Canadian Medical Association Journal Publishes Another Helmet Study

On 29/10/12 11:19, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 28, 7:32 pm, Phil W Lee wrote:
James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27
+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. The
requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,
from what I've observed. Most people *think* it is just too dangerous
to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?
Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's
estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of
such dangers. The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,
although it's a big part. I think the disparity deserves discussion.

I don't think folks have an idea to ride to the park or whatever, then
stop themselves with a thought of brain injury. My guess is it's more
"The road is too dangerous, with all those cars." I.e. they simply have
a fear of being hit be a car. And when you do ride some roads, you can
understand why. Some roads around where I live would be quite scary for
anyone not particularly competent.

So where did that misinformation come from?

Just last night I saw an advert that was "Danger! Danger!" of backyard
trampolines with exposed springs. They showed pictures of kids in neck
braces and in wheel chairs and stuff. But wait for the solution... All
is good when you use their trampoline that has effectively a cage all
round (of material flyscreen stuff), to stop you falling off.

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. We're seeing an avalanche of
proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate
bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little
evidence that they do very much good.

Here that is justified to make people *feel* safe, encourage more to
ride, and gradually change public perception.

What I laugh at is the bike lanes with furniture and next to parallel
parked cars, so they actively encourage bike riders into more dangerous
situations - then complain about a big increase in doorings. I've had
numerous "discussions" with the people who recommend these farcilities,
to no avail.

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used
to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started
enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting
around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? If I'm not, where did the fear come from?

No, I think the general fear of riding on the road is probably greater
now than it was.

A lot of the current situation I blame on people's ever decreasing
levels of patience, courtesy and consideration for others.

--
JS

On Oct 28, 5:44*pm, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Sunday, October 28, 2012 8:19:50 PM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 28, 7:32*pm, Phil W Lee wrote:

James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27

+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. *The

requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,

from what I've observed. *Most people *think* it is just too dangerous

to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?

Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's

estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of

such dangers. *The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,

although it's a big part. *I think the disparity deserves discussion.

There's little doubt that the public greatly overestimates the

prevalence of bicycling TBI. *I've been asked to talk on bike safety

at various community groups, bike clubs, etc. *I've often asked a

multiple choice question: *What percentage of American TBI deaths

happen while bicycling? *I've had entire rooms full of people guess

30%, but the answer is roughly 0.6%. *Nobody seems aware that riding

in cars or walking around the home are the top causes of fatal TBI.

So where did that misinformation come from?

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. *We're seeing an avalanche of

proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate

bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little

evidence that they do very much good. *Vast numbers of people seem to

be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get

them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare

occurrence. *Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least

a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel

much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal

roads. *So where did all that come from?

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used

to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started

enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting

around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? *If I'm not, where did the fear come from?

- Frank Krygowski

It seems to me that each generation is becoming more fearful of everything not just bicycling in traffic. Witness the emergence of "Helicopter Parenting". I wonder what the next generation will be like

There is certainly that, but urban density has also changed. There
are more people, more cars and more conflicts -- and often no more
infrastructure. Housing developments are going in many places without
significant improvements in the arterials, e.g. one-lane, shoulderless
roads serving large urban and suburban populations. These are not the
idyllic avenues we pedaled down as children.

Totally OT -- I was out riding today. 60 miles in pouring rain. I'm
coming back over a narrow bridge where I chose not to ride on the
sidewalk because it is about a bar width and a half, and if you
encounter someone on foot or on a bike, you're screwed. It's totally
legal to take the roadway, but some ass wipe with a kids bike on his
rear rack is honking and pulls up next to me and tells me to get off
the road. Totally un-Portland. I tried to catch him just to get his
plates to see if I could get one of my DA friends to prosecute him for
menacing. We both hit the light just as it was turning green, and he
sped away before I could get the plate number.

