I yelled at a commuter today...

[Grog]

I understand your urge to yell at him. I am "impressed" by the carelessness of many cyclists and other users of the road around me every day as I commute to work. (No-helmets are the tip of the iceberg.)

This being said... I think there is a significant risk of startling a cyclist when yelling at him or her from a car. Especially if the conditions of the road are not so good and there are potholes, pylons, etc.

How would you have felt if he swerved as you yelled to him and he turned his head to you to figure out what you said, hit a deep pothole and effectively fell from his bicycle, hitting his (unprotected) head? (Not to say how he would have felt.)

There are millions of reasons why people don't wear helmets, or wear them properly. My own pet peeve is people who wear a helmet with the best of intentions, but the helmet is too small, too big, or crooked on their head, effectively putting them in as much danger as if they were not wearing a helmet at all. Whenever I have a chance to discuss the matter with various people, I do (and they get bored of it pretty quick). Who knows, perhaps the helmet he had strapped to his bike had been pooped in by his dog? I'm making this up, but for me the bottom line is that it's their problem - and their loved one's. If a cyclist (or pedestrian or motorist) is not directly endangering my life by her actions, I leave it up to them... and, more importantly, avoid putting their life in danger more than it already is...

I just got a bunch of "You'd look hotter with a helmet" stickers. They would work great on a bumper. If you'd like one I'll send you one right away (PM me your mailing address!).

[Veronica]

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I just got a bunch of "You'd look hotter with a helmet" stickers. They would work great on a bumper. If you'd like one I'll send you one right away (PM me your mailing address!).

I wish they said you'd look cooler, because then I'd put one up in my classroom. I don't want my 5th graders thinking about being hot.

Veronica

[Tuckervill]

I wish they said you'd look cooler, because then I'd put one up in my classroom. I don't want my 5th graders thinking about being hot.

Veronica

Yeah, and down here where I live, looking "hotter" is a definite drawback, since one of the main objections to helmets is being hot.

Karen

[bounceswoosh]

While I was driving yesterday, I saw a woman riding against traffic in the bike lane. It really freaked me out. One, I'm looking for oncoming traffic to my left, not to my right. Two, what if there's someone else in the bike lane riding *with* traffic like they're supposed to?

I didn't say anything; not sure what I could have said that really would have registered. When I was a kid, my dad encouraged me to go against traffic on bikes and on foot to be more visible, but I didn't feel comfortable with it even as a kid, and now as a driver it just freaks me out.

[MaineAnnette]

Hi everyone,

Writing in reply..I hate hate hate more than anything else being yelled at when I'm on a bike- even if it is supportive it is scary! And usually when I hear a car yell at me, I can't help but get so angry at the car because you're in a car! And frankly...I'm not- so leave me alone and don't bother us- we are doing all we can to make up for what car drivers are doing to our planet!

Not that I don't appreciate the share the road sticker..!

[Jewell]

I would not have yelled at the biker, especially when operating a dangerous machine. Whether or not you have restrained yourself from yelling at bikers previously makes no difference to the biker you yelled at. Also I'd be surprised if you thought of those informative news segments before you decided to yell. Helmet or no helmet, its their choice. Its easy to get heated, next time keep the heat to yourself.

Getting yelled at by drivers in incredibly annoying and can potentially be dangerous. Half the time I can't understand a thing their saying, when I do it makes no sense at all to address the person. Mostly I just wish I could put a potato in their tale pipe.

Rarely would I ever listen to anyone's advice who yelled at me, nor do I assume anyone else would head the advice of someone choosing to yell at me.

[Iris616]

and I'm glad it did.

A few weeks ago we had beautiful weather and I found myself with an unexpected free hour. I was so excited to get to ride that I hopped on my bike and forgot my helmet (although it was right on the table next to my bike). I got about 2 miles from home, and was feeling positively giddy about my ride. All of a sudden, a red minivan drove by, a kid (pre-teen) stuck his head out of the window and yelled, "put your helmet on...." The rest of the sentence was lost in the wind.

Oh MY!! How did I forget my helmet!?!? I turned back home to get it. In my driveway sat the red mini van, with the yelling culprit playing with my dog in the yard. It was my SIL and my nephew who had driven by. The funny part is that I am always chiding him for getting on his scooter with out a helmet

The conclusion I came to is that I grew up riding with out a helmet, so when I am in a "little kid" sort of space about biking I don't think about my helmet. Forgetfulness happens sometimes.

[KeepingUp]

it only takes a few second to put it on so you would assume that every biker would do it! it is very annoying because it a few seconds out of their day could help save their life if they were to get in an accident