Just zis Guy, you know? Wrote:
On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 16:02:32 GMT, Chris Phillipo
wrote:

Very droll. So, are you sure of that? Because the proposed law
over
here would have been criminal law, and existing traffic laws
(example
above) are criminal law.

I said no one is going to jail for not wearing a helmet and I stand
by
that. Show me proof to the contrary.

No, what you actually said was that because no-one is going to jail,
it is not a crime. That does not follow. I am asking: are you sure
that the helmet law is outside the criminal code? Because the law
proposed in the UK and to the best of my knowledge the laws in Aus
and NZ, are criminal law. This is actually a completely straight
question.

Guy


Strictly speaking fines for not wearing a helmet might be a misdemeanor
rather than a crime but the fact is that if you don''t pay these fines
then you can end up being jailed for not paying the fines for not
wearing a helmet. Shortening that last clause gives "getting jailed for
not wearing a helmet".

I seem to remember seeing on an Aussie website (cyclehelmets.org?) a
press clipping of a chap (a Kiwi in Perth) who was jailed by an over
enthusiastic cop. This is not an unusual occurrence I might add - for
some strange reason there seems to be a worldwide propensity for cops
to treat petty and inconsequential cycling infractions as being very
very serious.

Roger


--
RogerDodger