Hmm, well I want to agree with Turtle and not these smug finger-waving yuppie types who probably like to quote Richard Dawkins and Ayn Rand a lot, or something. I will point out that driving in a city like Boston is *morally* reprehensible and uncalled for under any circumstances save disability (extreme obesity does not count as an excuse, it's more of a symptom I think). If you own a car and regularly drive it in the city, you are absolutely on the wrong side of this argument. You have no moral standing from which to speak. You are the problem. If you lived in Wyoming or someplace like that I would symapthize. I'm 31 and I have never had a driver's license. And I have *not* lived in
a major city all my life, nor one with good public transit. Cars are *not* a necessity. <br><br>I do think it is possibly a good idea to wear a helmet though I agree, it is not necessarily stupid not to. Some people do ride fast. In the example of motorized bikes (not as acceptable, but more acceptable than cars), would you go 40 or 50 mph without a helmet, where do you draw the line? Cars have other things to protect your head I am told. <br>
<br>I recently was in an bike accident involving a car, my first ever and hopefully only accident of that kind. I hit my head on their windshield and cracked the windshield. I needed stitches but fortunately was not seriously injured and did not lose consciousness or suffer brain damage. I was not wearing a helmet at the time. This was about 1 month ago, and I have worn a helmet consistently since then. I'm not sure if my personal story contributes to the argument either way, but that is the context of my opinions on helmets right now.<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 10:37 PM, Brendan Larrabee <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:yoyoboy@gmail.com">yoyoboy@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div class="im"><br>On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Anne Wolfe <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:goannego@gmail.com" target="_blank">goannego@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>"Helmets, like seat belts, are not designed to prevent accidents.<br>
<br></div>
Actually, seat belts <i>are</i> designed to prevent accidents. In the moments leading up to a crash, typically when the most swerving and avoidance turning happens, the driver's seat belt keeps them in front of the steering wheel and allows them to keep steering the car. <br>
see example here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKDTxRW5sZI&feature=related" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKDTxRW5sZI&feature=related</a><br><br>Helmets are only beneficial after you crash, which there is no denying that they occasionally are. Recently I have almost wiped out because one of my feet slipped off the pedal. granted i probally need new pedals, but if i had been wearing toeclips or clip in pedals i would never had any problems<br>
<br>my $0.04 ...inflation dont'cha ya know<br><br>Brendan Larrabee<br> <br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote></div><br>
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