Last Sunday as I gazed upon this family exploring the thousands of Clumber Park acres, I couldn't help but recall the dead-hand of Australian legislators and how it has killed off any such equivalent peaceful family time in our place ... courtesy of mandatory helmet compulsion.
A dismal failure now and for the past 20 years, our state politicians still refuse to acknowledge the error of their regulatory ways notwithstanding that the feds have quietly removed themselves from the equation.
Back in the day of 1989, 'Prime Minister Hawke announced compulsory helmet wearing as Federal policy' and that 'this was a condition of providing funds to the states and territories for eliminating so-called "black spots" in roads' ...
... well this is no longer the case, federally speaking, as they (the feds) have quietly exited the bicycle helmet stage by distancing themselves from our legislative nonsense...
Anyhoo, inter alia, the call-over for my appeal happened yesterday and an appeal date has been set down for next March 3, 2014.
And furthermore with regards to my subsequent helmet ticket (Pyrmont Bridge one, as opposed to Sydney Harbour Bridge one) that is to be mentioned in court on Armistice Day and I'm hoping that a hearing date for that matter will be set down around the same time as the appeal ...
... because basically I'm hanging out in the Midlands for a few more months ... with my mother, and our memories, and the pixies, and a tonne of 'pink unicorns' (thanks, Matt)!!!! ... and Australia seems far away, and irrelevant, and life is very simple, and right now love is at the front of all my queues, and mandatory bicycle helmet law has never seemed sillier.
Be careful cycling in London:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/big-rise-in-cyclists-seriously-injured-on-londons-roads-38901/
"the most alarming figure was that cyclists killed or badly injured in 2012 was 60 percent above the 2005-2009 baseline.'
regards,
Seamus
Oh Seamus ... sigh
DeleteThis is from the British Bikeradar website: there is a call to ban large trucks in London during peak hour in order to reduce exposure of cyclists to their largest killer/harmer.
Deleteof intrest (to me) is the revelation that trucks in the UK must have wheelguards fitted to stop cyclists being dragged into the wheels.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/ban-lorries-in-peak-hour-traffic-says-boardman-39046/
regards,
seamus
Seamus
ReplyDeleteIf you think negative and just about safety and accidents, then accidents will happen to you. Think positive and everything will be fine and above all learn how to ride properly. You will not need a helmet.
Australia in many aspects is so behind the eight ball it's sad. It used to be a good country.
Oh, I do think positively... it's the drivers who must be thinking negatively.
Deleteregards,
seamus