What the Helmet? Part II
Nick DiBlasio and Nikki Caporale are account executives here. They frequently ride together on DiBlasio's Vespa 250cc, and quite often they do so without helmets. This is particularly interesting since both have had accidents–Caporale has had two cycling accidents, and DiBlasio had a particularly gnarly one in January. He says the reason he has a face is because he was wearing a helmet. (Intense road-rash photo after the jump.)
Both are careful to note that they keep it in the wind only on short hops, from the office to Harris Teeter (me: "You drive to Harris Teeter?" DiBlasio: "It's cause we're in a rush"), say, or sometimes when DiBlasio picks Caporale up and they can't be bothered to get the spare helmet out from under the seat.
Caporale's two accidents are the stuff of cyclists' nightmares: She's been doored on Argonne Place NW and had a car pop up from a parking garage on her in Georgetown. Both times, she says, she didn't pursue remedy because she felt sheepish that she wasn't wearing a helmet. Now she wears a helmet on her bicycle most of the time. "It kind of depends on where I'm going," she says. If she's going to a bar near her house, she doesn't usually wanna lug the helmet.
"We're hypocrites," says DiBlasio. "When I see someone riding with a bandanna on, I say, 'Look at that jerk.'"
Here's a picture of DiBlasio's leg after his accident.
[PART I] • [COMING UP NEXT: MIKE DEBONIS' BROKEN HELMET]
4:51 pm
To bad that many bicyclists that wear helmets don't seem to understand that traffic signals (and stop signs) apply to them. Take a ride down 14th or 16th Street in the morning. I rolled down the window and complimented the one bicyclist of 4 that stopped for the light on 16th at Fuller in Columbia Hts. the other morning. That's something he deserved for being conscientious.
5:10 pm
Oh, but Contrarian, traffic signals and stop signs _don't_ apply to us---all hail sensible scofflaws!
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/11/cyclists-how-to-be-a-sensible-scofflaw/
5:46 pm
Driving to HT when in a rush isn't THAT bad. Sheila Reid drives to the Diner in the winter time!!!
6:04 pm
Just FYI: a 250cc scooter is a motorcycle under DC law. The operator must have a motorcycle endorsement on their license, vehicle must be registered/inspected/insured and rider/passengers must have helmets. Legally this is totally different since there's no bicycle helmet law for adults in DC.
Enforcement being what it is here you're not likely to get busted for it.
6:14 pm
Canada! Represent!
10:01 pm
didn't pursue remedy because you weren't wearing a helmet?? fuck that! get mesirow esq on the case, the dude loves this stuff and will sue the bastards for you (only if necessary). http://www.legaljuice.com. he got me a $9000 settlement from a cab driver who doored me and refused to pay for my bike.
6:14 pm
Mike, I hate to disagree with you, but if you're on the road, in the lane on your bike, all traffic laws DO apply. While your proposal is sensible (and essentially within the guidelines of Idaho laws), what you preach isn't setting a good example - and setting a good example is the only way that folks who have influence will get the message that cyclists need to be treated a little better.
Just my $0.02 - YMMV.
5:19 pm
Pfft. Notice how it's only ever the cyclists who are expected to adhere to the law? Hey, if you're on the road, driving a car, those speed limit signs DO apply.
Wouldn't it be amazing if you ever saw a *single* driver obeying the speed limit? Or stopping for a pedestrian in a non-signaled crosswalk? Let's all concentrate on the cyclists, though.
Cue rebuttal about how all us scofflaw cyclists will be killed if we don't toe the line. Whatever.
7:44 am
As a cyclist I find that my biggest worries are drivers and pedestrians. Oddly enough, the pedestrians seem as clueless as the drivers about bikes -- they jump out in front of me liek flying squirrels and get all mad when I have to dodge them and can't stop fro them because they've given me no reaction time.
It took a long time for me to realize why so many pedestrians seem as reckless as drivers and as oblivious to the presence of bikes on the road: most of them are drivers themselves, when not actually walking, and in America chances are where they are walking is back to that parking garage.
At least the cars you can hear coming.
The pedestrian who runs right at you without even looking to either side against a "don't walk sign" when you have a green light, giving you ten feet of reaction time, often comes out of nowhere.