Helmet debate rages in Portland Bike Forums
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on July 18th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
wears a helmet because
she does stunts.
Leave it to the age-old helmet debate to smash the record for most replies in the Portland Bike Forums.
Irked by the, “soooooo many people every day riding without a care in the world when their brains could be splattered across the pavement at any time!,” a member named “ephany” decided to start a thread titled, “Why don’t you wear a helmet?”
So far there are 83 replies and more keep trickling in every day.
Here’s a sampling,
from “wsbob”:
“…cyclists chances of coming out of a fall or crash in better condition while wearing a helmet seem likely to be far better than without one…”
from “tfahrner”:
“…I don’t wear a helmet often because I don’t believe that non-sport-oriented bicycling on quiet routes about town is sufficiently dangerous to warrant such precautionary measures. I am particularly averse to instilling or reinforcing in the minds of others the ideas that (a) bicycling thus conceived is dangerous enough to require body armor and (b) any dangers that exist in public space are the responsibility of the potential victims to compensate for…”
from “aaron”:
“..if there is going to be a helmet law, then the helmets should be made better and car drivers and passengers should also be required to wear them too…”
Check out the the full thread for more.
This isn’t the last we’ve heard of this debate. Our neighbors in Vancouver (WA) are gearing up for a battle royale and they’ve got momentum to pass a helmet law for kids.
[By the way, if you haven’t checked out the Forums lately, you should. Activity is way up and we’ve got well over 400 active members posting information and sharing advice on all sorts of stuff.]
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July 18th, 2007 16:56
To tfarner,
In response to your post:
"can you present evidence that a higher helmet-wearing rate is correlated with a lower head-injury rate among cyclists? i can present evidence of a strong inverse correlation, incidentally."
Could you please present the evidence of the strong inverse correlation? I find this extremely interesting and would love to read it (especially who conducted the study).
Thanks in advance!
July 18th, 2007 17:23
I don't think soceity should force you to wear a helmet. Just don't ask for soceity to support your medical bills associated with injuries sustained due to the lack of a helmet.
July 18th, 2007 17:58
Personal experiences:
1 - Hit broadside by a car running a stop sign on SE Lincoln. Knocked down and slid across the street. Helmeted head hit curb and broke helmet. No other head damage.
2 - Crossing Morrison Bridge at night and unfamiliar with a temporary sign hung 6 feet over sidewalk. Did not see sign and top of helmet struck bottom of sign. The top of the helmet was sliced off by the sign. Head ok. Whiplash only, and PTSD from almost careening over the side and into the river.
In both cases I am certain a helmet saved me from more serious injury, possible brain damage, maybe even death.
July 18th, 2007 18:03
On the other hand:
Just last week it was hot. Wearing a helmet caused me to sweat more than not wearing it would have. Had to wipe some sweat from my brow before it went into my eye causing severe pain, convulsions, and a certain death by crossing into the path of a speeding tri-met bus. Not wearing a helmet would have permitted the sweat to air dry and not put me at high risk of a horrible death.
July 18th, 2007 19:06
Europeans don't wear helmets, and they are superior. Next you'll be wearing full body armour, seppies.
July 18th, 2007 19:18
I've been hit several times while riding my bike. Never had a helmet on. Never had any head injuries. I think it's a bit overboard on the whole precautionary measure wearing a helmet on a bike around NW/SE pdx (the only areas I really need to cycle in). If I was in the Tour De France (ha) and racing down steep hills then yeah, helmet makes sense. In the relatively mellow streets of Portland (even downtown here is very mellow) helmets just make very little sense.
Andrew: I believe tfarner is referring to the European study where drivers, when passing a cyclist, gave quite a bit more room to the cyclist not wearing a helmet. I guess the mentality of the common driver was "oh he's wearing a helmet, he's protected, I don't need to give him -that- much room... *wreck*"
And whether it's taboo to admit or not... helmets look ridiculous and are very uncomfortable in summer.
July 18th, 2007 19:32
yeah, but you forget.
europeans also know how to drive properly, obey the traffic laws, and generally not run everybody over! yes, it's true.
July 18th, 2007 19:45
"yeah, but you forget.
europeans also know how to drive properly, obey the traffic laws, and generally not run everybody over! yes, it's true."
Dude, have you been to Europe?! The two weeks I had to stay in Paris were worse than NYC. So many run down streets, cars decide to make up their own lanes, all those roundabouts where chaos ensues. I'm sure riding in Latvia or some small European village is cake, but most European cities have some aggressive driving. Amsterdam was ok. London was the worst.
July 18th, 2007 19:50
This topic has also been discussed on usenet.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/108fb35736a0c134
July 18th, 2007 19:59
Great going Jonathan. Now you've got the debate going on here!
July 18th, 2007 20:10
I've been hit by cars, sure, but never in such a manner that my head has struck an object.
The falls that prompted me to wear a helmet had little to do with traffic, but rather poorly maintained roads, hard-to-see-obstacles and other static hazards.
People don't have accidents only when wearing full spandex and traveling at 35mph, nor do they have accidents only when interacting with traffic. A potentially fatal accident can happen at any time given the correct circumstances. A helmet is a pretty strong deterrent.
Your head is moving. The concrete is not. Figure it out.
July 18th, 2007 20:59
"I don't think society should force you to wear a helmet. Just don't ask for society to support your medical bills associated with injuries sustained due to the lack of a helmet."
I had to quote #3 again because it's exactly what I believe. I don't want us to become Seattle where it's legally required for everyone to wear a helmet. On my occasional "real" road rides I always wear a helmet. When I ride my MTB 3 blocks to the 7-11 I don't even consider wearing a helmet.
Furthermore, I don't think states should have motorcycle helmet laws. I *always* wear my helmet on my motorcycle (even in 120+ heat of Phoenix) regardless of the laws in the particular state I am in, but I shouldn't be required to. All these safety laws lead to more silly legislation (i.e. fixies riders being ticketed because fixies aren't safe in the laws eyes). It's also a waste of taxpayer money creating/enforcing these laws. Sooooo much worse stuff the government needs to be worrying/spending money on.
July 18th, 2007 21:11
Despite the apparent traffic choas, the Parisian drivers still look out for cyclists (and scooter and motorcyclists) way better than drivers in any American city. I had no problems in Paris w/o a helmet, and I never felt unsafe.
July 18th, 2007 21:23
A few years ago I was making fun of people that wear bike helmets and was overheard by a co-worker who told me the doctors said his dad would still be alive if he had been wearing his helmet.
