twiggy_D

Would that be a uni-hock stick I see? I can't tell but...
Either way, cute girl on bike = <3


I wish there were more cute girls on bikes around here, no scratch that, I wish there were more queer girls on bikes around here. unrequited love/lust being so last century

closetbiker

My paper printed my helmet column today.

I had a bit of a time trying to figure what in what best way to present this to the general public who most likely believe that a helmet will save their life in a collision with a motor vehicle.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of feedback I get from this.

https://tiny.cc/veAr2

Bicycle helmets are no match for deadly crashes

Brad Kilburn, Special to the Richmond News

Published: Friday, July 18, 2008

The warm summer weather and rising gas prices have encouraged more people to get out and ride their bicycles. And with that, the Vancouver Police Department announced a crackdown on cyclists riding without helmets.

Presumably, the police want to make things safer for cyclists, but will this tactic actually work?
A study published in the British Medical Journal found, "The likelihood that a given person walking or bicycling will be struck by a motorist varies inversely with the amount of walking or bicycling. This pattern is consistent across communities of varying size, from specific intersections to cities and countries, and across time periods."

f people stop riding bicycles because they may be ticketed, the VPD could very well fall short of its presumed intent.

So, just how risky is riding a bicycle anyway? I've previously shown how the health benefits of riding a bicycle far exceed the risks, and I've yet to actually see any data that shows a cyclist being at greater risk of head injury than any other individual.

In spite of this, B.C. passed an all-ages mandatory bicycle helmet law in 1996, four years after Australia passed their all-ages mandatory bicycle helmet law, and before studies could be analyzed to see how effective that law actually was.

Shortly after our law was enacted, Dr. Dorothy Robinson, senior statistician of the University of New England, Australia, published her research in the British Medical Journal on the effects of Australia's helmet law. The research showed there was no statistically significant decline in head injuries, and a significant drop in ridership levels.

Dr. Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist from the University of Bath, published research showing motorists pass cyclists wearing helmets significantly closer than cyclists not wearing helmets and the New York Times reported that along with the rise of helmet use in America, there was a larger rise of head injuries to cyclists.

One explanation for this is something called "risk compensation"; a behavior explained in a study by Indiana's Perdue University. Cyclists and motorists believe the cyclist is safer when wearing a helmet and therefore take unnecessary behavioral risks instead of achieving safety through careful driving or riding practices.

Since the introduction of our helmet law, the number of deaths to cyclists in B.C. hasn't changed significantly because in virtually every case of brain injury or death to a cyclist, a collision with a motor vehicle was responsible. And a bicycle helmet is simply no match for such collisions.

A bike helmet is designed to absorb a maximum impact of only 20 km/h, and researchers from the Imperial College of London found when a cyclist is knocked off a bicycle by a motor vehicle, this frequently results in the head being spun and subjected to torsional (twisting) effects. A helmet does nothing to prevent this injury caused by rotation of the brain (an effect similar to Shaken Baby Syndrome.) The New Zealand Medical Journal has also published research showing that in most cycling deaths that involved brain injuries, there were other significant internal injuries that contributed to death as well, which is certainly something no helmet can prevent.

The VPD needs to look beyond the bicycle helmet if it is serious about keeping cyclists safe. Wearing a helmet should be a means to an end, rather than an end unto itself. In order to reduce brain injury and death to cyclists, the most effective method would be to reduce collisions with motor vehicles. Turning a blind eye to irresponsible road use while ticketing bareheaded riders who ride responsibly, is counter-productive to road safety for everyone.

Send questions and comments to Brad Kilburn at thespokesman@rocketmail.com..

Six jours

Good job. I suspect many replies will be of Zeuser quality: "You're a moron, grow up, just buy a helmet and wear it".

But perhaps it will get at least a few people thinking.

John C. Ratliff

Agreed about the helmet, and my wife wants me to keep my mouth shut while commuting concerning car behavior too (we've had a couple of highly publicized incidents here recently). But there can be romance on a bicycle. (See the photos enclosed from Philadelphia in 2007.)

trombone

Heh heh. Can't help feeling that if that couple were wearing helmets, they would find it harder to kiss each other as the helmets would bump together!

John C. Ratliff

Agreed
But then again, the same could be said for hats and recumbant bicycles too.

I am glad that I had my camera, and was able to catch it. Moments like that do not come by too often.

