Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

I think the reporting is sufficiently vague in both cases that it's impossible to judge responsibility and I don't think the police statements are assigning or implying blame either. Wearing a helmet is always good advice.

No, it certainly isn't "always" good advice (in the Netherlands, its statistically bad advice, but really, it's wasteful advice).

But even here, you might think, "wear a helmet" is good advice.  It is probably (although not unquestionably) good advice for cyclists -- even though it in no way prevents collisions.  It is a terrible statement to make to drivers (the majority of people reading that article).  What it says to them is "cyclists should wear helmets, you have no responsibility for their safety".