Quote Originally Posted by Melalvai View Post
Are these cross-country riders going to stop and buy a mirror just to get across St. Charles County when no other county or state they've passed through has required it?
There was a jurisdiction that was the first one to enact a helmet law, too. I don't know what city or state it might have been, but someone had to be the first. Some people obviously will buy a piece of equipment just to get across a particular state or city, and so they buy something flimsy and cheap that doesn't really do its job well. Most sensible people already own that piece of equipment. I'd be very surprised if a large percentage of cross-country riders DON'T use mirrors (or helmets) already.

I have a lot of problems with the proposal, don't get me wrong. But I think any time riders make specious arguments against using safety equipment, it diminishes our credibility. Honestly, I believe that some groups' vocal opposition to helmet laws is one of the main reasons that motorcyclists don't have more credibility. I hope bicyclists don't go the same way.