Comments on: Make bicycle​ helmets mandatory http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%e2%80%8b-helmets-mandatory/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James D. http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%e2%80%8b-helmets-mandatory/#comment-6550 James D. Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:37:25 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=9088#comment-6550 Helmets are good to wear during a Bicycle Race, but a lot of people ride bikes just to get around, and aren't really going that fast. A marathon runner can go 17MPH, but he or she is not required to wear a helmet. Some bicyclists ride because a bicycle is faster than running. But some people ride because it is easier than walking, and they don't go over 15MPH. Another thing my Daughter pointed out to me-Women's Hairstyles- What does a woman do with hair curlers? Is she expected to flatten her hair, which she spent hours curling? Can you imagine what would happen if a woman with a bouffant hairdo tries to put a bicycle helmet on? Her hair would be ruined! Helmets are good to wear during a Bicycle Race, but a lot of people ride bikes just to get around, and aren’t really going that fast. A marathon runner can go 17MPH, but he or she is not required to wear a helmet. Some bicyclists ride because a bicycle is faster than running. But some people ride because it is easier than walking, and they don’t go over 15MPH.
Another thing my Daughter pointed out to me-Women’s Hairstyles- What does a woman do with hair curlers? Is she expected to flatten her hair, which she spent hours curling? Can you imagine what would happen if a woman with a bouffant hairdo tries to put a bicycle helmet on? Her hair would be ruined!

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Off Campus http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%e2%80%8b-helmets-mandatory/#comment-6525 Off Campus Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:34:42 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=9088#comment-6525 I've got a crazy idea. You know the bridge over Forest Park Parkway? The one with the big "WALK BIKES" signs on both ends? Maybe we could mandate that people actually walk their bikes on that bridge. The signs are there for a reason: to protect bikers <em>and</em> pedestrians. I’ve got a crazy idea. You know the bridge over Forest Park Parkway? The one with the big “WALK BIKES” signs on both ends? Maybe we could mandate that people actually walk their bikes on that bridge. The signs are there for a reason: to protect bikers and pedestrians.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: superhornet http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%e2%80%8b-helmets-mandatory/#comment-6519 superhornet Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:03:28 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=9088#comment-6519 1st let me say that on the whole you are correct helmets will prevent deaths and reduce injuries. Here is why a law is a problem. (1) Helmets don’t do you a lot of good when the police don’t enforce laws already on the books. Case in point the crossing at Forsyth & Skinker…while the walk sign was on and counting down no less than nine cars turn right in front of me preventing me from using the cross walk. In the mean time the traffic that had the red light coming out of the park had pulled well beyond where they should have stopped and where blocking the cross walk on the north side so that they could attempt to make right hand turns while the light was red. (2) Helmets are stolen, mislaid, and lost not too mention some times you just forget. So if a helmet is stolen are mislaid how do you get another one so you can ride home legally? (3) What kind of helmet should the law require you to have since the standards of safety vary widely? Myself I prefer a helmet that has a smooth concentric outside with no projections from the front (as a visor) are from the rear (as in aerodynamic point). I also believe the back of the head needs protection all the way to the neck and not just partial head protection like in racing helmets. Racing helmets are after all for racing and not much good for road protection. (4) Helmets also cause me to over heat in weather above 60° F so do I have to wear one when I am going 12 miles in 90°F heat of St Louis. Even at 70° St Louis humidity on a ride longer that 5 miles can generate a lot of cranial heat which if becomes excess my cause problems in making the correct decision in a life threatening moment. Safe bicycling requires that the motor vehicles sharing the road with bicyclist use appropriate maturity when operating their motor vehicles are in lieu of that, that the community have enforceable laws like the 3 foot rule, adequate numbers of clearly marked and maintained bicycle lanes and finally that law enforcement, enforce the laws by ticketing violators. For now I suspect that vehicular homicide will remain legal in St Louis and St Louis County. 1st let me say that on the whole you are correct helmets will prevent deaths and reduce injuries. Here is why a law is a problem.
(1) Helmets don’t do you a lot of good when the police don’t enforce laws already on the books. Case in point the crossing at Forsyth & Skinker…while the walk sign was on and counting down no less than nine cars turn right in front of me preventing me from using the cross walk. In the mean time the traffic that had the red light coming out of the park had pulled well beyond where they should have stopped and where blocking the cross walk on the north side so that they could attempt to make right hand turns while the light was red.
(2) Helmets are stolen, mislaid, and lost not too mention some times you just forget. So if a helmet is stolen are mislaid how do you get another one so you can ride home legally?
(3) What kind of helmet should the law require you to have since the standards of safety vary widely? Myself I prefer a helmet that has a smooth concentric outside with no projections from the front (as a visor) are from the rear (as in aerodynamic point). I also believe the back of the head needs protection all the way to the neck and not just partial head protection like in racing helmets. Racing helmets are after all for racing and not much good for road protection.
(4) Helmets also cause me to over heat in weather above 60° F so do I have to wear one when I am going 12 miles in 90°F heat of St Louis. Even at 70° St Louis humidity on a ride longer that 5 miles can generate a lot of cranial heat which if becomes excess my cause problems in making the correct decision in a life threatening moment.
Safe bicycling requires that the motor vehicles sharing the road with bicyclist use appropriate maturity when operating their motor vehicles are in lieu of that, that the community have enforceable laws like the 3 foot rule, adequate numbers of clearly marked and maintained bicycle lanes and finally that law enforcement, enforce the laws by ticketing violators. For now I suspect that vehicular homicide will remain legal in St Louis and St Louis County.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Daniel http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%e2%80%8b-helmets-mandatory/#comment-6518 Daniel Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:50:04 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=9088#comment-6518 The people that should really get fined are the idiot pedestrians for acting recklessly. I don't know how many times I can recount riding along pretty slowly when a cell phone talking pedestrian decides to clearly walk straight into my path and then precedes to curse me for getting too close to her. If I wasn't as skilled at cycling I would probably have hit them. I'm a pretty avid cyclist and do own a helmet but only wear it when I'm actually riding fast. On campus I would not consider the ability to even go fast possible due to the lack of room on the sidewalks... And if we want to get on the topic of controlling health risks so as to secure lower healthcare costs...maybe we should enact a zero alcohol policy on campus. I think that's more of an issue than bicyclists getting injured on campus. Interesting how it's so easy to enact regulations when they don't affect you. The people that should really get fined are the idiot pedestrians for acting recklessly. I don’t know how many times I can recount riding along pretty slowly when a cell phone talking pedestrian decides to clearly walk straight into my path and then precedes to curse me for getting too close to her. If I wasn’t as skilled at cycling I would probably have hit them. I’m a pretty avid cyclist and do own a helmet but only wear it when I’m actually riding fast. On campus I would not consider the ability to even go fast possible due to the lack of room on the sidewalks…

And if we want to get on the topic of controlling health risks so as to secure lower healthcare costs…maybe we should enact a zero alcohol policy on campus. I think that’s more of an issue than bicyclists getting injured on campus. Interesting how it’s so easy to enact regulations when they don’t affect you.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>