Enjoy,

John

juggleaddict

aww. . . if i get a girlfriend. . . and she has a bike. . . i'm not wearing my helmet anymore >: ( so there. . . . (sarcasm intended)

bbyparit

My boyfriend and I have spent more time together with helmets on than without. We met on a 500 mile road bike ride last year, had steady contact at bike events through this past year, then met up again for the same 500 mile bike ride this year, after which we started dating full time and are now moving in together. We have got helmet kissing down now.. though it was cute one day when our mirrors got hooked together!

bbyparit

I am a TOTAL helmet advocate, no matter what your excuse, put it on if you care about those who care about you. It only takes a few seconds to end it all.

Here is a pic of me after a trans am decided that waiting a few more seconds for me to get past was just too long. I had a helmet on, but the impact still left my skull exposed and got me 122 stitches.

EXCALIBUR

I'm a believer. Glad you survived.

closetbiker

I'm glad she survived, but less of a believer.

There are just too many "died while wearing a helmet" stories for me.

Do some research and learn.

Show that cyclists receive more head injuries than other individuals and explain how so many are injured and killed while wearing helmets and then, a discussion can ensue.

https://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_arti...?storyid=82604



SOUTH CAROLINA - Lee Anne Barry, a GVSU graduate riding across the country to raise awareness about brain injuries, died Sunday when hit by a car in South Carolina.

Barry and her husband, Ben, have been making long bike trips around the country to help raise the importance of wearing bike helmets and also that those who had sufferend injuries still had lives worth living.

They were near the end of their fourth trip Sunday when Lee Anne and another cyclist, Tom Hoskins of Columbia, were hit by an SUV as they headed northbound on U.S. 521 in Lancaster County. Hoskins also died.

The driver of the SUV, a woman from Greensboro who has not been charged, was not injured, the S.C. Highway Patrol said Monday. The wreck remains under investigation.

alhedges

+1

And of course if this guy were wearing a helmet, everyone would be using it as evidence that a helmet saved his life. https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=darwin

But of course he wasn't.

closetbiker

right. Same kind of story here

https://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pb...NEWS/707130322

Man survives pickup rolling over his head

July 13, 2007
BARNSTABLE — A 43-year-old man was taken to a Boston hospital by ambulance yesterday after a pickup truck he was working on ran over his head, fire officials said.

At about 11:30 a.m., the Barnstable Fire Department received a report of a motor vehicle accident. But it turned out the owner of a landscaping company was working beneath a three-quarter ton pickup truck trying to fix it when the vehicle suddenly rolled. A wheel went over his head and shoulder, Barnstable Fire Lt. Ed Guilford said. "But he's in great shape," Guilford said.

When the rescue squad arrived to the Millway address, they found the man smoking a cigarette with his crew. He had a tire track across his head, significant "road rash" and a missing patch of hair to prove he had been under the wheel.

Tests done at Cape Cod Hospital revealed no internal injuries. He was taken to Boston for some plastic surgery on his ear, Guilford said.

Six jours

I'm glad she's okay too, but maybe if she'd had a more protective helmet her injuries wouldn't have been as severe.

I still argue that there is a continuum of protection: no helmet, hairnet, lightweight foam half-shell, full-face mountain bike helmet, motorsports helmet. Not to mention all the accessories like neck supports, thigh pads, etc.

For some reason many road riders have chosen one spot on that continuum and decided that that spot is the only acceptable choice. Any lower on the continuum is "stupid" and any higher is "overkill", or at least uncool.

And yet I'm sure that, had the lady in question had the opportunity to have worn more protective gear when she crashed, she would have taken it.

closetbiker

This would have prevented the damage (wouldn't it?)

adriel

But then that is too hot.

I do not always wear a helmet and people who judge me for it are narrow minded.

I will not judge you if you wear yours, please do not judge me for making my own choices.

Helmets were created for racers who engaged in risky behavior, and for children learning how to ride (Along with knee pads etc etc) I do not find cycling to be all that risky.

The jury is still out on the true effectiveness of helmets and bicycle riding, the one thing everyone can agree on is that if you ride safely you are less likely to have an accident, and that a helmet is completely ineffective in many fatal accident types. (i.e. if a big truck drags your helmet clad body 20 feet).

