News of another silly nanny state law: California children who use skateboards, skates, or scooters would be required to wear helmets under a new law that the gov. is expected to sign. California already requires helmets for bicycle riders under 18.

I am convinced that these laws do a lot more harm than good. They are not grounded in any reasonable safety analysis. The proponents are either do-gooders who think that they can run other peoples lives better than they can run their own, or they just want to hassle kids who are having fun. Yes, my kid roller skates without a helmet, and it is a good safe healthy form of exercise.