apparently my city literally literally banned public rail funding, and people online love jerking off about how good biking is, so i figured might as well try. I have come up with:

pros:

  • good for mental health / exercise / endorphins
  • arguably quaint
  • feel like an old timey guy taking his wares to market
  • feel european
  • can annoy others
  • less of a police state around them vs cars
  • more flexible parking, routes
  • capacity to be peaceful
  • nice in summer

cons:

  • look like an annoying dork (esp w neon - which also hurts the quaint factor)
  • have to wear a helmet (^)
  • getting sweaty, potentially “unpresentable” for work
  • still have to find safe parking
  • still takes a while
  • have to find new routes to places
  • can’t listen to music or might die
  • little meaningful protection against severe injury
  • can only carry so many groceries/etc
  • sucks in winter
  • imaqtpie@lemmy.myserv.oneEnglish
    11·
    5 months ago

    Could be even lower if they wore helmets though. I don’t even wear a helmet myself, but it’s objectively smart to do so.

    My friend got something caught in his front wheel and went over the handlebars at 20mph. Could have been turned into a vegetable if he wasn’t wearing a helmet.

    • Waryle
      42·
      5 months ago

      And we could save a lot of people if they put on helmets to walk down stairs, and yet I don’t see anyone saying that people are stupid not to wear them.

      And your friend, if he drives at 30mph, of course he has to wear a helmet, but the subject is not a sporty practice of cycling, but bike commuting. And helmets does not protect you from a shitty infrastructure and tank-like cars that run you over, so maybe it would be good to stop insulting people and bring some nuance to this debate.

      • imaqtpie@lemmy.myserv.oneEnglish
        1·
        5 months ago

        I’m not insulting anybody. I’m simply stating the fact that it’s smart to wear a helmet, because if you hit your head on the ground, you could die. That’s all.

        Walking down the stairs is less dangerous than biking and you know it.

    • dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works
      32·
      5 months ago

      A guy in my lab in his early 50s went over and busted his neck and is now a quadriplegic. He WAS wearing a helmet.

      I’m not saying don’t, I’m saying if the universe wants you, it’ll get you.