Caption on German Ad: "Be careful when transporting fragile goods." Consumerist
A comment from Rick to our post The Bicycle Helmet Debate is Over. Really. deserves special notice:
Let me first say that I didn't start wearing a helmet regularly until AFTER I WOKE UP FROM THE COMA. Before I fractured my skull and bled an epidural hematoma the size of a navel orange, I used some of the inane arguments I have read above.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but the more bicyclists there are on the road, the lower the rate of accidents. If you double the number of cyclists, the accident rate per cyclist will drop by a third.
Leslie Scrivener writes in the Star about the problem of rampant bike theft, and the proper way to protect your bike, including painting it pink, using two expensive and heavy locks, or riding a junker. A commenter pointed out (what appears to be a cliche but new to me):
"All bicycles weigh fifty pounds. A thirty-pound bicycle needs a twenty-pound lock. A forty-pound bicycle needs a ten-pound lock. A fifty-pound bicycle doesn't need a lock at all."
TreeHugger on how to prevent bike theft:
How to Prevent Bike Theft
credit: Getty Images
An Exercise in Frustration
Here is a tip on recommended coffee break reading for a Friday. Check out this piece in the Wall Street Journal online, Risking Life and Limb, Riding a Bike to Work in L.A.. Caution: not recommended for bike commuters with high blood pressure.
Marc Gunther of Fortune Magazine wrote a long and thoughtful piece on the Bisphenol A (BPA) controversy; he spiked much of it for Fortune because he found himself conflicted over the safety issues. He notes that the Federal Drug Administration didn't pull polycarbonate bottles off the shelves because of BPA (it still says they are safe) but Wal-Mart did, and wonders when retailers became the arbiters of safety.
Stop sign on bike trail at driveway entrance from Bicyclewatchdog
The Atlantic's Megan McArdle on why she disagrees with a correspondent who wrote "I don’t think civil disobedience extends to refusing to obey the law because it tacks three minutes on to your commute."
In the USA, people called Barack Obama "dorky" for wearing a bicycle helmet. In Canada, readers thought Member of Parliament Olivia Chow was a bit over the top with her safety gear.
In France, where they know something about style, even Karl Lagerfeld, the head designer at Chanel, knows that if you want to be seen and be safe, it pays to be loudly and obnoxiously dressed.
It is part of a new safety awareness campaign; as of July 1, all drivers and cyclists must have a vest and a refle...
We've seen several efforts to make roadways safe, not only for motorists, but also for everyone that makes use of them. For instance, there is the bicycle traffic school in Santa Cruz, California, that teaches safe cycling practices, and the growing movement for Cyclist Memorials, which raise awareness about cycling fatalities. Now a new site--HonorTheStop.org--has been launched, with the aim of "promoting safe, courteous and respectful use o...
Great filmstrip on bike safety from Cathedral Films- no falling anvils but just about everything else. Lessons: Keep you bike in good repair, don't ride with no hands, don't hitch or draft, leave hands free for steering, watch people and traffic. Stop at lights and stop signs. No mention of helmets. Conclusion: "All such stories as these- they are sad from the start! B...
Nalgene, the company that became the generic name for polycarbonate bottles, has thrown in the towel on Bisphenol A. “Based on all available scientific evidence, we continue to believe that Nalgene products containing BPA are safe for their intended use,” Steven Silverman, the general manager of the Nalgene unit, said in a statement. “However, our customers indicated they preferred BPA-free alternatives, and we acted in response to those concerns.”
Go customers! The government can sit on its butt but when Wal-Mart talks, suppliers listen.
Bisphenol A has been a question for years, but the industry had the ear of government, billions of pounds of it are made each year and nothing ever happened. However, marketers aren't stupid; after the first Canadian reports earlier this week, retailers were pulling it off the shelves. Now it is happening in the States.
Lambert/Archive Photos/Getty Images
Dangers of Bisphenol A (BPA) From canned food
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