Campaign for Bicycle helmets : Ministry of transport reaps ridicule and sexism-accusations

helmets save lives – with Models in underwear? A has reached the Minister of transport, Andreas Scheuer (CSU) with a new campaign: attention. Already the title of some confused: "Looks like shit. But saves my life" – in German: "Looks like shit, but saves lives." To see models wearing easily wearing a Bicycle helmet are on posters and in Videos photo. Scheuer has started up the PR machine.

especially young people should be encouraged to wear a Bicycle helmet, so that Cycling becomes safer, as the Ministry announced on Friday. A face of the campaign: "Germany's Next Topmodel"candidate Alicija.

the Ministry via Twitter a Video, the Minister, with loose sayings quote. "More than half of the young cyclists say of yourself that you never wear or rarely a helmet. And why not? Because it doesn't look supposedly cool.“ And further: "The spell is not equivalent to maybe the whole of the customary authorities in English. He brings the message, but to the point: helmets save lives!“

Representative observations of the traffic in the past year had shown that, of the Cyclists between 17 and 30 years, only 8 percent of a helmet would be worn. This was the lowest rate of all observed age groups, occupied Figures of the Federal Institute for highway engineering.

A helmet was deemed "impractical, uncomfortable and unaesthetic," said the Ministry and wants to change the Image. A "star photographer" I shot the photos – after all, the Models are dressed still, in the case of "Germany's Next top model" had only recently given a "Nude shoot".

"It's about attention," says Scheuer, according to the message of his Ministry. And the President of the German traffic safety Council, Walter oak village, explains: "There is nothing more important than to protect the health and life."

Because the topic is serious: In the past year on German roads after two years of decline, the number of people in accidents – the increase is primarily due to an increase in killed cyclists and motorcyclists.

sexism-accusations: "What is this, @BMVI?"

In the network Scheuers campaign sparked on Friday to have any amount of ironic comments – in addition to understanding, there was also a lot of criticism. A user wrote on Twitter: "The Bicycle helmet campaign by the Ministry of transport, is the right one. But women in lingerie, on a wheel? I Find very controversial & has what of the calendar, in workshops....“

Others called on the Ministry to take care of more safety on the roads, "to start instead of embarrassing #helmet propaganda and #victim blaming campaigns!", to give the Victims the blame for accidents. Also of sexism. On the photos of the action, which will be shown on the page runtervomgas.de that are easy to see clothed young people, primarily young women.

But also a man helmet, and presented his bare washboard abs. A woman lolling on a sofa edge, and a Couple lies on a bed with a helmet on the head. Comment of a user on Twitter: "I've kept only for Satire, but now I'm pretty stunned! What is this, @BMVI?“

And Marion Jungbluth, transport expert at the consumer's tweeted Central Association: "I go get a helmet, if @Andi-averse to a raise in the Unterbuxe map."

road traffic safety, Not all experts are of Bicycle helmets

convinced by the coalition partner, the SPD had to listen to it Scheuers Ministry of criticism. Although the campaign speak to the right subject, said SPD parliamentary group Deputy Katja Mast of the "Passauer Neue Presse". However, the implementation with the helmet is wearing Models in underwear "embarrassing, old-fashioned and sexist," she continued. "Half-naked women and men should not be with taxpayers' money on posters will get banned." (dpa, AFP)