Irresponsible Ad

At Fri, 01 Jul 2005 18:02:41 -0400, message was posted by "G.M." , including some, all or none of the following:

I didn't cross-post it, but I ride my bike from the office to home, where my model railway is located.

Guy

No, this person who bicycle commuted for nearly ten years, rode centuries, was president of a bicycle club, bicycle toured independently in Europe, etc., just gets tired of Libertarian/NeoCon/Scamentologist/AynRanty/etc. zealots.

And this person who has bike commuted since 1977, rode many dozens of centuries , many 100-150 mile rides and one double century, was president, vice president, trustee, ride captain, and current safety chairman of a large club, served on local and statewide bike-related committees for the DOT, wrote most of the local bike transportation plan, gave classes and seminars on recreational and transportational cycling, is a certified Bike Ed instructor, toured independently in four countries (two in Europe), ridden independently coast-to-coast in the US, testified before state legislators regarding bike safety, etc etc gets REALLY tired of people who spout off on a bike-related issue without knowing the facts.

I've studied this issue for years. I've got many reams of printed info, dozens of copies of scientific research articles, and megs of computer files on it. And by the way, I once recommended helmets. I no longer do, based on what I learned through study.

My attitude is not about libertarianism or any of the other distortions you imply - although I do think people should be free to take reasonable risks. My attitude is about people (including cyclists) who are so willing to portray cycling as unusually dangerous, and so willing to vilify those who make choices different from theirs - whether or not those people have actually studied the data on safety and on the actual, real-world effects of helmets.

It's ignorance combined with hubris combined with lack of tolerance. You may find something worth admiring in that combination, but I certainly don't.

- Frank Krygowski

My old Bell looks like a chamber pot.

My stepson had a sort of eggplanty Specialized brand helmet; they had their name in white letters on a black fabric strip. He took a black maker and blotted out the IZ

SPECIAL ED

Duh, Eric.

It's an ad intended to get people's attention by showing the unexpected.

A crossing gate stopping a train for a car is just that. Lord Jesus Christ, we have some dumb people here.

It's interesting that you accuse the helmet sceptics of zealotry. Are we the ones attempting to force our opinion on others through legislation or false portrayals of cycling as a hazardous activity?

Guy

No,. it's OK, they are intending to cycle, not drive.

Guy

Hey - you're the one who noticed the commercial!

i stick mine up my butt. The extra body mass really attenuates the impact, and the tucked-in geometry gives a better rollout.

.max no offense meant, it was just an image that needed sharing.

That settles it. weener jpgs are now required.

Sorry, I meant to snip rmr from my reply, but forgot to.

Blame Ken from NY for the crossposting to begin with.

Mike Tennent

And yet, you don't seem to comprehend the differences in these activities.

For someone who pro\fesses to being so well versed in risk management, you don't understand much about the risk of making this argument, do you?

At Sun, 03 Jul 2005 09:46:44 -0400, message was posted by Cheery Littlebottom , including some, all or none of the following:

False: Frank is well aware that the risk of head injury while driving or walking is much higher than for cycling, he just doesn't think it's high enough to merit special protective equipment.

Guy

My bet is I understand all these risks far better than you.

All those things I listed are potential sources of serious head injury. As stated, car interiors (air bags and all) are still the number one cause of head injury fatalities in the US. Falls around the home are the number two.

(Interesting news story from yesterday:

)

The head injury rate, per hour exposure, for walking near traffic is about the same as for cycling. The number of pedestrian fatalities (including head injury fatalities) dwarfs those for cycling.

Cycling is responsible for less than 1% of America's head injury fatalities. Motorists are roughly 50% of the victims. Falls around the home cause roughly 40%. Yet where are the calls for helmets for motorists? For ladder-climbers and stair-descenders? Why do the safety nuts pick on cycling?

Before Bell began marketing the Bell Biker in the mid-70s, there were _no_ warnings about head injuries and cycling. But Bell, and Snell (to whom Bell contributes) and Safe Kids (to whom Snell contributes) and various hand-wringing organizations have successfully convinced the public that brain-injured cyclists had to be plowed off the roads in

1970. They have successfully influenced cycling magazines so that Bicycling, Adventure Cyclist and the League of American Bicyclists magazine have editorial policies forbidding photos of Caucasians without helmets!

And now, we have legions of well-meaning cyclists who have never seen someone on a quality bike without a foam topping. And, since they know about presta valves and butted spokes, these guys think they know about head injuries.

Sorry, "Cheery Littlebottom," but it's all as silly as your pen name.

- Frank Krygowski

"It's an ad intended to get people's attention by showing the unexpected."

Well obviously.

"A crossing gate stopping a train for a car is just that. Lord Jesus Christ, we have some dumb people here."

Showing a car racing to beat a train at a crossing is irresponsible. There are ALOT of places in this country that don't have crossing gates. When I was living in Vermont the only place there were crossing gates were in cites and towns. Anywhere else either just has flashing lights or nothing but a RR X-ing sign.

And here's another kicker, due to the infrequent service of the Vermont Railroad alot of the flashers didn't operate because the contacts would develop non conductive oxidation from the disuse.

Since people blowing gates is a big enough problem that the railorads have seen fit to develop a PSA campaign to combat it having a auto company create an ad that implies that their vehicles can beat the train is irresponsible. Putting a brief shot of a gate blocking the track is not going to undo the operative message that our car is fast and you CAN beat the train with it.

Maybe your kids'll see this and get the bright idea they can beat the train on their bikes if they just get a fast enough start. Should make a interesting darwin award.

Eric

"Think of it as Evolution in Action"

Happened the other day here in Ohio - an 11 year old _went_around_ the lowered crossing gates on a bike.

You can't protect people from their own stupidity.

Triathletes would improve their safety if they learned to ride a bicycle as the first method of injury prevention. After that they could learn to change gears when they go up an incline.

I wonder if triathletes get the keys of the family car on the basis of buckling up in the seat belt rather than having acquired skills through driver's ed.