Wednesday, August 16, 2006

I don't get it...

So last night AC is giving me the report from the Tuesday Night Port Ride and she mentions that there were two guys there who were not wearing helmets. For those of you who are not familiar with the port ride, it is a 'Crit. Simulation' ride for any and all comers. Recently the organizers have painted a 'Start/Finish' line on the course and collect money for cash primes. Needless to say it can get serious on the prime laps. In fact, several weeks ago two guys went down on the final lap and both ended up with separated shoulders.

So why would you go to this ride without your helmet?

Amazingly, one of the helmetless ones was from a team that has lost two riders to tragic accidents this year.

It seems pretty simple to me: You're on your bike, on the road - there's a helmet on your head.

Maybe we can just all make it a team rule!

PS. Just to clarify, this isn't me and he had a helmet but wasn't wearing it in the photo.

12 comments:

EB said...

Craziness. He didn't seem to have the finer points down (except the finer points of looking like a Badger -- those were down pat).

Didn't make me too excited to stick around for the potential carnage, though. And then there was the train...

X Bunny said...

the 'organizers' should require helmets unless they are comfortable with their liability insurance.....

norcalcyclingnews.com said...

sigh

Merkeley Bike said...

bb - I heard about the train racing...more crazy shyte.

xb - I was wondering about that too, but I'm not a lawyer so I don't know how those things unfold. At a minimum one might think they would want to set a good example for the local cycling community.

ov - ditto.

Anonymous said...

for what its worth, i'm not sure the organizers would be liable. there's an idea, called "assumption of risk" which basically assumes that adults who knowingly assume a risk should not blame others if it goes wrong--like getting hit by a foul ball in a ball park. as for the picture of the incredibly goodlooking guy without a helmet, he looks like the type who has a helmet, but leaves it at home.

Merkeley Bike said...

HH - The good looking guy had the helmet and actually wore it on the downhill portion of our ride.

I, on the other hand, could end up ass over tea kettle at any moment when riding my mountain bike, so I keep it on all the time.

PAB(a.k.a.CID) said...

good post.

i can understand not WANTING to wear a helmet all the time. But i just don't understand how people can come to the conclusion that they don't NEED to wear a helmet, whenever they are on their bike.

Makes me a little grumpy...

Allison Krasnow said...

yep, having a team spine guy at the port ride last night, helmetless, going 30++ mph in a group ride, racing around for a silly prime (but one in which real money was at stake), made me ill.

and someone else leading a group of 30ish riders across the tracks of an oncoming train when the lights were flashing made me ill-er.

but the illest was today, i was waiting at a red light on a very busy street. some biker (no hemet), paused next to me and basically called me a pansy for waiting at the light and proceeded to head across, cars honking & screeching as he wove his way through oncoming traffic. now THAT dude had a death wish.

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with letting Drawinism clean out the bike pool? :')

Dr. Xeno said...

I'm wearing one right now.

X Bunny said...

good job dr. x

helmets and condoms

you never know when you'll need them so better just keep them on just in case

Gianni said...

Dr. X at 2:18 in the morning.....

Need to borrow my TT helmet W/ visor?