Australian Court Says Wearing Kippah Does Not Excuse Absence of Bike Helmet

In Thomas v. Kent, (WASC, Feb. 4, 2014), the Supreme Court of Western Australia upheld the conviction of Simon Thomas for riding a bicycle without wearing a protective helmet. Thomas claimed that he was not wearing his helmet because he was wearing a kippah (a Jewish skullcap). Thomas said that he wears a kippah on three occasions each year, one of which is his birthday. But the court said that there had been no evidence introduced as to the religious reason for not placing a helmet over the skullcap, nor was there evidence that wearing a kippah made wearing a helmet impractical. News.com.au reports on the decision.