On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 00:21:50 +0000, Bill Z. wrote:

This is not true. Children do not ride less due to helmet laws,
particularly in California, where the helmet laws are not enforced (or
rarely enforced.) If you tell a young teen to start using a helmet when
he previously didn't want to, you can expect a negative reaction (natural
rebelliousness.) Kids who started using helmets when they started riding
bicycles don't have that reaction.

I think this is another evidence-free (in the statistical sense)
assertion. I offer a counter-anecdote - my kids, 11 & 13 won't ride to
school because they don't want to wear their helmets because helmets make
them look like geeks, like their dad. Dad won't let them ride without one
because there's a law ...