is there any law to make cycilists wear a helmet or anything?? its starting to annoy me the amount of bikes on the road, pushbikes, with cyclists with no helmet or protective gear on. if the worst happened and i as a driver hit someone, they increase their chance of injury not wearing helmets. i went past a lad today cycling on the road quite slowly, no coat, no protective gear and his headphones in!!
There are no general laws requiring cyclists to wear protective clothing. The only relevant legislation I can think of is the Health & Safety Act. That would require anyone who was cycling in the course of their employment (e.g a cycle courier, a newspaper deliver or a traditional "grocer's boy") to take steps to ensure their personal safety. (It's a criminal offence to endanger anyone's safety while at work, even your own).
Did you wear a helmet when you were younger? It is still a free country and you don't need to wear a helmet. They can be annoying when you are trying to get past them but for now they are free from such nanny state rules and regulations.
When I was in holland, I was amazed at the various pedal contraptions you saw, and at the number of bikes left at the station. Funny thing is, I seem to recall a lot of bikes without obvious brakes.
Anyway, I work for Royal Mail, and you are not (technically) allowed to use a bike unless wearing a helmet