More stupid regulation

[Richards 0]

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=f58b2418-af50-48f7-b288-f0b0a6c3bce4

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Call for mandatory toboggan helmets
Deaths of two children spur safety concerns
Ashley Tonkens, National Post
Published: Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Two city councillors from suburban Toronto say it may be time to make helmets mandatory for tobogganers, after the winter activity resulted in the deaths of two Canadian children this month.

"I would support any helmets, any type of safety equipment that could be put on. I think that it's something we need to look into and legislate," said Sandra Yeung Racco, a city councillor in Vaughan.

"You may see in the next little while I may just bring it to the table."


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Font: ****Tobogganing accidents have killed at least seven people in Canada since 2003, including two this month. On Sunday, an eight-year-old Quebec girl died when her sled hit a tree in St-Michel-Des-Saints, north of Montreal. On Jan. 7, a 12-year-old boy from Gilbert Plains, Man., was killed after hitting his head on a patch of ice while tobogganing with his older brother.

No laws in Canada regulate toboggan safety.

"If it's going to save a child from permanent injury or death,'' Councillor Mario Ferri of York Region said of mandatory helmets, "it would make sense to me that there should be some provisions for that."

Tobogganing caused 502 head injuries in Ontario between 2004 and 2005, according to the Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre.

Between 2004 and 2005, there were 1,731 visits to Ontario emergency rooms for tobogganing injuries, and 108 of those visits resulted in hospitalizations.

''A significant number of those injuries are head injuries that could be lessened or perhaps entirely prevented by helmet use," said Dr. Patrick Mc Donald, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Winnipeg Children's Hospital. ''What little studies there are out there suggest that helmet use is only about 3% in people who toboggan.''

Toronto physicians Jackie and Aman Coonar said they make their children wear helmets any time they toboggan. They had never gone sledding before they recently moved to Canada from England.

"We're both doctors, and I guess we're kind of aware of the potential dangers of head injury and neck injury," she said. "The speeds are so fast with the children that I'm sure serious head injuries can occur."

In 2005, three people died while sledding: an 18-year-old man in Kingston and a 12-yearold Gatineau, Que., boy died in collisions with trees, while a seven- year-old Regina boy died after he was struck by a car.

In 2003, a nine-year-old girl in Montreal and a 10-year-old boy in St. John's were killed after being struck by cars while tobogganing.

The most recent tobogganing death in Toronto occurred in 1992, when an 11-year-old boy was thrown from his toboggan.

"People haven't really taken sledding and tobogganing as a real sport because it's really a leisure thing ... we just haven't put enough importance in that activity," Ms. Yeung Racco said.

Many municipalities have started installing barriers of hay on trees and other obstacles on popular hills, but say helmet legislation would be too difficult to enforce.

"Wherever there's a hill, there's somebody with a toboggan going down," said Tony Rossi, manager of risk management for Mississauga.

Call for mandatory toboggan helmets
Deaths of two children spur safety concerns
Ashley Tonkens, National Post
Published: Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Toronto Councillor Paula Fletcher, who chairs the city's Parks Committee, said: "I think it would be impossible to regulate. The sled police would have a very hard time.''

Ms. Fletcher said skateboarding and skiing are even more dangerous because people perform tricks and jumps, but there is no helmet legislation for either of those sports.

''We could look at skiing and the injuries that came in that way, where you are going very, very fast. I guess next would be, 'Should you be wearing a helmet when you're skiing?' and I think that people who ski would have strong opinions about that."


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Font: ****But Dr. Coonar said that tobogganing can be just as dangerous.

"It's recommended that you have helmets for cycling and for skiing and snowboarding, and I think the speeds with tobogganing can be as fast," she said.

"I think it's important to be aware of the fact that it's actually a potentially dangerous sport."

Mr. Ferri said legislation would be useful -- he suggested the province should look at it --even if it could not be properly enforced. "Our objective is to make safety a priority in everything we do," he said. "Even if not everybody abides by the law, even if 20% or 30% do, then you reduce the risk by that much."

