Originally Posted by
Andrew R Stewart
Kevin- I take it you didn't live through the 1970s when the US bike market was required to meet government regs for the first big time. All sorts of standards of strength, dimension and visibility were enacted. We saw major changes to wheel attachment (no more wing nuts), passive safety (reflector presence at first then their reflectivity and pattern next), frame/fork load capacity, brake system ability (skid rear tire on dry pavement), instructional info (owner's manuals with various function guides) and a lot more. Years later this gov. effort continues with the CPSC now running the show.
Andrew, I did "live" through that period, but I wasn't "bicycle aware"; I was pre-adolescent! I rode my Western Flyer into the ground, then graduated to a 3-speed IGH Raleigh that I never liked, but would love to have, now. I remember some bikes had reflectors, but some didn't, and every bike had to go over the plywood ramp. I never thought about bicycle safety, beyond avoiding cars. I rode a neighbor's Free Spirit (barefoot, with those spikey steel pedals), all summer long, and never shifted gears, not even once.
Originally Posted by
Andrew R Stewart
Actually these days the Euro market regs are the front runners of control and spec IIRC. My coworker spent 6 years in England as a pro wrench and tells of mechanics having to meet certifications to achieve insurance and business requirements.
Lastly there's all the rider focused regs, like helmet laws for kids and following each state's bike riding laws (which are different in some cases from auto driving laws).
So from my experience we already have well regulated manufacturing, markets and activity. Andy.
Still, given stories like the subject of this conversation, I remain surprised that we don't suffer even more.
Looking back at things like seat belts, and car seats for babies, and looking forward to things like proposals for "smart g*ns", it seems that bicycles have avoided some of the more serious regulations that some consumer products have endured, especially those that are marketed towards children, even if that's not exclusive.
I'm not proposing more regulation, of course. I'm just surprised that it hasn't already been much worse. I still see "skate parks" as the most dangerous areas on the planet, and not an adult in sight when the kids are out there risking life and limb for a sensation. Freedom is cool.