Alan's Letters: Helmets
Kia ora Harry.
Alan Preston here in Christchurch.
It was very heartening to hear your comments re the revision of the helmet laws reported by National Radio this morning.
Having spent 10 years as one of the 86 million unhelmeted cyclists who ride 'shopping bikes' on footpaths in the cities of Japan, it is patently obvious to me that the helmet law along with the law that deprives cyclists of the right to choose to ride with true segregation from motor vehicles ( i.e. on the footpaths) are the 2 main easily removable obstacles preventing the more universal uptake of 'utility' cycling in New Zealand.
You may have seen the web-site I've put together to raise awareness among New Zealanders of the practices and technologies that have enabled the uptake of cycling in counties where it is now prevalent, starting from environments not dissimilar to that which we have here.
http://urbanbicycles.googlepages.com/home
http://urbanbicycles.googlepages.com/issues
Personally, although I ride my bicycle in and out of the city every day ( I don't {and won't} own a car ) I find cycling here in (what is ironically known as New Zealand's 'cycle-friendly'city) Christchurch to be a constantly fraught experience being forced by the law ( I have been fined) onto the roads to have to share with motor vehicles where I am deprived of the control that I enjoyed on the footpaths of Japan and I feel strongly that as one who is committed to minimising my carbon footprint that being forced to wear a helmet is an imposition that unreasonably impinges on my rights and is obviously holding back the development of a utility cycling culture in our urban areas.
It is no wonder to me that cycling in New Zealand is limited to the assertive and compliant and to those who thrive on risk.
I commend you for having brought this issue up and wish you every success with pursuing it to its logical conclusion.
Naku noa .
Alan Preston in Christchurch.
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/harry+duynhoven
more on the Helmet Law issue