A Round and a Roundy: Spare Us the Helmet Law Talk, Bill

Our editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy is sick of Mayor de Blasio’s talk about creating mandatory helmet laws in New York City.

For one thing, helmets have been shown to dramatically reduce cycling, which makes riding a bike more dangerous because it reduces the “strength in numbers” phenomenon that leads to motorists driving more safely and intelligently.

But the worst thing about bike helmets is the false sense of security they provide. Some studies show that drivers are more reckless when they see a cyclist with a helmet. And, lest we forget, no helmet in the world is going to save a cyclist who is run over by a truck or large car — which has been the fate of the majority of the 28 cyclists who have died this year.

So that’s why he created this week’s cartoon.