To think that in this awful accident, a helmet was not the only precaution this cyclist should have taken?

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

<a class="break-all" href="//;www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/04/carmen-greenway-bicycle-crash-helmet-law-london" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Husband of woman killed in Isle worth Husband calls for helmet law after wife dies following bike crash

What an awful thing to have happened, I feel terrible for husband and children and I'm sure if she could wind back the clock she'd have made different choices.

However in incidents like this, making helmets compulsory on its own is not a panacea, given that she was taking so many other risks (taking selfies, riding one handed, riding in drink, all at night).

In less tragic circumstances I get absolutely livid when I see cyclists like this, they give those of us who ride responsibly and legally a bad name. More worryingly they put us fellow cyclists at direct risk with their antics when traveling in cycle lanes. As it is sadness is my prevailing emotion.

I always wear a helmet on the road, but I don't think it is a magic forcefield that will save me. I have a duty to protect myself and others, just like any other road user.

Giving full allowance for the fact that her husband is deep in grief, but am I being unreasonable to feel that his campaigning efforts are misdirected? if he wanted to campaign on cycling safety, he should have perhaps included advocated better education/training for cyclists alongside his call for compulsory helmets.

Katie,

No - motorists need to behave intelligently. To the average NZ motorist "vehicle" and "offensive weapon" ar interchangeable.

For example, they shouldn't take blind corners on rural roads while texting. They might kill a cyclist and - shock horror - be sentenced to community service.

Or in fact they might just not be prosecuted at all because the police don't have the smarts to investigate properly.

Seems like both Maori and Pakeha motorists get a pretty privileged deal to me.

Thatsmeinthecorner2016 - that's probably one of the angriest posts I've ever read. Do you really think you're safe to get behind the wheel if a car!

We were in France during the summer. We commented how no-one wore helmets. We knew instantly that one family were British because they had helmets on and the kids had hi viz on (and then waved to us after seeing our GB car sticker).

Why "no"? Shouldn't everyone need to use their noggin, not only drivers?

Having spent a long time overseas, I do think NZ drivers have better skills than most. I also ride a bike reasonably often and find it reasonably safe here. You can generally in a pinch go onto the pavement and the police don't generally enforce the rule against that. I wouldn't attempt cycling on rural roads though as the roads are generally rubbish.

You might like to check a few thousand court judgments before telling me that Maaori are punished the same as white NZders, whether for driving offences or anything else. Just not true.

Reading this thread has made me want to ban my entire family from cycling. That may be an illogical reaction but I'm shocked at the number of arguments against helmets, a thing I just took for granted. Speaking as a driver, I think something has got to change regarding cycling in this country. I try to be safe around cyclists but it can be difficult in narrow country lanes or with cyclists shooting through junctions or across roads. Not having lights on bikes and high visibility clothing when cycling at night is unacceptable as well.

Best I agree that shooting through junctions isn't on, but it is a lunatic minority that does that. As for country lanes, cyclists have every much a right to use them as a motorist. Give cyclists as much space and time as you would a horse. If they are riding further towards the centre of the road than you'd like, it is done to be arsey or to slow down traffic, it is because the very edge of the road is usually very heavily potholed or there are soft verges, making it unsafe and difficult to tuck in.