I'm just venting, but part of the problem are motorist who are so
impatient that they are willing to endanger other people to get to
their destinations two seconds earlier -- or no earlier. Frank knows
that I'm not a big "take the road" person, but when there is no way to
ride further right; when taking the road (i.e. not riding on a
sidewalk) is totally legal . . . I'm taking it. I wish there were
instant Karma for those people. Actually, I wish I did not get riled
up every time this happened. It's starting to wear me out.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 29/10/12 12:35, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Oct 28, 5:44 pm, Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

It seems to me that each generation is becoming more fearful of
everything not just bicycling in traffic. Witness the emergence of
"Helicopter Parenting". I wonder what the next generation will be
like

There is certainly that, but urban density has also changed. There
are more people, more cars and more conflicts -- and often no more
infrastructure. Housing developments are going in many places
without significant improvements in the arterials, e.g. one-lane,
shoulderless roads serving large urban and suburban populations.
These are not the idyllic avenues we pedaled down as children.

Agreed.

Totally OT -- I was out riding today. 60 miles in pouring rain.
I'm coming back over a narrow bridge where I chose not to ride on
the sidewalk because it is about a bar width and a half, and if you
encounter someone on foot or on a bike, you're screwed. It's
totally legal to take the roadway, but some ass wipe with a kids bike
on his rear rack is honking and pulls up next to me and tells me to
get off the road. Totally un-Portland. I tried to catch him just to
get his plates to see if I could get one of my DA friends to
prosecute him for menacing. We both hit the light just as it was
turning green, and he sped away before I could get the plate number.

I'm just venting, but part of the problem are motorist who are so
impatient that they are willing to endanger other people to get to
their destinations two seconds earlier -- or no earlier. Frank
knows that I'm not a big "take the road" person, but when there is no
way to ride further right; when taking the road (i.e. not riding on
a sidewalk) is totally legal . . . I'm taking it. I wish there were
instant Karma for those people. Actually, I wish I did not get riled
up every time this happened. It's starting to wear me out.

I agree and know the feeling. I find blowing them a kiss is often
therapeutic.

At times I encounter impatient, ignorant, self righteous SOBs, that yell
"alternate routes" [get off the ****ing road] abuse when it is totally
unwarranted, or drive purposefully dangerously to annoy me, while
hanging on the horn. These types do nothing to make it pleasant for
those considering riding a bike.

Then there's the victim blaming attitude of today's society, wanting
bike riders to need special farcilities and dayglow orange vests - as if
it would reduce the SMIDSY incidents. Furthermore, police don't even
bother charging motor vehicle drivers when they are clearly in the
wrong. The odds are stacked against us.

I'll ignore all that crap and go for a ride tonight. FTW, I say.

--
JS

On Oct 28, 6:35 pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Oct 28, 5:44 pm, Sir Ridesalot wrote:



On Sunday, October 28, 2012 8:19:50 PM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 28, 7:32 pm, Phil W Lee wrote:

James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27

+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. The

requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,

from what I've observed. Most people *think* it is just too dangerous

to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?

Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's

estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of

such dangers. The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,

although it's a big part. I think the disparity deserves discussion.

There's little doubt that the public greatly overestimates the

prevalence of bicycling TBI. I've been asked to talk on bike safety

at various community groups, bike clubs, etc. I've often asked a

multiple choice question: What percentage of American TBI deaths

happen while bicycling? I've had entire rooms full of people guess

30%, but the answer is roughly 0.6%. Nobody seems aware that riding

in cars or walking around the home are the top causes of fatal TBI.

So where did that misinformation come from?

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. We're seeing an avalanche of

proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate

bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little

evidence that they do very much good. Vast numbers of people seem to

be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get

them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare

occurrence. Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least

a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel

much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal

roads. So where did all that come from?

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used

to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started

enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting

around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? If I'm not, where did the fear come from?


I don't think *many* people (in the US) were ever very comfortable
with the idea of mixing with motor traffic on a bicycle. And there's
a lot more motor traffic in a lot more places now, and it seems to be
in a bigger hurry. In my experience nearly everyone always aspired to
have their own car. Could be a nostalgic haze, but people seem to be
less tolerant of each other nowadays. Maybe things are getting more
stressful. Hostility abounds.


It seems to me that each generation is becoming more fearful of everything not just bicycling in traffic. Witness the emergence of "Helicopter Parenting". I wonder what the next generation will be like

There is certainly that, but urban density has also changed. There
are more people, more cars and more conflicts -- and often no more
infrastructure. Housing developments are going in many places without
significant improvements in the arterials, e.g. one-lane, shoulderless
roads serving large urban and suburban populations. These are not the
idyllic avenues we pedaled down as children.