So since then, as penance I guess, I've worn my helmet...and it's one extra little piece of insurance that may prevent my children from saying their dad would still be around if he wore his helmet.
July 18th, 2007 21:40
Ya, I don't wear a helmet. It is my personal choice and I don't want to hear any smarmy remarks from you pissy wear a helmet types.
I believe in obeying laws, so lobby to get an adult helmet law passed. Then I will wear a helmet.
Until then, talk to the hand.
July 18th, 2007 21:52
Here's hoping that all the non-helmet wearers out there never need one and that none of you is acting as a role model for youngsters.
July 18th, 2007 22:09
playing the guilt card, smooooth!
July 18th, 2007 22:14
I believe in obeying laws, so lobby to get an adult helmet law passed. Then I will wear a helmet.
There's no need to impose artificial penalties for not wearing a helmet. The real-live-risks are big enough, and a mature individual should be able to make that choice. The studies are crammed down your throat enough when you're young. I liken it to prophylactics: either wear one or don't, and, either side you're on, get over it. And most especially, don't come crying to me when your choice bites you in the ass on account of either a lack-thereof or over-reliance on the device for your well-being and peace-of-mind.
(P.S.: I am not a [L/l]ibertarian.)
July 18th, 2007 22:45
I wear a helmet, but I hate the idea of a helmet law... You want to take your skull into your own hands, fine by me.
I never considered wearing a helmet until I heard someone talking about his roommate: she had wrecked on a bike, without a helmet. It was the phrase, "she's finally getting to where she can speak normally again," that did it for me.
July 18th, 2007 23:59
The vast majority of the time I wear a helmet. Sometimes I don't, for various personal preference reasons. Why should we have a law requiring me to wear a helmet every time I get on my bicycle on a road? I can assess my risks pretty good on my own and act accordingly. Really, do we need another law for cops to use to harrass cyclists?
July 19th, 2007 00:20
Why do I wear a helmet? Because I care about my pretty face, of course!
I tell my friends that I want them to stay pretty too, and it has converted a few of them.
July 19th, 2007 00:57
My head my choice. I wear a helmet most of the time, especially on my track bike and on my tallbike. I wear a helmet off-road too, and have smacked my head on branches several times so it is rather useful. I definitely wear it at Zoobomb. I don't wear it to ride the two blocks to Thriftway to get beer though. I prefer the choice. Sometimes, you just don't feel like wearing a helmet.
I have to ask Mr. Libertarian if he thinks that you should be responsible for paying for your injuries if you are hit by an uninsured motorist, and the accident is their fault. Also how come we are the only 1st world nation that does not have national health care? Do you work for an insurance company Libertarian?
July 19th, 2007 03:50
For the one time you need it, helmets are great. Otherwise, they are somewhat a pain. But I wear one for the ones I love and who love me. It should be a choice, although I beleive the law for kids to wear them is good and necessary.
July 19th, 2007 07:05
I'd rather have my brains splattered all over the street then wear a helmet. I think the pink and red will look nice on someone's car hood too. I also try to wear really baggy pants so they get caught in the chain. I figure by not having any brakes on my bike I'll increase my chances of getting smacked by that car someday. woo hoo!!!
July 19th, 2007 08:00
There's an interesting article in a Rivendell Reader from a few issues back (# 30? 31? cant remember). It talks about helpmet use and the phenomenon of risk. Studies done in Britain show that riders who wear helmets are also more likely to take risks while riding that they would NOT take when helmetless.
So it's clearly a trade-off. Wear the helmet and take more chances because you feel more, um, "protected"? Or go helmetless and take fewer risks because your bare head is that much more vulnerable to the dangers of the road?
Being a fairly timid rider myself, I wear a helmet and don't notice any significant rise in my risk-taking on the road.
July 19th, 2007 08:06
Yes lets find some research to support this requirement vs. the emotional knee jerk reaction that is occuring:
- compare TBI rates in OR v. WA (in Europe's bike friendly countries the rates are lower than in US)
- also include in this analysis the effect of on obesity rates (and shorter lifespans) that this barrier to youth bicycling would create
- per implimentation success: contact local bike shops and other places where helmets are sold in Vancouver to see about their ability to fit helmets (there is only one full time bike shop left in Vancouver out on192 Av almost in Camas, and Joes too; I doubt the hardware stores that sell kids helmets will fit them to correctly)
- have PSU do comparitive research on driver behavior around riders with helmets (and other lycra gear) vs. normal clothes, and by sex too. (there is some initial research showing UK drivers treating helmet free and women riders better = more passing room)
- any correlation: less kids riding on the streets = faster traffic?
I personally would feel more comfortable if the CCC (etc.) were still in Vancouver to actively help impliment this pending law for our low income youth.
TBI = traumatic brain injury
July 19th, 2007 08:16
I can't help but weigh in. Through my reasearch, (in round numbers) 80% of bike deaths are head injuries and 80% of those would have been prevented by using a helmet. If you have no family, do what you want, but if someone counts on you, that should be enough for you to want to arrive alive.
As a cyclist you have a responsibility to help keep the image of cycling as a safe alternatvie to car use. Everytime there's a bike accident/injury or death we lose potential new cyclists. Little Trevor in Vancouver who was recently hit by a car, is now, mentally challenged. Not counting the hundred of thousands of dollars spent on his hospital care, it was a preventable tradgedy.
It's easier to comb your hair after removing your helmet than wipe the droll off your face, for life.
Shift has provided 950 helmets in the past year, to people whom I assume over half were first time hellmet users. I may not be able to convince you to wear a helmet, but I've been able to convert a alot of new people. Nearly every biker I know has had a potential life threatening accident prevented with the use of a helmet. I landed on my head on the 205 bike path, thank you Mr. Helmet.
I have a friend to dissed seat belts, he subsuquently went through the windshield. It's not whether you will need a helmet, it's just a matter of when.
July 19th, 2007 08:23
My aunt is the head nurse at a long-term care facility for head-injured adults in Southern Maine. When I explained to her that I don't own a car and am an avid cyclist, she pressed me about wearing a helmet. She said that 90 percent of the people she takes care, including a former operatic tenor from NYC, are people injured in cycling accidents. It doesn't matter who injured them (and most of them time, it was bike/car accidents). The fact of the matter is, these people are no longer who they once were. "Assisted living" should go a long way to explaining it, as should the indignity of adult diapers. Not one of these people rides a bike anymore, with or without a helmet.
