Biking in Bed Stuy Survey
Stats from a recent DOH survey of bicyclists in North and Central Brooklyn via Brooklyn Eagle: 80 percent of Bed Stuy bicyclists are male, 2 out of 3 were commuting, 9 out of 10 ride in bike lanes, and 95 percent of those riders prefer riding in bike lanes. In addition, more than 70 percent…
Stats from a recent DOH survey of bicyclists in North and Central Brooklyn via Brooklyn Eagle: 80 percent of Bed Stuy bicyclists are male, 2 out of 3 were commuting, 9 out of 10 ride in bike lanes, and 95 percent of those riders prefer riding in bike lanes. In addition, more than 70 percent observed were not wearing helmets and 20 percent biked against traffic.
cmu – there seems to be unanimous consent on the stupidity of your logic – something I’ve never seen on this site. But hey, you’re the smart one here, right? good luck with the biking!
cmu, you’re an ass. I don’t care if you wear a helmet or not, but they’ve saved the lives of people happen to like, and I think it would be grossly irresponsible of me as a father and husband to ride without one.
Which numbers do you have on your side, exactly? Lots of people (probably including yourself) lived long rich lives when there was lead in paint and gas, does that mean getting rid of it was stupid?
a) difference motorcycles is velocity- Meh: only if the motorcyclist runs into a stationary object. Bike getting side-impacted at 30mph same as a motorcycle getting side-impacted (and most bike accidents are at urban intersections).
b) If you’re a careful slow cyclist, the chances of getting hit are minimal- First off, you’re implying it’s the cyclist’s fault if they get hit, which is certainly an overstatement and offensive as hell to those of us who have gotten nailed by non-attentive drivers. Second, if you get hit at slow speeds, you’re still likely in for some serious injury. Third, while no, a helmet won’t always save your life, it is the only thing that could make a kills-you injury a not-kills-you injury. And lastly, how careful and slow do I need to be? If I’m riding down the street at the speed of traffic with a green light and a bike lane, should I slow to 5mph? 2mph? The point of the bike is to get me there, and I’m going to travel as quickly as I reasonably can, just like a car or a pedestrian would.
c) It’s only of marginal proven utility if you are ignoring its purpose. Helmets don’t prevent injuries or bike accidents. They reduce the number of deaths. It does nothing 99% of the time, but 1% of the time, it increases your chance of living. It’s like insurance: Most of the time it’s a drain on your pocketbook, until all of a sudden you’re really glad you have it.
(Insurance Institute for Highway safety, 2008: The primary injury in cyclists killed was to the head. In 2008 (and ever year but one since ’94), <10% of the cyclists killed were reported to be wearing helmets. So yes, you can wear a helmet and die, but if you’ve got one on, you’re must more likely to be injured… and survive.)
Nobody’s telling you you have to wear a helmet, just that a helmet might keep you from dying. Do you have (non-anecdotal) data proving that helmets will not reduce the severity or fatality of a cyclist’s injury? And if not, would you just stfu?
Pet Peeves, bikers who run red lights, bikers who ride into traffic, bikers who run me down on the sidewalk….
Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE to ride my bike…or should I say LOVED….
Two years ago as a car passed me I was in a collision with a biker going the wrong way, I had nowhere to go as he didn’t even slow down as he pushed me into the curb. Spiral tibia fracture and I must say, as I flew about 25 ft and my head slammed into the pavement, I was really glad that I had that helmet on. I lay in the middle of the street, with cars honking at me, while my assailant took off to deliver his pizza. EVERYONE has to go in ONE direction WITH traffic or we are all at risk for a serious accident. With screws in my leg, I have trouble riding now.
RED Lights/Stop signs–a good friend of mine was nearly killed when he blew through a light and was hit by an SUV. Spent six weeks in the hospital, long recovery ahead. And guess what? HIS fault, HE was cited, HE gets to pay the hospital bills AND for the damage to the vehicle that hit him. Think about that the next time you don’t feel like stopping! A police officer explained to me, that any bike that gets into an accident when traveling illegally, running signals, riding into traffic, wrong way on one way streets, flying off the sidewalk into traffic would be liable for anything that happens. And occasionally, they will enforce the traffic laws and give you a big fat ticket.
SIDEWALKS–where do I begin. It’s supposed to be a $100 fine, and if you are lacking ID, your bike can be confiscated and you might even spend some time in jail. Unfortunately, enforcement is spotty at best, until you are the one that it happens to. With all the bike lanes, WHY do pedestrians have to compete with bikes for sidewalk space. This is not some rarely traveled rural township, sidewalks are busy and crowded in NYC. The curb cuts were put in for HANDICAPPED people NOT bikes, for crying out loud! Pedestrians have been killed by bikes on the sidewalk and in crosswalks (which are also illegal for bikes to ride in). Coming up to a corner, you can’t see the bike coming until it’s running into you. Every corner sidewalk in my neighborhood (Park Slope South) is practically an intersection. I’ve seen them hit baby carriages, and I’ve been hit five times. Unless you are a 10 year old or younger, ride in the street–if you are too scared, ride in the park. Sidewalks are NEVER for bikes.
In my part of Brooklyn, I would say 50% ride on the sidewalk, 90% ignore red lights and stop signs, 70% ride in the wrong direction into traffic, 20% wear helmets. They are all accidents waiting to happen.
Amazing how few deaths there have been in the Tour de France, and international cycling in general, since mandatory helmet rules were put into place even though many of the riders hate wearing them. CMU is profoundly ignorant and basically seems to be saying that because everybody riding around on a bike in India without a helmet isn’t dead, it is safe to do so in Brooklyn. What a jack.
the thing about helmets is they give some protection to your brain during an impact (whether car, road etc). While they don’t help you avoid a broken bone or other organ injuries, those things have a chance of completey healing (depending on collision speed of course). Brain injuries, however, are often irreversible. Thats why helmet are important.
As to the large number of cyclist in India not using helmets, in my (limited) experience of that country you’ll rarley find one going more than 5mph, so the analogy fails.
CMU: The cyclist I encountered was actually polite, at least in the sense that she apologized for nearly causing a head-on collision.
But yeah, riding the wrong way is rude (as well as dangerous). Glad to hear you always pull over and turn around (and apologize?). So many others don’t.
Your logic on helmets is bizarre (and not logic). Though it’s useless to argue, of course.
CMU: wow, you are spectacularly stupid. Helmets definitely can save lives. I imagine you are also from the generation that didn’t know smoking caused cancer? Give me a break. I am an avid cyclist and have been for as long as I can remember. I also used to ride without a helmet back in the days when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. Of course, I also had a couple of near misses where I was fortunate I did not land on my head. Your posts make we suspect you have not been so lucky.
if someone wants to steal your bike, they’ll cut the chain so therefore why bother. if a chain isnt going to stop ALL the thieves or a helmet doesnt provide protection from ALL the scenarios, why bother.
Nah, the logic doesn’t make sense.
cmu, fine.