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Yes. It's also a legal requirement to wear helmets when riding a pushbike too, which is something far more controversial as there's research to suggest that th
by ajdlinux 9y ago
Yes.
It's also a legal requirement to wear helmets when riding a pushbike too, which is something far more controversial as there's research to suggest that the effect those laws have on reducing cycling participation has a more negative impact on visibility and safety of cyclists. But I don't think I've ever heard someone say that mandatory motorbike helmet laws are a bad thing.
- wallace_f 9y agoThe problem with your presumption that authority is good, is that it assumes the authority is somehow better at making decisions for an individual than the individual is. There is research which shows that the trend towards higher vehicular weight is caused by drivers desire to be, or at least feel, safer. Yet this makes less economically fortunate drivers less safe, has adverse impact on the environment, and doesn't improve human welfare. Why do we regulate helmets and not vehicular weight? It might have less to do with improving welfare and more to do with individual politics. I fear people have more of a tendency to want to be an authority over personal liberties than of unwarranted aggressions. For example, how long have people protested gay relationships, but allowed sexual harassment to persist?
- razorunreal 9y agoHaving lived in both countries, Australia doesn't seem to have the inflating vehicle size problem to the same degree. Plus the attitude to welfare is very different in general. I don't think you can just transplant laws and arguments from one to the other and expect them to make sense.