Needless to say, my helmet is always on my head.
July 19th, 2007 08:25
Anyone who's seen the movie Idiocracy must know that it is necessary to give adults the choice of using helmets for the sake of our democracy . It's social Darwinism.
July 19th, 2007 08:30
Tbose of you who do not wish to wear a helmet while bike riding should be credited for being superhuman and all-knowing enough to be able to predict and avoid the errors of pedestrians, other bicyclists and more important, cars that might strike you.
I was helmetless on the mountain winter of 2006 and received a mild concussion. Rode down in an ambo. I have no memory of what happened. Clearly struck my head in a mild way. My short term memory is shot. That day is an empty spot. My wife, parents and family to this day deal with the effects of my injury. it has impacted my ability to do my job.
Stop. And think about that for a few minutes before you go further.
You are stupid beyond words, to ride a bike without a helmet.
If you truly believe in it, then go to Salem (and DC) and lobby for a law that disallows you and your family any public benefits whatsoever when you become a vegetable. of course, the law will fail because it would be inhumane and bad public policy.
Good public policy is a law that requires you to wear a helmet, in order that you might be protected from your own stupidity (in most instances, the product of youthful inexperience and bravado I suspect) and in order that my wallet might be protected from your stupidity and bravado.
There's simply no excuse.
Spanky
July 19th, 2007 08:39
if you are a helmet lover, here's a great way to show it!
we're looking for a couple more folks to help us fit helmets at the share the road event happening during the liv warfield concert on weds july 25th at dawson park (the cool little park with the gazebo you pass on your bike riding vancouver & williams). no previous experience is required, as all helmet fitters will be trained by legacy's trauma nurses in how to fit properly. the helmets will be sold for five dollars at the booth.
if you've never fitted helmets before, it's an awesome way to give something back to the bike community. it's fun, somewhat frantic, and the gratitude people show you for taking time out to do it is priceless. free food and drink will be provided for all volunteers!
what: helmet volunteers needed at share the road event
when: wednesday evening, july 25th
time: 5:30 - 7:30pm
where: dawson park, N Williams at Stanton St (near Legacy Emanuel hospital)
do get in touch if you'd like to help, and many thanks!
kirsty
Kirsty Hall
Safe Communities Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety
City of Portland Office of Transportation
503-823-6981
kirsty.hall@trans.ci.portland.or.us
July 19th, 2007 08:40
"I have to ask Mr. Libertarian if he thinks that you should be responsible for paying for your injuries if you are hit by an uninsured motorist, and the accident is their fault. Also how come we are the only 1st world nation that does not have national health care? Do you work for an insurance company Libertarian?"
Dear Mr. Skidmark,
To answer your questions:
The driver is responsible for liability and restitution and not the insurance company. They are still liable. Since so many people in our soceity are un-insured we might have to go the way of california and self insure. I wonder what the helmet discount would be for the insurance, as much as your seatbelt discount?
Regarding national health care. Be careful what you ask for. I have a lot of friends in Canada and spend a fair amount of time there. Since there is a 6 month waiting list for a MRI, Indian reservations have opened clinics to provide this service so people don't have to fly down to the States to get the procedure.
A little personal experience. My father was diagnosed with kidney cancer as the result of an MRI he received a day after complaining of urinary pain. He recevied surgery 3 weeks later and is doing well. If he was in Canada, he probably would have died waiting. By the way, the county supported hospital he recevied treatment at in Alameda has a sliding income scale for treatment cost. Europe is not always better.
Finally, I am a State employee working in the environmental protection field and am a union member. This does not prevent me from looking at issues from an open and rational position.
Thank you for your interest
July 19th, 2007 08:55
Your head and brains...your choice. Just keep the wheelchair out of the bike lanes.
July 19th, 2007 09:23
Whether or not the driver leaves you more room if you have a helmet on doesn't matter. It also doesn't matter if you take more risks while wearing a helmet.
What matters is looking at all the bicycle deaths and what percentage of them were wearing helmets, in proportion to how many cyclists wear helmets in general. If 50% of the people wear helmets while riding and 50% don't, but 90% of deaths while on a bicycle are incurred by people not wearing helmets, then that's all the proof you need.
While I respect the right for people to chose, I also respect and love my family & friends enough to want to spare them of the results of my poor decisions. If putting a helmet on means that they don't have to go to my funeral or take care of a drooling vegetable for the rest of my life, then that's a small price to pay.
It's just not worth it to not wear one. That's what it comes down to for me.
July 19th, 2007 09:24
I wear a helmet. The $30 I spent for it is a hell of a lot cheaper than what a head injury would cost in medical bills that my insurance wouldn't cover. Takes me less than 30 seconds to click on.
July 19th, 2007 09:32
I came here to read comments about helmets and now I feel compelled to discuss a National Health Care system. As a Canadian citizen who has lived in the States for almost 10 years I can say hands down the Canadian system is far superior.
It costs the country less and people get better care because there is much less bureacracy. Ever try dealing with a HMO and figuring out what they cover and why? Libertarians always point out waiting lines, but never mention that far more people suffer or die because they have no insurance or their insurance is unwilling to cover the treatment they need to get better.
OK on helmets, I wear one. The risk of getting in an accident are low, but the consequences are too great for me with a wife and 2 kids. I'm also trying to set an example for my duaghter to ride safely and insisting she wear a helmet is a great way to do that.
July 19th, 2007 09:33
Mr. Libertarian: How would changing how we pay for health care increase the wait for an MRI? We have more MRI machines here and that's why we don't wait as long as in Canada.
Why should we continue to let health insurance companies skim 20% off our health care dollars just so they can harass us with paperwork and deny our claims?
Oh, and wearing helmets should be a choice for adults.
July 19th, 2007 10:09
Don't wear a helmet? What have you got to lose?
July 19th, 2007 10:13
I was hit (t-boned) by a car last November. The car was only going maybe 15mph, but I was knocked about 10ft, and my helmet was cracked clean through in 3 places. Had I not been wearing that helmet, I would likely not be typing this message.
I was not "sports riding" or riding at any significant speed.
If you are hit by a car that is going very fast (as my brother was), you will likely be killed (as he was), helmet or no. Contrary to one of the comments Jonathan reposted, it's the slow speed, accidental falling off incidents where the helmet will most definitely save your life, or at the very least prevent permanent or extended damage.
In my experience, most (not all) non-helmet wearers are either just plain over-confident in their own abilities (irrelevant given they are surrounded by many very large rolling pieces of metal), or are just plain vain about their appearances.
