Hey J.P,
I have rode more than a few times with individuals on this list and had good
experiences each time. I hope that continues. At times I do not don a helmet
and at other times I do. It depends on who I am riding with and my comfort
level with the group. Weather has some play in it too.
<Enter Soapbox>
I am trying to understand why the biking culture here is so strongly against
not wearing a helmet? Why push one persons preferences on another? This is a
free country. No laws are broken. My choice of head ware does not impede your
or others safety, it does not impact my ability to navigate a bike, nor does it
imply the level of my riding skils.
Speaking or riding skils, the notion that those with helmets are inherently
safer than those with out, is simplistic and intellectually lazy and fails to
consider the full gamut of factors that effect a rider's safety. To classify is
human, and it is easy to spot and classify some one with out a helmet as
unsafe. Problem solved? Nope, but it sure makes us feel nice being able to
break things down in to good "biker" and bad "biker" categories.
There is a huge amount of self-righteousness coming from the "always wear your
helmet" crowd, and it's quite puzzling. I can't think of another topic that
generates quite as much righteous indignation as whether someone wears a helmet
or not. It's so bizarrely irrational, it's funny.
I mean, car accidents are far more common than cycling accidents, and are far
more common per vehicle mile traveled. More people die in car accidents than on
bicycles, and wearing a helmet might well prevent a lot of those deaths. So why
no deranged harping about drivers wearing helmets?
The answer is that driving a car is assumed normative behavior. Everybody
drives. It's just part of life. And when 40,000 people a year are killed,
that's just life. If you were to yell at every driver stopped at a red light,
"Where's your helmet, sport!" people would rightly think you were off your
f...@#king rocker. But it's completely acceptable to harangue your local
bicyclist, so long as they're engaged in risky fringe behavior, right?
A final thought: According to this site:
http://www.bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/SafetyQuiz.htm
fewer than 1% of the head injury deaths in America are bikers. But about 50% of
them happen inside cars. That's despite air bags.
I know my position is not the popular one but really it's about the individual
and his/her choice.
<Exit Soapbox>
Sorry the rant. Like I said it's a choice and if I choose to join your ride
I'll bring my helmet. ;)
Ken...
________________________________
From: J.P. Ericsson <[email protected]>
To: Ken Livesey <[email protected]>
Cc: SVC <[email protected]>; Jim Pingel <[email protected]>; Chip
Camillo <[email protected]>; David Bell <[email protected]>;
Renee Callaway <[email protected]>; [email protected]
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 8:59:57 AM
Subject: Re: [stotonvc] Mod's to Saturday AM Blue Mounds Ride
Sorry Ken, but......
Do what you want with your personal headgear choice(s), but not while on my
ride.
I don't need to explain all of my reasons why.
JPE
On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 8:07 AM, Ken Livesey <bicyclingaddict@ yahoo.com> wrote:
I see non-wearing helmet discrimination is alive and well. Man just after I
sold my hood and wood cross too. Oh well I am sure you all have extras.
>
>
>
>
________________________________
From: J.P. Ericsson <jpebi...@gmail. com>
>To: SVC <stoto...@yahoogroup s.com>; Jim Pingel <jimmy.pingel@ gmail.com>;
>Chip Camillo <Chip.Camillo@ dynastar. net>; David Bell <davepb...@sbcglobal
>.net>; Renee Callaway <rccalla...@sbcgloba l.net>
>Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:17:32 PM
>
>Subject: [stotonvc] Mod's to Saturday AM Blue Mounds Ride
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Modifications to Saturday's Ride:
>
>Departure From Ericsson Residence at 7:45 AM, Sharp.
>***Pre-Ride Coffee and Danish for All, so RSVP***
>514 Enterprise Drive, Verona....Plenty of extra parking across street at
>Library
>
>Still ~80 Miles...Fitchburg, Verona, Daleyville, Blue Mounds (H20 Stop), Blue
>Mounds Climb, Mt Horeb (H20 Stop), then Various Return Options Available
>
>*Spread the word to riders that wear helmets.
>*I will only whine if Roltgen &/or Murray are riding stronger than me :-)
>*Only 3 Months to Cool & Wonderful CX Season.
>--
>Thanks & Regards,
>John P Ericsson "JPE"
>jpebi...@gmail. com
>
--
Thanks & Regards,
John P Ericsson "JPE"
jpebi...@gmail. com
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