It’s not unusual to see footage of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani cycling around the mean streets of the Big Apple, decked out in his dapper suit and tie, while wearing his trademark winning smile, but one thing has been notably missing: a bike helmet.
And, as you can imagine, critics have been quick to take to social media to point out that the 34-year-old politician – a renowned master communicator and pin-up member of the influencer generation – is setting a very bad example by riding around without proper head protection.
“Where is your helmet Mr Mayor?” yells a typical commentator.
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Just like in the UK, in New York it’s not a legal requirement for recreational or commuting cyclists to wear a helmet – unless they’re under the age of 14 or working as a delivery rider – but instead of ignoring the criticism or going on the defensive, Mamdani has listened to it, taken the advice on board, and very publicly purchased himself a lid.
In a video posted on Instagram, he responds to the chastising comments by saying: “You’re right. I’ve got to do better.” He is then shown unboxing a brand new bike helmet, putting it on his head and saying: “Safety first, New York. See you out there”
So rare is it for a politician to be seen to admit their mistakes, that the post has gone viral and has likely done more to encourage helmet wearing than any public safety campaign could possibly have hoped to have done.
In cycling circles, both in Britain and the United States, the helmet debate rages on. Those in favour point to evidence demonstrating that head protection drastically reduces the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a crash or a collision with a car. On the otherhand, people who are against making helmets mandatory – incuding Chris Boardman – say such laws discourage cycling (especially when it comes to city bike-share programs) and argue that helmets can dehumanise cyclists and even make drivers behave less cautiously.
Our resident riding guru Dr Hutch takes a liberal approach to the issue, but with reasonably decent helmets being available at an affordable price, it makes sense to protect your head as much as possible.
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