This has been the best proof that intelligence and common sense don't necessarily go together. Not to single out Stanford students, there is no common sense to be found anywhere lately.
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Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
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Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#22This is presented as hypocritical, and is taken that way by some of the comments, but masks and helmets are very different, with different situational contexts where their perceived protection varies differently, and different kinds of inconveniences. Being irresponsible about one but not the other may be hypocritical, but that's being taken as a must in order to score political points.
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#23This has been the best proof that intelligence and common sense don't necessarily go together. Not to single out Stanford students, there is no common sense to be found anywhere lately.
I am not a Stanford student, but I bike with a mask on when near traffic. It has nothing to so with the virus and everything to do with measurable quality of air. Yes, it a N95, no I have no trouble breathing (and I am not particularly fit), no it has not been a problem in the hot summer.
Again, thank you, you've persuaded me to give an N95 a try as I often have the snot problem when riding in traffic. Are some better than others?
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#24It’s interesting that the OP didn’t also consider that people wear masks on bikes to block out truck and car fumes and other particles that tend to fly in your face. I rarely wear a helmet when biking, but there’s a noticeable benefit when I’m biking around traffic and don’t have to breath in car exhaust because I’m wearing a mask.
Experience and a basic level of observation would show that you're reaching to find a justification here. It's clear that the masks are covid-related and not pollution related. Gymnastics are for gymnasts not for research.
Why would you ever assume that!? I also wear a mask when riding near traffic. Masks on bikers without helmets were a common sight in Paris in 2009 when I lived there. The mask has a measureable increase in immediate comfort, while the helmet is something that requires thinking ahead. Of course more people will remember a mask before they remember a helmet.
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#25We all like to think that Stanford students may not be as bright as they're purported to be (I have fun thinking this too!) but here's my theory: - Some people who normally wear helmets might not wear one when going slowly from building to building within a campus where there are few/no cars or other dangers around. - These people might have had to wear a mask at the location they're coming from (e.g., a lecture hall…
If there is any sense in this I suspect it's more about signaling and conformity than anything else... I wonder if those places still see joggers wearing masks.
> I wonder if those places still see joggers wearing masks.
In Palo Alto it’s definitely possible. A friend of mine who lives in nearby Atherton was complaining about joggers not wearing face masks (so I’m guessing he was while out running).
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Experience and a basic level of observation would show that you're reaching to find a justification here. It's clear that the masks are covid-related and not pollution related. Gymnastics are for gymnasts not for research.
Why would you ever assume that!? I also wear a mask when riding near traffic. Masks on bikers without helmets were a common sight in Paris in 2009 when I lived there. The mask has a measureable increase in immediate comfort, while the helmet is something that requires thinking ahead. Of course more people will remember a mask before they remember a helmet.
Is helmet wearing on bikes common in Europe anywhere outside of the UK?
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#27For those who say "you don't need a helmet on campus," there's a simple science-based way to test your theory:
Look at the stats on brain injuries for bicycle accidents on campus. [1] has anecdotes, but no stats, unfortunately.
You have other bikes to collide with, you have people crossing the path, and yes, there are cars on campus. I've driven there.
[1] https://transportation.stanford.edu/bicycle/learn-about-bike...
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#28We all like to think that Stanford students may not be as bright as they're purported to be (I have fun thinking this too!) but here's my theory: - Some people who normally wear helmets might not wear one when going slowly from building to building within a campus where there are few/no cars or other dangers around. - These people might have had to wear a mask at the location they're coming from (e.g., a lecture hall…
If there is any sense in this I suspect it's more about signaling and conformity than anything else... I wonder if those places still see joggers wearing masks.
Or you know, jogging or biking near a dusty smelly road traffic is gross... People have been wearing masks in that situation since forever (or just pulling their t-shirts over their mouths). Now we just happen to have N95s much more easily available.
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#29This is presented as hypocritical, and is taken that way by some of the comments, but masks and helmets are very different, with different situational contexts where their perceived protection varies differently, and different kinds of inconveniences. Being irresponsible about one but not the other may be hypocritical, but that's being taken as a must in order to score political points.
I think a better frame is we should laugh at people wearing masks on bikes the way we would laugh at people wearing helmets when riding an escalator.
(To be fair, some % of people wearing masks on bikes probably just as so used to it they forgot. But I'm sure many are wearing it out of fear or cultural norms, which is depressing if we're talking about highly educated people.)
Re: Stanford students are more likely to wear masks on bicycles than helmets
#30The same is true in the Netherlands. Honestly, if they are biking around campus, they don’t need helmets. Helmets are needed on American roads because of poor biking infrastructure (not an issue on campus or in the Netherlands). The article is taking liberties using nationwide statistics to criticize local behavior.
If they’re biking around campus, they also don’t need masks.