Mayor Villaraigosa For Helmet Law, Bicyclists For 3 Foot Passing Law

Mayor Villaraigosa continues his crusade for a statewide helmet mandate although bicyclists involved in legislation encourage, instead, a 3-foot-passing law for drivers instead. Although helmets have long been shown to increase safety on a ride, Bicycle Advisory Committee member Joe Linton said that a mandate would inadvertently result in less bicycle riding, and a corresponding decline in public health, physical activity, and “safety in numbers.” For more on this, you can read BikesideLa.org’s informative article here.

Although the Mayor doesn’t seem to be budging–a fact which frustrates bicyclists–many bicyclists are happy enough about all the attention on bicycling to forgive. After all, the Mayor was just in a traumatic bicycling accident.

Just for the record, bicyclists, I am pro-helmet and wear one when I ride. Whether or not the legislation being debated is in everybody’s best interest, I say “RIDE SAFE!” regardless.