Asian American Resource Center
Against Helmet Law
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 18, 2006
Dear Editor,
On my desk is my specialized “Air Force” bicycle helmet, which was fractured along three lines at 9:55pm the night before last when it found itself between my head and Columbus Drive in Zilker Park. It's amazing how well this helmet did its job. Having gone over my handlebars, I was rotating in a forward direction while traveling at 15 to 20 mph, emitting what might have been my last verbal reference to the sex act. I came down on my shoulder and the side of my head and skidded with my bike for about 30 feet. While there is an excellent chance I would have been dead if I had not worn the helmet, I did not even suffer a mild concussion with it on. I read somewhere that they test these things on cadaver heads. I remember thinking that sounded over the top at the time. Yay helmets.
The cause of my accident was a speed bump about a foot wide and several inches tall, the kind that makes a jarring but short bump when you go over it in your SUV. On a bicycle, a skilled rider goes over this by slowing to walking pace, leaning back, yanking up on the handlebars, then “posting” over the rear tire while pedaling carefully. An unskilled rider gets off and walks the bike over. I have ridden this road for years, and the first time I saw this one was when I rolled over and looked back to see if a car would run me over next.
My wife and I were recently escorted out of the park on a summer night by a police officer who was enforcing the new curfew. We had to ride on Barton Springs Road while the bars were closing down to get home.
Both the speed bumps and the curfew are intended to make the city safer, but both make it more dangerous to cyclists. If the city would save lives by forcing cyclists to wear helmets, then the city must be culpable for the loss of life caused by laws and changes to roads that make cycling less safe. The city government should not be placed in charge of helmet-wearing behavior until Austin is a safe place to ride with a helmet.
On my desk is my specialized “Air Force” bicycle helmet, which was fractured along three lines at 9:55pm the night before last when it found itself between my head and Columbus Drive in Zilker Park. It's amazing how well this helmet did its job. Having gone over my handlebars, I was rotating in a forward direction while traveling at 15 to 20 mph, emitting what might have been my last verbal reference to the sex act. I came down on my shoulder and the side of my head and skidded with my bike for about 30 feet. While there is an excellent chance I would have been dead if I had not worn the helmet, I did not even suffer a mild concussion with it on. I read somewhere that they test these things on cadaver heads. I remember thinking that sounded over the top at the time. Yay helmets.
The cause of my accident was a speed bump about a foot wide and several inches tall, the kind that makes a jarring but short bump when you go over it in your SUV. On a bicycle, a skilled rider goes over this by slowing to walking pace, leaning back, yanking up on the handlebars, then “posting” over the rear tire while pedaling carefully. An unskilled rider gets off and walks the bike over. I have ridden this road for years, and the first time I saw this one was when I rolled over and looked back to see if a car would run me over next.
My wife and I were recently escorted out of the park on a summer night by a police officer who was enforcing the new curfew. We had to ride on Barton Springs Road while the bars were closing down to get home.
Both the speed bumps and the curfew are intended to make the city safer, but both make it more dangerous to cyclists. If the city would save lives by forcing cyclists to wear helmets, then the city must be culpable for the loss of life caused by laws and changes to roads that make cycling less safe. The city government should not be placed in charge of helmet-wearing behavior until Austin is a safe place to ride with a helmet.
Ryan Gossen
