Why “If you don’t wear your bike helmet, you’re a bloody idiot”

Hey Mum, I busted another one

 

 

I don't like wearing my helmet all of the time but having destroyed a few when my head came in contact with the road, I can personally testify to their value at least in my case.

I was too young to remember the debates that raged over mandatory seatbelt use or the wearing of motorcycle helmets but I do know that I use both without giving it a second thought. Bicycle helmets in Melbourne make sense in most cases. Sure, you can argue that you shouldn't need to wear one for a quick trip to the milkbar etc. But we don't hesitate to put our seatbelt on in the car for the same trip (that we should be using a bike for anyway).

We simply don't have the separation nor respect between cars and cyclists that contribute to safety for cyclists. We are not the Netherlands, nor many other European countries that were never designed with cars in mind and for which bicycles, are far more practical given the short distances and narrow streets.

Short trips and cities made for people, not cars, make cycling easier to fit to the urban landscape than in Melbourne.

 

A friend of mine sent me this link to an online article “Bike helmets: an emergency doctor's perspective”. Common sense is ahead of science but as the article points out, that's what happened with the link between smoking and lung cancer.

Melbourne is a car city. Simple. Cars rule, cyclists don't and need to take extra steps to ensure that they minimise risks. If wearing a chunk of foam and plastic on your head does that, so be it. I like my brain, we're kind of attached and I'd like to keep it that way.

If you don't wear a helmet in Melbourne, you're a bloody idiot.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Crisis, what crisis ?

Human beings are really, very weird creatures. Individually, they’re mostly smart and sensible. However, as the number of human’s increases in a given location or situation, levels of stupidity, ignorance and apathy increase whilst levels of common sense become less common. Just ask Al Gore about the frustrations of trying to get people to pay attention to climate change!

In recent days, there has been much net traffic devoted to the recent crash at the final ‘sprint’ of the Hell Ride. There have been a spate of crashes recently but this one has got people talking. Check out the vibe on Cycling Tips to get up to speed. Lots of sensible comments and views suggesting that there is general agreement that public roads are for social rides and training. If you want to go racing, get a license and enter any number of closed events that happen every week.

Why has this got my knickers in a knot and what has it to do with Al Gore? I fear that the few people who have commented will give a false impression that people care. Unfortunately, I suspect that the majority of riders don’t think about it too much unless it comes up in conversation over the post ride coffee. The more riders, the less likely that anything will happen.

Hence the role of a crisis. We will sip our skinny lattes as the ship slowly but inexorably heads for the rocks. We can see them and know the danger but surely it is someone else’s job to steer the ship away from them … isn’t it? But, what if there isn’t anyone at the helm? Then, we are doomed!

Beach Road is a unique cycling haven. Sure, people will have their view of it as being a soft option when you can hit the Dandys or hills but the harsh reality is this; if it wasn’t for the Beach Road, many wouldn’t even be cycling. Beach Road is hugely responsible for getting bums on saddles and keeping them there.

If we don’t seriously start managing our bunches, the rocks will be under our bow in no time. The danger of course is legislation and traffic management. But before that eventuates, there will be increasing tension between cars, local residents and cyclists to contend with.

Most riders are sensible but all of that is undone by the stupidity of a few. The terrible death of the elderly gentleman in Mentone called into sharp focus how a whole group’s behaviour could be tainted by the stupidity of one person who wasn’t even part of the group!

Do us all a favour. If you see someone doing something stupid, speak up on behalf of your fellow cyclists and do it nicely. If you do something stupid and someone calls you on it, cop it on the chin and pull your head in ‘nicely’.

We are heading for the rocks and waiting for the crisis before acting is really stupid.