Sorry if l put this in the wrong section or whatever.
Members of the Sikh community will be exempt from wearing a bicycle helmet in Queensland under new laws to accommodate religious beliefs.
Transport Minister Scott Emerson announced the change to the state's bike helmet laws allowing religious exemptions on Tuesday morning.
Mr Emerson said it was a "common sense approach" to the issue.
Jasdeep Atwal won a court case, challenging a ticket he received for riding without a helmet. Photo: Nine News
"But let’s be very clear," he said.
"Just because someone is going to come out there and claim they don’t want to wear a helmet for religious reasons, they have to do more than that, they have to demonstrate there is a real, long standing religious belief there.
"The evidence is very clear that bike helmets do make a difference.
"I would still say to anyone who might be trying to seek this sort of exemption to think about it long and hard because I think the evidence is very clear that bike helmets do significantly reduce brain injuries in accidents."
The law change comes after practising Sikh, Jasdeep Atwal, successfully fought the $100 fine he received last year for riding a bike without a helmet.
He took the case to court, arguing that as a Sikh he was required to wear a turban that could not fit inside a helmet.
Mr Emerson said he had waited to see the outcome of the court case before making any law changes.
Mr Atwal welcomed the change.
"The Sikh community has been working for a long, long time on this," he said.
"And they've done a lot more work than I have."
Baptised members of the Sikh religion, founded in India, do not cut their hair. Instead, it is wrapped up in their turbans.
In Queensland, currently the only exception to the helmet rule under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009 is if cyclists have a medical certificate.
The new law will likely come into effect at the end of the year, however Mr Emerson stressed it would not apply to motorcycle drivers.
Bicycle Queensland has backed the changes to helmet laws.
"It seems a bit rich to have that law forced upon people, who for religious reasons, wear a headdress that makes wearing a helmet impossible," Bicycle Queensland manager Ben Wilson told Fairfax Media.
News extract stating that mainly Muslims don't need to wear helmets because of their religious beliefs. I find this absolutely pathetic, once again Australia falls into the trap of double standards which are not warranted and far from being deserved.
Have you ever experienced any conflicts between cycling and a persons religious beliefs? Do certain religions think of cycling differently. Certainly an interesting topic.
Religions are stupid. Countries that adjust laws to accomodate religion are even more stupid.
In this case, I hope the Sikhs work something out to either modify their rules for general safety, either develop a turban with materials similar to helmets.
Ollfardh wrote:
Religions are stupid. Countries that adjust laws to accomodate religion are even more stupid.
In this case, I hope the Sikhs work something out to either modify their rules for general safety, either develop a turban with materials similar to helmets.
ummm....personal safety should be in your own hands, not government controlled anyways.
baseballlover312, 06-03-14 : "Nuke Moscow...Don't worry Russia, we've got plenty of love to go around your cities"
Sarah Palin, 08-03-14 (CPAC, on Russian aggression) : "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke is a good guy with a nuke"
Big thanks to jdog for making this AMAZING userbar!
Of course it is more wise to wear a helmet but I doubt that it give you a performance boost if you don't wear one. Therefore I would support people who want to ride bikes even if their religion doesn't allow them to wear a helmet.
If somebody is willing to risk their life because they love the sport, it shows dedication. In my opinion it is a better dedication than the guys who risk their lives by using doping products.
The only people who wear helmets in this country are road cyclists anyway.
I hope there are no sikh road cyclists who follow this ruling because it would be really stupid to start riding without a helmet through busy traffic.
As for hysterical claims about this becoming a slippery slope to some crazy idea. I think you need to remember the court wouldn't have made this decision easily.
This is the Australian legal system we are talking about...
I have no problem with people riding bikes without a helmet going short distances and slow speeds on bike paths for leisure. Though it would be better if they did as we have discussed, they wouldnt be near a road and much safer. But, any proper cyclist should have to wear a helmet. I don't want to have governments needing to pay damages in court cases using my tax payer money because they allowed a certain faction of people to not wear helmets, then get even more serious injuries.
Ollfardh wrote:
Religions are stupid. Countries that adjust laws to accomodate religion are even more stupid.
Exactly, why the laws should bend, because of someone is told what to do by the person from the skies?
There should be same rules for everyone, or it is discrimination of ateists.
Religion as the whole is silly and mixing it with the laws even more, why i am restricted to do what i want (something that does not harm the society) and they are not, because they believe some nonsense? Why is some imaginary mysterious stranger and rules that he gives more important than actions which i choose to do myself. We are giving bigger role in our society to someone who does not exist, instead of actual people, stupidity. It suits people who dont like thiking persons,rather sheeps.
And they want to ride without helmets? Leave it to their choice, but same with others (in Czech republic you can choose if you are not child). If they die, they die...
In the Netherlands no one has to wear a helmet, and barely anyone does when not on a race or mountain bike. At the same time, cycling here is generally safer than elsewhere. On average, we obtain 1 brain or head injury per 6.5 million kilometres on the bike (about 220 km every day for 80 years. With a realistic yearly amount of cycling that comes down to once every 90 lives).
(https://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2010/08/brain-injuries-and-dutch-cyclist.html)
Instead of forcing helmets I think governments should tackle other dangers..
(and stop allowing people to bend laws because of rules set by their imaginary friends..)