Wear a helmet people.
Ron
July 19th, 2007 10:50
Not really seeing the debate here.
You are either stupid. Or not.
July 19th, 2007 10:58
I don't wear a helmet because my life isn't that valuable. I figure once I get hit by a car and crack my skull open I'll be taking up less natural resources. Call it my small contribution to help control global warming.
How can anyone debate that?
July 19th, 2007 11:00
Also, this article from about two months ago shows a good reason to wear a helmet...
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/05/13/wi/3wi0513.txt
Cyclist's helmeted head got run over by a truck turning in front of him; cyclist survives, helmet doesn't.
July 19th, 2007 11:09
A friend's father (a long time bike commuter and retired professor) was riding on the Velodrome in Austin a few years ago and fell. No helmet, head injury, personality change, long rehab, and he eventually committed suicide.
The day after he fell, I promised my wife I'd never ride without a helmet, and I've kept the promise. I hope the helmet never proves necessary but....
July 19th, 2007 11:26
One more: A fellow I used to work with crashed helmetless. The brain injury left him with about 15 minutes of short term memory. I had to re-introduce myself every time I saw him. He literally forgot he had just eaten anything and so ate some more, doing this until he must have been well over 400 pounds. The resultant diabetes killed him.
Would a helmet have prevented this? I don't know, but it sure would have been worth trying.
July 19th, 2007 11:28
#42...read the article reached by the link included. Now there's a bit of luck. Hmmm...I don't think bicycle helmets are designed to protect against that kind of situation.
July 19th, 2007 11:31
One more: My dad once had a job on an ambulance crew. On a Christmas morning they got called out to where a car hit a kid on his new bike. (No helmet - this was before that was required.) The kid's head was splattered like a smashed watermelon. Being the new guy, my dad had the job off sweeping up the brains. (He quit the job after that.) Would a helmet have helped? Who knows? Clearly there were multiple safety issues involved, but I bet the parents would have liked to have included a helmet from Santa, too.
July 19th, 2007 11:40
PDXRunner (Post #41)says "I figure once I get hit by a car and crack my skull open I'll be taking up less natural resources. Call it my small contribution to help control global warming. How can anyone debate that?"
- All those life systems support machines you will be on take a lot of energy to run.
July 19th, 2007 12:03
Ditto Cecil,
Anyone who's ever been to the ER knows that a lot of stuff gets thrown away in the process of dealing with an injury.
Re; the main discussion. Why is this an either or discussion, as if once you put a helmet on, you can't take it off?
I wear my helmet the vast majority of the time, but heck, when I cruise to my friends' house blocks away, I leave it behind. Sure, something could still happen. But life's a calculated risk; you try to put the odds in your favor most of the time. Heck I'm sure I would be safer if I wore a helmet when I walk anywhere or when I drive my car. But those are long odds and I'm not living for the worst case scenario.
But yeah, I guess I have to echo Ron F's comment upthread. My latest wreck where I broke four ribs (ouch) happened at my local park. A total freak accident at a fairly low speed (15-20 mph). How in the world I did not hit my helmetless head I do not know.
Yes, you're better off wearing a helmet. You're also better off not eating a big fat blue cheese and bacon burger. But everyonce in a while, I'm grilling one up.
Not wearing a helmet is a pleasure that I indulge every once in a while. Hang me from the highest tree.
July 19th, 2007 12:12
of course you can come up with a thousand stories of people smacking their heads and a helmet would have saved them, but knock it off.
I don't tell you to stop drinking and eating things that will give you heart disease and make you fat.
Lets ban processed food with sugars and fat.
I don't tell you to stop drinking booze because it will burn out your liver.
Bring back prohibition.
You cannot force people to do what you think is better for them.
STOP preaching!! You have the right to do what you want and so do I. How is what you do any different than the right trying to legislate morality?
You are on a crusade to make people wear a helmet because it will save them. Just like people preaching that GOD will save you.
Why not force people to wear sunglasses to protect from the sun? why not make people use earplugs at loud concerts? Why stop with bike helmets? what about walking, snowboarding, showering, cross country skiing, swinging, merry-go-rounding, ice skating, etc.......you could go on and on finding activities that would be "safer" while wearing a helmet.
I would imaging that most people on this board would belive that we have the right to make our own choices in this country.
Keep your hands off my body.
July 19th, 2007 12:25
Ian (#49), I think you are taking the general sense of caring for others that is being expressed here a little harshly.
I am not intending to preach to you, and even though my brother was killed on his bike (he was wearing a helmet), and I've been hit, etc, I would not at this point lobby for legislation forcing adults to wear helmets (children are another matter, however - it should definitely be required).
I would assert, however, that everyone has someone who cares about him or her, whether they know it or not. No one likes to visit a loved one in a hospital or morgue, and a helmet can help prevent that.
Yes, life is risky. Even if you were to put on full body armor in addition to a helmet, riding a bike on the streets is plenty risky. For me, there is no sense in adding more risk.
Wear a helmet or don't. I won't say I don't care, because I do. But it is your choice, and I am not intending to preach to you, and I certainly won't work to legislate this requirement on you (assuming you are > than 18yrs of age).
I have been thankful on multiple occasions that I was wearing mine.
Cheers,
Ron
July 19th, 2007 12:49
Ron, I don't think I am taking the general sense of caring for others harshly. I think it is the same mindset of a person a says they "care" for my soul, so hey want me to accept jesus.
When you say you are not intending to preach BUT........ that is preaching.
It seemd a if you are also assuming I don't wear a helmet, and continue to tell me why I should. I never said if I do or don't.
July 19th, 2007 12:53
Ian, Post 49:
STOP preaching!! You have the right to do what you want and so do I. How is what you do any different than the right trying to legislate morality?
You are on a crusade to make people wear a helmet because it will save them. Just like people preaching that GOD will save you.
Are you suggesting that people have no right to encourage others to make a choice to wear a helmet?
July 19th, 2007 12:56
Okay Ian. You win. I am a preacher.
Cheers,
Ron
July 19th, 2007 13:10
rixter,
of course they have the right to encourage. but how do you define encourage? when does encourage move into preaching or harassment?
When people on this forum say things like you are stupid for not using a helmet, is that encouraging?
I have been stopped at a light and the woman next to me screamed " I can't believe you don't wear a helmet, you are so stupid" to a guy next to me.
Do you think he went right out and bought a helmet.
