maximus meridius wrote: ↑19 Sep 2023, 9:32pm
This "individual freedom" angle is nonsense.
No, its fact... currently I am enjoying a large amount of individual freedoms. I have the freedom to worship or not, the freedom of expression (within limits) the freedom of movement... and so on and so on... towards the bottom of the list is the 'freedom to ride my bicycle wearing whatever I believe to be suitable'. To say that ''this is not a freedom' merely suggests that we happen to take it for granted, perhaps more than we should do... and certainly to deny that this freedom exists only impoverished our rights.
...most people are not bothered by the idea of compulsory helmet wearing - as much like me sometimes, they wear them..
..but supposing the state or parliament went beyond that, supposing hi-vis became compulsory or a little orange flashing light, or that bicycles had to be painted day-glo green...
..the issue is with compulsory safety measures, is that it never stops - ask any motorcyclist and they will tell you that after the helmet law came in, they then had to protest very hard to stop Peter Bottomley's leg protectors being fitted to new motorcycles and then they had to face air bags and day time riding lights and hi-viz... even now German bikers are I believe currently having to deal with the threat of compulsory glove wearing...
...it is none of your business whether I decide to wear a helmet or not and I don't need to give a response why I don't... nor do I need to seek your permission. in the same way I don't need to defend my musical tastes, or when the time comes, my right to commit suicide to avoid any unnecessary suffering (strangely its okay to put down much loved pets so they don't suffer, but we get all worried that asking for an early death somehow offends a mythical man in the sky)..
..helmets are and always have been a sop or an apology for bad road craft