KEY POINTS:
Feeling the breeze blowing through your hair while riding a scooter around Rarotonga may soon cop you an instant $100 fine.
Helmets are to become compulsory for all motorcyclists on April 12, after an amendment to the Cook Islands' 40-year-old Transport Act, though footwear apparently remains optional for motorcycle and scooter riders.
People of all ages riding scooters, usually without helmets and sometimes barefooted, are a common sight on the 32km road that circles Rarotonga.
But while authorities attempt to address safety concerns, including reducing the open road speed limit from 60 to 50km/h, a last-ditch petition aims to prevent motorcycle helmets being made compulsory.
Petition organiser Nga Puna, a school teacher, argues that speed is a more crucial issue.
"If you fall off the bike at 10km/h, 20km/h, you scratch your nose or something like that," he told Radio New Zealand International this week.
"So I am saying we are actually avoiding the problem of speeding, we are not dealing with it.
"We are just saying it's safe to wear a helmet. Of course it is safe but let's stop the speeding first."
Cassey Eggelton, who chairs the Cook Islands Parliament's transport select committee, told Cook Islands News she believed most people would be wearing helmets on April 12, "H-Day".
But she did not rule out changing the helmet law as a result of the petition.
"There will always be a faction that disagrees. We can't satisfy everyone. The main issue is safety."
However, acting police commissioner Maara Tetava said on the government website that people have had enough time to prepare for the new law and police would not accept excuses.
"... anyone riding a motorcycle without a helmet will be fined $100 immediately. That also includes kids and others riding pillion."
- NZPA
