Cycling tickets on the rise at White Rock Lake

mhawk05, says:

This makes me feel safer already!

Clay213, says:

I find it unbelievable that people can ride motorcycles in Texas without helmets but a cop is going to give me a ticket for not wearing a helmet on my bicycle?

Bring on the walking helmet laws please! This place has gone retarded.

bobdon000, says:

Keep harassing the annoying bicyclists. They don't belong on public roads. They are a hazard and nuisance.

kirk, says:

There is no Texas law requiring bicyclists to wear helmets. But Dallas enacted a mandatory helmet law for riders of all ages in 1996.

roberthanifen, says:

Head injuries from biking accidents generally lead to death or paralysis. So a ticket is all that stands between the public and paying some idiot's medical bills for life.

mhawk05, says:

"Head injuries from biking accidents generally lead to death or paralysis. So a ticket is all that stands between the public and paying some idiot's medical bills for life."

Head injuries usually don't turn out to well in any instance.

Also, why are we not responsible for our own decisions? You get in the car, you may get in an accident; you stand on a hill in the rain, you might get struck by lightning. Am I not responsible for myself when I decide to ride my bike around the lake? It's called health insurance for a reason; this should not be the government's problem.

Catte_Nappe, says:

I don't have a strong position on the helmet issue, but some stepped up traffic enforcement on cyclists is most welcome.

There are a lot of them in my neighborhood, and many are good "road neighbors". However, too many aren't. Ignoring stop signs. Ignoring even red lights. One this evening passed me in a back up on a two lane road. He'd decided his "lane" was the space between the stopped cars to his right and left. A little "message sending" from the police is probably overdue. Makes me feel safer (I really don't want to run into or over one of these guys); and makes them actually safer in the long run.

PS - mhawk05 It's called health insurance because we each pay into a pool that any of us in the pool can use as needed. How much I have to pay eventually depends on how much is being paid out - including serious injuries or long term care. Consequently I end up paying more so your head injury gets covered. The way insurance works we are all responsible for each other. (Plus some extra thrown in for insurance company profits, but that's another story)

Clay213, says:

I'm willing to bet far more head injuries are caused by auto accidents, but we don't require anyone to wear a helmet then.

I bet more head injuries are caused while walking. Falling down stairs.. bet that causes more head injuries too.

If I get a ticket for not wearing a helmet on my bicycle, I will not start wearing a helmet.. I will start paying a lawyer.

ameripro, says:

When the city council passed this law, the proponents had some brain injured individuals appear at the council hearing. Interestingly, their injuries didn't need to have any relationship to bicycle riding. One brain injured example was actually injured while driving drunk and pulling out in front of an oncoming car in the middle of the night.

But the effect of the brain injured was compelling. Unfortunately, the proponents were less than candid about the true causes of the the injuries but they got their helmet law. If I remember correctly, the driving force within the proponents was from emergency room personnel.

Bemused, says:

Personal freedom sometimes expresses itself as negligent behavior that is detrimental to society. Still, I don't like the idea of local government, which is grossly incompetent, impossing such restrictions. Ride at your own risk!

kirk, says:

Bicycle helmets GOOD. Brain damage BAD.

Wear a helmet. It's not a matter of usurping personal freedom. It's common sense.

kirk, says:

Rick: Have you ever had your head hit the pavement? I've done it, both with and without a helmet, at relatively slow speeds (<20 mph). I assure you that it's much less problematic with a helmet.

kirk, says:

I, for one, would wear a helmet all the time if it got Nicole Kidman to play with me.

kirk, says:

*"I still am now unable to ride without a helmet because of folks like yourself."*

Rick: As far as I am concerned, you are welcome to ride any vehicle you'd like without a helmet.

If you'll re-read what I wrote, I said "Wear a helmet." I'd tell you the same thing if you were inline skating, playing hockey, or ski racing...all of which I have familiarity with. If you were playing hockey, I would tell you to wear a cup, too. But I have played against people who don't, and that's their prerogative. (Usually, the desire to let one's freak flag fly on the ice disappears after the first slap-shot puck strikes the groin at 40 - 50 mph.)

Your not-so-subtle comment about "adequate coordination" is cute, but coordination has very little to do with sports injuries -- especially on bicycles. (Ever watch the Tour de France when one of the coordinated and highly trained riders hits his wheel on something at 30 mph and the entire peloton wipes out?)

