In fact, it takes me almost as long to prepare<\/strong> for my commute, as it takes me to actually commute.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I have taken this for granted for a long time. It\u2019s just the way things are for urban bicycle commuters. Just like knights had to defend themselves from men on horses with pointy sticks, we have to protect ourselves from hurtling 5 ton vehicles driven by people who may be distracted by coffee, cell phones, breakfast, or all of the above. Or who may just be speeding madly in order to blow off some excess testosterone (much like the knights).<\/p>\n Recently I have started to question all this. If I prepare for cycling like a knight preparing for mortal combat, what kind of message am I sending? Obviously, I am sending the message that urban cycling is a very dangerous, life-threatening activity \u2013 an extreme sport, like solo rock climbing without ropes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And if I am sending such a message, what does that mean? Well, for one thing, it means that other people aren\u2019t likely to follow my example. After all, it\u2019s tough enough having to go to work every day, without having to risk your life to get there<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I mean, if getting to work involved climbing bare-handed up a cliff (and coming back down the same way at the end of the day), I\u2019m pretty sure most people would opt for welfare.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Sending this kind of message is contrary to my mission<\/strong> of encouraging average people to embrace cycling as a viable means of urban transportation.<\/p>\n On the other hand, cycling in dark clothing without a helmet on the dangerous \u201ccycling routes\u201d of Burnaby<\/a> is contrary to my mission of staying alive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It was in this context that I found Mikael Colville-Andersen\u2019s argument against wearing helmets while cycling<\/a> very interesting.<\/p>\n Mikael argues that modern humans live in a culture of fear<\/strong> \u2013 now that we don\u2019t have to worry about being killed by bears at any moment, we spend our energies worrying that we will get sick and die from touching the door handles in public washrooms. Because of this, we have developed what he calls an almost pornographic obsession with safety equipment<\/strong>. And as with all things in modern society it all leads back to big business. As he says, \u201cFear is lucrative. Fear is big business.\u201d<\/strong> If businesses can get people to be afraid, then we will scurry off in our thousands to stores where we can buy things that we think will protect us from the perceived danger. (Imagine how many millions of dollars are currently being spent on the smelly bottles of hand sanitizers that have suddenly become ubiquitous.)<\/p>\n For example, there\u2019s a company called Thudguard that wants parents to buy infant safety headgear so that children don\u2019t hurt themselves in the course of their normal activities (such as crawling, playing or learning to walk).<\/p>\n Thudguard infant helmets are marketed as devices to protect the delicate brains of crawling and toddling children. Makes you wonder how the human race has survived this far…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yes, really. I\u2019m not making it up. Google it if you don\u2019t believe me.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Having raised three children, I am 100% certain that infant helmets are an insane idea <\/strong>(and as an ex-philosophy student, I am very seldom 100% certain about anything, so this is saying a lot). Kids fall and hurt themselves, and it\u2019s all part of the normal process of growing and learning.<\/p>\n On the other hand, there are things that we do that really are dangerous<\/strong>. For example, 1.2 million people a year are killed driving their cars<\/strong>. However, we don\u2019t acknowledge that driving cars is dangerous, and so it doesn\u2019t even cross our minds to dress in safety gear to drive our cars. Even though motorist helmets have been invented. <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Motoring Headband \u2013 its promoters claim it will protect you against most of the damaging and fatal impacts associated with car crashes. And of course, as it\u2019s in a neutral colour, it goes with anything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n However, as Mikael points out, motorist helmets are not promoted<\/strong> (let alone mandated by legislation). For example, they are not given out free with cars. That\u2019s scarcely surprising \u2013 giving out these head bands would mean acknowledging that driving cars is extremely dangerous, and that would undermine the enormously successful job car manufacturers have done of convincing people that driving cars is a safe activity<\/strong>. Even though, based on the stats, driving a car is an incredibly dangerous activity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In fact, if I was sensible, I would prepare for one of my rare car-driving-forays just as carefully as I do for a bike ride.<\/strong><\/p>\n The point is that car manufacturers don\u2019t promote helmets because they don\u2019t want to put people off buying cars by portraying driving as a dangerous activity. And they\u2019re right to be afraid \u2013 the stats show unequivocally that the emphasis on bike helmets does in fact put people off cycling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The more we promote helmets, the less people cycle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Thus, the main problem with promoting bike helmets is that people stop cycling<\/em>. Especially if you legislate it<\/strong>. So people are being scared away from a life-sustaining, environmentally friendly mode of transport. To make things worse, as Mikael points out, the research on whether helmets help in accidents is ambivalent<\/strong>. And, if you are scared off cycling by the emphasis on helmets, you may be setting yourself up for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.<\/p>\n On the other hand, there is a vast body of anecdotal evidence on the protective effects of helmets in bike accidents<\/strong> \u2013 see for example some of the more impassioned comments on this video<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bottom line for me:<\/strong> I agree that by dressing up as if I am quaking in fear of imminent death at any second, I increase the perception that cycling is an extreme sport in which participants might die at any moment \u2013 and thus I risk scaring other people away from cycling. However, until such time as I can cycle to most places on separated bike lanes, I am going to keep preparing for cycling like a knight setting out for dangerous battle fields where heavily armed enemies will do their level best to kill him.<\/em> Because even though most motorists emphatically do not<\/strong> want to kill me, the reality is that they could, very easily, kill me accidentally (much like we sometimes step on ants while walking, even though we really have no intent to kill ants). And if the time ever comes that I am hit by a car and go flying through the air and hit the sidewalk head first, I would very much like my helmet to take the brunt of it, not my comparatively very vulnerable head<\/strong>.<\/p>\n See what you think<\/strong>: https:\/\/video.tedxcopenhagen.dk\/video\/911034\/mikael-colville-andersen-why<\/a>. Not only an interesting video to watch, but a fascinating debate to read in the comments. This is not an easy issue \u2013 check it out and make up your own mind<\/strong>. I\u2019d love to hear your opinions!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/bike-protection.jpg\" "\\"bike")
<\/a>When I prepare for a bike ride in the city, I remind myself of a medieval knight preparing for battle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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