Mandatory helmet laws are a bad idea, partly because they reduce the number of bikes on the road, which cuts into the "safety in numbers" effect that protects all of us.
But I think a helmet is a good idea, and I'm going to keep wearing one. In my life I've had a number of unpleasant encounters with the pavement. None of these impacted my head, fortunately, but several could have, if I had fallen slightly differently. Only one of these crashes involved a collision with a car; the others involved slippery substances (ice, mud, etc.) on the road, collisions (or near-collisions) with oblivious pedestrians, bikes or dogs, and miscalculations of my own. Even if motorized vehicles disappeared tomorrow, biking would still carry some risks to my head, and I'd still keep wearing my helmet. Actually, I suspect the big difference between Madisonians and Amsterdamers or Copenhageners is not that biking is safer over there (though it might well be safer there) but that Europeans are more philosophical about the risks in their lives. Cathy's father is a case in point. I have to say that I admire his attitude, and I wish I could be as serene about these things as he is. But I'm going to keep wearing my helmet. By the way, there's an interesting video, called "Cycling Friendly Cities," on YouTube, at http://youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8&mode=related&search=. The video focuses on three cities -- Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Bogota -- and the cultural and physical changes they have made to encourage bicycles and discourage cars. There are lots of shots, of course, of bicycle traffic in all three cities. As I expected, almost nobody in Amsterdam or Copenhagen is wearing a helmet. But in Bogota, oddly enough, most of the riders have helmets. Interesting. Cathy Van Maren wrote: > Maybe this is why NO ONE in the Netherlands (except us dumb american > tourists) wears a bike helmet. Well, this and the laws: > > http://www.transalt.org/press/magazine/034Fall/18europe.html > > -- snip -- > > "Driver training for motorists in The Netherlands and Germany is much > more extensive, thorough and expensive than in the United States. In > their training programs, the Dutch and Germans emphasize how crucial it > is to pay special attention to avoiding collisions with pedestrians and > cyclists. Motorists are required by law to drive in a way that minimizes > the risk of injury for pedestrians and cyclists even if they are > jaywalking, cycling in the wrong direction, ignoring traffic signals or > otherwise violating traffic regulations." > > and > > "Traffic regulations in Germany and The Netherlands strongly favor > pedestrians and bicyclists. The most significant difference between the > transportation policy of these countries and that of the United States > is how much more strictly they enforce traffic regulations for > motorists. German and Dutch penalties can be high, even for minor > violations. They consider not stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks a > serious offense and will ticket a motorist for non-compliance, even if > pedestrians are only waiting at the curb and are not actually in the > crosswalk." > > - cathy in la crosse > > p.s My dad, 79, had brain surgery after a fall earlier this year and has > recuperated pretty much fully and still rides his "oma fiets" ( > http://users.skynet.be/dannyvanhove/Omafiets.jpg - new version here: > http://www.electrabike.com/amsterdam/ )around to pick up reusable junk > on trash days (like reams of paper still in their wrappers, lamps, etc. > that can be fixed and used.) I gave him a bicycle helmet last month. > His response, "I've been riding my bike without a helmet since I was 6 > and I'm not going to start now!" but, since I refused to take it back, I > figure one of these days he'll decide to wear it.Maybe. > > > > > -- > Cathy Van Maren > > Upward Bound > 176 Murphy > UW-L > La Crosse, WI 54601 > 608 785-8539 > 608 785-8757 (fax) > www.uwlax.edu/UpBound > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
