Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Your wrapping technique could still result in the strap falling off enough to get caught in the spokes.
It doesn't. The strap rattles off the top of the spokes but it's not long enough to get caught. I've experienced it many times. In other words, I'm not very careful. The thing is if a strap gets caught in the wheel, it's my fault. You can be careful with a bungee cord and the hooks can still slip off, or deform and get caught in the spokes. Bungees aren't ajustable (well, except the one posted by Robow). They are PITA to use. I can "unstrap" the stuff on the rack easily. With a bungee, you need to unhook it at the bottom of the rack, or slip the stuff off the rack, leaving a loose bungee cord.
It's easy to release tension on a strap by lifting the buckle. You do it when you want to adjust the length of the strap.
Not sure how that makes them dangerous.
dwmckee's example would have ended with him launched over the bars if it were a strap caught in the spokes. He could do the same with a bungee but it takes a bit more time.
That's pure speculation. And and much more time? Half a second? One second?
There's a reason that you can go bungee jumping but not 'strap' jumping.
I'm not bungee jumping, I'm straping a load on a bicycle rack. Truck drivers don't bungee stuff on flatbeds. They use straps.