Dr. McDonald said many parents concerned with helmet safety wonder what type of helmet is best suited for tobogganing. He recommended skiing or snowboarding helmets, because they are designed to withstand more than one impact.




© National Post 2007
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Unbeleivable that our great minds in government who soak up our tax dollars cannot come up with better initiatives than simply adding more layers of regulation to our lives. What next? Having to pay for a tobboganning safety course so you can get a tobbogan liscence? Tobaggan insurance? Hell why don't we just ban it and allow kids to have one more reason to sit inside, play nintendo and get obese.

Newsflash. There are inherent risks to growing up. You can fall out of a tree, you can get hit in the chest with a hockey puck and have a heart attack, you can die from an allergic reaction to a bee sting. You cannot regulate away random chance. Why people want to bring children up in a bubble is beyond me. We will produce a generation of people who are terrified to go outside.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

[mnealtx 0]

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Why people want to bring children up in a bubble is beyond me. We will produce a generation of people who are terrified to go outside.

Too late.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[rehmwa 2]

What gets me is that, if the councillors think it's a real problem, then they automatically want to make a law and force their viewpoint.

What about starting with an information campaign and letting the parents decide about things?

like -

helmuts
not allowing the kids to sled in traffic
warning the kids about being careful in the trees



The knee jerk reaction is to legislate before even trying to inform.

And what's with the kids? Are things so bubblewrapped nowadays that they have learned ZERO survival instincts anymore. Do they just overload and not watch where they go anymore?

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Richards 0]

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***Why people want to bring children up in a bubble is beyond me. We will produce a generation of people who are terrified to go outside.

Too late.

Sad but true. My freind was always watching his son in his fenced in backyard to make sure that he was properly hydrated (it seems to me that when I was a kid no-one had to let me know if I was thirsty), and he didn't want him playing to hard because it was hot out and he did not want to risk heat exhaustion, and he wanted him to stay in because he was worried about west nile virus. HOLY CRAP.

I know this is going to sound odd but I think one of the saddest things is that you never see a kid with a cast on his/her arm anymore. It is impossible for kids to be regularly active without someone eventually getting a broken wrist or arm, so this just reinforces the argument that they are not out being kids (playing tag, riding bikes, climbing trees, playing baseball...etc) like they should, and are instead getting fat in front of the nintendo.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

[Butters 0]

If they are going to make it mandatory to wear helmets, are they also going to supply helmets (at least to those that can not afford to buy a helmet)?

Shouldn't they make it mandatory to wear helmets all the time for everyone to protect against head injuries? Can you imagine ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[rehmwa 2]

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If they are going to make it mandatory to wear helmets, are they also going to supply helmets (at least to those that can not afford to buy a helmet)?

The UN is already on it with a proposal that the US build and provide approx 6.5Billion helmuts and also the distribution and maintenance and legal coverage for whenever anybody accidently eats one. This is under the understanding that the US (or at least the rich and the republican citizens) are responsible for all head injuries in the world since 1842.

It is expected to pass with a vote of 216 to 2 and include an amendment that the US also pre-emptively apologize. Not for anything in particular, just on general purposes.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Richards 0]

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What gets me is that, if the councillors think it's a real problem, then they automatically want to make a law and force their viewpoint.

What about starting with an information campaign and letting the parents decide about things?

You mean..actually......letting people make decisions for themselves? In todays state regulated society such radical ideas are almost unheard of.

