>In a free society, people must be allowed to make bad decisions.
>
>Sure... though if the costs of bad decisions are shared by other citizens/taxpayers/insurance premium payers, perhaps those others can be excused for thinking they have some say in the matter too. ;-) According to latest US stats:
>
>- Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year in the US.
>
>- Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year in the US.
>

Estimated by who? The insurance industry, I bet.

>Apparently 80 kids per year die in cycling accidents in the US. 2/3 of cycling deaths are as a result of head injury.
>

So we're talking about 55 kids or so. I am not saying "no big deal" but it does seem to confirm what I said about the unlikelihood of it happening. How many American kids ride bicycles? Tens of millions, without a doubt. You may as well take precautionary measures against being hit by lightning.

>Of course I respect your position and the time-proven principles underlying it. I don't like "big brother" behaviors either but in this case I believe it is a small sacrifice that serves a greater social good. I have seen more than one young life ended or changed irreparably when (for example) a cyclist was nudged by a car and ended up head-first in a culvert, so that probably colors my perspective.