Helmets optional?!

[porqui]

I care if you wear a helmet or not!!

 

If you do have a serious accident someone else has to look after you for the rest of your life.

I know of an elderly man looking after his son because of an accident.

 

There are enough people in our hospitals who need full time care because of motorbike accidents etc.

 

But we are invincible it will never happen to us - bunch of prigs.

 

There is no debate or opinion - Helmets make a difference!

[Cellar]

As individuals, kids have the right to be safer in a car and we as parents don't have the right to choose whether to put their lives at risk

 

Yeah, you know how many people I see with kids in seatbelts who the proceed to skip red lights and speed? But that's a separate topic.

[BigDL]

 

Yeah, you know how many people I see with kids in seatbelts who the proceed to skip red lights and speed? But that's a separate topic.

 

After being back in SA for 6 months I have realized that robots seem optional, and if you do stop, creeping forward is the thing to do for some reason. Also, I suppose it's hard to keep an eye on the robot when you are texting or emailing or checking Facebook on your phone, as so many people seem to do.

[camelman]

Bet you heard this line on the trail a lot " But I don't go fast". I fall over all the time standing still.

[flymango]

I measure our level of civilisation by the degree of conformance a society has with an increasing myriad of rules and regulations, most which are designed to either influence or regulate human behavior on our crowded planet. Some call it a nanny state. So whilst I might not agree, I conform (although if I lived in Gauteng, I'd be challenged by e-tolls!!). Collectively that's civil obedience and it defines who we are as a society or country. And it begins with you and me and our every little day-to-day habits. Wear them lids - it's the right thing to do. And concern yourself with those who don't - their injury or death could come at some cost which is not directly understood.

 

Far to philosophical no doubt.

[Cellar]

After being back in SA for 6 months I have realized that robots seem optional, and if you do stop, creeping forward is the thing to do for some reason. Also, I suppose it's hard to keep an eye on the robot when you are texting or emailing or checking Facebook on your phone, as so many people seem to do.

 

And remember, when approaching a traffic light turning orange, check your rear view mirror to see if it safe to stop. The last thing anyone seems to be prepared to do is stop, and I don't want you to have a double-cab penis extension jammed up your jacksie.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Cellar

[Tumbleweed]

[rudi-h]

I measure our level of civilisation by the degree of conformance a society has with an increasing myriad of rules and regulations, most which are designed to either influence or regulate human behavior on our crowded planet. Some call it a nanny state. So whilst I might not agree, I conform (although if I lived in Gauteng, I'd be challenged by e-tolls!!). Collectively that's civil obedience and it defines who we are as a society or country. And it begins with you and me and our every little day-to-day habits. Wear them lids - it's the right thing to do. And concern yourself with those who don't - their injury or death could come at some cost which is not directly understood.

 

Far to philosophical no doubt.

 

I don't agree that the "degree of civilization" can be measured through civil obedience. You got to ask yourself who is making the rules, why the rules are there and whether it applies to your circumstances. Bottom line - common sense!

 

If we don't do that, the human race will eventually become a bunch of robots following some man-made algorithm which would take away the essence of what we do on earth, namely living!

 

Just in the last 10 years (since I've been a working adult) the amount of rules, regulations, statutory requirements, red tape, bureaucracy, admin etc. has skyrocketed to levels where it is already taking a serious toll on productivity etc. in the workplace and it seems that industry and government have a competition going on about making new rules to regulate absolutely everything. If we carry on like this, we will end up in a society one day that will be so regulated that you will need a certificate of competence to do simple things like: pump your car/bike tyres, cook on your stove or change a light bulb and where you would have to perform annual electrical inspections by some external authority to use your household power drill or a health certificate from your doctor before you can carry your grocery package to your car that is 100m away from the shop.

 

I know i made this out to be rediculous, but 10 years ago people would say its stupid to argue that by 2014 you would not be able to enter a perfectly safe office building on a mine without steel-capped shoes...

