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Reposted by Cargo Bike Ben

Drew Meehan @drewdraws2.bsky.social · 20d

I am the consummate car guy. I dedicated my life to creating and adoring them. But I have also learned that life is better when you don’t need one. I’d rather take the bike and/or the train and I love living in a walkable city. It’s not about “taking away your car”, it’s about giving you a choice.

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 20d

You can be a “car guy” and not like car dependency. You can be a “car guy” and get that too many cars in cities is bad for everyone, including drivers. You can be a “car guy” and be tired of lies & manipulations like “the war on cars.” You can be a “car guy” and know more choice means more freedom.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 17h

Fatal ≠ serious or catastrophic. But yes, fatal head injuries are higher.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

As for the study, it’s “The relationship between road traffic collision dynamics and traumatic brain injury pathology (Baker et al., 2022)”

There are others like: “Bicycle helmet wearing is associated with closer overtaking (2019, by Ian Walker)” that highlight the dangers of wearing helmets.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

It’s the point that people - including yourself - are saying you shouldn’t have to wear a helmet while in a car; while many are at the same time saying people on bikes must wear them for their own safety.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

If you are genuinely concerned about reducing head injuries per mile travel, then should be advocating for people in cars to be wearing helmets. The fact you are not speaks to internal biases that are clouding your judgement on this matter. It’s the hypocrisy that we have an issue with.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

But it does. Despite the existence of crumples and airbags, instances of serious and catastrophic head injuries for people in cars are far higher per mile travelled than they are for people on bikes.

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Reposted by Cargo Bike Ben

tigard-stripes.bsky.social @tigard-stripes.bsky.social · 22h

Taking another load to storage by cargo bike! No truck required! It's fun to hear people's reactions when they see how capable a bicycle is to move large loads. Carla Cargo trailer FTW! #Micromobility #LastMile #CarlaCargo #CargoBike #CargoTrailer #Freight #Bicycle #Moving #Storage #truck #Cargo

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

And you’re absolutely right. The way many cities are built creates conflict between vulnerable road users for the benefit of not inconveniencing people in cars. That’s why in city with well developed active travel infrastructure, you don’t tend to see the antisocial behaviour that you experience.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

Look at those absolute menaces.

But being serious for a minute, your personal experience is actually more likely down to risk aversion. If the roads feel unsafe for the average person, then the type of person you will find cycling tends to be more of a risk takers who can be problematic riders.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

And I totally get that the initial reaction to this fact is to push back on it. It does not align with what we have been told is common sense. However that does not change the fact that out of those three modes of transport cycling is actually the safest when it comes to head injuries (sans helmet).

Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

And that is ignoring the danger to people outside of cars. Cars are - funnily enough - where the higher risk of head injury per mile for pedestrians comes from.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

One of the things that is often missed out when discussing the relative safety of different motor of transport is that the perceived safety of being in a car actually leads to far more reckless behaviour that leads to higher instances of serious injury and death.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 21h

You are still ignoring the fact that the higher risk per mile is **in-spite of** the existence of airbags and seatbelts.

Serious and catastrophic brain would be even higher per mile if it wasn’t for airbags and seatbelts. People mistake that cars are safe. They are not.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

In fact, the evidence is overwhelming that helmet use for utility cycling is actually more harmful than beneficial. Not only do helmets reduce the number of people who cycle, impacting massively on activity & health levels, there is also a large body of work that shows drivers helmet wearers worse.

Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

Yes, in situations like this. Now if we’re talking about cycling for sport where speeds are far higher, then I am all for them. But when using a bike as a mode of transport? I am absolutely against them. In such scenarios, they are the least effective tool in improving safety.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

It’s you that seems to be having the trouble seeing past your internal biases. The type of cycling he is doing is inherently safe. In fact, the type of injury he is most likely to sustain is an abdominal crush injury; which a helmet will do nothing for. As a medical professional, you should know.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

a woman wearing sunglasses and a red jacket is pointing up with the words " this " above her

ALT: a woman wearing sunglasses and a red jacket is pointing up with the words " this " above her

media.tenor.com

Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

RFK doesn’t follow facts and statistics. Arguing against that fact - no matter how deeply ingrained in your common sense the opposite is - is RFK logic.

The key to being a mature intelligent person is understanding when you’re wrong when presented with facts and changing your position.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

Not at all. But I am sick and tired of people making out that riding a bike for utility is some kind of dangerous activity that requires specialised protective equipment, when was it really needs is dedicated infrastructure and drivers to fucking pay attention.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

You want to know what’s scary. That people get behind the wheel of a car and don’t recognise the danger that they’re placing not just themselves but everyone else around them in, but are fine with telling vulnerable road users that they should wear a helmet to absolve themselves of responsibility.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

What an absolute pair of bellends. Both of you are going on the block list.

Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

Depends on what they’re doing. If they’re riding for exercise - ie at far faster speeds - then absolutely they should be wearing a helmet. But if they’re riding to the shops, to school, to work, etc, then they should wear exactly what they wear when walking or they are in a car.

Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

Want to know something funny? That statistic is already taking into account the presence of airbags. Even with airbags, instances of serious or catastrophic head injuries are still far higher per mile travelled in a car.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

Yes, but I bet that nurse has never in their life ask somebody in a car or person walking to wear a helmet. Dumbass.

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Cargo Bike Ben @cargobikeben.bsky.social · 22h

That’s why the statistic is per mile it removes the factor of how many miles you travel and instead focuses on the risk per mile.

The point isn’t why a nurse asked for someone to wear a helmet. It’s to point out the hypocrisy of medical professionals only asking people on bikes to wear helmets.

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