August 20, 2011 in City

Spokane County may require helmets

Public hearing scheduled on wide-reaching proposal

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Spokane County commissioners will take testimony Tuesday on a proposal to require helmet use on just about anything that has wheels and isn’t a car.

The proposed ordinance would apply to bicycles with or without electric motors, even if their wheels are only 11 inches in diameter, and to tricycles with a 20-inch or larger wheel.

It also would apply to motorized foot scooters and skateboards, but not motorized wheelchairs and similar “medically related” devices.

Nonmotorized scooters, roller skates, in-line skates, skate shoes and skateboards also would require helmet use in “public areas” of the unincorporated county.

Further, any passengers – including those being towed – must wear an approved helmet. Chin straps must be “fastened securely.”

The ordinance defines public areas as any right of way – including roads, sidewalks or bicycle paths – or any county-owned and -operated property, such as parks.

An approved helmet is one that meets standards set by one of four organizations: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American National Standards Institute, the Snell Foundation or the American Society for Testing and Materials.

Parents and guardians would be responsible for requiring children younger than 16 to wear helmets, but not necessarily for violations outside their view. It would be an “affirmative defense” if guardians required helmet use while children are in their presence.

Each child without a helmet is a potential fine for a parent. There’s no quantity discount if siblings all doff their helmets.

Thus, a brood of three scofflaws could rack up six penalties – three for themselves and three for the parent who didn’t make them wear their helmets. That’s a $312 smack in the wallet.

Each violation would be a Class 4 civil infraction, punishable by $52 in fines and fees. However, the proposed ordinance authorizes courts to let violators off with a warning if they get a helmet or take a helmet-safety class and have had no previous violation within a year.

Aside from riders and guardians, the ordinance would apply to race organizers and businesses that rent bicycles or other wheel-sport gear. Race organizers would have to require helmet use, and rental businesses would have to make sure customers have approved helmets and know the law.

Businesses that sell helmets for use in the unincorporated county could sell only approved models, but yard- and rummage-sale vendors would be excused.

In announcing Tuesday’s public hearing, county commissioners reserved the right to limit the ordinance to children ages 5 through 15 and to eliminate the penalty section without another hearing.

The hearing will be at 5:30 p.m. in the basement of the Public Works Building, 1026 W. Broadway Ave., next to the courthouse.

Nine comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  lewis8457 on August 20 at 12:07 a.m.

  might save a few lives from baton wielding police men,

• 

  CalleAnne on August 20 at 12:47 a.m.

  If this happens I just won’t ride my bike anymore. All these restrictions make me want to pollute the Earth with my car instead of wearing a helmet. Then again, if officers enforce this law as well as they enforce the “no cell phone” while driving law, or even the helmet law in the city, I have nothing to worry about!

• 

  D Statler on August 20 at 8:35 a.m.

  Sounds like the helmet manufacturers are buisy again. Time to let people live the way they want.Helmets should be a personal choice. If you are dumb enough to do stupid things without one.You already have loose marbles. The helmets won’t fix stupid! What kind of kick backs are they offering for these new regulations anyway?

• 

  biker on August 20 at 8:36 a.m.

  Helmet safety course? What official’s brother-in-law started that business to benefit from this silly law. That’s not to say I don’t support the bicycle helmet restrictions. If one rides on the roadway, a helmet should be required, just like a motorcyclist.

• 

  Marcus on August 20 at 9:38 a.m.

  I’m sensing a little “thoughtcrime” in these comments.

• 

  DickAdams on August 20 at 10:20 a.m.

  Seems to me something not talked about re bikes, is if bicycles using the public roads the county and city should require these persons to pass a test about the rules of the road. My observation is many bike riders know nothing like is needed to drive a automobile where drivers need to be tested to drive a car. It might be time to license bicyclists and there bicycles.

• 

  Thoreau on August 20 at 10:32 a.m.

  I’m not wearing a damn helmet if I don’t want to.
  Catch me if you can.

• 

  lewis8457 on August 20 at 12:23 p.m.

  thoreau my thoughts exactly,

  why do so many people ride on main roads i buzz down side streets with no traffic no lights just gotta watch out on the intersections.

  dick i am with you so many riders think they own the road gives everyone else a bad rep.

• 

  Marcus on August 23 at 7:41 p.m.

  @DickAdams & @lewis8457

  that’s fine but i kinda think that many drivers need to go back to driving school and learn that a bicycle on the road is the same as a car. They muse adhere to all laws that cars do and have the same rights as any car on the road.

  Also there are many places in Spokane that you have to ride on the road such as down town.

  I don’t Ride much any more but i have gotten a ticket on a bicycle before.