 

People make choices and more importantly people have the right to make choices. Some people will make better choices than others, some will make downright stupid, irresponsible and damaging choices, but that's still a right that each one of us have as a human in this world.

 

Surely some level of civil obedience is required and regulations have their place, but to say that all regulations should be adhered to 100% of the time without a common-sense input to determine how relevant it is in a given situation... I can't roll that way

[LeTurbo]

Are you being serious? or just trying to stir the pot?

Nobody plans to fall, and if you haven't fallen either you are not pushing yourself to become a better rider, or you only ride up and down your driveway - even then you will probably eventually fall.

 

Serious ... and stirring the pot, though it's generally not necessary because it'll boil over anyway, with all the cooks here (myself included).

 

Question: what is a better rider? Methinks your, and others', view would be someone faster, pushing it in the bunch, lowering his PB, winning on Strava or whatever it's called. Sure, wear a helmet ... well, you have to really.

 

Mine might be to be a safer cyclist to some degree, but to spend more time looking around, hearing the cicadas and the birds, noticing flowers at the roadside, smelling the breeze, appreciating the sky and clouds and sea. That, to me, is a successful ride.

[Joe Low]

No matter if hes been cycling for 80 years and knows what he is doing, if a guy infront of him goes down or someone clips him from behind, hes gonna get seriously hurt no matter how many years on the bike he has under his belt...

 

I'm not trying to start an argument, just stated that he was someone i saw on the weekend fully kit without a helmet on! His choice to ride without 1 on i guess, reckless in MY opinion....

 

That is all...

 

Sure - it's all opinions, but I reckon playing football on a bicycle is more dangerous.

[Warren_G]

I work in Sea Point, Cape Town and I see plenty of hipsters that think their brains are too big to be smashed all over the pavement!

[Rata Del Spruit]

I work in Sea Point, Cape Town and I see plenty of hipsters that think their brains are too big to be smashed all over the pavement!

 

They liked concussion way before it was mainstream and Smashed Brains on The Pavement is actually an electro-indie band that only plays down the abandoned brick factory on Wednesday nights. You've probably never heard of them.

 

That said, riding along the promenade without a helmet is cool and should be attempted once in a while (the adrenaline of doing 5kph without a helmet is such a rush).

[Velouria]

While there is some debate over the accuracy of some of the studies, the numbers are still quite alarming, and no amount of helmet wearing is going to save you when a car hits you at anything over 60km/h.

 

Obviously, riding in the mountain is a different story, and there a helmet will make a difference.

 

From http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/road-safety/speed.htm

A pedestrian hit at 30km/h has a 90% chance of SURVIVING.

A pedestrian hit at 50km/h has an 80% chance of BEING KILLED.

 

From Pedestrian fatality risk as a function of car impact speed by Erik Rosén, Ulrich Sander

 

"a strong dependence on impact speed is present, with the risk at 50 km/h being more than twice as high as the risk at 40 km/h and more than five times higher than the risk at 30 km/h."

"At an impact speed of 75 km/h, the fatality risk was estimated to approximately 50%"

 

The solution is to slow cars down, not insist that cyclists wear helmets if they want to live. We're treating a symptom by legislating helmets, and not the cause.

 

Personally, I wear my helmet all the time, but I think it's more like a comfort blanket than anything else.

[Jigghead]

I've seen quite a few on The Spruit lately with no lids. Kids too.

 

While I'm at it, I've also seen quite an increase in guys riding The Spruit with their kids on child seats either in front or at the back of the bike. I can't help but think this is a sad story waiting to happen.

[Cellar]

Yesterday at about 10:14 am, I saw another guy riding on the R21. This time going south just before the Benoni rd Offramp. This one was a proper sport cyclist. Wearing europcar kit.

[Maniax]

Saw this chap at the Brackenfell bvl and Proteaweg intersection. (I was standing still at the robot when i took the pic ). Then this darwinian sped off over the red robot nogals. The temptation was strong to run him down with the car and then teach him a lesson.....

 

Edit: (Sorry about the rotation of the pic. Damn ipad)

Edited January 23, 2014 by Maniax