Disturbing "no helmet" trend

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The problem being alluded to above is that if you smash your head into a rock and turn yourself into a vegetable it can affect everyone else. You may be ok with the danger, but your family who now has to care for you for the rest of your life might feel that the Park was unsafe, so they decide to sue. The State gets sued and decides this is is no longer worth the benefit to others. Let's just shut down the mountain biking so we no longer have to deal with these lawsuits.

I defer to my original post on this subject.
 

Tony13

Active Member
The problem being alluded to above is that if you smash your head into a rock and turn yourself into a vegetable it can affect everyone else. You may be ok with the danger, but your family who now has to care for you for the rest of your life might feel that the Park was unsafe, so they decide to sue. The State gets sued and decides this is is no longer worth the benefit to others. Let's just shut down the mountain biking so we no longer have to deal with these
Yes, exactly
 

slingblade_uhhuh

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
There is a long list of recommendations/knowledge on the Batsto trail head kiosk. Most stop and read it. Some don't. One piece of shared knowledge is wearing helmets. Thats ignored by some, whether noob or experienced.

The other piece of shared knowledge is to stop, or maybe at the very least slow down and look before crossing the sand roads. I've received e-mails from experienced, allegedly intelligent riders, that they were nearly hit when zooming across a sand road, and that there needs to be something to slow down the motorized vehicles. SMH
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
Leave it to Frank to lighten the mood in here.
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Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
The other piece of shared knowledge is to stop, or maybe at the very least slow down and look before crossing the sand roads. I've received e-mails from experienced, allegedly intelligent riders, that they were nearly hit when zooming across a sand road, and that there needs to be something to slow down the motorized vehicles. SMH

What I tell people who are combative about/looking to get into cycling (particularly on the road, but...):

Is it better to be right, or be alive?

[helmets: not touching it with a pole except to say, "they protect from UNEXPECTED stuff, of which there are myriad ways to have happen on a mountain bike, on a trail. They are less useful when a two or three ton car runs you over]
 

Tim

aka sptimmy43
i had the right-of-way

is what i tell them i'll put on their tombstone.
True. I have a buddy who rides a road bike like a total douche...He's always technically correct and legal but he takes a whole lane when it isn't necessary and is a dick to pedestrians who get into bike lanes and whatnot. I don't ride with him much at all but I actually told him to calm down last time I did. He is going to the be the guy who was "right" but also dead.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with helmets.

The problem being alluded to above is that if you smash your head into a rock and turn yourself into a vegetable it can affect everyone else. You may be ok with the danger, but your family who now has to care for you for the rest of your life might feel that the Park was unsafe, so they decide to sue. The State gets sued and decides this is is no longer worth the benefit to others. Let's just shut down the mountain biking so we no longer have to deal with these lawsuits.

All of these arguments are silly. If I want to smash my head and be a vegetable then that's my problem. Not yours or anyone else's. Not the state's. If I give a shit about my family and the people it will actually affect then I will choose to wear a helmet.

Of course I do wear a helmet every single time I ride and I wouldn't consider riding without one but I could care less what anyone else does...
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i had the right-of-way

is what i tell them i'll put on their tombstone.


you have to ride like your taking the right of way when its yours, but be ready to give it up bc too many people are texting/fb/insta w/e/snapchat ect while driving and think that they are the only one who matters (and yea riding a bike is not how you want to earn a tombstone) Definitely makes things sketchy and unpredictable.
 

Tim

aka sptimmy43
you have to ride like your taking the right of way when its yours, but be ready to give it up bc too many people are texting/fb/insta w/e/snapchat ect while driving and think that they are the only one who matters (and yea riding a bike is not how you want to earn a tombstone) Definitely makes things sketchy and unpredictable.

My dad taught me to ride this way when I was a "kid." He was a cop so pretty in tune with traffic laws and people's behavior behind the wheel, etc. It was his opinion that being predictable was key to staying safe on a bike on the road. When you're on the road, act like a car. Follow the rules just like drivers do so they can predict what you're about to do. Riding erratically, turning left from the right shoulder, riding on the sidewalk, etc. are not safe ways to ride, with situational exceptions, of course. Signal your intentions, take the lane with confidence when it's yours, etc. but move out of the way when you're maneuver is complete. Gotta have your head on a swivel and it's stressful.

I am comfortable taking a lane and riding in traffic if we're all playing by the same rules. What scares the shit out of me is the huge amount of people that can't just put down the phone and drive.
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
My dad taught me to ride this way when I was a "kid." He was a cop so pretty in tune with traffic laws and people's behavior behind the wheel, etc. It was his opinion that being predictable was key to staying safe on a bike on the road. When you're on the road, act like a car. Follow the rules just like drivers do so they can predict what you're about to do. Riding erratically, turning left from the right shoulder, riding on the sidewalk, etc. are not safe ways to ride, with situational exceptions, of course. Signal your intentions, take the lane with confidence when it's yours, etc. but move out of the way when you're maneuver is complete. Gotta have your head on a swivel and it's stressful.

I am comfortable taking a lane and riding in traffic if we're all playing by the same rules. What scares the shit out of me is the huge amount of people that can't just put down the phone and drive.


yup agree 100%, the other thing i have noticed is that (most) people arent TRYING to hit you, they just dont want to wait for you, so on a narrow road you get more space riding on the left side of that white line by just a bit so that its 100% clear they need cross the line to pass you, this seems to make people move over further, where if they think they can squeeze past without crossing that centerline they are going to regardless of how much room that actually leaves you.
 

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