Comments on: Safety first? http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389 Feel Smart Again Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:41:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Tom 3 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389/comment-page-1#comment-148686 Tom 3 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:59:11 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389#comment-148686 I tend to ride much faster when I have my helmet on. Did Ian Walker keep a record of his speed. I tend to ride much faster when I have my helmet on. Did Ian Walker keep a record of his speed.

]]> By: Katie B http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389/comment-page-1#comment-5847 Katie B Tue, 12 Dec 2006 17:13:49 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389#comment-5847 Helmets used to be very dangerous for horseback riders as well. The old style of helmet, the one's you see in the movies, had a hard plastic visor. The problem occurred when a rider fell off and that visor got stuck in the ground, which was causing serious neck injuries. New approved safety helmets have a soft, bendable visor. The old style have been deemed dangerous and are illegal in most competition. Helmets used to be very dangerous for horseback riders as well. The old style of helmet, the one’s you see in the movies, had a hard plastic visor. The problem occurred when a rider fell off and that visor got stuck in the ground, which was causing serious neck injuries. New approved safety helmets have a soft, bendable visor. The old style have been deemed dangerous and are illegal in most competition.

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389/comment-page-1#comment-5843 Jeremy Tue, 12 Dec 2006 15:33:55 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389#comment-5843 The first time I heard of this story in a science magazine several months ago, there was interested element that hasn't been repeated in any other publications so far: Ian also discovered that, in addition to drivers giving him more room without a helmet on average, they tended to give him even more room if he rode his bicycle in drag! Did I just imagine this element of the story? If not, why is noone else mentioning it? That's the real psychological story! The first time I heard of this story in a science magazine several months ago, there was interested element that hasn’t been repeated in any other publications so far: Ian also discovered that, in addition to drivers giving him more room without a helmet on average, they tended to give him even more room if he rode his bicycle in drag! Did I just imagine this element of the story? If not, why is noone else mentioning it? That’s the real psychological story!

]]> By: Tom Number 2 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389/comment-page-1#comment-5841 Tom Number 2 Tue, 12 Dec 2006 15:08:48 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389#comment-5841 The problem with making policies and laws is that the people in charge rarely thing about how people are going to react and adjust to those laws. Questions about the methodology aside, the assertion that drivers aren't as worried about passing close by a cyclist wearing a helmet is quite reasonable; in so many situations we have to make relatively quick decisions and have to do so with limited information...until our minds accept a new standard, we continue to make decisions based on our previous experiences and/or base knowledge. The problem with making policies and laws is that the people in charge rarely thing about how people are going to react and adjust to those laws. Questions about the methodology aside, the assertion that drivers aren’t as worried about passing close by a cyclist wearing a helmet is quite reasonable; in so many situations we have to make relatively quick decisions and have to do so with limited information…until our minds accept a new standard, we continue to make decisions based on our previous experiences and/or base knowledge.

]]> By: Tom http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389/comment-page-1#comment-5838 Tom Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:34:17 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3389#comment-5838 Of course, Ian may be a bit less cautious with his cranium swaddled in its polystyrene pod. As a psychologist, he certainly understands that his observation, even bolstered with the technical "sensor" component, falls a bit short on the methodology side. Perhaps we are fishing for grant money from Bell Sports to disprove our own thesis? Of course, Ian may be a bit less cautious with his cranium swaddled in its polystyrene pod. As a psychologist, he certainly understands that his observation, even bolstered with the technical “sensor” component, falls a bit short on the methodology side.

Perhaps we are fishing for grant money from Bell Sports to disprove our own thesis?

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