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What the Elle'?
Elle MacPherson was spotted cycling her five year-old son to school on the handlebars of her bike. "Double riding" can be punished by a fine of up to £2,500 in exceptionally dangerous cases. Accordingly (some would agree), she been hammered by most newspapers this week, "What the Elle are you Doing?" from the Daily Mirror.
Jo Stagg, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, was aghast. "It is both illegal and dangerous, a child on the front handlebars could affect the cyclist's ability to see, steer and balance, and we would not advise parents to carry children in this way - ever."
However, Simon Jenkins of the Guardian believes "Elle Macpherson deserves a medal for defying the health and safety gods". A really interesting read, and I am somewhere on the fence, I cycle without a helmet, but mainly in urban areas where I often travel faster than the vehicles, my biggest menace is pedestrians, which often find the need to park illegally, open doors, cross the road or generally be somewhere they shouldn't yet still are. I find that the majority of road users coexist without problem.
I have had two dismounts about 5 years ago when I cycled 4-5 miles a day, both whilst wearing no helmet, but not on the road, a car driver stopped to ask if I was ok on one occassion, they are not all bad you know, I was not injured, but I could have been, there was no pedestrian or car at fault, just me.
For that reason, if an accident is going to happen, it probably inevitably will, thus a helmet will reduce your chances of serious or fatal injury. Without a helmet there is evidence to suggest we ride more carefully, we are more alert and less willing to take risks that we otherwise would, cars may give us a wider berth when overtaking, but the person in the parked car will still open the door without looking, and in the real world you come off worse than the door, or at best, the same as the door. I'd like to think I could come off better (as my bike is chunky), but I can only hope. But is Elle irresponsible? I don't think so, maybe a little naive like myself. Would I do it? No, I wouldn't have the confidence to do it, so she clearly must, which helps, and as Simon Jenkins points out she wont be doing any killer corners at speed.
Im surprised no one pointed out JD's poor choice of footwear for riding a bike.
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Jo Stagg, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, was aghast. "It is both illegal and dangerous, a child on the front handlebars could affect the cyclist's ability to see, steer and balance, and we would not advise parents to carry children in this way - ever."
However, Simon Jenkins of the Guardian believes "Elle Macpherson deserves a medal for defying the health and safety gods". A really interesting read, and I am somewhere on the fence, I cycle without a helmet, but mainly in urban areas where I often travel faster than the vehicles, my biggest menace is pedestrians, which often find the need to park illegally, open doors, cross the road or generally be somewhere they shouldn't yet still are. I find that the majority of road users coexist without problem.
I have had two dismounts about 5 years ago when I cycled 4-5 miles a day, both whilst wearing no helmet, but not on the road, a car driver stopped to ask if I was ok on one occassion, they are not all bad you know, I was not injured, but I could have been, there was no pedestrian or car at fault, just me.
For that reason, if an accident is going to happen, it probably inevitably will, thus a helmet will reduce your chances of serious or fatal injury. Without a helmet there is evidence to suggest we ride more carefully, we are more alert and less willing to take risks that we otherwise would, cars may give us a wider berth when overtaking, but the person in the parked car will still open the door without looking, and in the real world you come off worse than the door, or at best, the same as the door. I'd like to think I could come off better (as my bike is chunky), but I can only hope. But is Elle irresponsible? I don't think so, maybe a little naive like myself. Would I do it? No, I wouldn't have the confidence to do it, so she clearly must, which helps, and as Simon Jenkins points out she wont be doing any killer corners at speed.
Im surprised no one pointed out JD's poor choice of footwear for riding a bike.
Related Articles
Reason to Use Bike Lights at Night
Choosing A Bike
Five Spaces Left for the Climate Ride 2008
I Bought a New Bike
Picture: Real Pedal Power
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