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Cyclists slammed over calls to stop wearing helmets

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 14 Mar 2018, 10:58AM
One nurse specialist is calling for people to have free health care removed if they don't wear helmets. (Photo / Getty)

Cyclists slammed over calls to stop wearing helmets

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 14 Mar 2018, 10:58AM

An Otago University law professor says the cyclists helmet debate is due to people enjoying resisting laws.

A new advocacy group, Choice Biking, has called for the blanket ban on wearing helmets to be lifted as as less people wear them and the number of fines dished out drops.

Members of the group plan to bike through Wellington without helmets on Saturday.

Selene Mize told Mike Hosking it comes down to a psychological approach of people liking to oppose attitude or behaviour controlling laws.

"People have a desire to do things like to not wear a bike helmet, then they tend to rationalise it in terms of taking a stand for freedom."

One head injury researcher views things differently, say those in the group helmet laws must have thick skulls.

Clinical nurse specialist Doug King from the Hutt Valley DHB says the group is sending a dangerous message.

"If younger kids can see this going on, they are going to try and emulate it. If they fall off and get hit by a car, then their skull's gonna crack."

King says there is no need to change the laws as helmets help prevent life-changing head injuries.

"If they're gonna make things optional, why don't they start looking at making health care optional as well. If you don't wear a helmet, you go privately and you start paying for it."

 

LISTEN TO SELENE MIZE TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

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