so, someone started the helmet debate up again calling for the mandatory law to be scrapped when cyclists over 18 are not riding on the road. they are claiming that the number of people riding is not increasing and the number of people dying is not decreasing so cycling policy must change. so basically any adult riding on a footpath or bike path would be able to choose whether they wear a helmet. sounds fair enough, but is it really the solution? is the fact that you have to wear a helmet really what stops people from riding a bike. helmet laws were introduced in the 1990’s so most people have grown up with the laws in place. when you are a kid and your only mode of transport (and independence) was a bike, wearing a helmet was not an impediment to your riding. with the added media exposure that we now get via social media, i would say that the fear of the car vs bike war was probably more of a factor in people’s reluctance to ride.
the other side of the argument is that cyclist deaths are not decreasing. the majority of cyclist deaths are due to being hit by a motor vehicle. whether you are wearing a helmet or not, it probably doesn’t matter. what does matter is that the majority of accidents that don’t involve a vehicle where at a lower speed a helmet most probably saved a life. without helmets, i would expect that the number of fatalities would increase. riding along a path does not mean that an accident is of less a risk. the distance you fall is similar to that of a one-punch victim. when your head makes contact with the ground, it is not going to care whether it is mandatory you wear a helmet or not.
separate to this discussion, if you turn up to a spr ride without a helmet, you will be asked to leave. do your helmet up, steve.
The ride leader sponsor for November is Colour & Moore Photography , owned by SPR member Kirstie Moore. Colour & Moore specialises in portrait photography (family, newborn, maternity, business, athlete, children, events, couples and lifestyle)
bike racks – you may have seen at the coffee shop last saturday morning the new prototype rack that has been made for the club. it is square section, so doesn’t rotate as much and the legs are a bit sturdier. we are looking for any feedback from anyone that used the rack so we know if there is anything we need to change before getting a whole lot more manufactured. please take the time to have a look after this saturday’s ride.
tomr 2018 – this time next week most of the crew will be down in busso eagerly awaiting the first stage next friday. it’s taper time, then race time, then beer and chocolate time.
entertainment books – we will again be selling entertainment books this year through the club. the digital version means you don’t have to carry around a bulky book anymore. check out the links on the previous post to find out more.
saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning. please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate. this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts. see the previous post for more details.
spr juniors – over the last month we have had a 400% increase in our juniors. that means we went from just one of my kids to both my kids and both the carson kids as well. if you do have a +10ish year old that wants to come out with us (with you), then we leave the same time as the main group on saturday. easy ride along the bike path to kings park, then a few circuits around the internal quiet roads. yes there are hills, but that means there are descents too.
from the ride coordinator – saturday is looking warm.
saturday 3rd november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
juniors (10 – 15 yrs with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday
development group – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday
transitional 1/2 – trans shelley 40.59km spr saturday
fast/main – south st 51.23km spr saturday
sunday 4th november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
development group – coffee ride
short – wlsh weir 62.23km spr sunday
long – wlsh weir kal 101.71km spr sunday
monday 5th november
ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am
south stock 33.76km spr monday
tuesday 6th november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)
ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am
development group – interval training kings park
wednesday 7th november
ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am
interval training – stock road repeats
thursday 8th november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
see previous post for ride groups
spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)
ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am
development group – interval training kings park
friday 9th november
ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am
Nice write up again Pete. Couldn’t agree more about the helmet issue. Two years ago, I think it may have saved my life and I was virtually stationary. (Not that I can remember!)