In Sydney, the Freestyle Cyclists Sydney Chapter have had enough of academic overstated scaremongering of cycling and will be doing a couple of leisurely laps of Centennial Park in protest, some with helmets and some without; your choice, or should be.
"We do not support the promotion of helmet wearing for everyday cycling," says Kathy Francis, founding member of Freestyle Cyclists and one of the co-organisers for Saturday’s Melbourne Protest Ride. "We categorically oppose laws requiring adults to wear helmets … bicycle helmets present a significant barrier to everyday cycling."
Compared to other countries in the world, Australia is an outlier in terms of active transport, and with our mandatory bicycle helmet compulsion, attempts at building up cycling as a mode of transport in Australian towns and cities have been well and truly stymied.
"Cycling must become the easy choice," says Kathy Francis, "which means changes to legislation, and community attitudes, and changes to the way roads are designed."
Bicycle helmet law is a uniquely Antipodean law of oppression and privilege, and Antipodean Freestyle Cyclists have had enough of this political nonsense.
Media Contact - for more information, images or interviews please contact:
Rudy Botha, Freestyle Cyclists Sydney Ride organiser, 0488 497 484
What: Stop Fining Healthy Transport
When: Saturday, 17th March 2018
Where: Centennial Homestead, Centennial Park, Sydney
Time: 11:00AM start
Further Info: Visit the Freestyle Cyclists facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FreestyleCyclists/)
Bravo, and it shows a sort of Omafiets, precisely the type of slow, "everyday" bicycle for which helmet imposition is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSport cyclists will wear helmets with or without a law. Have you thought of calling for the imposition of sun hats to reduce skin cancer rates?