But back to the issue of bike helmets. Here are some stats (from the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute):

In the U.S., about 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.

784 bicyclists died on US roads in 2005. 92% of them died in crashes with motor vehicles (720). Two-thirds of the deaths were from traumatic brain injury.

Of the dead bicyclists, 86% were not wearing helmets. 10% were wearing helmets.

By the way, alcohol was involved in 36% of the cycling deaths in 2005. Draw your own conclusions about whether it's advisable to drink and drive and/or ride.

eastside, says:

If only they would enforce the two abreast rule.

terryorze, says:

I have ridden a bicycle for 42 years with no head injuries. Eventually, everything will be illegal in the United State. I am seriously interested in voting with my feet now. Between this and tieing a dog up getting you jail time. Owning a dog that bites and injurs someone go to jail for ten years. It is just getting ridiculous. What freak accident that got blown up by the DMN caused this?

terryorze, says:

Where should I ride my bike now? I have enjoyed riding around White Rock lake for decades. I have never grown tired of it. Where will I enjoy riding just as much that is not in Dallas?

kirk, says:

Rick:

You know, I will revise my previous recommendation and suggest that you not wear any sort of protective equipment for any sport or vehicle. In fact, if you would like to ride one of my bicycles this weekend, I would be happy to follow behind you in my car. How about meeting on Preston Road for a ride between 121 and Lebanon in Frisco, about noon on Saturday?

Clay213, says:

terryorze Anonymous

Where should I ride my bike now? I have enjoyed riding around White Rock lake for decades. I have never grown tired of it. Where will I enjoy riding just as much that is not in Dallas?

Holland. I've never seen a single helmet there. And far my cyclists than anywhere in the US.

Bemused, says:

rkisok, I wouldn't call this law "unenforceable." It will be upheld in the same manner as other laws: If police happen to be paying attention to cyclists and feel like issuing tickets, they will. But if they know the cyclists or like their bikes or something of that nature, they will refrain from exacting penalties.

I promise that this law will be prone to the same corruptions of application as all others. Selective enforcement is the hallmark of the Dallas Police Department. This stems partly from cronyism and partly from apathy. When you combine those two failings, consistency is impossible to achieve.

Clay213, says:

I've ridden by countless cops, gotten on and off my bike in front of cops.. asked them questions from my bike etc.. never heard a word about a helmet.

My friend who is hispanic.. whole nother story.

kirk, says:

Rick:

Poor woman.

gian776, says:

Here in Westchester, New York, our county board of legislators are trying to pass a similar bicycle helmet law. It's very disturbing. I voiced my opposition at a public hearing the other night. i am really concerned about them taking my personal freedoms and choice of what to wear. Any advice on how we can prevent this atrocity? Any stories to share? Thanks.

Bemused, says:

This law may prove detrimental to the environment, in that it might discourage people from cycling to work. Let's say you can easily get to work in fifteen minutes on a bike. Let's say also that you have to arrive at work in a well-groomed condition. Applying a helmet to your head for even fifteen minutes can lend a disadvantageous shabbiness to your appearance. This seems like a minor point, but it will likely influence people's transportation decisions.

Clay213, says:

These laws certainly discourage cycling.

It discourages people who might otherwise hop on the bike for a quick ride down to the store.. because they don't want to get suited up in 'safety gear'.

It also props up the illusion that cycling is dangerous.. an illusion spread mainly by those who never partake in the activity.

xdavidwattsx, says:

Some of you people are amazing.

"It discourages people who might otherwise hop on the bike for a quick ride down to the store.. because they don't want to get suited up in 'safety gear'."

What, it takes all of 4 seconds to put on a helmet?

You guys think being safe will prevent your head from hitting the pavement, but I'm sure most people who have been blindsided by other bikers, pedestrians or cars said the same thing.

These laws are no different than having to wear a seatbelt in a car or plane, or being able to drink and drive. Contrary to popular belief, at some point the government needs to step in and save people from their own stupidity.

"I have ridden a bicycle for 42 years with no head injuries."

So what, that means you won't have a head injury tomorrow?

Shut up and put a helmet on already. A brain is a valuable thing to protect even though it appears some of you don't seem to use it much. Helmet technology has come a long ways. They are pretty lightweight and unobtrusive these days.

Clay213, says:

xdavidwattsx

I hope you have your helmet on at all times. Walking.. sleeping.. standing..

