Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i do think it is a shame that cycling helmets aren't available, practical considerations aside. i thought the scheme was intended to be attractive to tourists, not just locals with knowledge of the roads.
Barclays/TFL cycle hire scheme in London
- Thread starter se5
- Start date
i do think it is a shame that cycling helmets aren't available, practical considerations aside. i thought the scheme was intended to be attractive to tourists, not just locals with knowledge of the roads.
editor
hiraethified
Perhaps there's an entrepreneurial niche for someone to set up shop selling them if you think there's the demand?
I'm not sure how the absence of helmets makes it so unattractive myself - when we were in Holland, we barely saw anyone wearing one, and *everyone* cycles there.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
You don't need a helmet in Holland because the cycle lanes are so good. And the cyclist is king there – any motorist who knocks over a cyclist faces a looooong time in jail, and there is always a presumption that it is the motorist's fault in any accident.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
you can't expect a tourist to buy a helmet just so he can feel safe clattering down park lane.
it would be nice to be able to hire them as well as the bike, though i can see how it might be impossible to run such a scheme.
editor
hiraethified
I wouldn't expect a tourist to go clattering along Park Lane to be honest - I would have thought they'd rather go through Hyde Park, myself.
Have you actually ridden one of these bikes, btw? They're built like tanks and it's quite a different experience to pedalling along on a racer.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
no, i have a bike already, so i doubt i'll ever use one. ugly things.
anyway, the bike may be built like a tank, but unfortunately our soft pulpy heads aren't.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Yes, because the cycle paths in Holland are made out of soft squidgy material that means if you fall off your bike you won't injure your head...
I'm very anti-helmet FWIW, and thoroughly approve of the lack of them on the Boris bikes.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
how can you be 'anti-helmet'? 
i can see how you may choose not to wear one, but...
i can see how you may choose not to wear one, but...
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Turn of phrase. I will adopt a 'They're worthless' stance during arguments about them with Aussie mates.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
tell that to my braindamaged friend who got hit by a lorry and landed on his head. he wasn't wearing one.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
If the notes in the post above are correct, it wouldn't have made any difference anyway, since they only work in low speed, low impact injuries.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
quite, this was exactly that. i'd imagine many cycling accidents are low speed/low impact.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Why do people fall off their bikes?Yes, because the cycle paths in Holland are made out of soft squidgy material that means if you fall off your bike you won't injure your head...
The only time I've come off my bike since the age of about five is because a car has been trying to run me over.
Hence, with proper cycle lanes and a properly pro-bicycle culture, far fewer people fall off their bikes, and when they do, they are less likely to hit their heads as they won't have been hit by a car.
Have a
back.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i don't want cycling lanes in london, i want safer traffic/roads to cycle in/on.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Why do people fall off their bikes?
The only time I've come off my bike since the age of about five is because a car has been trying to run me over.
Hence, with proper cycle lanes and a properly pro-bicycle culture, far fewer people fall off their bikes, and when they do, they are less likely to hit their heads as they won't have been hit by a car.
Have a
Do you commute in London? I see plenty of people wobbling around on bikes they can barely ride. Look there.
Altho I'm against helmets, I agree with OU on mixed use roads. I don't want segregated travel (and lets face it, anyone who rides with any pace would still be using the roads), I want a properly integrated system which is based on the sliding scale of size of road user (subject to an idiocy clause).
snowy_again
Slush
Given the range of sizes and shapes of people's heads, providing them with Kencycles isn't really an option. They're fragile and damage easily.
I see enough people riding around with badly fitting helmets, or ones on backwards, or one with the strap hanging loose, or unconnected, to think that people would be able to select an appropriately fitting one, or to wear it correctly.
Besides, whilst not wanting to get into a helmet pointless debate, the majority of cyclist injuries in serious accidents is squashing of bodies, not heads, unless they act as some sort of magic halo?
I see enough people riding around with badly fitting helmets, or ones on backwards, or one with the strap hanging loose, or unconnected, to think that people would be able to select an appropriately fitting one, or to wear it correctly.
Besides, whilst not wanting to get into a helmet pointless debate, the majority of cyclist injuries in serious accidents is squashing of bodies, not heads, unless they act as some sort of magic halo?
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
What do you have against segregated travel? I would feel much safer with a dutch style cycle lane to cycle in personally.
(Not that I have anything against those who want to join in with the traffic at speed either)
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
ime cycle lanes are too slow if you use your bike to keep fit as well as commute. i don't have any experience of these dutch-style cycle lanes so maybe they are different to british ones, but looking at, say, the one that goes over chelsea bridge, they're next to worthless if you want to ride safely faster than 10 miles per hour.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
It doesn't help either cyclist or driver. Cyclists can behave like they're in a risk-free environment, so can cars. A more fitting, and properly enforced, set of punishments for road users (and I include cyclists in this) coupled with mixed-use roads would teach both groups to behave better, and doing so without having to spend truckloads building separated lanes and the rest of the infrastructure required. I despair of the number of people who I see riding who literally never bother looking behind them, for example.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
But for those who want to travel safely or leisurely, they're great no? People who want to get places at speed could always just join the road too.
EDIT: that was in reply to OU (boards being really slow at the moment). Kyser, I take your point about people assuming risk free status and acting like idiots.
EDIT: that was in reply to OU (boards being really slow at the moment). Kyser, I take your point about people assuming risk free status and acting like idiots.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
oh right, so in holland, people aren't compelled to use cycle lanes then?
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I'm not sure if its compulsory there.
I'd favour the choice between lane or road though. I think it would be unfair to compel cycle couriers or speedy types to share a slow lane with others, but I think it would encourage more people onto bikes if we had a segregated lane - even if, as I've suggested it be done with a rumble strip, or raised marker. Just something that acts as more of a defining line than, a painted line.
I'd favour the choice between lane or road though. I think it would be unfair to compel cycle couriers or speedy types to share a slow lane with others, but I think it would encourage more people onto bikes if we had a segregated lane - even if, as I've suggested it be done with a rumble strip, or raised marker. Just something that acts as more of a defining line than, a painted line.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
in my experience so far, on-road cycle lanes are actually quite helpful, but only as an indication where NOT to cycle. cycle outside it and you'll be fine. cycle inside and you'll ride over some glass or a pothole or get overtaken just a little too close for comfort. i'm not sure a bump would help.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Yeah. Removing ironworks from anywhere near the kerb would be nice, as would an effective programme of road laying and maintainance.
editor
hiraethified
And compulsory helmets would most likely make no difference at all safety-wide and would only succeed in making less people use the bikes, thus rendering the entire cycle hire scheme a waste of time and money - so what's your point here?
You've said you're not interested in usng them anyway, so what's your beef?
editor
hiraethified
You can blame the Nazis for that one.
If only we shook of our raging car-uber-alles culture, we might end up with something as good as what they've got.
http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/holland.shtml
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i have no beef, they're just not for me as i have a perfectly good bike already
editor
hiraethified
I have as well, but that's not really what the scheme is trying to replace.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i would have thought it was for tourists and bikeless people who want another way of getting round town
editor
hiraethified
It's equally designed for cyclists who don't want to/can't take their bikes into town, or for people who just need a bike for a quick hop around town, perhaps to a business meeting or for some shopping or to grab a coffee or whatever.
It's all about short term hops, not traditional bike hire.