But you are right though. We need to get away from letting the powers that be think for us, and yes kids need to develop a sense of awareness. What I hate about this, is that as with most regulation, it will create an industry that just soaks hard earned dollars from people. It is getting expensive to pursue what should be simple pursuits. Up here they were actually looking at mandatory liscensing for canoes which would require people to take canoe safety courses at huge cost so they can go out on a lake.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

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[rehmwa 2]

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mandatory liscensing for canoes which would require people to take canoe safety courses at huge cost so they can go out on a lake.

wouldn't it just be easier to slap a disclaimer on the canoe - "Do not take internally, do not put canoe in your eye, canoe cannot be used as a parachute, do not handle canoe with straw hooks, do not operate heavy machinery while under canoe, aim canoe away from face and genitals when lighting, canoe should not be used as a flotation device"

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Richards 0]

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If they are going to make it mandatory to wear helmets, are they also going to supply helmets (at least to those that can not afford to buy a helmet)?

Kids born in poor neighborhoods will simply have to find other ways to occupy thier time, like stealing , selling drugs, running with gangs...etc, since we clearly cannot risk the possible consequences of them going on a tobagan without a helmet.

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Shouldn't they make it mandatory to wear helmets all the time for everyone to protect against head injuries? Can you imagine ...

SSSHHHTT!!! WTF are you doing? Don't give them ideas!

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

[Richards 0]

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wouldn't it just be easier to slap a disclaimer on the canoe - "Do not take internally, do not put canoe in your eye, canoe cannot be used as a parachute, do not handle canoe with straw hooks, do not operate heavy machinery while under canoe, aim canoe away from face and genitals when lighting, canoe should not be used as a flotation device"

[Andy9o8 2]

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approx 6.5 Billion helmuts

Even had Germany won World War 2, I doubt the result would be 6.5 billion Helmuts.

[rehmwa 2]

just for that, I'm not editing my misspelling. it's better this way

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kallend 2,150]

Tobogganing? Poor substitute for playing Winter Games on the computer.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Butters 0]

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Tobogganing? Poor substitute for playing Winter Games on the computer.

Even video games are no longer safe ... people are getting hurt playing the Nintendo Wii!

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[akarunway 1]

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Tobogganing? Poor substitute for playing Winter Games on the computer.

Yeah. In Nebraska you may as well stay indoors. I thought public property was liked PUBLIC property> Lawsuit fears close two Omaha sled slopes

Omaha is banning sledding at the Zorinsky and Cunningham Lake dams, which are both popular sledding spots. It is also banning ice skating and ice fishing on frozen ponds and lagoons in city parks. The move is in response to a court decision that resulted in public entities being liable for injuries that occur at public parks and other recreation facilities.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Richards 0]

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Tobogganing? Poor substitute for playing Winter Games on the computer.

[ExAFO 0]

My concern is when they demand registration of housecats. When housecats are outlawed, only criminals will have housecats.

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[Richards 0]

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My concern is when they demand registration of housecats. When housecats are outlawed, only criminals will have housecats.

Housecats don't kill people...bitchy cat owners kill people.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

[Richards 0]

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Yeah. In Nebraska you may as well stay indoors. I thought public property was liked PUBLIC property> Lawsuit fears close two Omaha sled slopes

Omaha is banning sledding at the Zorinsky and Cunningham Lake dams, which are both popular sledding spots. It is also banning ice skating and ice fishing on frozen ponds and lagoons in city parks. The move is in response to a court decision that resulted in public entities being liable for injuries that occur at public parks and other recreation facilities.

[kelpdiver 2]

The reason we didn't wear helmets as kids is that they pretty much weren't available.

We got kids wearing them snowboarding now, and certainly it should be encourageed for this.

[piisfish 140]

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Even video games are no longer safe ... people are getting hurt playing the Nintendo Wii!

kids were turning epileptic playing videogames long before they could be hurt by their Wii

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Richards 0]

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The reason we didn't wear helmets as kids is that they pretty much weren't available.

We got kids wearing them snowboarding now, and certainly it should be encourageed for this.

I'm not sure toboganing will be as risky as snowboarding in most cases, but again that is just opinion. The issue of concern for me is that they want to make it mandatory. More families today are living close to the poverty line so adding the expense of a required helmet just makes the activity less attainable for some kids. If they wish to strongly recomend it then fine but don't make it a requirement. We do not need additional regulation.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.