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0 pointsdisordinary10y ago0 comments

No, the drivers and cyclists in NZ are almost at war with each other for some stupid reason, the same as plenty of other countries I might add. I'm just saying that people get over what prejudices they have about cycling with a helmet.

NZ isn't an island (chain) to the east of Australia, Australia is a continent to the west of New Zealand :P

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3 comments · 1 top-level

roel_v10y ago· 2 in thread

Right, so we're talking about the same NZ, so no cycling-related policy as enacted there should be used as a positive example of how to enable cycling (or cutting off reliance on cars as the only mode of transport, but that's another discussion).

People didn't 'get over' it, there are very few cyclists there (rightfully, because you'd have to be insane to drive a bicycle for e.g. the commute through Hamilton I used to have, which is not even a big or busy city, although in terms of distance it would have been perfectly fine). All these things exacerbate each other - the lack of bike lanes, the lack of awareness by car drivers, compulsory helmet wearing, lack of supply of suitable bicycles and supplies, lack of legal protection of cyclists, ...

Bike helmets are not just vanity a problem:

   - where do you put your helmet when you arrive?
   - ho do you prevent looking unsightly after you arrive? Hair gets smashed, sweat builds up, helmets and straps leave impressions on your face, ...
   - additional cost and general cognitive overhead

All in all, bicycle helmets have very few benefits, benefits which are absolutely negated by their negative consequence - especially having helmets being required by law.

disordinaryOP10y ago

I commute by cycle frequently in Wellington, have done so for more than ten years. Before that I spent my entire childhood cycling the width and breadth of Auckland City, and while I haven't had a big accident I can think of two off the top of my head which happened to people that I know and would undoubtedly have been a lot worse if they were not wearing a helmet.

NZ's cycle culture has nothing to do with helmets, it has more to do with prejudices and a lack of city planning to accommodate cycling.

dalke10y ago

> NZ's cycle culture has nothing to do with helmets

Your statement includes a bias error because by definition, NZ's cycle culture does not include people who are too negatively affected by a helmet law.

For example, this mohawk-wearing cyclist in London, https://www.flickr.com/photos/37423935@N00/4627678338 , could not be part of NZ's cycle culture and still wear a Mohawk. Those with large hairstyles ( http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9Hg7lXpZyo/Tfdg2zqZK-I/AAAAAAAABk... and https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/04/fb/1d/04fb1d715...) are less likely to be part of the NZ bike culture.

Nuns ( http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/24/saturday-poem-n... ), Sikhs (http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/619324/sikh-in-cour... ), and others who wear religious headgear are not as likely to be part of NZ's cycle culture.

It also excludes those who would prefer to wear more appropriate gear for the weather ( https://dutchindublin.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/purple-lad... ) or a fancy hat instead ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356789/Queen-Maxima... ).

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