If you choose to wear one, please do not ride like you are any safer, it nullifies any minor safety the helmet gives you. If you can ride with a helmet like you have none, you are the safest of all.

Six jours

I can't really imagine a motorcycle helmet for bicycling, and pretty much just bring it up in response to the "Anything is worth it if it makes you safer" crowd.

But I have worn full face mountain bike helmets and they are quite comfortable, in addition to offering much more protection than the typical road helmet. If folks were serious about safety -- rather than just jumping on the social pressure bandwagon -- the full face mountain bike helmet would be the headgear of choice. The fact that it isn't speaks volumes about the true agenda of the helmet proselytizers.

adriel

I should get a full face mountain bike helmet for when I do "helmet required" rides. I can make a statement, and be safer than anyone else at the same time!

(I'm not kidding, I'm thinking this one would be good).

closetbiker

don't forget the neck brace!

from

https://www.whistlermountainbike.com/...8-rc-evolution



(Editors note) Once in a while a product comes out that deserves serious mention. Neck injuries are a very serious matter and anything that can help prevent becoming severely hurt or paralyzed should be given due notice.

adriel

If it was not for the money I have to spend on this outfit I would do it today.

I can think of a lot better things to spend $150 on then this

Like a downpayment on a touring frame

If you want to know the pinnacle of stupidity when it comes to helmet thinking, there is a "music video" showing how helmets are sexy, and in the video, there is a bumper sticker that says "I ride my helmet so you can drive like an idiot"

I think this speaks to one of the biggest flaws in the helmet craze.

I wrote more about it here:

https://austincyclingnews.com/?p=21

closetbiker

Surprisingly, the response has been very good so far.

I've only had 1 email mentioning that a helmet saved someone from a bit of discomfort but all the other responses have been very favorable.

I guess people have been waiting to hear something other than how dangerous cycling is and how the helmet is the answer. It seems there's a bit of skeptisism on the helmet issue. I guess it doesn't hurt skeptisism when there have been a couple of recent deaths to cyclists who were wearing helmets.

adriel

I used to bike all over the place in the early 90's then I quit for many years and got fat (225 lbs 5'9"), then in 2007 I got a nice bike, and tried to go on a local ride and they said helmets were mandantory, I had never worn one before and over the last year I have been adapting to this new helmet craze that never existed back then. (I am now 190lbs, and have gone 3600 miles since 8/15/2007.)

shortly after I bought one, I made a stupid stupid mistake and flipped my bike and hit my helmet on the ground and became somewhat of a 'believer' for a while, then after a long time of no more accidents (I stopped doing stupid things) I started thinking more, and I am not even sure the helmet saved me from any serious head injury, just because it hit the ground does not mean my brain would have cracked open. Anyway, I am still evolving my view but lately I only wear one when I "Have to". And I have seen stares from riders who I feel were judging me as unsafe for not wearing one, once it was a girl at dusk with no lights on her bike, I keep lights so I think she was being less safe than me.

When I rode a motorcycle I ALWAYS wore jeans and a helmet, and I KNOW that one saved my life, but motorcycles incur a great deal more risk than a bicycle.

Anyway I wanted to throw that out. I missed the entire evolution of helmet use and just woke up one day to it full blown.

Six jours

You and I are in kind of the same boat. I grew up racing bicycles in the hairnet days, and then quit the game for a long time. When I came back I discovered that not only are helmets mandatory for everything, but that even bringing up the subject is enough to earn you ridicule.

So it's always been a bit difficult for me to understand how we all considered our sport and our selves to be pretty safe, but ten years later the sport is horrifically dangerous -- and not just in perception but, at least to a degree, in reality.

My initial and so far overriding response is to think that the helmet zealots are a bunch of johnny-come-latelies who are lousy bike handlers, horrible decision makers, and lock-step trend followers who are eager to tell everyone else what to do even though they themselves don't have the slightest clue.

That's probably unfair, but I still can't help but look forward to they day when they all go back to the health club or wherever the hell they came from.

rocoach

The helmet zealots are bikings equivalent of SUV drivers. Like SUV drivers, they feel much safer inside their cages, and cannot be persuaded to the contrary; despite the evidence.

adriel

The #1 reason I do not wear a helmet is I do not like the feel of them, the #2 reason is because I think they only add a marginal protection.

i.e. the risk/reward is not there for me.