Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 15/02) - A smattering of interests combined to deliver a crushing blow to a proposed city bike helmet bylaw at the Monday council meeting.

In the end, Kevin O'Reilly was the only one left supporting the bike helmet bylaw -- and the only one cycling away from the council meeting. - Nathan VanderKlippe/NNSL photo

Seven councillors voted to delete proposed sections from the city's highway traffic bylaw which would have mandated helmets for all cyclists. Only Coun. Kevin O'Reilly was left supporting the helmet bylaw.

"I think we're shirking our responsibility here," he said.

Of those who opposed mandatory helmets, some spoke from a public health perspective, others from a libertarian "hands off my head" viewpoint.

For example, Coun. Ben McDonald initially supported the helmet law. However, he changed his mind when he discovered research demonstrating that bicycle ridership drops after such laws are passed.

"From a public health perspective, it's better to have more people riding without helmets than fewer people riding with helmets," he said, citing recent government efforts to highlight societal problems with obesity.

"I hope everybody does wear a helmet, but I don't think we should oblige it."

McDonald was met with cheers from the stoutly anti-helmet faction on council. Coun. Alan Woytuik complimented him on having "seen the light," while Coun. Dave Ramsay said "I think he's come around and I appreciate it."

"I have more faith in our citizens than Coun. O'Reilly does," said Woytuik. "I think they are capable of making their own decisions and I think they are informed."

McDonald wasn't the only one to change his mind. Coun. Dave McCann also crossed the line on the issue.

"I really have come to believe that this is primarily a matter of provincial and territorial jurisdiction," he said.

That prompted O'Reilly to remind council of its previous efforts to force a GNWT change in legislation allowing municipalities to create bike helmet laws.

"We lobbied in favour of that," he said. "We got it, and now we're turning down the opportunity to do it. This is remarkable."