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Old 10-07-11, 09:20 AM
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sudo bike
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Originally Posted by buzzman
Thank you so much for the time you have taken to address my questions.

Here's what I'm getting:

*You are concerned that people will wear helmets and ride about not knowing that they will not protect them in certain catastrophic circumstances.
Most catastrophic circumstances, but yes.

*You believe bicycling is safe and that most of these people don't need to wear helmets, so they will, in all likelihood, never find themselves in these catastrophic circumstances in any case.
Generally, yes.

*Even though you don't think that putting on a helmet automatically makes someone an "idiot" or engage in unsafe cycling practices you fear that some people might. Yet you have no solid evidence that they do. You can provide no data clearly demonstrating that wearing a helmet and risky behavior are in any way related. You agree that since the 1970's accidental deaths while bicycling in the US have decreased so the introduction of bicycle helmets to the general public has not coincided with in any spike in the death rate.
Not that they will act like idiots, but that they will ride in a manner consistent with what they expect their protection will provide. Did you read my analogy? Do you get why this might be an issue with a more visible comparison like that? I'm really shocked that you don't place such importance on knowing such limitations, and seem to be OK with misinformation to the people who are making these risk assessments, to be honest.

*That the encouragement of helmets can result in people thinking that bicycling is unsafe and decide not to bicycle.
Actually, I haven't really advanced this position too much. I think it exists to an extent, but I'm not sure how much.

My point was more that if people feel a helmet is a requirement for cycling, some may choose to just forgo cycling due to the inconvenience. This is witnessed by decreases in cycling rates after mandatory laws are enacted.

*That telling bicyclists that the helmet they are wearing will probably do them no good in a catastrophic situation, that they will probably never encounter anyway, is important and will make them feel more safe and encourage bicycling.
No, it is important so they can make knowledgeable choices and don't overestimate what their helmet can do.

In the case of the video posted, for the sake of argument let's say they are performing these stunts knowing a helmet will save their life, but in fact they are incapable of doing so. Might this pervert their choice to do it or how they go about it? Do you think this same concept applies outside of stunts?

As you pointed out, look at how misinformation about effectiveness of anti-biotics has worked out: It's lead to people getting more sick, contributed to deaths, and lead to resistances. Knowledge is important.

I don't know. It seems like your fears are unfounded. And how do you intend to educate all these uninformed helmet wearers? Pass out flyers? Stop them on bike paths?
*shrug* We all do what we can. Others are more involved than I... I play the small part of educating those I know, which has been pretty successful. Some still wear them, some don't, but they all were surprised at the information, and it made everyone stop and think. That can't be a bad thing.

God forbid they should ride around on bicycles wearing a helmet their entire lives only to discover they never needed it- perhaps you will spare them from dying of embarrassment. Definitely a cause worth fighting for!
There's really no need to be patronizing... I've been nothing but civil .

I think snapping people out of a delusion that a helmet will save their life is a good thing; possibly life-saving. And maybe encouraging more people to bike because they realize that cycling isn't dangerous and that they don't really need to burden themselves with the inconvenience of a helmet if they so choose. That, to me, is an important piece of advocacy that I'll continue with, whether or not you see it as important. I do, and I've seen the fruits of that, so I'm happy.

Last edited by sudo bike; 10-07-11 at 09:32 AM.
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