Headcase
The other day I was relaxing at a cafe when I found myself eavesdropping.
Why did he feel the need to speak to the bicyclist and why did he assume the cyclist was somehow ignorant? Would this guy similarly attack other people doing things that he viewed as poor judgement? Or is it just bicyclists?
I’m sick of the helmet hype. It’s time to hype up infrastructure until “cycle track” is in everyone’s vocabulary. I dream of the day this guy will ask the city what’s up with the street design that makes cyclists feel like they need to wear helmets.
People riding against traffic bothers me more than riding without a helmet.
I think there is also a difference between riding an upright bike at moderate speed on a path or back street, and screaming down a mountain head first on a road bike. Some situations call for helmets more than others.
I’m a driver as well as a Triker & I see things that really should be on your radar. First of all is that drivers typically are not 100% focused on their driving. I find it ironic that drivers can continuously berate cyclists for their riding habits & then jump behind the wheel & as a matter of course break the posted speed limit, ignore stopping, signalling or turning rules etc. every single day!
For TJ please, from someone that is visually impaired many drivers will not see you after dark no matter how bright the street lights. You are playing with fire not making yourself as visible as possible at night. Get yourself some flashing lights.
Why does every non-cyclist think he’s an expert on cycling safety, etiquette and rules of the road?
Unfortunately, my stats and references on safety died with my old tower PC, but I remember a few notes: 60% of fatal brain injuries occur in car crashes. Shouldn’t we be preaching to the drivers? Something like 9,000 people a year are gunned down in the US. Do the helmet nannies wear kevlar vests when going out? And you had better forget swimming, boating, climbing a ladder, taking prescription drugs, all of which kill more people annually than the 600 or so who die riding their bikes. If you ride in a troop, race around in pace lines, drink and ride, then by all means wear a helmet. But remember, no one is clearing a route for you so expect trouble: animals, kids on trikes, pedestrians, branches, beer cans, broken glass, car parts, you name it, it is going to show up. Our local bike community lost a dear friend to a bike on bike accident, which landed him on his helmeted head. My point is keep your wits about you and your ego in check and you will probably be fine.
…………and yet Amsterdam & Copenhagen without any Helmet Laws & with the majority NOT wearing helmets seem to function quite well. Could it possibly be the attitude of the drivers?
Could it possibly be that the infrastructure is safer?
Glen, I think you are absolutely right. Things have gotten better in my city, first, when more people started to ride and drivers began to realise they were just going to have to deal with it, second, when bike lanes began to appear with even more people riding, and finally with the development of multiuse trails, paid for by bonds that have gotten overwhelming voter support and more people riding, walking, running, skating, etc. Cycling here is not without its problems but we have been moving consistently in the right direction. Wilmington NC, by the way.
Really glad to hear that many places in North America are starting to recognize the benefits of accommodating better transportation corridors. I know several areas where the presence of many cyclists seem to also have the effect of calming vehicle traffic flow. Maybe the drivers are being more cautious or maybe they are picking up on the more relaxed vibe. Whatever the reason, it’s a win-win for everyone.
Eh. Cycletracks, just another piece of asphalt for the city to not clear of snow or otherwise maintain, another place for police and other government service cars to park, another place for UPS & FedEx and other deliveries to be made from, an extension of the sidewalk and another place for wheel chairs to transit.
And cycle track do not obviate the need for a helmet. I sustained my concussion while wearing a helmet as I went over my handlebar because of a hole, from one of the public service companies digging and doing a half-assed job of repatching, and landing on the top of my head. No fracture of my skull. The dangers that a helmet protects against are anything that will cause your head to make contact with the hard surface. And if the city puts in cycletracks and then treats them as a shiny thing, then it will continue to happen.