed to continue in this manner. Honestly, this law is one thing I seriously hold against staying in Nova Scotia. That probably seems extreme but it sticks in my craw!
Rant over.
7 comments:
It is a stupid law for people over 18. And if you are caught, you can be fined "not less than 25 dollars"!
Ooooooh helmets for motorized scooter and wheelchair users.
I wear my helmet when I bike because, well, I've hurtled through the air more than once in my day and the commute to work isn't exactly all faery dust and pixie stix. I do, however, wish we could choose whether or not to wear helmets on leisurely rides.
You're such a badass skate nerd.
I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. I hate helmets myself, it's one of the reasons why I don't bike very often. I totally get the preference towards wind in your hair. But a helmet is a simple and effective life-saving tool.
You go right ahead and not wear your helmet as you cruise the streets a-leisurely. But...should you have a mishap (and accidents happen, I'm sure the innocent woman killed in her car on main street the other night was just on a drive, the guy who hit her was racing...no way she could have seen that coming).....why should my tax dollars pay for your medical bill? You made the decision not to wear a helmet...your family should have to go bankrupt keeping your life support turned on, or putting you through rehab.
Fact is, you cannot 100% guarantee any situation. There are too many variables.
I guess point is, it's not just you who could be affected by you not wearing a helmet. Let me put it this way: if the health care was set up so that if you chose to disregard helmet laws, you did not qualify for coverage in the event of an accident (in other words you have to pay 100% of your treatment), would you still want to leave it at home?
(you probably won't be suprised by this, but helmets are sort of a hot button issue for me. Could you tell?)
hmmm... I should have known this post might ruffle feathers. It is a hot issue.
I don't actually "hate helmets".
I just want to make that clear.
I never said that.
Infact, I once even designed a bumper-sticker encouraging helmet-use!
It is the law - more specifically, the broad, blanket-style law that bugs me.
I guess what I was really trying to get at is that I grieve for the loss of subtlety and discretion when these blankets laws are made/written...
What I wanted to say is that while I DO use helmets/ encourage responsible helmet use, I still believe not every situation requires it and therefore blanket rules are annoying - and serve to discourage activity.
(I wear a helmet anytime I ride my bike in the city and while doing other risky activities - I just wish I could take it off in the Park. I tried to be careful to point that out first and foremost in my post.)
As for tax-dollars, what if someone breaks an arm and needs stitches in their knee from falling off their bike, whether they were wearing a helemt or not? Should tax-payers pay for that? What about a jogger who sprains their ankle? Should we pay for that? Should taxes pay for obesity-induced diabetes? What if, after a high-speed collision, a helmet keeps a brain-dead person alive, on life-support, who would have probably otherwise died?
I just don't think the easy answer of "everyone wear a helmet at all times" is especially helpful and infact has serious downsides like: discourages activity- particularly at a time when the government is trying battle the bulge of its population; becomes an easy cash-grab; is enforced unevenly/used to target "undesirables" (like skaters on an empty, ritzy street); shows distrust of citizens to make wise decisions.
I just think we need to EDUCATE not LEGISLATE on this issue...
I guess its a hot-button issue for me too.
I hear you. (I'm chuckling at the old married nerds statement - its like you have just described us.)
To add fuel to the fire...my tax dollars pay for health care for: smokers, drinkers, junkfood eaters, people that jump out of planes and other risk takers, drug users, people that run really fast...and so be it.
I think some latitude is in order when you are in a relatively low risk situation and you are over 18.
You guys must look so cute on your boards. SO bad ass.
Oh, you know what I saw yesterday? An elderly couple biking on the cobequid trail, wearing their helmets. Except the gentleman was wearing a yellow hockey helmet. Snort.
Just to clarify something I said in my comment...I never said you hated helmets, I said I did. And I should clarify that too...I don't really hate them, I hate wearing one. My husband's life was saved by his helmet when another cyclist knocked him backwards off his bike, so I can't really hate helmets.
I understand your point about the blanket law. I guess I'm just really curious as to how you think it should read, so that it will make riding safe and still give you the chance to use your own discretion.
(And for the record, I personally think that if you are smoking/drinking/eating/skydiving yourself to death, I should not have to pay your medical bills.)
Sort of off topic, does the helmet law apply to scooters as well? Because there are loads of young kids (under 10) tearing around in our parking lot on scooters and only 2 of them have helmets on. One of them is going to get seriously hurt, as all of them are new to riding the scooters and spend more time picking themselves off the ground than riding them.
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