I will fight for the right for you to have the choice to wear a helmet or not. I do think that what have happened in Australia and New Zealand clearly proves that a compulsory helmet laws is not the way.

Just look at Denmark, Holland and Germany where there is no such law. They got so many more cyclist on the roads. Which is not only good for themselves, the local environment and you, as you can’t help smiling when you see a happy cyclist. I think the last count in Copenhagen it was over 60% of the daily commuters that was on bicycles, in the summers. And look at how many people wear a helmet over there.

Please take time to read these websites, cyclehelmets.org and wrongheaded.org.uk, both have a wealth of information which you should read before you read the newspapers. And then make your mind up.

Do take time to sign this, Petition against the proposed bill to introduce compulsory cycle helmet wearing in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland and now Scotland are talking about making it compulsary to wear a helmet. We need to stop such a law coming in as it will just stop people using the bicycle as a mode of transport.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Israel and Mexico have all passed legislation – and they all failed.

In every case, passing a helmet law has a devastating effect on the amount of cycling going on. Of course, head injuries fall when fewer people cycle – in Western Australia, there were 11% fewer injuries – but 30% fewer cyclists!

That was a quote from wrongheaded.org.uk – Helmet laws will always fail.

If you then CHOSE to wear a helmet please do so correctly. Remember that an ill fitted helmet is as good as not wearing one. And that it is not the helmet that makes your cycling safer, it is the way you cycle.