The man appointed by the government as chair of the National Cycling Strategy Board, Steven Norris, has put his foot in it good and proper by saying that he doesn’t see any need for adults to wear helmets and the idea that they should is “potty”.

The BBC reports that at a function in York Norris said “I never wear a helmet for the same reason I never wear lycra….I think the idea that you have got to dress up like a bloody spaceman in order to ride a bike is just completely potty.”

He went on to say that helmets were for children, who didn’t know what they were doing. “I am big enough and ugly enough to know what I am doing and I am not going to treat myself as some kind of martian in order to do something which I have got every right to do.”

At least partly right then.

Cycling authorities and organisations have spent years promoting the use of helmets for all cyclists, as they help reduce the risk of head injuries in the event of an accident, not because they want everyone to look like a bunch of monkeys. While there’s still plenty to debate about whether helmets should be made compulsory, Norris’s comments seem pretty irresponsible for someone in his position.

Thanks to James for the tip off.