Brian MarickJul 27, 2024

Questions for the Dutch and residents of countries around them.

Last time I was in Amsterdam (maybe a decade ago?), I was stunned to see people wearing bicycle helmets. (They seemed mostly children.)

In Champaign, Illinois, USA, I’d say the large majority of bicycle riders wear helmets, but the large majority of *motorcycle* riders don’t.

How does that compare to Amsterdam? the Netherlands? Western Europe?

(For now, ignore e-bikes, Vespa-ish scooters, those crazy-ass powered skateboards.)

Show threadChristian UhlJul 28, 2024
@marick There‘s the ongoing joke that everyone you see wearing a bicycle helmet in Amsterdam is actually a German tourist. The cycling infrastructure has gotten so good and safe in the Netherlands that people opt out of helmets nowadays. (And I am quite jealous of that infrastructure as a German cyclist). It‘s not mandatory.
For motorcycles, it is mandatory, enforced and the fines are hefty, so seeing someone on a motorcycle without a helmet would be very surprising.
Show threadBrian Marick
@chrisuhl Yes. My (limited) experience in Amsterdam is that a bicyclist is pretty unlikely to be hit by a speeding car, making head protection of little value. On the other hand, I ride a Dutch bike on rainy days like today, so I guess that qualifies me to opine on Continental European bicycling.
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Jul 28, 2024 at 11:22pmWeb
Show threadBrian MarickJul 28, 2024

@chrisuhl …
In Illinois, when I was young (about 50 years ago), there was a *huge* debate about helmet laws for motorcyclists (prompted by a law that required them). The law was repealed because “I should have the freedom to choose to be an organ donor”. Which I guess is OK. I bet it costs the same to clean up the mess of a brain-dead motorcyclist as one that wears a helmet and so survives.

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Show threadAndrej ShaduraApr 10

@marick, what a beautiful colour! It’s Sparkle Red, isn’t it?

@chrisuhl

#azorbike

Show threadBrian MarickApr 12

@andrew_shadura @chrisuhl It looks orange to me, but my wife and I have titanic week-long arguments about whether something is red or orange, or brown and orange.

Weirdly, I just looked up the order confirmation, and it says the color is “Turquoise Green Gloss”