Totally OT -- I was out riding today. 60 miles in pouring rain. I'm
coming back over a narrow bridge where I chose not to ride on the
sidewalk because it is about a bar width and a half, and if you
encounter someone on foot or on a bike, you're screwed. It's totally
legal to take the roadway, but some ass wipe with a kids bike on his
rear rack is honking and pulls up next to me and tells me to get off
the road. Totally un-Portland. I tried to catch him just to get his
plates to see if I could get one of my DA friends to prosecute him for
menacing. We both hit the light just as it was turning green, and he
sped away before I could get the plate number.

I'm just venting, but part of the problem are motorist who are so
impatient that they are willing to endanger other people to get to
their destinations two seconds earlier -- or no earlier. Frank knows
that I'm not a big "take the road" person, but when there is no way to
ride further right; when taking the road (i.e. not riding on a
sidewalk) is totally legal . . . I'm taking it. I wish there were
instant Karma for those people. Actually, I wish I did not get riled
up every time this happened. It's starting to wear me out.


I also was thinking this weekend how I wish I wasn't so
confrontational about it. Reflecting on the incident Friday evening -
riding past the high school where the football field is lit up and
folks are commencing to gather for the game. A cluster of cars pass
me riding on the paved shoulder. I am pretty wiped out from
insufficient calories (but only ~6 blocks from home) - riding head
down. Right under my wheels a burning cigarette flares as it bounces
and flies in the swirling draft of a pickup truck. Then they turn
into the high school parking lot! I ride up to the passenger window,
still open, and ask (pretty evenly, as it happens), "Did that
cigarette come out your window?"

The lady looks at me for a sec', then says, "Yes. Did it hit you?"

I held up my fingers indicating missed by that much. She starts
arguing that she was far away from me. I told her it was sparking and
flaring as it passed under my wheels. She insists there was no way
because she "did this" (indicating crushing the burning end somehow
with her fingers) as she let it drop. I answered, "Then why am I here
asking you about it?"

She said she was sorry, and I guess she kind of was (or maybe starting
to worry that I'd get a cop and what else was in her purse). So I
just made a point of looking at the front license plate and rode away
as she said, louder, "I said I was sorry!"

Actually, I wasn't *too* terribly confrontational (maybe I'm mellowing
just a bit?), but gee whiz - who tosses a lit cigarette near a road
bicyclist? Fifty feet before stopping the car? The world gets more
so as there get to be more and more people. Moving confrontations
like geting deliberatley buzzed and vroomed at and honked at and
yelled at and all kinds of stuff happen _all the time_ and for no good
reason. It's the number one problem with bicycling for transportation
(*much* worse than the dark and cold and pouring rain and everything
else).

On Oct 28, 5:19 pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:

snip

We're seeing an avalanche of
proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate
bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little
evidence that they do very much good. Vast numbers of people seem to
be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get
them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare
occurrence. Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least
a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel
much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal
roads. So where did all that come from?


Maybe they experience the hostility from inside their moving shark
cage, and it's utterly unthinkable to open the hatch and swim out in
the open (?)

Most eople are too timid to get on a bike and ride out into motorized
traffic. I'd like to see almost everybody with opportunities for lots
of bicycling education. But the whole notion is abstract for them
until experience (being out there and finding out it's not so bad as
they thought it would be) can change that inside.

It would be really nice if we could just dismantle car dominance like
those wonderful zany Dutch, but as you note that is not so feasible
around here (I guess). So places like Portland are trying to shoehorn
it, which is quite messy. But it's also kind of working. Facilities
*do* get more people on bikes, more people find out it's not so bad
and smile as they ride, more people see these newly happy, healthy
people getting around on bikes, gas prices rise, the snowball grows as
it rolls...

snip

On Oct 28, 6:19*pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 28, 7:32*pm, Phil W Lee wrote:

James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27
+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. *The
requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,
from what I've observed. *Most people *think* it is just too dangerous
to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?
Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's
estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of
such dangers. *The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,
although it's a big part. *I think the disparity deserves discussion.

