It seems to me Susan Stokhof, Victoria’s newly appointed bike mayor, does not have a good grasp of safety issues as they relate to this community.
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She feels the local governments have failed because they advocate for helmet laws to protect cyclists. As opposed to rapidly redesigning the current systems to eliminate all hazards for cyclists relative to cars and traffic.
This appears to be based on her experiences in Amsterdam. Let’s be clear – this is not Amsterdam. To assume that legislating helmets to be an immediate safety measure, as related to the current systems on the roads here, is a failure of responsibility, is a naive and dangerous policy to offer.
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When the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Injury Prevention Committee says head injuries with cyclist represents 20 to 40 per cent of all cycling accidents I feel they offer a more logical and reasonable perspective on the need for helmets. These accidents do not all occur as a result of encounters with vehicles.
Get a grasp on reality Stokhof and stop endorsing thoughtless practices.
Gregg Eligh
Victoria
