> The reduction in the number of cyclists is very easy to see as making things less safe for the remaining cyclists.
Perhaps that should be the headline then. "Mandatory Helmet Laws Make Cyclists Less Safe" implies that going helmet-free is safer than wearing a helmet. I get that there's a logical thread the writer is following re: fewer cyclists create a more dangerous environment -- we could also follow that logic when talking about rising bike prices or any number of things removed from the actual noggin-protecting benefits of helmets. Not sure I'd go so far as to call the headline "clickbait," but a more precise headline would've more accurately described the actual story (which was interesting to me, and I learned something).
No, it does not imply that. You may infer that, but you do so incorrectly. The sentence is clear, and is referring to "laws", not the usage you claim to be implied.
You are right: The headline "Mandatory Helmet Laws Make Cyclists Less Safe" is accurate in that the article you're about to read is about the _laws_, not the helmets. I stand corrected!
Perhaps that should be the headline then. "Mandatory Helmet Laws Make Cyclists Less Safe" implies that going helmet-free is safer than wearing a helmet. I get that there's a logical thread the writer is following re: fewer cyclists create a more dangerous environment -- we could also follow that logic when talking about rising bike prices or any number of things removed from the actual noggin-protecting benefits of helmets. Not sure I'd go so far as to call the headline "clickbait," but a more precise headline would've more accurately described the actual story (which was interesting to me, and I learned something).