There's little doubt that the public greatly overestimates the
prevalence of bicycling TBI. *I've been asked to talk on bike safety
at various community groups, bike clubs, etc. *I've often asked a
multiple choice question: *What percentage of American TBI deaths
happen while bicycling? *I've had entire rooms full of people guess
30%, but the answer is roughly 0.6%. *Nobody seems aware that riding
in cars or walking around the home are the top causes of fatal TBI.

So where did that misinformation come from?

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. *We're seeing an avalanche of
proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate
bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little
evidence that they do very much good. *Vast numbers of people seem to
be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get
them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare
occurrence. *Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least
a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel
much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal
roads. *So where did all that come from?

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used
to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started
enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting
around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? *If I'm not, where did the fear come from?

- Frank Krygowski

Love your straw population!
I know NOBODY who fears cycling. I know many people who will avoid
being in traffic comprised of many motor vehicles when they are not in
a motor vehicle, be it as a pedestrian or cyclist.
Those people have well developed sensibilities and do not suffer from
"hall monitor syndrome" as some here do.
DR

On Oct 28, 5:19 pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 28, 7:32 pm, Phil W Lee wrote:

James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27
+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. The
requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,
from what I've observed. Most people *think* it is just too dangerous
to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?
Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's
estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of
such dangers. The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,
although it's a big part. I think the disparity deserves discussion.

There's little doubt that the public greatly overestimates the
prevalence of bicycling TBI. I've been asked to talk on bike safety
at various community groups, bike clubs, etc. I've often asked a
multiple choice question: What percentage of American TBI deaths
happen while bicycling? I've had entire rooms full of people guess
30%, but the answer is roughly 0.6%. Nobody seems aware that riding
in cars or walking around the home are the top causes of fatal TBI.

So where did that misinformation come from?

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. We're seeing an avalanche of
proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate
bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little
evidence that they do very much good. Vast numbers of people seem to
be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get
them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare
occurrence. Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least
a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel
much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal
roads. So where did all that come from?

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used
to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started
enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting
around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? If I'm not, where did the fear come from?


Aside from the fact that I think it's been there all along,
subsequently and still worsening, check out Matt Taibbi's "The End of
Reality" in current issue of Rolling Stone.

(I know I was all done with hjelmets following Godwin, and do mean to
Nevermore, but it's still this weekend, so let me say the reason
they've added hjelmets to the faulty impression is that hjelmets are
available... and yes, promoted, now. But it's like that guy in the
Melbourne video you referenced, "If it makes them feel safer. Nothing
wrong with that." Yes, there can be "something wrong with that", if
you take an extreme idealogical position, but _they need to experience
it_ [riding bike] before they'll get it. And as for the stats
as"proof"? Whatever. All well and satisfactory if you're an
insurance actuary, but if you're the guy that gets plowed from behind
or whatever "vanishingly rare" ["vanishingly" is not the same as
vanished, now is it]... Yes, the exaggeration of the fear is
irrational [if they only knew - which they can't until they ride], but
the fear is not.) Even I feel it sometimes, but I know the odds and
can easily dispel it; and I know the benefits immensely outweigh the
risk.)

Per Frank Krygowski:
where did the fear come from?

So far nobody has mentioned talking on cell phones, texting, or
doing email while driving.

Around here, (Southeastern Pennsylvania, USA) I get the
impression that it's not so much fear as common sense that
mitigates against riding on many roads.

When I have an appointment in downtown Philadelphia, me and my
bike will take the train into the city, I'll ride to the
appointment, and then ride about 30 miles home - so I get the
occasional exposure to full-on city traffic.

Riding in city traffic doesn't seem that hazardous to me -
partially because drivers are more-or-less expecting cyclists,
partially because speeds are constrained by physical realities,
and, for the most part, drivers cannot afford to do much besides
drive - also bco physical realities.

To be sure, there are still people yakking on the phone, but I'd
guess they are significantly fewer and doing it with less
impunity.... and I'd also guess that the incidences of texting
and doing email while driving in city traffic are close to zero.

This is in contrast to the suburbs where nobody is expecting
anything on the road except for other motor vehicles, people are
routinely exceeding the speed limits by 15-20 mph, and it seems
like more people are talking on cell phones while driving than
not. The driver that almost nailed me some years back looked tb
texting or doing email.

