Some of you may recall that I ranted last summer about the habits of younger cyclists in Fort Collins, the northern outpost of the Cycling Riviera. Now Colorado State University concedes, based on a graduate student's research, that there is substance to my hopelessly antediluvian outlook. Only 9 percent of student commuters are wearing helmets? That's even lower than I expected.
Guess what? "As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain purposes, [pyschology doctoral student Itsumi] Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is less likely close to home."
Imagine my surprise at these findings. On the other hand, I suppose I should tone down the sarcasm, since someone has collected data to support my observations — and demonstrated that I was right all along.
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Even among people who do wear helmets, all too often they are either worn improperly (too far forward/too far back) or so old that I wonder how much good they would do in a wreck. Helmet material degrades over time.
I agree with your August rant, by the way. Cyclists in Fort Collins drive me nuts and I ride my bike all of the time. I know that part of the bicycle plan emphasizes education and it involves the Fort Collins PD, so hopefully some cyclists learn that if they want to be treated like they are a vehicle they need to act like it.
Bike safe.
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