This is awesome! Did anyone else notice that not one of the fifteen students was wearing a helmet?

by Brian on Oct 24, 2010 11:18 am  

one word. helmuts.

by Tour guide on Oct 24, 2010 7:44 pm  

It's interesting, the helmet comments. When I was a kid, in the '70s, we were on bikes constantly. It's how we got around in a semi-rural neighborhood. Ballfields, swimming pool, library, etc. All by bike. And no one ever wore a helmet. I don't think they existed. Yet in my years of daily being out on a bike basically sunup to sundown, probably from age 8 or 9 to 16, no one died or was seriously injured in a manner that a helmet would have helped. Sure, there were occasional crashes resulting in abrasions, road rash, the really rare broken bone, but nothing that would make you look back and say "If he had only been wearing a helmet." So, what's up with helmets? I'm not making any conclusions, but looking for some informed commentary.

by TAllen on Oct 25, 2010 9:09 am  

righteous! but how sad kids have to organize and become activists just to be able to ride bikes to school. It used to be an expected everyday occurrence, (back when TAllen and I were in school)

by Tina on Oct 25, 2010 9:36 am  

TAllen: I've heard the arguments for and against helmets time and time again. Like you, I'm not here to judge or make conclusions. I think helmet wearing, like seatbelts, should be a personal choice. So my story goes... When I was these kids' age, I wouldn't be caught dead in a helmet (heh, heh), mostly because they were not "cool," I was young and invincible, and also because riding was just more comfortable without one. Now though, I seldom hop on a bike without a helmet. Granted, I grew up in Alexandria and now live in D.C. Nuff said there. So I agree with what you said about riding helmet-less in a semi-rural neighborhood. And indeeed, some of the shots in this film pictured the students riding down low-trafficked roads (ie. 0:05). However, there was one scene (1:15) where they were riding in two columns, side-by-side, in the middle lane of what looked like a 3 lane road, with motorized vehicles on both sides, behind, and likely in front, during the twilight hours. Should one of those early morning vehicle commuters spill their coffee on their lap or e-mail their boss that they are running late, they might accidentally speed up and/or merge into one of the bikers. You can be the best, most aware cyclist in the world and there is still little you can do to prevent this sort of disaster. I just found it interesting that 100% of the cyclists was not wearing a helmet. Disclosure: I am the victim of a near-death TBI and have friends that have had bicycle accidents where their helmets probably saved their lives. If you'd seen the helmets post-crash, you'd probably agree.

by Brian on Oct 25, 2010 9:39 am  

Great video! On the effectiveness of helmets, the evidence is increasingly contradictory, w/ some studies showing increases in injuries by helmet wearers.

http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1052.html.

One interesting fact: helmet laws and helmet campaigns *reduce* the frequency of cycling! Probably b/c of the cool thing, but also perhaps because it makes cycling look more dangerous than it usually is. (I've been hit by three cars and I don't think my helmet was scratched in any of those, certainly not in the most recent two, incl. when my bike's front end was totaled.)

by Phil on Oct 25, 2010 9:37 pm