July 19th, 2007 13:18
I am mostly a pedestrian and cyclist, but also sometimes a motorist. I always ride with a helmet when I bike, just as I always put on my seatbelt when I'm in a motor vehicle. This is not only because I value my own safety, but because I value and respect my family, friends, and the stranger who might collide with me.
For those folks who say that wearing or not wearing a helmet only impacts the cyclist, they are completely wrong. Serious injuries and death caused by a collision between two vehicles impact all involved parties and their families and friends for the rest of their lives--financially, physically, and psychologically. Wearing a helmet makes the roads safer for all users, not just the wearer.
Seems like sometimes we forget that we exist as a community and that our safety is interrelated. Sure, to helmet or not to helmet is a personal choice, but it certainly impacts our community as a whole.
July 19th, 2007 13:19
Well, I think the posts here in support of using a helmet are encouragement. A friend or family member expressing concern is encouragement. A total stranger yelling at a cyclist for not having a piece of equipment** is bizarre.
** A piece of equipment that isn't even required; I could understand something like somebody yelling "Get a light" if they almost hit a ninja cyclist because the cyclist had no light...
July 19th, 2007 13:32
A total stranger yelling at a cyclist for not having a piece of equipment is bizarre.
On second thought, it's not *that* bizarre. There's a study out of the UK that found that drivers are terrified that they'll hit a cyclist. A driver yelling at a cyclist to get a helmet may be a manifestation of that fear.
July 19th, 2007 13:45
The woman who screamed was on a bike, not a car.
July 19th, 2007 13:52
Since this is such a hot topic, I have to ask... Regarding all the horrors listed above as a result of not wearing a helmet; why then do we not see legions of brain trauma victims staggering about in the streets of Northern Europe and China where the percentage of helmet-less urban commuters far outweighs that of the US in general, and even PDX...?
Before you chime in with the reply that "drivers in these places are more skilled and responsible than those in the US", please note that the cyclists are equally responsible= They ride slower and with more respect for others on the roadway/bikeway.
The fact is that most cyclists here in the US have this "Lance Armstrong Complex". Ride as fast as possible, weave in and out of the bike lane, pass that person in front of you like you're charging up Alp D'Huez, SPANDEX(Eewwww!)
And yes, American motorists have an equally obnoxious NASCAR Nation complex.
So, perhaps we should begin this debate by discussing not what armor we should wear to protect ourselves, but rather how we could change our behavior so we reduce the need for a helmet. This is not unlike those "Lose weight without diet or exercise" ads you see on TV. No need to change you're gluttony, just take this pill.
July 19th, 2007 13:56
Tbird, it's true, if we could find a way to create a nation of perfect drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, we wouldn't need to protect ourselves!
Seriously, your point is well taken, most of us could chill a bit when moving around using whatever means of locomotion.
But there are still accidents.
Ron
July 19th, 2007 13:57
Rixtir,
I don't think trying to guilt people with horrific tales is encouraging. and because i frequent this site, I choose to be preached to. You have the right to try to get people to wear a helmet, and I have the right to tell you to shut up about it.
July 19th, 2007 13:59
I have a little to say on this note.
I own many helmets.
I wear them sometimes.
I know what a helmet does and doesn't do to help save you.
I also know what the different types of helmets do when they hit the ground, which should be knowledge included in your helmet decision.
I also know that your helmet idea's should be kept off of "MY HEAD"!.
It is a personal choice, unless you are under the age of 16, which realistically should be 18.
I occasionally get yelled at by other cyclists for not wearing a helmet. This is not a wise choice, for I will stop and give you "what for". Loudly.
I also will engourage you to look up the study proving that cars react differently to cyclist wearing a helmet, than to ones without.
The doctor who did the study was actually hit once or twice during it, but only when wearing his helmet.
July 19th, 2007 13:59
why then do we not see legions of brain trauma victims staggering about in the streets
Because they're in bed?
I always see that comparison between European and American injury rates made, but I think it's a misuse of statistics unless the variables-- different traffic conditions, street design, number of cars on the road, etc.-- are taken into account. Your post is at least suggesting that we analyze what makes the rates different, which is a refreshing change from the usual comparison.
July 19th, 2007 14:01
I'll never stop wearin' my metal flake Stars-n-Stripes. Crashin' aint cool, but gettin hurt is way uncool.
July 19th, 2007 14:02
Rixtir, I don't think trying to guilt people with horrific tales is encouraging. and because i frequent this site, I choose to be preached to. You have the right to try to get people to wear a helmet, and I have the right to tell you to shut up about it.
But I haven't said anything encouraging people to wear a helmet.
As far as people here preaching, surely you must realize that this is a thread about "the bike helmet debate," and it's a little bit silly to expect that pro-helmet advocates should shut up here...
July 19th, 2007 14:48
rixtir,
when you said "Well, I think the posts here in support of using a helmet are encouragement" I took that to mean that you were in agreement and in support of the general theme of this thread.
I also said "because i frequent this site, I choose to be preached to" I didn't say I expected them to shut up, i said i have the right to tell them to.
I am also not saying that people should shut up about debating the merrits of helmet use. I am telling them that they don't have the right to tell me what to do. and by that I mean the talk of legislation.
I think that any reasonable person understands the benefits. and they have the right to make a choice to use a helmet or not. but you(as in the board here) don't have the right to chastise, belittle, berate, or guilt others to believe what you do.
Again how do you posters here draw a line between making people wear helmets, and banning booze, cigerettes, eating fatty foods?
July 19th, 2007 14:55
RonF got it right... there is no way to be perfect, but we could seriously chill the pace, a lot.
I was riding this morning chatting with another cyclist about this as we crossed the bridge. The discussion was focused on pace as a safety issue. The other person told me that they "always ride fast across the bridge, but [they] ride safely..."
See what I mean?
July 19th, 2007 15:06
when you said "Well, I think the posts here in support of using a helmet are encouragement" I took that to mean that you were in agreement and in support of the general theme of this thread.
I was just offering a definition of "encouragement," as you requested. I still haven't expressed my own views on wearing a helmet.
I do wear a helmet. I bought one as soon as I could afford one (I left my old helmet behind when I moved to Portland, then couldn't get it shipped to me.). I've ridden without a helmet before I bought one, and I had a constant feeling of discomfort, although that gradually eased as I got used to riding without it (I grew up in a time when helmets were unknown, but I've gotten accustomed to wearing one, and prefer having it on my head when I ride.). As soon as I could afford a new helmet, I bought it. Then my old helmet was shipped to me. ;)
I prefer to limit my risk of head injury as much as possible. I'm aware that helmet design standards are a very low bar to pass, but I'd still prefer to have a helmet on my head when I fall. I think there's convincing evidence that helmets do prevent head injuries, and when people ask, I point them to the information, and point out how helmets could be better. I never offer unsolicited comments about helmets, though, except I would make unsolicited comments to family and friends if the occasion arose.
