D.C. Cyclists Defend Fashion Failures, Intact Skulls
Over at Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast as Thou Art, Julia steps on two landmines simultaneously, criticizing D.C. cyclists for: 1) their fashion sense; and 2) for wearing helmets.
Obviously, this is the kind of thing that can set off World War III in a comments section, especially since Julia keeps ducking in to zing dissenters.
The argument about cycling clothes vs. street clothes is an old one, and Julia’s in good company: legendary “retrogrouch” Grant Peterson, whose Rivendell bikes are especially lust-worthy, believes that seersucker is superior to spandex and that clipless pedals (which require special shoes that lock into them) are b.s. Me, I think you should ride in whatever makes you most comfortable, but I’m always happy to support efforts to raise D.C. residents’ consciousness about their appalling fashion choices, so Julia, this one’s a win for you.
Her helmet argument, though, is moronic. It doesn’t matter if you’re cycling “attentively and at a leisurely pace.” A couple weeks ago I got rear-ended at a stoplight wearing a (sorry, Julia) neon-yellow jacket and two rear blinking lights. Drivers. Just. Don’t. Care. Fortunately I was stopped and got nothing worse than a nasty jolt, but if I’d fallen my head would have almost certainly hit the curb. Julia, your taste in bikes is excellent, and you’ve obviously got a nice brain. It would be a pity to remove it from circulation. Strap up, mlle.
Photo by rubberpaw
8 Responses to “D.C. Cyclists Defend Fashion Failures, Intact Skulls”
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April 24th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Andrew,
Are you sure your head would hit the ground? I’m not trying to advocate not wearing helmets. I personally dont wear a helmet unless I’m in “bike work out mode”.
The argument shouldn’t be about what’s safer, which clearly helmets will win if you get into a bike crash AND hit your head on something. The argument is about how much risk the rider is willing to accept riding with or without a helmet. I’ve done a lot of stupid things on a bike and I’m fallen doing a lot of stupid things but I’ve never hit my head on anything. I usually dont wear a helmet because I’m willing to accept a slightly greater chance of risk than those who wear helmets.
Helmets are as much about helping people feel safe as they in actually saving a person’s life after falling from a bike. It’s similar to keeping a gun at home to ward off nasty criminals.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
The two other times I’ve fallen my head has hit the ground. First time was a straight-up wipeout when I hit some mud. The last time I was going over a curb cut in the rain. I’m not sure why I fell–a divot in the concrete maybe, the wet conditions, the angle at which I turned–but whatever, my head knocked. This last time, had I fallen, I’m not confident I would have been able to extend my arm enough in time not to hit the curb with my skull. Obviously, I can’t know for sure, but I’m glad I had the helmet on. I never ride without one, because I never know what might happen. Here’s how I look at equations such as this one: Would it be worse if I were wrong or if you were? Sure, you can reduce that to absurdity, but in the case of helmets I think this razor works beautifully.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Wearing a helmet is actually nothing like keeping a gun in your home, which is more likely to kill you or your family than it is a nasty intruder. Guns trade a sense of security for actual security … helmets provide both.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I enjoy the quote of that Manifesto. Perhaps she should make a DC manifesto, but include more explicit arrogance and be a bit heavier on the judgmental-ism.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Creative Meatloaf,
You’re a moron. Sorry, it has to be said. Anyone who tries to argue against the value of a helmet is a moron. The danger of cycling — and I ride plenty, both commuting and for a racing team — isn’t that you may not be a confident rider, it’s that there are plenty of drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists that do things that you won’t be able to avoid, no matter how good you are. And for as many times as you’ve never hit your head, it takes one time, just one time, to make you regret not having put that helmet on.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:19 am
martin,
I prefaced everything I said by saying I’m not advocating not wearing helmets. It’s the second sentence.
I’m defending a person who chooses to not wear a helmet by redefining the argument of an issue of safety into an argument about how much risk a rider is willing to tolerate. Yes, there’s an increase risk of injury if you’re not wearing a helmet and get into a crash.
This is also taught during motorcycle safety courses. By framing the discussion in these terms, the debate doesnt become about one person judging another by not choosing certain safety precautions, it becomes about different people choosing to tolerate different levels of risk.
Calling me a moron is precisely the sort of debate I’m trying to avoid.
Moron.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Yeah, let’s avoid the name-calling; this is an interesting discussion. I have this theory called the urban compact. Basically, it’s that our interconnectedness requires some tacit rules. For example, it’s a violation of the urban compact to put your garbage out after 10 p.m. on a weeknight, because the noise could wake an early-rising neighbor.
The only thing I think should compel my friend creative meatloaf to wear a helmet is that same unspoken compact. He falls and dashes out his brains: 1) The comments section is a lot less fun; 2) a whole lot of us might be late for work.
Just like you can’t assume that others on the road are as careful as you are, you can’t assume that the consequences of your comfort with risk end with your own injury.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Meatloaf has the right idea.
I have been riding bicycles since I was 6, motorcycles since I was 12, and racing motorcycles since 17.
I know when to wear a helmet and proper safety gear.
Sometimes, on my bicycle, I just choose not to.
Amazing how that works in a somewhat still free country. (the nanny state discussion is a whole ‘nuther thread. but this goes to Andrew equating mere noise considerations to how one wants to live life within the confines of established laws).
I really, really hate it when I decide not to don my brain bucket when bicycling and all these wanna-be-elitist, spandex-wearers snottily whine “where’s your helmet?”
Reply - “If it was up your ass you’d know.”