Wear a helmet on your bicycle!

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 3:57am

All this talk about wearing a helmet while riding your motorbike…

Personally I think anyone who doesn’t wear a helmet while riding a bicycle is also dicing with death. Of course it’s personal choice, but given how blue truck drivers drive here, maybe a quick look at this story from the States might make you think twice about cycling in traffic here without a bicycle helmet:

madison.com/tct/news/index.php?ntid=133934

tommy525 · May 16, 2007, 4:04am

maybe not a bad idea to wear a helmet while walking on the street in Taiwan either??

wisher · May 16, 2007, 4:31am

Actually,my friend’s father wear a helmet while driving his car.

Riding a motobike or bike I think it is better to wear helmet,since the traffic is messy here.

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 4:32am

Well, if by “street” you mean “street”, then, you know…

Belgian_Pie · May 16, 2007, 4:46am

Helmets only? what about gloves, shoulder pads, ellbow protection, knee gear … high impact face masks

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 4:53am

I really don’t get your point, BP.

Belgian_Pie · May 16, 2007, 5:00am

My point, you’re in Taiwan … on a bike … think man, think …

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 5:14am

I’m thinking that it’s a good idea to wear a helmet. Obviously wearing too much stuff is impractical, but wearing a helmet is not, and could easily save your life. Wearing that other stuff is unlikely to save your life.

sandman · May 16, 2007, 5:37am

I’ve fallen off a bike onto my head often enough that sparrows make good eating if you can remember to close off the ballcock before inserting tab A into slot B. So, yes.

kate.lin · May 16, 2007, 5:49am

A news story said that Taipei City Government is planing to enforce a regulation to ask all cyclists to wear helmets on the road.

It said the regulation would come into effect near the end of year.

maoman · May 16, 2007, 5:58am

They’re going to enforce a regulation to ask? So if someone doesn’t ask, they’re going to be in big trouble, right? Anyway, I imagine they’ll require cyclists to wear helmets, and not just ask them. But it won’t work. The cops will balk at giving a ticket to a 70 year old ojisan peddling his iron horse down the street. And then the whole thing will fall to pieces. Or they’ll just enforce the law within a few select areas of Taipei, and the rest of the country will do what they want anyway…

sandman · May 16, 2007, 6:06am

Exactly. Riding a bike into oncoming traffic is also to be made illegal, as well as riding in outside traffic lanes adn something to do with making left turns, too. Just more political bullshitting.

lupillus · May 16, 2007, 6:11am

more practical to require taillights that are turned on at night and reinforce that.

Heck, why not build bicycle lanes while they’re at it. Haha.

kate.lin · May 16, 2007, 6:13am

They’re going to enforce a regulation to ask? So if someone doesn’t ask, they’re going to be in big trouble, right? Anyway, I imagine they’ll require cyclists to wear helmets, and not just ask them. But it won’t work. The cops will balk at giving a ticket to a 70 year old ojisan peddling his iron horse down the street. And then the whole thing will fall to pieces. Or they’ll just enforce the law within a few select areas of Taipei, and the rest of the country will do what they want anyway…[/quote]

Yes! Require, not Ask. Thank you for pointing out my wrong word usage.

The law is only Taipei City’s proposal so far.
The news was reported, many bike clubs protested it at once. They demanded for good environment for bikers.

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 6:26am

They’re going to enforce a regulation to ask? So if someone doesn’t ask, they’re going to be in big trouble, right? Anyway, I imagine they’ll require cyclists to wear helmets, and not just ask them. But it won’t work. The cops will balk at giving a ticket to a 70 year old ojisan peddling his iron horse down the street. And then the whole thing will fall to pieces. Or they’ll just enforce the law within a few select areas of Taipei, and the rest of the country will do what they want anyway…[/quote]

Yes! Require, not Ask. Thank you for pointing out my wrong word usage.

The law is only Taipei City’s proposal so far.
The news was reported, many bike clubs protested it at once. They demanded for good environment for bikers.[/quote]

Do you have any links about this, kate.lin? My wife thought this law was coming into effect this month.

kate.lin · May 16, 2007, 6:32am

Here it is:
http://news.yam.com/ettoday/life/200705/20070502225522.html

sandman · May 16, 2007, 6:34am

I saw am English story about it last night, too. Needless to say, I’m not clever enough to link to it, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

irishstu · May 16, 2007, 6:37am

[quote=“kate.lin”]Here it is:
http://news.yam.com/ettoday/life/200705/20070502225522.html[/quote]

Thanks.
I don’t suppose you fancy translating that?

EDIT: Don’t worry, Babelfish to the rescue!

The north market/year’s end rides the bicycle to force to wear the safety helmet bicycle association: Not necessity! East woods newspaper ╱ Reporter Ye Cheng the Ling/Taibei reports 2007-05-02 15:55 adjustment character level: Future will ride the bicycle also to have to wear the safety helmet! Taibei traffic department now (2) date expression, because rides the bicycle casualties to stay at a high level, therefore from will subscribe the local self-government rule, forces to ride the bicycle also to have to wear the safety helmet, most quickly implements to the year’s end. But the bicycle knight association believed that, rides the bicycle in Taibei mostly is the short distance rides instead of walking, is not unnecessary to force to stipulate wears the safety helmet. Rides the bicycle always is the transportation vehicle which the people leisure rides instead of walking, but Taibei counts, previous two years ride the bicycle in the north market to have 1,700 person of casualties, last year the bicycle accidental death population had 7 people. In order to maintain the security which the bicycle will ride a bicycle, the Taibei traffic department decided, from will subscribe the local self-government rule, will force to stipulate the bicycle knight also will have to wear the safety helmet only then to be possible to start off. But, because this policy repairs the law by no means by way of the central unification, therefore only has Taibei to enforce, other county cities bicycle knights if enter the north market, also must put on the safety helmet, otherwise can by “be legitimate” immediately turns “illegally”, most quickly can implement in the year’s end. Regarding north market traffic department’s this policy, Republic of China bicycle knight association Secretary General He the Li minister indicated that, rides the bicycle to wear the safety helmet is a basic custom, but Taibei requests to force to legislate, she thought does not need, because ride in can the area while belongs to the short distance to ride instead of walking, the speed is also slower, wears the safety helmet the necessity not to be big. He the Li minister pointed out that, rides the bicycle to be peaceful not safely with rides a bicycle factor and so on custom, pattern, path condition related, the safety helmet is only one of protective measures, does not force using the legislation to stipulate. Taibei should first have the integrity the bicycle path network, after has very well rides the bicycle environment, only then has the speed speed the question, at the appointed time only then has the necessity to legislate bans.

I like being called a “bicycle knight”.

sandman · May 16, 2007, 6:40am

Bohollox. Sorry.

urodacus · May 16, 2007, 7:20am

Perhaps you were referring to this?

Any takers?