July 19th, 2007 16:57
I'm curious: those of you who oppose a mandatory helmet law -- do you also oppose mandatory seat belt laws for drivers? If not, what's the difference?
July 19th, 2007 17:09
Wow. Lots of sob stories, guilt trips and preaching on the pro-helmet front. I've never been interested in scare tactics. How come drivers don't wear helmets? The #1 injury in automobile accidents is head injury. I wonder if all the people here telling us the sob stories about Mike, Tom, Dick and Harry do the same to drivers without helmets.
Anyone can make up a million stories about how not wearing a helmet will smash the dreams of children, make California sink into the ocean and whatever else, but at the end of the day the only truth is this: we are all adults capable of sizing up the risks we take each day and making our own, personal decision. Nobody really cares to hear the self righteous guilt trips being forced upon others.
July 19th, 2007 18:51
rixter #68: "I prefer to limit my risk of head injury as much as possible."
rixter, I don't see how you can ever take the stryofoam hat off. 20 times more people die from falls, than die cycling. (17,229 to 762 in 2003.) And does not include the 300 or so that die of drowning while slipping in the bathtub or shower. I would imagaine that helemts would be doubly effective there. Not only would the stryo-hat lesson impact damage, it would provide floatation.
As for myself, I am going to crank "Born to be Wild" on the stereo and step, nay jump, into the shower in a helmetless free for all of cleanliness. Wish me luck.
July 19th, 2007 19:11
A helmet is like any other piece of safety equipment--you don't need it until you need it.
Fifty-some years ago, a brain-damaged person named Bob roamed the streets of Oak Grove, as likely to be in the middle of the street as not.
When Bob was eight years old, he and his dad were riding tandem on a motorcycle when they crashed. Bob bashed his head against a curb, receiving a massive skull fracture and permanent brain damage.
A helmet might have spared Bob life-changing injuries, but of course, there were no helmets at the time. For the want of a helmet, Bob spent much of his childhood and all of his adult life with the mental capacity of a three-year old.
Bob was that rare bit of living proof of what can happen when an unprotected head meets unforgiving concrete.
In another incident, a friend was riding a trail bike on a trail he'd blazed around his house, doing slow, lazy laps, not doing anything stupid other than riding without a helmet. For whatever reason, he suddenly stopped, said, "You know, I really ought to be wearing my helmet." He put his helmet on, and the next lap the bike went out from under him and his helmeted head slammed into a large rock. The 1/16th-inch deep, 1/2-inch long gash that adorned the side of his once-pristine helmet would have adorned the side of his head had he not been wearing the helmet (except that the gash would have been much larger).
Do I wear a helmet when riding my bike? Always! Just because I can't see disaster coming doesn't mean I won't be prepared for it.
July 19th, 2007 19:19
I don't see how you can ever take the stryofoam hat off. 20 times more people die from falls, than die cycling. (17,229 to 762 in 2003.)
It would be interesting to revisit that statistic if everybody rode a bike every day.
They say if you ride long enough, you'll fall. And I have. I'll be wearing my helmet next time, just like last time.
July 19th, 2007 19:27
When Bob was eight years old, he and his dad were riding tandem on a motorcycle when they crashed.
When I was a teenager, friends of the family had a daughter named Mindy. She was maybe eight years old too-- no older, but I don't remember now.
One day, Mindy went for a ride on the back of her older sister's boyfriend's motorcycle. Like Bob, Mindy wasn't wearing a helmet either.
When they got to an intersection, somebody blew the stop. I don't know if it was her sister's boyfriend, or the other driver, but Mindy took her last breath sailing head first into the side of a pickup truck.
She was a nice, cute kid, and she shouldn't have died that way. It still makes me sick.
July 19th, 2007 19:47
It's OK to disagree, but it's not OK to berate and insult others for doing what they see as best, even if you find it unreasonable. This has it's limits, e.g. violent acts. Otherwise, relax and leave it alone.
July 19th, 2007 22:28
Coyote (71), I never, ever, ever take a shower without my helmet. Person X, that I knew when I was X years old, living in the quaint small town Xville, fell in the shower when she was X years old and forever roamed the streets in her towel (that eventually became too small) drooling and moaning. It was horrible and I think there oughta be a law. It's no laughing matter.
July 20th, 2007 00:06
Well, you really should consider showering with your helmet once in a while to wash the stink out of it. :-)
July 20th, 2007 00:25
Thanks Tbird for your thoughts on this.
Perhaps one way to describe how this helmet discussion is usually structured would be to promote fire arm safety by wrapping kids (and others) in bullet proof vests.
I used to be a very pro-helmet advocate (15 years ago) until I studied transportation planning and public health.
There is a holistic balance to this vs. the black and white 'bandaid' approach this discussion usually settles into. (Perhaps thetransportion-highway lobby has us brainwashed into accpeting the only solution to safety is the helmet and this spiralling infighting.)
I would say step one...get as many folks to feel comfortable on a bike (40% of all traffic) and then slowly increase the requirements for self-safety practices to reach 0% injury. (Much as we have done for drivers and sobriety and seat belts). And look to the Swedish 'New Approach' as a transportation model - make our DOTs / representatives provide this.
Raise the bar too fast too soon and folks will stay in their heavy metal boxes...which is the most dangerous thing they can do for most of us vulnerable street users.
Remember...ride like a Dutchman...wear a hat...ride like an American ...wear your helmet.
July 20th, 2007 09:27
Quote from Todd B.: "Raise the bar too fast too soon and folks will stay in their heavy metal boxes...which is the most dangerous thing they can do for most of us vulnerable street users."
There's definitely something to this. I have to take my parents as cases in point. They just flat-out refuse to ride a bike with a helmet. They're both at serious risk for obesity. My stepdad was told by his doctor last month that if he didn't do something soon, he's "a dead man". He's made a start by taking all trips less than 5 miles from his home via his bike. I'm no risk analyst, but I'm going to make a guess that at this moment in time, he's far more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than traumatic brain injury from colliding with a motor vehicle. I will admit that he is a stubborn man, and he wouldn't disagree. If he was living in King County, WA, he never would have gotten back on his bike.
