Dear Editor,
Re: “Show your cycling smarts — wear a helmet,” Sports, April 14.
As a life-long cyclist and cycling advocate who has commuted via bicycle daily for the past 33 years and who has extensively studied the issue of helmet use, nothing hurts me quite as much as seeing the spread of misinformation implying riding a bicycle is more dangerous than it is.
This instilled fear discourages those from riding bicycles (which is good for them) and misdirects efforts to improve safety for the most efficient and safest methods of transport known to man.
Not only are there by far more head injuries to those who are not riding bicycles, proportionately, there is no greater chance of receiving a head injury on a bicycle, than off a bicycle.
The strongest and most prevalent argument for helmet use is personal anecdote, yet a personal anecdote is by far the weakest form of argument to prove a case.
B.C.’s all ages mandatory helmet law was passed more than 20 years ago, yet usage rates are not much higher than they were before the law was passed.
I think the reason for this is obvious. A significant portion of people who ride bicycles understand doing so is a positive, healthy and relatively safe activity.
Encouraging safe traffic practices, building separated cycling lanes, and vigorous enforcement of existing traffic laws are far more effective ways to ensure a cyclists safety. Helmets do little but provide distraction from this goal.
Brad Kilburn
Richmond
