🚀 go-pugleaf

Avery Burdett wrote:
> 
> Ken Bognar (kbognar@direct.ca) writes:
 seem to think that walking is really dangerous don't
> > you. Show me stats on how many accidents happen per hour of walking as
> > compared to cycling and the extent of those injuries. Like most others
> > here you'll probably fix the stats or take some obscure study with the
> > pedestrians all walking on the roadways.

> You prove my point. You say (above) you don't care about statistics and
> don't have any facts in coming to your opinion, and then want me to provide
> them. Suffice to say that in Ontario, for every cyclist killed there are 5
> pedestrians and 15 motor vehicle occupants killed. Most of them from head
> injuries (just like the injuries received by the Redwings' player and
> therapist). So if we are to believe that helmets save lives (which of
> course those who have studied this issue don't) as you suggest below, then
> clapping helmets on every ped and motorist as well as cyclists would
> increase the possibility of reducing all head injury deaths by a factor as
> high as 20 to 1. Despite this you are saying you only want to force
> cyclists to wear crash helmets. Now tell me it's not cyclist-hating when
> you only want to use repressive laws against one group when, based
> on your (faulty) theory, the possibilities of reducing total head injury
> deaths among all road users is greater.

As I've said before, I don't care about statistics because they are so
easy to cheat with. I can say anything I want with statistics and a
whole lot of fools will believe me. It's very easy.

Again, I don't know how many times I have to state this but wearing a
helmet in a car is ridiculous. I didn't say it wouldn't save lives or
prevent injuries but when you fork over the cash to modify my car so
that I can wear a helmet then I'll slap one one. Cars are not made with
helmet use in mind. That is something car manufacturers can only
control. We have driver tests and a seatbelt law and it still doesn't
stop people from getting killed. Do you seriously think that cyclist
education will stop accidents? I don't.

You use the 20 to 1 figure as a benchmark. Well that 1 death is OK then
right? I don't think so. 1 death is still 1 too many if it could have
been prevented. I could state that in all my years walking I've only had
1 walking injury as compared to about 25 cycling injuries although I
walk way more than I ride. Neither my stats or your stats are important
when it comes to saving people's lives.
> 
> 
> One of the persons who made a similar statement in a posting to a
> rec.bicycles.soc himself was killed on his bike about six weeks after making
> the statement. So much for a helmet saving his life.

I'd never wish death on anyone that doesn't wear a helmet but I hate to
say it, I won't feel sorry for someone with an injury that a helmet
could have prevented especially when helmets are so cheap and readily
available. Of course helmets won't prevent all injuries but neither will
seatbelts in cars.

bog