I wear my helmet about 95% of the time. I will never specifically encourage an adult to not wear a helmet, but I also will never harangue grown-ups who choose not to. I just don't see it as a black-and-white issue.
July 20th, 2007 12:48
"why then do we not see legions of brain trauma victims staggering about in the streets of Northern Europe and China where the percentage of helmet-less urban commuters far outweighs that of the US in general (?)"
Are you serious? Maybe because many are dead or unable to even stagger about?
July 20th, 2007 13:43
An analogy between bike safety, wearing a bike helmet and promoting firearm safety having your wrapping kids (and others) in bullet proof vests (comment #78), is kind of weak.
People's bodies are not moving around astride guns, as cyclists are on bikes. If kids are not hanging around where other people are messing around with guns, they shouldn't need bullet proof vests.
I would agree though, that since people handling and shooting guns seem to have a knack for periodically shooting themselves and others accidentally, just as cyclists are occasionally inclined to tumble from their bicycles in low impact falls, perhaps it might make some sense for all gun handlers concerned with firearm safety to wrap themselves in bulletproof vests, as well as their children if they are being instructed in the use of firearms and firearm safety.
I hear tell that if you're under the age of 16 in Oregon, you don't have to wear bicycle helmet when you ride a bicycle. So, no sweat...just get on the bike and ride. Go to helmet.org and educate yourself about what a bicycle helmet can and cannot do to ensure your safety. Don't listen to a bunch of spoiled nilly-willy automobile imprisoned sourpusses intimidate you from making a reasonable use of roads you have a right to use as a cyclist.
July 20th, 2007 14:27
Michael,
A rhetorical question seeks to encourage reflection within the listener as to what the answer to the question (at least, the answer implied by the questioner) must be. When a speaker declaims, "How much longer must our people endure this injustice?", no formal answer is expected. Rather, it is a device used by the speaker to assert or deny something.
July 20th, 2007 21:13
blahblahblah.
Whoever feels the need to insult other people because they choose not to wear helments, a big fuck you to you.
I bet none of you helmet preachers ever go riding while intoxicated, huh?!
keep thumping your helmet bible.
Skidmark talks about wearing a helmet the majority of the time. His comment was more encouraging than the rest of this dribble.
July 22nd, 2007 18:55
Thanks Donna!
Finally a story about someone who's life was saved by riding a bike! (helmet or not). This is the very reason I am against helmet laws.
-
Aaron
July 22nd, 2007 23:31
So, sometimes I wear a helmet. When I am mountain climbing I always wear a helmet. When I hike, I do not.
Likewise, when I am mountain biking or on my road bike I wear a helmet. When I am on my city bike on bike blvds. I do not.
My worry is that there are people who imply that cycling in and of itself is a "dangerous" activity. It's not. It's all about where you ride and when. There are plenty of more dangerous things in this world...and cyclists shouldn't be eating their own over what is fundamentally an individual choice.
July 25th, 2007 11:02
Here's the crux. If you have socialized health care then we all pay for it and there is no personal responsibility for making bad decisions. You'll be taken care of from cradle to grave. Welcome to the nanny state.
This then leads to laws designed to enforce common sense. Helmet laws, seatbelt laws etc etc etc.
And in the end all they do is make it harder and harder to find nominees for the Darwin Awards.
Stop legislating common sense and let natural selection run its course!!!
As they say in New Hampshire "Live Free or Die"
July 25th, 2007 11:22
I am really sick of hearing the term "nanny state." The State's only reason for existence is to promote the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. When the Legislature finds problems that are negatively affecting the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, it acts to address the problem. That's what government does. If you think government is bad, then try living in a place without one (or a real one) like Iraq. Concepts such as "freedom" and "liberty" have nothing to do with regulation of health, safety, and welfare -- they're about free expression, religion, and procedural and criminal rights. Anyone who confuses those two things has a pretty poor understanding of America's government and history.
July 25th, 2007 21:57
Yep, I gotta agree with A.O.
July 26th, 2007 13:03
I said it once and will say it again.
"Keep your helmet off of my head!"
July 26th, 2007 13:17
It is true that in some cases there is very little to lose from not wearing a helmet.
July 26th, 2007 13:42
"It is true that in some cases there is very little to lose from not wearing a helmet."
As a frequent proponent of civil discourse here, AO, you should know that was out of line.
July 26th, 2007 13:48
Breaking your back can leave you paralyzed. I wear a steel reinforced corset as well as a helmet. Sometimes I throw in a condom for good measure.
July 26th, 2007 15:01
Well, he is generally out of line.
When you "see yourself", as the top of the heap, as A.O. appears to think of himself, childish insults tend to roll down the hill towards the innocent.
I actually wear a helmet quite a bit, but am tired of, and never again want anyone else to give me a hard time for my personal choice.
I have had many, many concussion's (over 20) and head wounds (over 10).
I mean, more than I can count. Really.
Mostly from skateboarding. Some from cycling. Half while wearing a helmet.
I know exactly what it means to protect
my head.
I do not need some one else telling me about it.
This is especially true when I am out riding, having a good time, and some one, a random cyclist, or worse yet, a random driver, feels it is their place to bitch at me for not wearing my helmet.
I saw a beautiful girl on a Litespeed the other evening. We were going up NE Prescott, from 205.
I must give her a slight bit of credit in her approach to me not wearing my helmet.
It involved self defamation, and comedy on her part, as she proclaimed "Why am I the only one on the road today with my helmet? I must look like a dork!"
I appreciate the attempt at reverse psychology, which actually made her seem absolutely fabulous in a way.
But, it was difficult to see past the thinly veiled insult.
It is things like this that will continue to separate us, as cyclists, at times when we need to be fully unified.
Be hypercritical of yourself, not others.
July 26th, 2007 15:36
I think it's very odd that people would bug complete strangers about not wearing a helmet. That said, I think it's strange that somebody would not wear one but it's each person's own choice.
It probably doesn't matter what any of us common folk think anyway. If it ends up causing a hit in profits for insurance companies, it will be mandatory to wear a helmet right quick.
And Dabby, it doesn't sound to me like she was addressing your lack of helmet, but rather her own discomfort at not giving the appearance of fitting in.
July 26th, 2007 16:00
Dabby, you poor, poor thing. Maybe some rest would make you feel better, or going off to some remote, secluded place for awhile.
