Cycling Health New Zealand Forum Feed

Is it legal to not wear a helmet and cycle in a park?

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 22:22:40 +0000

The law states a helmet must be worn while cycling on the road. Does anyone know if this means it is legal then not to wear a helmet if cycling in a park including a mountain bike area (like Bottle Lake Forest in Christchurch)?

An Enquiry through the website

Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:55:35 +0000

At 08:48 a.m. 18/06/2013, you wrote: From: Cameron Turner <[email protected]> Subject: Cycle helmet for child under 1 Message Body: I would like to cycle on quiet roads for three weeks while visiting Auckland with my son who will be 8-months old at the time. I would carry him in a back-mounted (carried on my back like a backpack) child carrier with full internal child harness and external aluminum frame. Can you advise me if there is anything under NZ law forbidding this, as well as how NZ police tend to react in such cases, assuming my son is wearing a legally accepted helmet. At which point I would also ask if it is possible to buy a bike helmet for this age in NZ and, if so, from where. I have studied the New Zealand Land Transport fact sheets and other sources but can find no information on this point. Your help would be most appreciated Cheers Cameron Turner Writing from Italy -- This mail is sent via contact form on Cycling Health New Zealand http://cyclinghealth.org.nz Il 17/06/2013 23.57, Bill ha scritto: Cameron I attach a copy of the relevant legislation and have marked the rule in yellow. I suspect that the police would rigorously enforce the rule especially in relating to a baby, particularly in or about Auckland. You might try hiding the content of your backpack and, if stopped, plead ignorance -- as a visitor this would probably get you a lecture and a warning. I'm sure that there would be helmets for babies, obtainable from any bike shop. Just try "bike shops Auckland NZ" in Google and you'll find a list. I'm sorry that I can't be more helpful -- perhaps you should take your holiday in Europe where sanity prevails... :-) Bill Wright Dear Bill Many thanks for your rapid and considered response. I was waiting on a reply also from the NZTA and just received this little gem.... Good morning Cameron, Thank you for your email dated 18 June 2013. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) does not have a list of approved cycle helmet retailers. However, most cycle retailers will sell a range of cycle helmets for all ages and must meet certain safety standards. Except for the requirement that a person riding, or being carried on a cycle must wear a safety helmet, there is nothing in transport legislation that specifically mentions the rider of a cycle using a backpack infant carrier to transport a child. While the NZTA would not recommend you transport a child on a cycle in this way, it is up to the Police to enforce the law as they have interpreted it and then it is up to the Courts to uphold and interpret the law if both parties disagree with its interpretation. I have also provided a link below to our factsheet for further information on cycle equipment. www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/01/cycles-rules-equipment.html Regards Alex To be fair they were relatively prompt and addressed all parts of the question, but i still have to laugh at the second para and for sure I will take a lawyer with me when I go cycling. Thanks again Cameron Turner member of Bologna cycle club www.montesolebikegroup.it part of FIAB, the Italian cycling federation

Spanish helmet laws...

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:45:15 +0000

Spanish bicycle advocates are demanding asylum at European embassies across Spain in protest against anti-cycling legislation and compulsory helmet laws. See News page.

Forum useability and access

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:52:08 +0000

When I posted notification on the website on 4 March that I had set up a forum, I mentioned that the only drawback that I could see was that members would not be notified when a post was made. This is not strictly true. If you register to the forum and 'subscribe' to both News and Comment you will be notified by email when a post is made. This is really no different to the Yahoo Groups which also requires prior registration. As I mentioned back then I set up News and Comment, but am open to suggestions on additional forums -- Buy & Sell for instance. Members might like to sell their valuable disused helmets! :-) Anyway, please register and subscribe and let's see how we go... Bill

The Forum

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:37:35 +0000

I have added a Forum to the website in the hope that it will supersede the Yahoo Groups facility and be easier to use. I'll leave the Yahoo facility up until we see how the forum works -- or doesn't! The only drawback - as far as I can see - is that members are not notified of posts and will have to check the forum from time to time to be involved. In this regard, I will gather all the email addresses from Yahoo and set up a BCC on my email client so that I can notify everyone of anything of importance. Note that you have to register to post, but this may give us an indication of the level of interest. I have set up two Forums, "News" and "Comment", but there appears to be no limit as to the number. I think that these two may be enough but I would be pleased to have comments. I am also trying to set up an account with Paypal so that we can receive donations through a Paypal button on the donation page. A laborious process but I'll keep at it. BTW, Guillaume, c'est moi... Bill Wright