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Helmets

From: Bluejay, Michael

Date: Mar 15, 1995

 

Fred Meredith, editor of the Austin Cycling Notes newsletter, ran a photo in ACN in November of a bike cop giving a ticket to Tommy Eden for riding on the sidewalk. The cop wasn't wearing a helmet, and the caption read, "Kids! Wear your helmet even though this cop doesn't!" The cops called him and were all pissed off about the photo. He suggested they write a letter to the editor, but they declined. By the way, Tommy won his court case last week because the cop failed to show up to the trial.

 

The Texas Congress has proposed a law which would require all cyclists to wear helmets. Most of us are opposed to it, even though most of us wear helmets (like me), because it's government intrusion that restricts freedom of choice, and because it will discourage people from getting out of their cars and riding instead. Also, we wanted to try to start a free bike program like they have in Portland, OR. (They have dozens of bikes on street corners all over downtown. You need a bike, you just pick one up and go, and then leave it on the street corner at your destination.) But there's no way that will fly if the helmet law passes. You couldn't just pick up a bike, because you'd also have to have a helmet.