Evan, agreed that we cyclists are seen as a sub-culture. When I mentioned 'serious cyclists', I was actually thinking about my two neighbours who commute downtown pretty much daily - both of them helmeted. In fact, if you were to stand by the Mackenzie 'entrance' to the Galloping Goose on any given morning, I'd be willing to bet that the majority of commuters were helmeted.
The percentage of people that wear helmets now has nothing to do with anything, really. These are people that are 'serious' cyclists that will cycle (with helmets) regardless of legislation. Good for them. If they wish, they can continue to wear helmets.
However, in order for it to not be a subculture, we need more than 30-50 year old men cycling to work. We need the entire population: males
and females; young
and old. Everyone. This will
never happen with enforced helmets.
In one of the other threads you posted a pic of dozens of Euros cycling to work - all of them helmetless. The interesting thing there is the fact that they are all on a designated bike path (painted blue?) I would suspect that they don't perceive themselves as being at much risk of a serious crash involving a car because of safety in numbers and the fact that there is an accepted cycle culture there. In Victoria, not so much. And there, I feel, is the flaw in your arguments in your post.
Some bicycle-friendly cities, like Copenhagen, are rich with bicycle infrastructure. Others are not as much. However, in each case, cycling is an accepted part of the culture, yes.
Was it always that way?
No.
Copenhagen had horrible traffic problems, just like every other city, post-WWII. However, starting in the 60s, the city began making it incrementally more difficult for drivers (infrastructure, policy) and incrementally more convenient for cyclists (infrastructure, policy) and pedestrians. Ta da! Bicycle culture. There's nothing inherent in European culture that created this.
Many of your graphics and statistics are taken from places where cycling is an accepted part of the culture.... Start using North American #'s and I'd bet that things change.
BCs cycle participation dropped by 25% post-legislation. Many of the stats are taken from Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK, all of which have similar cycle lack-of-cultures as Canada. There's no flaw, here. None of my points will change.
Cars, in fact, don't share the road with bikes - the bikes have their own lane. Here we have to actually share the lane - much more risky, IMHO.
On those main commuter streets, such as on Norrebrogage in Copenhagen, there are excellent bicycle infrastructure, including physically-separated lanes. True.
Were those bike lanes always there? No.
We have an ever-increasing bicycle network in Victoria. I want more. Policy and infrastructure should go hand-in-hand. For example, I am pushing for Shelbourne to become a major bicycle route via physically-separated lanes.
There is a whole lot of road-sharing with cars in those countries. However, policy and numbers make the difference. Removing helmet laws helps supply the numbers. Policy needs to come, as well.
In Germany, Copenhagen, the Netherlands, etc., there is a hierarchy that places most (if not all) of the blame for traffic conflicts on the mode lower down the hierarchy.
Pedestrians > Cyclists > motorcycles/scooters > cars > trucks
So, a cyclist would be responsible in a collision with a pedestrian. A driver would be responsible in a collision with a cyclist. Makes sense.
Makes a heck of a lot more sense than strapping a couple inches of foam on your head and putting your safety out of other people's hands.
p.s., Wearing a helmet may cause drivers to be less careful around you and cause you to be less safe on the road. Food for thought.