Well, this is exciting! After two long years of talking
about what could possibly work next for bringing balance back to perceptions
about bike helmets, we’ve launched this blog. A lot of research and academic
studies have been published, but this will be the first open-discussion
platform where everyone should feel comfortable jumping in with comments.
There are five of us pitching in as authors for this blog.
My particular interest in the topic comes from my personal shame for falling
for the fraud of bicycle helmet propaganda. I owned a bike shop here in Prescott , Arizona
for 13 years from 1991 through 2004. During that time I terrified countless
customers by asking them “How much is your head worth?” in order to sell them a
helmet. But it wasn’t just sales I was after. I truly believed I was saving
their lives with each helmet sold.
Then, in 2004, the same year I sold the bike shop to my
husband, I met advocates who were fighting against the very messages I was
spreading. When they showed me the stats and explained that scaring people into
wearing helmets only scares them away from bicycling, I felt sick for my part
in it. Through my participation in this blog I hope to redeem at least some of
the damage I did.

My particular passion within this topic is the disturbing
relation between bicycle helmet promotions and the budding culture of fear paralyzing our society. Perhaps this
stems from my own guilt for using fear to sell helmets.
Other authors of this blog, like Thomas Krag and Lake Sagaris
(joining us soon), will present the best of research papers and academic
studies in their posts. Interlaced in these research-based posts you will find
posts from Mikael Colville-Andersen ,
Kaethi Diethelm , and myself presenting
the broader view of the damage bicycle helmet promotions and mandatory helmet
laws are doing to the overall bicycle movement.
Thanks for joining us on this journey. Let’s get this blog
started!
Sue
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.