Storify the Los Angeles River Ride

Monday, June 11, 2012 15 Comments

by Damien Newton

Anonymous

Imagine how many more participants this ride on a segregated trail would get if helmets were not required of adults.
Anonymous

Of course, then the prostitution-fee…, er, “sponsorship” from $pecialized would go away.
Anonymous

The whole ride wasn’t on segregated trail. And I honestly don’t think helmets are that large of a barrier to entry for most people that would sign up for this.
Did $specialized sponsor this? I didn’t see Specialized things(besides peoples equipment). If they did sponsor they did a bad job.
http://twitter.com/lastreetsblog LA Streetblog

The ride begins in the park on an open road, and riders actually cross an I-5 entrance ramp. Streetsblog doesn’t believe governments should mandate helmet ridership, but it’s silly to think that there’s something wrong with a group mandating helmet use to take place in their rides in this litigious era. Especially given some of the conditions on parts of the ride.
Alicia Dingsdale

I would be terrified to do this ride without a helmet. I had an SUV slam to a stop directly in front of me and had I not been completely aware and riding defensively would’ve flown right into the back of it.
A huge chunk of the ride is on city streets…streets where drivers seemed to be unused to people riding bikes. And the pavement was very bumpy at times — quite easy to get a skinny bike tire stuck in a rut and get launched right over the handlebars. With that said, if someone wants to be a brain donor and not wear a helmet, that’s their right…but it would be a shame to see LACBC get sued over someone’s choice to do so.
Cwanda

Helmet requirement should stay. Give out helmets – as in Denmark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWF4x01MkzE

I would gladly pass on the t-shirt and other goodies (even bring my own PB&Js) for helmets for those who want to ride but need helmets. Just tell everyone as they sign up for the event that LACBC wants to do the Denmark police drill (passing out helmets to those in need) with at least part of the funds raised from sponsors, etc.

My wife completed her 1st century yesterday with 2 falls, one pretty dramatic because of a mentally challenged wanna-be marshal blocking the path and trying to slow people down.

It is just way too crazy to go that many miles on bike paths and roads with over 2000 other riders without helmets.

Bike riders need to get real about their mortality and susceptibility to traumatic brain injury. Light concussion can impair one for life. Taking a daughter to the ER for a CT scan after a fall on the bike path (with a helmet) was probably one of the most traumatic episodes of my child-raising years. Having a daughter who is completely disoriented about time, place, people, even for 2 hours or so, from head trauma, is a parent’s worst nightmare.
Alicia Dingsdale

There was a T shirt at the ride? I must’ve missed that…
Cwanda

Black, cotton, with nice red graphics on the front, lots of ads on the back. We have 2 mediums, from goody bags. Ask LACBC for yours, or let me know and we will send you one of ours.

We bought 2 of the last year’s cycling shirts with pockets in the back (being sold at a nice discount). Lovely art work, good cause, nice tech fabric, and not many ads.
calwatch

Especially with the higher technical level of the river riders, helmets are absolutely necessary. With Ciclavia there are enough people to slow everyone down, but the River Ride has higher speeds and not enough space to avoid newbie conflict.
Anonymous

“
it’s silly to think that there’s something wrong with a group mandating helmet use to take place in their rides in this litigious era.”

Actually it is dangerous to the very cause they are promoting. Utility Bicycling is not dangerous:

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2012/05/extreme-sport-in-la-not.html

And lawsuits only get filed against people or organizations that have money. What exactly is in the LACBC vaults these days?
Anonymous

I said adults not kids, though I am always amused that a 16 year-old could legally drive a large multi-ton box truck or a high-performance sports car capable of out-running a TGV without a crash helmet or any extra training, but would have to wear a foam hat on a slow sit-up bike like friend-of-la.streetsblog Flying Pigeon L.A. sells.

And the Copenhagen Police (which is a separate entity from the City of Copenhagen for historical reasons) are notorious for being about as anti-bicycling as they can be in such a place.http://www.4wfca.com/police-say-no-to-the-right-turn/ http://www.copenhagenize.com/2012/05/cats-and-mice.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2012/05/cats-and-mice.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2012/02/police-tickets-no-new-is-big-news.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2012/02/hunting-cyclists-for-fun-profit.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/09/danish-police-back-death-penalty-for.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/05/police-target-bicycles-this-week-in.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/05/copenhagens-40-kmh-zones-stopped-by.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/04/i-fought-law-and-law-run.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2007/07/bike-raid-in-copenhagen.html Did you know that the Copenhagen Police only got a bicycle unit in 2009?!?

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/04/copenhagen-police-bicycle-unit.html So they are not to be seen as any kind of unbiased authority on helmet use. please.
Anonymous

Then it is a race and ought to be publicized as one.
Anonymous

We all have anecdotes. Lots of anecdotes.

You know you’d have to hit the SUV at under 12 mph for the helmet to do anything for you right?

And we all are aware that helmet-wearing entices motorists to ride closer to cyclists, yes?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060911102200.htm

Skinny bike tires? ”Launched right over the handlebars”? Are you riding a bicycle or a “wheel-racer”?

http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/lycra-on-the-streets-of-the-netherlands/

LACBC sued? Let’s see, 1000 members of a non-profit at the maximum $250 per year dues…so that’s $250,000? Good luck finding a lawyer to take that case!
Anonymous

I hope you all wear a helmet on the stairs like I do!

http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/03/stairs-are-dangerous-wear-helmet.html
calwatch

Not saying it is a race. But the bike path is narrower than a major street and you have higher level riders (i.e. the double century folks in their $3000 road bikes and jerseys) mixed in with parents and their toddlers.