If you don’t skateboard you probably think that the semi-new law that forces skateboarders to wear helmets is a great idea. I am bitching to tell you that it isn’t.
To begin the Police force is funded by our tax dollars. They are wasting our tax dollars by NOT addressing the majority. Skateboarding amounts for 0.28 admissions, per thousand annually and the vast majority of these injuries involve fractures and broken bones not head injuries. Bicycling on the other hand has twice as many injuries as skateboarding. Yet you don’t see the police sneaking up on all of the bicycle ‘hot spots’ giving out 135$ fines and confiscating bikes.
It is time for the Skateboarders of Halifax to speak out and stand up against this law.
–Wesley the bitch
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2009.
Wesley, I posted this the other day in response to a different thread:
Personal anecdote: My sister-in-law, at the age of 21, finished her university degree at a school in BC with the presidents medal for the highest academic achievement – out of over 4000 students. She was on the cover of the newspaper in that city.
That summer, she fell off a skateboard in front of her home. Spent a week in the ICU with a skull fracture and a brain injury. A year rehabing to get back to functional. Now she is “OK”, several years later. Except for debilitating vertigo that strikes unpredictably (think Lucille 2 – for Arrested Development fans…). But she still ‘aint the same as she was.
Of course these things only happen to OTHER people. Not me. But, in the blink of an eye things change and there you are, thinking: ‘Well isn’t this nice, I wish had of used some common sense and put on a helmet”
So easily preventable.
What reason do you have NOT to wear helmets ? It may just be a precaution but it’s a passive enough one that it’s silly to oppose it – I’ve never been in a car crash but I always wear my seat belt; there’s never been a break-in or a theft anywhere near my cottage but I still lock the doors.
Funny but I hear cyclists bitch about being ticketed for non-helmet use.
I like the idea of wearing a helmet/seatbelt/whatever because it’s the right thing to do – not because if I don’t someone “just doing their job” is going to punish me for it.
WEAR YOUR HELMET!
Mom
Oh no!! You’re not going to be as bad-ass non-conformist if you wear a helmet! God forbid you use a little common sense and realize that all it takes is one minor fuck up and BAM! your brains are a pile of goo on the ground. Grow up a little bit you sad, pathetic, whining maggot and put your fucking helmet on. Theey aren’t gonna change the laws because a bunch of degenerate slackers don’t like looking “uncool” by wearing a helmet. (and yes I know that not all skaters are degenerate slackers, but the ones who want to fight the helmet law certainly are)
I think it has a lot to do with the optics of the skatepark and its proximity to high traffic areas. Looks bad every time people drive by so sure they are going to focus on that area.
They do ticket bikers though, we had threads often on ecmtb.com where kids had their bikes taken and were issued tickets. Now if you go to any of the more frequented jump parks for bikes MOST kids wear the helmets because the cycling community has been preaching helmet safety for years. ECMTB.COM a now gone website would not post pictures of riders without helmets and we had a couple more prominent riders in MTN community who had lives saved by helmet.
I personally don’t understand the argument against wearing one. I think for kids it should not be a choice and it should be enforced. If an adult decides not to wear one I don’t care although if injured would prefer tax dollars don’t get spent on them for the rest of their diaper wearing years.
Hey, if the kids want to not wear helmets, let em. One less moron in the gene pool.
Well, not too much form those opposed to mandatory helmets! Good on you, glad to see the majority have some common sense!
If the kids who choose not to wear helmets are under and an age where they can make informed decisions they should be forced to wear them by law. Kids making decisions as to what is best for themselves does not always work out.
That being said an adult can make that decision on their own but I am curious what is the reason for not wearing them?
Wearing a helmet isn’t in any way harmful, except perhaps to your image, but it could prevent a serious head injury/death…. it’s not a big deal and you won’t look any lamer than anyone else if everyone has to wear them.
My wife (who worked in rehab) suggested instead of fines for kids under 18 have them volunteer/community service for 3-4 hours at rehab centre.
I agree to helmets for certain forms of boarding. It isn’t a homogeneous sport even though someone might use the same board for different venues. Rolling down the sidewalk is safer then skipping rope (Helmets for skipping rope…come on). Obstacles and ramps act as force multipliers which should lead to helmet use; also age and experience should matter. About the park though…it’s public property isn’t it. Who represents the public interest? Don’t like public rules; build your own on private land. Maybe Mommy and Daddy would rather shell out for that instead your fines.
Are Sikhs exempt?
Sikhs are too smart to skateboard.
Tis bitch is ridiculous.
“It is time for the Skateboarders of Halifax to speak out and stand up against this law.”
Yeah, I would so love to see 1000 skateboarders marching on city hall in protest of the helmet law. I can really see that being organized. The image of it makes me laugh.
Fuck, Fever, you took the words right out of my mouth.
So your problem with a helmet is…?!?!
a) It messes up your hair
b) It really looks uncool when you have a helmet on and are smoking a joint at the same time
c) They do not come in designer colours
d) You enjoy the contrast of grey brain matter on asphalt
I would support abolishing helmets for skateboarding, biking, etc IF those people who don’t want to hear them are willing to sign a legal document personally declining ALL future health care and treatment associated with head and spinal injuries because of their sport.
Head injuries are very expensive, you know. And this wonderful healthcare system of ours pays for them. I don’t want you to get hurt, and I’ll pay my share into the system that will support you if you do, but if you get hurt because you weren’t wearing a helmet, I’ll be pretty pissed off. I’d rather pay what’s probably a cheaper sum to policemen to enforce a pretty reasonable rule.
So wear your damn helmet, or don’t, and get a ticket.
what’s next, mandatory helmets while driving, or mandatory sun-screen during the summer?
The way I see it, if you wanna wear a helmet, so be it, if not, well you’re head not mine!
You do whatever you want with it!
http://www.break.com/index/funniest-wipeou…
Should it be a requirement to wear a helmet when your going to get drunk too? Are you people looking to deny medical services to people who do unsafe things? The suggestion appalls me. Emergency rooms are packed with people that are there, as a result of doing unsafe things; think climbing a ladder with no spotter, wrestling, speeding, etc. etc. I hate people who endorse and support this law (although I recognize you are the majority – of people who comment anyways.) So go put a helmet on and fuck yourself, you shitty bike and skateboard riders.