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As calls for mandatory helmet laws continue to gather pace in the UK and particularly inNorthern Ireland, where the issue is further advanced, there are places where such laws are being repealed.
As argued by anti compulsion groups here, research in Israel has shown that the wearing of cycle helmets within the city boundary of Tel Aviv not only deters people from cycling, but also discourages those thinking of taking up the pastime.
With the cities cycle hire scheme under threat from the lack of enthusiasm the government have this week passed the third part of the process in repealing the cycle helmet law.
This move follows that in Mexico City where similar mandatory cycle helmet laws were repealed in February 2010.
Again, the main reason for the Mexico City repeal centres around a proposed bicycle sharing facility. Both cities have clearly decided that for any bike sharing facility to be successful and deliver all of the benefits associated with them (health, reduced fatality rates, lower emissions, improved traffic flows) the mandatory use of cycle helmets can not exist.
Both cities also had issues with enforceability of the law in any event.
Mandatory helmet laws in the UK are still very much on the minds of some politicians. With the London cycle hire scheme being an overwhelming success and similar shared use schemes being planned in a lot of our towns and cities, would the success for such schemes, or dare I suggest the commercial viability of such schemes, be the single most important factor in such a law not coming into force.
It’s very much time to watch this space………
