david jackson
It isn't my intention to sound callous or indifferent in any way, shape, or form concerning the recent fatality of the Eugene cyclist. However, for all sorts of reasons (some objective, some subjective) people often confuse the terms 'cause and effect'.
The fact is - a collision (cause) between a cyclist and a motorist resulted in the cyclist's death (effect). Objectively, whether or not the cyclist was wearing a helmet at the time the collision took place isn't material to the outcome as it had nothing whatsoever to do with the effect. What is relevant, however, is: 1) why the event occurred as it did, and 2) what actually happened that precipitated its occurrence.
Tragic interactions between motorists and cyclists aren't likely to ever be reduced appreciably until or unless each entity respects the rights of the other and behaves accordingly. As it relates to cyclists, that could mean wearing bike helmets. In the case of motorists, it could mean being more observant and cautious. Regardless, collisions (cause) with motorists will likely continue to result in cyclist fatalities (effect) unless the root cause of the effect (why the event occurred and what actually happened that precipitated it) is resolved.
David Jackson
> Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 10:54:48 -0700> From: masessa@charter.net> To: obra@list.obra.org; twotiretinker-obra2@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Eugene cyclist killed today> > The majority of automobile accident fatalities ARE due to not wearing a seatbelt and being thrown from the vehicle or thrown around inside the vehicle. Maybe head injury, maybe internal injury. The comparison is just. They are both something the vehicle operators can control to make themselves safer. > My original point was that reports state the info because people want to know, not necessarily to make a cyclist look irresponsible or not. > > > ---- john wrote: > > Seatbelts compared to helmets is like comparing a green bean to an apple. they are both food but thats it. I bet the majority of automobile fatal accidents are due to head injury too. And no one is asking if the person was wearing a helmet. > > > > The majority of fatal bicycle and motorcycle accidents are due to automobiles(drivers...) . Don't forget that. emphasis should be on the real issue, similar to issues in Iraq, its not going to help much to just hand out bullet proof vest and helmets to everyone, the root issue must be addressed. > > > > Helmets are great and everything, but training and education are 100 times more important. > > > > > > --- On Tue, 6/3/08, J.Michael Manning wrote:> > > > From: J.Michael Manning > > Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Eugene cyclist killed today> > To: masessa@charter.net, "OBRA" > > Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2008, 8:58 AM> > > > > > > > > > #yiv2017243431 .hmmessage P> > {> > margin:0px;padding:0px;}> > #yiv2017243431 .hmmessage> > {> > FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma;}> > > > > > When the story reports that the cyclist was wearing no helmet, it paints a certain picture of the cyclist. One that I do not identify with. As well, I typically make the false assumption that a cyclist without a helmet is not a "real" cyclist, and is therefore just one of those knuckleheads out there that make us all look irresponsible. But the truth is that I do sometimes see racing cyclists who still wish to defy the odds and ignore good commonsense by riding in traffic with air blowing in the wind. Helmets are an issue and the statistics support the fact that the majority of fatal accidents for bicyclists and motorcyclists are due to head trauma.> > Mike Manning> > > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:50:39 -0700> > > From: masessa@charter.net> > > To: obra@list.obra.org> > > Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Eugene cyclist killed today> > > > > > It's not really just a bicycle thing to mention whether a rider was wearing a helmet. Most auto accident reports make a statement about the driver or passenger wearing a seatbelt or not. It's included because it's the first question people hearing about an accident ask. If it's not there you wonder "were they wearing a helmet/seatbelt?". > > > > > > ---- gschreckchat@comcast.net wrote: > > > > They mention in in all bicycle injuries. When the woman was crished by a truck in downtown Portland this year, they mentioned that she was wearing a helmet, as if somehow if she had not been wearing a helment, she would have been at fault when the truck crushed her. They also mentioned it when a guy was hit at 50 mph, as if a styrofoam beer cooler on his head would have saved him when getting hit at 50 mph. Somehow it has become the mantra of all reporters when reporting on bicycle/vehicle collissions.> > > > > > > > --> > > > > > > > George Schreck > > > > gschreckchat@comcast.net > > > > (503) 502-0425> > > > > > > > -------------- Original message -------------- > > > > From: Erik > > > > I like how they fail to mention any head trauma, but point out that he wasn't wearing a helmet anyway. As if that would've saved him from an impact that was hard enough to throw his bike 20 feet into the air.> > > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 19:03:20 -0700> > > > > From: cdbrandt@gmail.com> > > > > To: obra@list.obra.org> > > > > Subject: [OBRA Chat] Eugene cyclist killed today> > > > > > > > > > http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=106879&sid=1&fid=7> > > > > _______________________________________________> > > > > OBRA mailing list> > > > > obra@list.obra.org> > > > > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra> > > > > Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Change the world with e-mail. Join the im Initiative from Microsoft.> > > _______________________________________________> > > OBRA mailing list> > > obra@list.obra.org> > > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra> > > Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org> > > > > > > > Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage. Get Windows Live SkyDrive. _______________________________________________> > OBRA mailing list> > obra@list.obra.org> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra> > Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org> _______________________________________________> OBRA mailing list> obra@list.obra.org> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
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