OpusthePoet, says:

After surviving an attempt to use a motor vehicle as a murder weapon because I was riding on the street I would never ride without a helmet. I also think helmet laws suck. I also think mandatory airbags in cars suck, seatbelt laws suck, in fact every law that requires people to protect themselves against their will sucks. Smart people will wear protective equipment, stupid people will die and be harvested for their organs. BTW a bike helmet is basically worthless in a bike-car crash, mine may have saved my life but I still suffered brain damage. What will make riding a bike safer would be actually enforcing the laws against assault with a deadly weapon, the motor vehicle. Like what happened to me where there were 3 lanes and 2 vehicles, and the motor vehicle changed lanes to hit me. What hurt me most was the fact that the police discarded the physical evidence so they wouldn't have to investigate the assault.

Opus

Janders, says:

Those bike riders who choose to not wear a helmet can receive a $150 ticket along the Katy Trail. Most bike riders on the KT trail do not wear helmets so the police select who they want to ticket. If 20 bike riders without helmets are within 1000 feet of each other several will be chosen to get the $150 tickets while others just keep riding. Now that is solid law enforcement. As bike riders cross the Katy Trail at Knox Henderson and cars go after them in full view of witnesses and police tv bike riders get the $150 tickets while the cars drive off after being inches of striking the bike riders with or without helmets. Dallas is a one of a kind city, reckless drivers, reckless cops and reckless society. My bike group no longer uses the Katy Trail since several of us can not wear helmets for extended periods of time without having to take long breaks in between to wipe off the sweat and to keep tightening the straps that loosen due to also wearing goggles. Yes hlemets are needed for safety and should be worn but not everyone can wear them and police should not decide at a whom to issue $150 tickets. Oh by the way my group estimates that we have donated over $7000 to the friends of the Katy Trail the last few years. Well since they did not provide us with adequate warnings that police are issuing tickets we decided to notncontribute to them any more. My group now rides along the greenways in Las Colinas, it is much nicer than the Katy Trail and no police to issue tickets anywhere. What a difference.

ch0, says:

Helmets are teh lame

ch0, says:

If you value your brains, yes indeed.

Andrew, says:

Should we make out the $150 checks to the city or directly to the convention center hotel?

The only reason that this law was put on the books, was to give the cops a reason to stop the drug couriers who were riding bikes to make their deliveries. I guess all of the real crimes have been solved. My thought is that the cops are being forced to work on the KT to protect law abiding citizens from the scum of this town and are looking for ways to offset the cost of being down there.

I think that I will start riding my bike in Fort Worth on the Trinity Trails. That city made that park real nice - even without a toll road.

burlyqueen, says:

"My brain? That toddler shoulda known better!"

Unfortunately, parts of the White Rock Trail runs pass a couple of soccer/football fields and there are always a group of kids running amouk without parent supervision. I've had to take a couple of tumbles on the concrete trail to avoid these careless children and their oblivious parents.

Janders, says:

Pavel, If there are 20 bike riders and only 3 cops you would need to follow police enforcement 101. Two cops block the front and one blocks the rear and you therefore trap all 20 riders without helmets and them you issue a $150 ticket toneach and everyone one of the 20 riders, do you have any other questions?Also do not twist other's words you will get no where do you understand? Read my post like others did and there is no mention of 3 cops. There were 6 cops all fully capable of stopping EVERY bike rider without a helmet and issuing a ticket. Now let's review this again. How many cops were there, is the answer 3 as you try to spin it or were there 6? Now let's put some more detail into how they select who gets the $150 ticket and who does not. Cop number 1 tells cop number 2 "here comes some more" meaning bike riders without a helmet. Cop 2 tells cop 1 "let's get the couple". Cop 2 tells cop 1 " no let them keep riding let's get that guy behind them instead". Cop 1 says "ok let's get him". So the couple keepnriding and the lone rider gets the ticket. That is selective enforcement, any questions from anyone? Have y'all noticed the new shining helmets along the trail? That is due to the warnings bike riders without helmets are receiving from these posts. The Katy Trail people were aware of the cops issuing tickets along the trail WE have been paying for. Did they provide warning to us? No, they did not and therefore we will no longer contribute to them. The bike trails in Las Colinas are much nicer than the Katy Trail. We ride in groups for several hours and helmets are needed for safety and everyone should wear a helmet when rising a bike. However if younare not wearing a helmet you should not be issued a $150 ticket without proper warning. What other bike laws are out there? Will we get a $250 ticket for not having wheel reflectors?