Legislation would Require Bike Helmets, Reflective Clothing for Bike Riders

"Sen. Carol Liu on Wednesday announced a bill, SB 192, that will require bicycle riders to wear helmets or face a $25 fine," reports Tony Bizjak. "Liu’s bill also would require cyclists to wear reflective clothing when cycling at night."

Bizjak spoke with Dave Snyder, head of the California Bicycle Coalition, for a response to the news. Here's what Snyder had to say: "We think [Senator Liu] has good intentions….We know that the most important thing to protect people who ride bikes is to get more people out there riding bikes. Forcing people to wear crash helmets when they ride is counter productive to that goal."

In a press release announcing the bill, Senator Liu made her thinking behind the legislation clear: "Any responsible bicycle rider should wear a helmet….This law will help protect more people and make sure all riders benefit from the head protection that a helmet provides.”

Responsible adults might disagree with Senator Liu on this issue. It's worth noting that a recent study found that helmet laws discourage children from riding bikes, and the issue of helmet requirements for bikeshare programs has been a subject of intense debate for a long time.