The guy I used to windsurf with that got killed a couple of years
ago had a pickup truck run into him from behind at speed and the
totality of the situation smacked strongly of somebody doing
something else while they were supposed tb driving.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:19:50 -0700 (PDT), Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On Oct 28, 7:32*pm, Phil W Lee wrote:
James considered Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:07:27
+1100 the perfect time to write:

Undoubtedly, thousands [of Australians] choose not to ride for a variety of reasons. *The
requirement to wear a helmet does not seem to be the underlying reason,
from what I've observed. *Most people *think* it is just too dangerous
to ride on the road.

I wonder what gave them that idea?
Certainly not the statistics on actual danger.

I really am curious about the disparity between the public's
estimation of bicycling's dangers, and the actual (and tiny) level of
such dangers. The fear of brain injury is just one part of that,
although it's a big part. I think the disparity deserves discussion.

There's little doubt that the public greatly overestimates the
prevalence of bicycling TBI. I've been asked to talk on bike safety
at various community groups, bike clubs, etc. I've often asked a
multiple choice question: What percentage of American TBI deaths
happen while bicycling? I've had entire rooms full of people guess
30%, but the answer is roughly 0.6%. Nobody seems aware that riding
in cars or walking around the home are the top causes of fatal TBI.

So where did that misinformation come from?

And it's not just fatalities, nor TBI. We're seeing an avalanche of
proposals to squeeze in "innovative" facilities to segregate
bicyclists from motorists, despite (as with helmets) very little
evidence that they do very much good. Vast numbers of people seem to
be afraid that riding very visibly in a normal traffic lane will get
them run over from behind, even though, again, that's a very rare
occurrence. Many think they dare not ride on a road without at least
a special stripe. And there's good data showing people claim they feel
much safer on facilities that are actually more dangerous than normal
roads. So where did all that come from?

Seems to me it didn't used to be that way. Seems to me the fears used
to be smaller - say, back in the early 1970s, when I started
enthusiastic adult riding, or in the '60s when I was a teen getting
around so much by bike.

Am I wrong? If I'm not, where did the fear come from?

- Frank Krygowski

Must be your education system, or something. Over here the woods are
full of bicyclists ranging from 6 to 60 pedaling blithely along on the
sides of the roads. Big city traffic doesn't appear to bother them and
not a bike lane in sight.
--
Cheers,
John B.

On 10/29/2012 02:34 AM, Dan O wrote:

(I know I was all done with hjelmets following Godwin, and do mean to
Nevermore, but it's still this weekend, so let me say the reason
they've added hjelmets to the faulty impression is that hjelmets are
available... and yes, promoted, now. But it's like that guy in the
Melbourne video you referenced, "If it makes them feel safer. Nothing
wrong with that." Yes, there can be "something wrong with that", if
you take an extreme idealogical position, but _they need to experience
it_ [riding bike] before they'll get it. And as for the stats
as"proof"? Whatever. All well and satisfactory if you're an
insurance actuary, but if you're the guy that gets plowed from behind
or whatever "vanishingly rare" ["vanishingly" is not the same as
vanished, now is it]... Yes, the exaggeration of the fear is
irrational [if they only knew - which they can't until they ride], but
the fear is not.) Even I feel it sometimes, but I know the odds and
can easily dispel it; and I know the benefits immensely outweigh the
risk.)


When you see in the news that some asshole ran over 6 women on bikes and
killed 3 of them and note that they were riding according to the law and
the asshole got off, it's not irrational fear to look over your shoulder
a bit more. With the number of idiots texting or whatever on the road
and not paying attention I expect that the number of these types of
things won't go down.

I was riding on that same road yesterday and it was windy and cloudy.
Were we paying attention to cars behind us? I think we would have been
idiots not to. Stats or no stats about the number of hit from behind
events. Being afraid to ride there would probably be irrational but I
can see how some people would be irrational. Especially if they weren't
experienced enough riders. It's a 90k;n road with no shoulder. If you
were afraid to ride there but put a helmet on and thought that
everything would be cool, well that would just be stupid.

A lot of riders wear helmets and they aren't stupid or irrational though.