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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

616.0. "SEVEN HILLS WHEELMEN HELMET REQUIREMENT" by AKOV11::FULLER () Tue Apr 12 1988 14:07

    Last night, the Board of the Seven Hills Wheelmen unanamously voted
    to add a provision into our bylaws stating that helmets are required
    on all club rides.  We plan on having a grace period of one month,
    so people in the club not using helmets can purchase them.  We are
    also going to attempt discussing special deals for the month of
    May with local bicycle shops to provide club members with helmets
    for a special reduced price.   Has any other clubs discuss/implemented
    a ruling such as this?
    
    
    steve
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616.1Another Club Same RuleRETORT::SCHNARECHARLIE SCHNARETue Apr 12 1988 14:206
    Yup, you bet, this has been the rule with the Worcester Road Club
    since the club was started two years ago. At ALL club rides you
    must be wearing a helmet or you don't ride.
    
    
    Charlie
616.2Good show!EUCLID::PAULHUSChris @ MLO 8-3/T13 dtn 223-6871Wed Apr 13 1988 13:028
    	NVP has not for various reasons, most of which I don't agree
    with: How do you deal with an otherwise good rider who doesn't like
    helmets? How about someone in a football helmet? Can we mandate
    what a person does on a public way? (We could refuse entry where
    a sign-up or fee is required, but can we make a person not ride
    with us?)  We have allowed ride leaders to put in their ride
    announcement: Helmets Required.  
    	Thanks to 7HW for the leadership!    - Chris
616.3AKOV11::FULLERWed Apr 13 1988 13:5713
    We cannot stop someone from riding.  We can tell them they are
    not officially riding with us and we may not provide them
    with a map.  
    
    A better approach that we hope will work is, we are now collecting
    older generation helmets of club members.  At beginner rides, the
    leader will have these with him/her.  
    
    We do not want to turn people away from riding with us, but we must
    take a stand on safety, as the USCF has done.
    
    steve
    
616.4The law is an assULTRA::WITTENBERGSecure Systems for Insecure PeopleWed Apr 13 1988 14:4212
    One reason  that  I've  heard  for  not having the rule is that if
    someone takes off his helmet, falls, and hurts his head he can sue
    the  club  for  negligence in enforcing its rules. It sounds crazy
    that  a  rule requiring safety equipment can be a legal liability,
    but this is what I've been told.

    This is  another  case of our liability laws making the world more
    dangerous.  Personally,  I'm  strongly in favor of rules requiring
    helmets.  They  should  require  ANSI  or  Snell  approved bicycle
    helmets to avoid the football helmet that Chris mentioned.

--David
616.5a title for your replyMENTOR::REGKeep left, except when not passingWed Apr 13 1988 17:056
    
    	To Gary Miller, and others.
    
    	Yes, I  *HAVE*  seen this topic, thanks anyway.
    
    	Reg
616.6He's SO quick! Fast too!HPSVAX::MILLERVox clamantis in deserto.Wed Apr 13 1988 17:5914
    Just as I was going to comment, he HAD to butt in.
    
    Careful, Reg...this is one of my "Be nice to Reg" weeks. Don't want
    you to spoil it, and force me to say something full of negative
    humor, either.
    
    re: 7HW Helmet Flap....live and let live, I say. I wear one. I broke
    one last year with my shoulder crunching fall of the Counterpoint.
    Happily for me and my family (don't say it, Reg), the only damage
    was to the helmet and the shoulder. Head wasn't even sore. I don't
    know what would have happened if I hadn't worn the helmet, and I
    don't care.
    
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=gary=-=-=-=-=-=-=
616.755 stay aliveMENTOR::REGKeep left, except when not passingWed Apr 13 1988 18:205
    
    	"Quick",  "Fast"    Well, it took you 55 minutes to reply :-^)
    
    	Reg
    
616.8Yea, the law is an assWEA::BUCHANANBatWed Apr 13 1988 20:1523
Taking the legal aspect one step further let me tell something that I heard
and see if it makes sense to anyone.  I'm not a lawyer so don't ask me to
defend it...

When you ride a century it is now common to have to sign a form that says:

        I know that bicycle riding is a potentially dangerous sport
        and I agree not to hold xxxx cycle club responsible in case of
        accident or injury...

This is just a smoke screen and has virtually no legal ground to stand on.
Something to the effect of you can't sign away your legal rights so if you
have an accident you simply say that the cause of the accident was the unsafe
course or conditions and sue anyway.

If this is true then the club could be legally liable for someone's injury
even if he willfully decided not to wear the helmet.


I hate people who preach as much as anyone else but I also have had my
accident.  I flipped a mountain bike and landed directly on my head.  Shattered
my collar bone and knocked me out cold.  That was 4 years ago and I have
not had use for the helmet since but someday I might again.