Anybody that has had "...many, many concussions and head wounds (over 10)", and still doesn't get the picture that some changes in their life might be in order has no business complaining about other people expressing routine, inevitable gestures of concern when they meet someone not wearing a bicycle helmet.
July 26th, 2007 16:56
I'm solidly in favor of helmets. I really don't understand the logic behind not wearing one. But...
As Dabby has pointed out, he's had concussions both with and without a helmet. Helmets are not designed to protect you from concussions. They are designed to protect you from head injuries, especially in low speed falls. If Dabby has had many, many concussions, it's not necessarily because he wasn't wearing a helmet. The head injuries, who knows? If they were low speed falls, and he wasn't wearing a helmet, then his injuries would likely have been prevented.
All that said, I like my helmet, and I'll be wearing it the next time I fall from my bike, just like I was wearing one the last time I fell from my bike.
July 26th, 2007 17:43
wsbob,
"doesn't get the picture", is part of a above statement you "typed".
I believe I pointed out that I fully get the picture, in truth I actually recommend wearing a helmet. I just don't always myself.
I feel no need to be berated about it on the street or anywhere else, for that matter.
I hope I have painted a picture clear enough for you to get.
July 26th, 2007 18:05
Just when I was trying to stop commenting, I got sucked back in.
I am sure she was just goofing around in someway when saying that to me.
Part of my point was actually that I was so over people saying something about my helmet, or lack of, that I couldn't get past it enough to really appreciate the sarcasm.....
Is that what it has come to?
Have a nice day here in comment land!
July 27th, 2007 08:47
Dabby said: “I have had many, many concussion's (over 20) and head wounds (over 10).”
OUCH!! Dabby, that hurts just reading about it. I hope you’re exaggerating some, but even so, that many big hits to the head are NOT GOOD. Even if there is no apparent damage now, you’re turning yourself into a prime candidate for Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s later in life. Please change your behavior. The damage is cumulative – every hit, even the little ones adds to the total, and the higher the impact of each hit the more cumulative damage is done. That’s why I wear my helmet every time I ride, even for short trips in relatively low risk situations. Even if I’m perfect (I’m not) and never make a mistake (I do), I have no control over the actions of others, so the very best I can do is reduce my risk of a crash by 50%.
Keep the rubber side down.
July 27th, 2007 10:12
I can completely understand and believe that people not wearing bicycle helmets when they ride are being noticed and repeatedly encouraged by other people to wear one.
What I don't understand is people getting upset about this to the extent that they seem to feel these gestures are comparable to a civil rights or human rights violation and call for some kind of general campaign to end them.
Being informed or reminded by another person of the benefit of wearing a bicycle helmet while riding a bicycle is not a civil rights or a human rights violation. Not everybody does, but lots of people do care about other people in and around their lives.
I can only imagine that is why they are mentioning the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet to a person like Dabby when Dabby is not wearing a bicycle helmet while bicycling. This is what people will do when they're concerned about the welfare of another.
When they do, be nice to them, be polite to them and thank them for doing something compassionate towards other people because you know, it's not like they're holding an AK-47 to somebody's head by simply reminding someone about bicycle helmets.
July 27th, 2007 10:34
If I run a stop, or hop a curb, or cut you off - go ahead, say something to me, I'll likely take it to heart because those actions can endanger others.
If I'm not wearing a helmet, then leave me alone, I'm not endangering you, and it's my business. These gestures are not "comparable to a civil rights or human rights violation", I don't think anyone is suggesting that. It's as simple as respecting other people space and decissions as an adult.
What would you think if I stopped and told every obese person to lose weight, because they are endangering themselves and I'm concerned about their welfare? I think the analogy is the same, and it's downight rude.
July 27th, 2007 10:35
Assuming they actually do care about others and are not merely being smug, self-righteous blowhards. Right?
Judgementalism, it's the new black.
July 27th, 2007 11:04
I wear a helmet. It doesn't make me invincible-- only youth does that-- but it gives me a bit of a safety edge in case something goes wrong.
If there's a discussion about helmets, I will add what I know to the mix.
I don't tell anybody to wear one, here or on the street. The only exception I would make to that rule is I would tell somebody I care about-- a dear friend or family member-- to wear a helmet, and I'd tell them why.
So far, that means I bought a helmet for my almost two year old Godson, because I bought him a tricycle. I haven't explained head injuries to his mother, and probably won't, but I did tell her it's against the law for him to ride without a helmet, and she'll listen to that.
July 27th, 2007 13:39
Steve...exactly. Jeff...maybe your personal experience has been that people are knowingly disrespecting your space and decisions as an adult. You should deal with that personal situation in as reasonable way as possible.
I'm going to presume that some of those doing this are people you may not be personally acquainted with. My impression is that the average person feeling compelled to go out of their way to mention to somebody the benefit of wearing a bicycle helmet while riding a bicycle is doing so, not out of a desire to knowingly invade that person's space and decisions as an adult, but because they feel that for some apparent reason, the person not wearing the helmet either is not aware of or does not understand the safety benefit to be gained by wearing a helmet.
I don't think that the implications of low impact blows to the head while riding a bicycle without a helmet are as commonly known and understood as the implications of obesity to a person's health are. Obesity gets far more media attention thanks to celebrity rags obsession with the weight rise and fall of certain unfortunate stars.
It logically follows, that, as common knowledge is today, if somebody sees a person riding a bike without a helmet, the average person would not necessarily be correct in assuming that the cyclist is aware of the safety benefit to be gained by wearing a bicycle helmet.
If they mention helmets, it's likely to not be out of rudeness or disrespect, but out of a sense of common responsibility for the welfare of others.
July 27th, 2007 13:57
wsbob, thanks for that little personal dig there, really helps the discourse.
"My impression is that the average person feeling compelled to go out of their way to mention to somebody the benefit of wearing a bicycle helmet while riding a bicycle is doing so, not out of a desire to knowingly invade that person's space and decisions as an adult, but because they feel that for some apparent reason, the person not wearing the helmet either is not aware of or does not understand the safety benefit to be gained by wearing a helmet."
And, like Steve, my impression is that anyone who knowingly goes out of their way to communicate that is in fact, a smug, self-righteous blowhard, and not done out of a sense of 'common responsibility'...
How many folks die from obesity related causes comapred to helmetless head injuries? I'll let you dig up the numbers, but if you really care for the welfare of others I suggest you refocus your efforts to where it can make a difference.
I'm sure you have a vision of me as a helmetless law-breaking scofflaw by now, but I assure you that's far from the truth.