Where "Safety Inflation" leads

"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 10:32:33 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

--
- Frank Krygowski

Out of my cold, dead hands! There is some good news in the world, however: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html I fully support taking away e-scooters, or as we call them here, mobile dope display stands.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 10/8/2019 12:58 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 10:32:33 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

--
- Frank Krygowski

Out of my cold, dead hands! There is some good news in the world, however: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html I fully support taking away e-scooters, or as we call them here, mobile dope display stands.

-- Jay Beattie.


"e-scooters, or as we call them here, mobile dope display stands."

+1


--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Tue, 8 Oct 2019 13:32:29 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

Well, you got to admit that confiscating bicycles does reduce bicycle
accidents :-)

And, of course, banning bicycles completely would eliminate bicycle
accidents completely. Think of it! 700 lives a year would be saved!
--
cheers,

John B.

On 10/8/2019 1:58 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 10:32:33 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

--
- Frank Krygowski

Out of my cold, dead hands! There is some good news in the world, however: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html I fully support taking away e-scooters, or as we call them here, mobile dope display stands.

We recently spent time in the trendy "Short North" area of Columbus.
E-scooters were everywhere. I'm not a "danger! danger!" guy, but those
things look like accidents waiting to happen, and with very little waiting.

Over 15 mph, sometimes on sidewalks ("Yeah, it's illegal. So what?"),
tiny wheels, not much for brakes... Their the perfect vehicle for "Hold
my beer and watch this!"


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Tue, 8 Oct 2019 20:16:16 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 10/8/2019 1:58 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 10:32:33 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236

--
- Frank Krygowski

Out of my cold, dead hands! There is some good news in the world, however: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html I fully support taking away e-scooters, or as we call them here, mobile dope display stands.

We recently spent time in the trendy "Short North" area of Columbus.
E-scooters were everywhere. I'm not a "danger! danger!" guy, but those
things look like accidents waiting to happen, and with very little waiting.

Over 15 mph, sometimes on sidewalks ("Yeah, it's illegal. So what?"),
tiny wheels, not much for brakes... Their the perfect vehicle for "Hold
my beer and watch this!"

Singapore apparently feels the same way and have recently posted quite
a number of laws regarding the use if e-cycles.
No cycling on foot paths, must be 16 years old, or older, to use, max
speed 25 kph, max power 250 watts, not over 20 kg weight, power only
when pedaling.
There is also a rule that all new e-cycles must be a type approved by
the Land Transportation Administration and in addition they will
shortly be registering e-cycles issuing license plates.

Granted that Singapore attempts to have a law for everything but I
will admit that they do identify problems and do something about them.
--
cheers,

John B.

On Tue, 8 Oct 2019 10:58:18 -0700 (PDT), jbeattie
wrote:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html

"The researchers concluded that additional training may be necessary
for e-scooter riders."

Jaw hits floor and bounces: maybe, just maybe, asking people to learn
what they are doing will make them less likely to hurt themselves!

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On 9/10/19 4:32 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236



Bicycling can be dangerous. People die doing it, as they do falling
from bed, I know the rhetoric.

It is understandable to infer the message is "Bicycling is dangerous!",
but it is often put as "For your safety, wear a helmet & hi vis, use
lights & reflectors, etc."

In other words, "You will be much safer (or 'safe') if you take these
precautions..."

Trouble is, you are not made 'safe' by taking those precautions at all.

Sure lights are pretty important at night or during times of poor
visibility, but safety comes more from keeping your wits about you. Not
riding in the door zone. Watching all turning traffic for failure to
give way and having an escape route. Reducing speed when it is wet and
slippery. Riding in a prominent position on the road and being aware of
what all the other blind vehicle operators around you might be doing, etc.

It's like dancing with multiple vision impaired partners simultaneously,
knowing that they're swinging punches and by getting too close to any
one of them can result in a punch to the head if you're not careful.

Keeping your wits about you is probably more important than all of the
usual recommendations put together!

Of course riding in a country where the drivers better accommodate
cyclists is next on the list. Italy was pretty good. Much better than
Australia.

--
JS

On Tue, 08 Oct 2019 21:35:01 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Tue, 8 Oct 2019 10:58:18 -0700 (PDT), jbeattie
wrote:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/o...grm/index.html

"The researchers concluded that additional training may be necessary
for e-scooter riders."

Jaw hits floor and bounces: maybe, just maybe, asking people to learn
what they are doing will make them less likely to hurt themselves!

But that is not "the American way" is it? We must build a device that
cannot hurt the user, or provide safety clothing and equipment to
protect the rider.

Asking people to learn is a violation of their rights! :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

On Wed, 9 Oct 2019 12:36:41 +1100, James
wrote:

On 9/10/19 4:32 am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
"Bicycling is dangerous! You need to wear a helmet, use bright lights in
the daytime and wear Day-Glo clothing. You need bike lanes, and you need
to stay in them. Knee pads and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either! And you
really ought to just load your bike in your car and take it out to a
nice safe bike trail. Riding in a city just isn't safe."

Here's what all that "Safety Inflation" ultimately generates:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...-push-1.920236



Bicycling can be dangerous. People die doing it, as they do falling
from bed, I know the rhetoric.

It is understandable to infer the message is "Bicycling is dangerous!",
but it is often put as "For your safety, wear a helmet & hi vis, use
lights & reflectors, etc."

In other words, "You will be much safer (or 'safe') if you take these
precautions..."

Trouble is, you are not made 'safe' by taking those precautions at all.

Sure lights are pretty important at night or during times of poor
visibility, but safety comes more from keeping your wits about you. Not
riding in the door zone. Watching all turning traffic for failure to
give way and having an escape route. Reducing speed when it is wet and
slippery. Riding in a prominent position on the road and being aware of
what all the other blind vehicle operators around you might be doing, etc.

It's like dancing with multiple vision impaired partners simultaneously,
knowing that they're swinging punches and by getting too close to any
one of them can result in a punch to the head if you're not careful.

Keeping your wits about you is probably more important than all of the
usual recommendations put together!

Of course riding in a country where the drivers better accommodate
cyclists is next on the list. Italy was pretty good. Much better than
Australia.


The answer is fairly simple, simply pass a law that in a collision the
larger vehicle, subject to proof otherwise, is deemed to be at fault
and is financially liable for any and all resulting costs. Including
replacement parts or vehicle, hospital and medical costs, loss of
income, and even funeral costs if necessary.

While this may not be politically possible in Australia it does, in
Thailand, appear to reduce bicycle accidents and according to my
neighbor, the policeman, most small motorcycle - auto crashes have
been found to be the fault of the motorcycle.
--
cheers,

John B.