ViridianSeattle’s Recent Comments

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  (So much for my efforts to preempt a helmet war :-) DG, someone has already done a much more interesting experiment. It's called Holland. They took a country of 16 plus million people - had most of them ride bikes in a wide variety of circumstances and focused on: * cyclist training * driver training * good infrastructure * not wearing helmets ever (to a first approximation) The results? A death and serious injury rate that's far lower than what you see in the helmet-wearing US. So helmets might be helpful around the margins but it's clear that they are no magic bullet for keeping cyclists alive. Further, we know that: * helmet laws discourage cycling and there's some evidence that: * having more cyclists on the road increases road safety for cyclists and drivers So it's easy to imagine that thoughtless helmet promotion is a bad idea. Does this mean that wearing a helmet is a bad idea? No, it may well give you some additional safety. But it does mean you should *not* ride any more aggressively with a helmet (most riders do - and given the very limited protection bike helmets give even in the most favorable studies that can easily leave you less safe). And you should think very hard before supporting helmet promotion or helmet laws.On Ask Umbra on bike helmets posted 1 month ago 12 Responses

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  Helmets are fine, but a much bigger part of safer cycling is *how* you bike. http://bicyclesafe.com/ has a great set of simple techniques to follow. And whatever you do "don't panic" - cycling is safer than not cycling: http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Pucher_Dill_Handy10.pdf "Bicycling is healthy. ... The combined evidence presented in these studies indicates that the health benefits of bicycling far exceed the health risks from traffic injuries, contradicting the widespread misperception that bicycling is a dangerous activity. Moreover, as bicycling levels increase, injury rates fall, making bicycling safer and providing even larger net health benefits" Enjoy the fall weather and get out and bike!On Ask Umbra on bike helmets posted 1 month ago 12 Responses

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  They wouldn't spend money on advertising

  if it didn't work.

  And there is something that can be done:

  http://www.konsumentverket.se/mallar/en/pressmeddelande.a ...

  http://tinyurl.com/6xpf8aOn Coca-Cola and McD's top brands among teens, study says posted 1 year, 7 months ago 6 Responses

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  Excellent - our local example already chimed in!

  Rob - that's an excellent question. I think that:

  a) it is somewhat effective strategy to have shills post pro-pollution propaganda on green sites

  b) and the folks "just trying to make next quarters numbers" (regardless of how many bodies they have to climb over in the process ;-) don't even have to pay them (directly)

  Jabby above is a fine example of the breed. You can get that sort of crank for free by simply spending money on targeted advertising. All you have to do is create an identity for them to assume (I haven't looked too closely, but I think our little friend here has embraced "rugged individualist standing against the elitist environmentalists", though there are always new counterfactual ID's being rolled out, so it's hard to tell. He, of course, has no idea. If he had the gift of introspection he wouldn't be wasting his time here... :-)

  I'm not sure what the best strategy for dealing with these sort of social idiot savants is, though. Jabby, for instance, isn't actively abusive, and I'd guess that for regulars like me he's actually kind of comforting (you figure if your opponents are that clueless you have a good chance of winning - in much the same way lots of liberals secretly like having Mallard Filmore around as long as we don't have to actually read it ).

  I suppose there is a possibility that he's passing disinformation to newbies, though. Perhaps some sort of tag could be attached to posters that lie all the time? Probably more trouble than it's worth, really.

  I guess I vote that we keep him as a sort of mascot... :-)On Global temps may drop this year but, alas, world still warming posted 1 year, 7 months ago 132 Responses

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  The Amtrak Cascade from Seattle to Portland's Nice

  Rail service in the US is pretty pathetic compared to that in the industrialized world.

  That said, at least here in the NW we have the Amtrak Cascade run from Seattle to Portland. They even have a limited number of bike hooks in the baggage car so you don't have to box your bike to take it along. A great way to get down to P'town...On Defying conventional wisdom, NC residents express desire for public transport posted 1 year, 8 months ago 27 Responses