In Support of 60-year old Women Everywhere

[chicagogal]

I don't really think that wearing a helmet should be "a matter of choice". Consider the road hazards: pothole, squirrel, pedestrian, wet leaves, wet manhole cover, other cyclists, railroad tracks, etc. All of these could cause a cyclist to hit the pavement, but would not be much of a problem for the driver of a motor vehicle whose only real risk comes from other drivers.

Nonetheless, driving around the city at 25-30mph, drivers of cars consistently wear seat belts (and could be fined for not wearing one), yet cyclists traveling at 15-25mph consistently choose not to wear a helmet. Drivers wear seatbelts not because it looks cool or is the most comfortable, but because of a massive public safety campaign in which people were educated about the risks of not wearing one, and in the aftermath, car companies were required to install more and more safety devises (air bags, anti lock breaks, etc).

We need the same kind of public safety campaign for cyclists such that nobody would even think to get on their bikes without fastening their helmet, just like they don't think to drive their car without fastening their seat belt.

[Crankin]

Chicago Gal, you put that in a way that makes it easy to understand. But, until we have the cycling infrastructure to mount such a safety campaign, it's not going to happen.
And yes, I am judgmental about this issue.

[Melalvai]

We need the same kind of public safety campaign for cyclists such that nobody would even think to get on their bikes without fastening their helmet, just like they don't think to drive their car without fastening their seat belt.

More importantly we need public safety campaigns so cyclists will not run red lights & stop signs, ride the wrong way, fail to yield, ride on the sidewalk. These all have more potential for preventing the wreck in the first place. Not having the wreck prevents more than head injury, while head injury is the only thing helmets can prevent.

I think this thread has been thoroughly hijacked now!

[colorisnt]

I agree with all of the "go everyone!" posts. I love to see old and young people alike on bikes because it IS something everyone can do. It's a great way to get to and from places, a great way to stay healthy, and is a natural antidepressant! I can't see why you wouldn't bike *kicks little sister who is the only one in our family who won't*.

And with Melalvai, I agree that cyclists need education on bike safety. We need to be ambassadors for it. Which is why I love pednet and getabout here in Columbia. They are teaching kids how to ride properly and to be safe and aware of drivers. My parents taught me this stuff when I was a kid and I am so thankful, but I know a couple of my friends who had NO IDEA what they were doing and had no clue how to stay safe when I was a kid.

I think we should be teaching kids this from the start. The easiest way for them to learn is to ride with mom and/or dad or moms or dads to get some idea of how to stay safe. I was on the back of my Dad's bike when I was a kid all the time in a child seat. I learned to ride early and learned all the rules of the road.

[chicagogal]

More importantly we need public safety campaigns so cyclists will not run red lights & stop signs, ride the wrong way, fail to yield, ride on the sidewalk. These all have more potential for preventing the wreck in the first place. Not having the wreck prevents more than head injury, while head injury is the only thing helmets can prevent.

I completely agree! It is not just about helmets, but safety in general (but wearing a helmet is the easiest thing to do to improve our safety!).

Maybe a massive safety campaign with government involvement requires a critical mass of cyclists, but safety starts with us - people who ride bikes. It is up to us to educate the community, and to set an example. That is what bothers me so much about that community leader (sorry, I forgot his name) who doesn't wear a helmet. In my opinion, that is just setting a bad example.

What do we need to do? Talk to teammates, club members, folks at our respective shops, other people you ride with, and make sure that they understand the rules of the road and how to ride safely.

I always ride with my team jersey as a reminder to myself that when I am using the roads, I am representing not just myself but my club. However, we all need to remember that, in team kit or not, we are ALL representing ALL cyclists on the road whenever we are out there.

Obey the rules, be courteous, wear a helmet, PASS YOUR KNOWLEDGE FORWARD, and our roads will be safer for everyone.