Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Be happy Bike to work.

csharpening.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 141 posts

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#101

Post by andreasvc »

gst wrote: post #91
donretag wrote: post #55

Regarding the helmet: they truly are a no-brainer. Even the cheap 30 buck ones the OP talks about must meet the minimum federal guidelines for safety (in the US). No need for a more expensive helmet, which mainly provide less weight (avoid neck strain over long rides) and better ventilation. Helmets save lives and do not have to look dorky. But you do get a bad case of hat hair.

I don't want to discuss if helmets actually have any safety advantage (there are studies claiming both things). But I don't think that biking is a particularly dangerous activity. I don't wear a helmet while walking on the street or while driving a car, so why should I wear a helmet when biking?

While I agree with you, the answer is that you are more likely to come in contact with moving cars when you're on a bike. It's mostly dangerous because drivers are not used to dealing with cyclists (assuming the cyclist follows traffic rules of course). In my country (Holland) we have completely separate bike lines in lots of places and I suppose that also makes a big difference.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#102

Post by rlpb »

reinout wrote: post #75
donretag wrote: post #55

Regarding the helmet: they truly are a no-brainer. Even the cheap 30 buck ones the OP talks about must meet the minimum federal guidelines for safety (in the US). No need for a more expensive helmet, which mainly provide less weight (avoid neck strain over long rides) and better ventilation. Helmets save lives and do not have to look dorky. But you do get a bad case of hat hair.

What do you do more often? Fall exactly on the top of your head or on your side? In the latter case, the helmet makes your head bigger and can cause your head to rotate. And swift rotation is worse for your brains than a head-on hit. So only use a helmet when roadracing or mountainbiking, not for a simple city ride.

You seem to be assuming that the only thing you're going to hit with your head is the ground.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#103

Post by syassami »

eli wrote: post #85

I know this is an uncool thing to say, but I hated biking to work in downtown DC. DC has done a great job adding bike lanes, but they aren't everywhere. I found it to be quite the opposite of meditative and I arrived at work sweaty and uncomfortable.

I alleviated my sweat problem when I biked to work by taking almost miniature bird baths in the sink, or using baby wipes.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#104

Post by snowwrestler »

aw3c2 wrote: post #14
nicholassmith wrote: post #9

Please anyone reading this don't wear headphones, you've removed one of the most useful senses for knowing where there's a potential problem. I'd love to cycle to work, the only problem is it's a 160 mile round trip, so it's not too sustainable. I've thought about cycling the journey from my house to the train station but then I've got the additional problem of dealing with a bike on a busy train (two trains really),…

I wear headphones and listen to music all the time when biking. There is absolutely no problem doing so. I watch where I am going and I can easily hear any meaningful sounds through the music. Or do you mean headphones that completely shut off the environment? That would be pure stupidity and neglect. But also something far different from just listening to music on a bike.

Try going without headphones for a month or two, then put them back in. You might be surprised at how much useful info they block out. I say that not as a command but a suggestion based on my experience. It took me a while to get used to hearing and analyzing what's happening around me. And that was mostly in a car, which is already a pretty loud environment.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#105

Post by andere »

tibbon wrote: post #45

I work from coffeeshops and such, which is inheriently flexible. I've started trying to walk or bike as much as humanly possible. It helps to have a terrible car that is frankly embarrassing to drive. I definitely feel better the days I walk a few miles.

Don't be embarrassed by a cheap or low-quality car. All that means is that you're more likely to not be paying monthly bills to pay off your car. That's a good thing to be proud of.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#106

Post by snowwrestler »

jorma75 wrote: post #21

You should really wear a helmet 24/7!! Also body armor. Listening to music on a bike is clearly suicide. Please do not take ANY risks. At all, ever. Also, become an entrepreneur. Take the plunge. Live your dream.

Well one of the common "why not try it" arguments for entrepreneurship is that even if your company fails, you're not going to die.

But if you fail when riding a bike on a busy street, you might very well die.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#107

Post by aw3c2 »

andreasvc wrote: post #83
aw3c2 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wear headphones and listen to music all the time when biking. There is absolutely no problem doing so. I watch where I am going and I can easily hear any meaningful sounds through the music. Or do you mean headphones that completely shut off the environment? That would be pure stupidity and neglect. But also something far different from just listening to music on a bike.

The problem is that most people use their headphones with absurdly loud volume. I know this because when you pass them you can hear their music, which means they are probably damaging their hearing. I always keep the volume as low as possible, such that it's not louder than the traffic around.

Same, I even take them out and listen how loud they are to not disturb other people (especially in the bus or train).

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#108

Post by snowwrestler »

reinout wrote: post #74
ikailan wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the benefit of not wearing a helmet when biking?

The benefit? You're not sending out the message that biking is dangerous. Would you send your kid out cycling if everyone is wearing helmets? When cyclists are called "road warriors"? A helmet is necessary when road racing where there is a distinct risk of dropping over your handlebar: remember, a helmet only protects against hits directly on the top of your head. Normal commuting? In the city? Biggest risk is gettin…

Not sure where you get your info, but it is flat out wrong. It's not at all uncommon for bicycle commuters to hit an opening door or pulling out car, go over the handlebars, and smack their head on a very hard window or body panel--right where a helmet would protect them.

Ask any ER physician in a city (I know several) about head injuries from bike commuting and they will no doubt have stories.

As for sending the message that biking is dangerous: biking is dangerous. The correct message for kids to learn is that most things in life worth doing are dangerous, and the key to a successful life is learning to properly manage risk. Wearing a helmet is part of properly managing the risk of riding a bike.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#109

Post by zxcvb »

Kluny wrote: post #99
ikailan wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the benefit of not wearing a helmet when biking?

It's one less thing you have to do before you can get on with riding. If you want to drive, you put your key in the ignition and go. If you're cycling, you need special shorts, a water bottle, a lock, check your tire pressure, pull it down from the rack in your garage, get your helmet... the list can go on. Or, have a beater sitting outside with 60psi, forget the helmet, wear your jeans and just get on with it. The l…

Yeah because you don't need to re-fuel, get car insurance, maintain the car etc etc.

Seriously, you're dumb.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#110

Post by zxcvb »

andreasvc wrote: post #97
ikailan wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the benefit of not wearing a helmet when biking?

Wearing a helmet is attacking the symptom and not the cause. The cause is that you're biking in a bike-unfriendly environment where the odds are against you. A better solution would be to educate drivers better and assign them more responsibility if something goes wrong, and introduce bike lanes etc.

None of this negates the need to wear a helmet.

You, are also dumb.

Post reply on HN