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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

1711.0. "A thankyou to my helmet and glasses" by AYOV24::RGELVIN () Wed Aug 22 1990 11:13

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1711.1Thanks for the Note!MFGMEM::MFGMEM::ERICKSONJohn Erickson, DTN 297-4143Thu Aug 23 1990 12:1246
        Thank you for entering that note!
        
        There are  _too_many_  people  who believe that, because of their
        particular style of  riding,  they  don't require a helmet.  What
        they tend to ignore is  that  there  are  a  great many variables
        which  are  OUT OF THEIR CONTROL  that  could  result  in  severe
        injury. The previous note is an excellent illustration of this.
        
        I started _religiously_ wearing a helmet about 5  years ago after
        Liz  Walker  of  Boston's  Channel  4  did  a  special report  on
        bicycle-related  head injuries, and the use of helmets to prevent
        them.   This  was  long  before  the  fairly  recent "New England
        Journel of Medicine"  report  on the same topic.  She didn't play
        games  with  statistics  ---  she just presented the cases  of  a
        number  of  riders,  from  novice  to experienced, for whom daily
        circumstances turned disasterous.    She  also presented cases in
        which the proper use  of  a  helmet  _prevented_  these  types of
        injuries.
        
        I can still see clearly in my  mind  the  picture  of a young man
        with a crease in his forehead after hitting a guardrail.  I can't
        remember what happened --- his tire blew, or a truck blew by him,
        the specifics don't matter.   It  was  something  that hit him by
        surprize, like the rider in .0.    But  that's  all  I  needed to
        convince me that I wasn't gonna get  on  my  bike again without a
        helmet.  AND I HAVEN'T SINCE!
        
        And  neither  has  my  wife, and  neither  has  our  3.5-year-old
        daughter.  And when we start hauling around  the  newest Erickson
        (now eight months) she will wear a helmet too!  It doesn't matter
        how  _fast_  one  rides,  it's  the fact that while on  the  bike
        something _could_  happen  that  will  cause head injury.  What's
        $30-$60 to preserve your health?
        
        Now I know  there  is  a thread in this conference that considers
        HELMET LAWS, but I'll  put  my  two  cents  in  here  anyways.  I
        believe that the use of  bicycle  helmets should be MANDITORY FOR
        CHILDREN UNDER A CERTAIN AGE (I  haven't figure out the age yet),
        but  that  ADULTS SHOULD BE FREE to  make  their  own  decisions,
        however _stupid_ they might be.  I believe  in  a government that
        protects our youth, but doesn't baby-sit our adults. 
        
        Have a GREAT one!
        
        John
        
1711.2Another Gubernatorial CandidateGSFSWS::JSMITHChromed CannondaleThu Aug 23 1990 15:0916
>>        Now I know  there  is  a thread in this conference that considers
>>       HELMET LAWS, but I'll  put  my  two  cents  in  here  anyways.  I
>>        believe that the use of  bicycle  helmets should be MANDITORY FOR
>>        CHILDREN UNDER A CERTAIN AGE (I  haven't figure out the age yet),
>>        but  that  ADULTS SHOULD BE FREE to  make  their  own  decisions,
>>        however _stupid_ they might be.  I believe  in  a government that
>>        protects our youth, but doesn't baby-sit our adults. 
  
            John,
    
    		I like your style and enjoyed your note.  Are you
    interested in running on the same ticket with Tom Deloria
    when he makes his bid for Governor in the fall :)
    
    						_Jerry
        
1711.3As Qualified as Any!MFGMEM::MFGMEM::ERICKSONJohn Erickson, DTN 297-4143Fri Aug 24 1990 12:0626
#>>        Now I know  there  is  a thread in this conference that considers
#>>       HELMET LAWS, but I'll  put  my  two  cents  in  here  anyways.  I
#>>        believe that the use of  bicycle  helmets should be MANDITORY FOR
#>>        CHILDREN UNDER A CERTAIN AGE (I  haven't figure out the age yet),
#>>        but  that  ADULTS SHOULD BE FREE to  make  their  own  decisions,
#>>        however _stupid_ they might be.  I believe  in  a government that
#>>        protects our youth, but doesn't baby-sit our adults. 
#  
#            John,
#    
#    		I like your style and enjoyed your note.  Are you
#    interested in running on the same ticket with Tom Deloria
#    when he makes his bid for Governor in the fall :)
#    
#    						_Jerry
#

        HA!  It would  be a welcome _vacation_ from doing REAL (tm) WORK!
        And I have enough experience  in  government (absolutely NONE) to
        be _qualified_!
        
        Or as Rev.  Jesse would say:  Qualified!  Qualified!  Qualified!

        Later, 
        
        John