Please excuse the horribly out-of-focus photo. Don and I aren't sure whether I've permanently ruined the camera when it fell off the little desk top that rolls over our bed. Oops.
My good friend, Justin, is visiting home (Edmonton) from Vancouver. He is an incredibly talented graphic designer. Baby is sleeping over at my mom and dad's so a night out with the dudes was a must.
It's cold here. And windy. -2 degrees celsius/28 fahrenheit.
I'm trying to avoid wearing the full on parka so here I am donning many many layers.
I'll be honest. As much as I like wearing pretty dresses and such, sometimes I just feel like jeans and a no-fuss shirt. There's a small part leftover from my childhood days of wearing my older brother's hand me downs, that still likes a dude-like rugby shirt. Sometimes I really like dressing guy-like and casual. Today was one of those days.
These are my new winter boots. When you tuck the jeans in, it's another layer of insulation. Around here you have to take it wherever you can get it. The long hoodie is from some French chain (Francoise something or other) that I discovered while vacationing in Montréal. I like how there is no branding on it. Just a well-made cotton hoodie, thank you very much.
And my trusty cropped puffy vest. This thing was so obscenely on sale 3 winters ago. It is a loyal cold weather companion.
Anyone who rides their bike in the cold knows about the necessity of a scarf. I think I need to start learning how to tie it over my face, bandit style.
Ah, all set to face the evening's elements! I just discovered tonight on the way home that the fur trimmed hood also fits over top my helmet. This is a revolutionary discovery for me. Oh, and those mitts are gigantic. Don went to a local craft fare and bought them for me a few Christmas' ago. he picked the smallest pair but they're still HUGE. I have the same trouble with gloves fitting as I do with shoes fitting. With shoes I'm size 5. With gloves I'm 6. They're hard to come by.
Some of the evening's libations.
A menu.
Justin.
Dave.
And yes, that's Don's iPhone with some application that displays info as though it were a computer screen on TNG enterprise.
Miss Sarah.
I've been reading yet more "controversy" about helmets online today, courtesy of the comments section in the shout out I got over at academichic along with some of my lady bike blog friends. Yes, I do wear a helmet. But, I don't believe that a helmet is the key to safety while cycling in traffic. It also depends on the cycle culture in any given city. The more cylists there are and the more cars there are used to sharing the road, the more comfortable a cyclist is going to feel without a helmet. I don't have any statistics on it, so it's just a presumption of mine. In North America we're so obsessed with not doing things because they're not safe. To be frank, I don't feel particularly unsafe without a helmet. I generally wear it because it keeps my hair from being windswept and looking psycho. Also, when I'm seen without a helmet people get all up in my business about how I'm not a worthy cycle chic advocate and also give Don a hard time at work.
OMG. City councillor (who promotes cycling) has a wife who sometimes wears a beret instead of a helmet! He somehow doesn't REALLY care about cycling and creating better infrastructure because his partner in life is out there tempting the fates and risking her life on the streets of danger. And add to it setting a bad example for children and adults alike. Reckless, careless, ignorant Miss Sarah.
Evidently I have a responsibility to cycling in Edmonton... and if I don't wear a helmet people actually get quite upset. Don's job is busy enough. I don't need him out there defending me. So I wear one.
Also, if anybody takes issue with my cycling or any aspect of what I write about on this blog, my email is in my profile and I encourage you to speak to me directly and not to my husband, in the event that you have any sort of issue with me. Don is not my keeper. Sorry!
If wearing a helmet makes sense to you, then knock yourself out. But, I don't think it's good to focus all of the safety of riding a bike for transportation, on the presence or absence of head gear.
Of course I don't want anybody to get hurt. But if somebody really doesn't want to wear one... hey, it really doesn't bother me. My focus is on cycling. Not on quibbling over the details.
20 comments:
Miss Sarah, don't worry about the helmet! Helmet laws have stopped a lot of people cycling and have done nothing for head injury rates, see http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16565131 (Robinson's work uses the best scientific methods, all available control groups and so on.) It appears that helmets break easily, but don't absorb the impact, see the engineers quoted at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet#Criticism_of_current_standards.3B_new_designs. A broken helmet has simply failed, and the widespread anecdotes on the theme of "a helmet saved my life" seem to owe more to wishful thinking than to science.
Helmet propaganda relies on overemphasizing the very small dangers of cycling and seldom seems to emphasize its large benefits. At my moderately advanced age it's far too dangerous not to cycle - regular cycling, Danish style, not too far, not too fast, nearly halves the death rate, see http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/160/11/1621. Taking up moderate exercise is about as beneficial as giving up smoking. Bicycling is good for health, but bike helmets don't seem to be.
Well said, about the helmet debate. I agree that it doesn't make cycling itself safer per se and that it should be up to one's personal choice. Fighting for better infrastructure and more acceptance of cyclists, or simply focussing on cycling (as you said) should be everybody's aim though.
love the outfit. You do jeans tucked into boots well for someone who talks about having "big legs" ( I have "big legs" too and totally grok you. however I can't pull off that look- although I don't have those boots. )
I stay out of the helmet scene. But I kind of mostly wear a helmet to keep my hair in place too. Sometimes I'll set off without it and as long as I am not going downhill ( hair go crazy) I feel good. However I feel like a real "bad girl" each time I do it. which is funny since I didn't own a helmet until maybe 5 years ago when I planned to bike with girlpie inthe trailer and my husband ( a big helmet proponent) kind of forced me to buy one)
I now ear it as a role model for the kids. I want them to feel comfortable wearing it so I wear it. I'm not uber coo coo about them wearing them like some parents I see who freak out if they're kid touched a thing on wheels without a helmet on. Tuber has gone several blocks before he feels like wearing one. But honestly- the kid really should have a helmet for his knees and arms and rather than his head as that is what he hurts each time he falls off his bike. Girlpie has been drinking the cool aide and yesterday would not take her bike off the driveway until I got her helmet. Which I'm glad of in a way given our climate. I don't have to fight with her to wear it. Even if she does insist on wearing it incorrectly. Yeah- that's my basic stance RE: kids. I want them to wear it when I want them to. So I made them wear it early on so that wearing it isn't a big deal. They feel comfortable in it etc. Helmets are just a part of their life. Where as I never wore one and having to wear a helmet as a tween or teen would have pretty much killed it for me to ride a bike as yes looking cool was life or death then.
I've kinda been wagering, like Pascal, on the helmet issue, while staunchly supporting the rights of grown adults to make their own choices. I think the current nanny state/litigious culture is a shame.
That said, I witnessed a scary bike accident this morning and will be extra extra extra cautious for the foreseeable future. I'm very shaken.
The Nanny State we live in is a little too much sometimes isn't it? People get ejected in car accidents all the time but nobody wears a helmet in a car. And pedestrians take risks when jaywalking but no one would insist they wear them while walking either.
In my opinion it is a personal decision. But I also feel that bike lanes should be physically separated from cars by a barrier.
I wear a helmet and I make my kids wear helmets. I don't think a helmet alone makes me a safe or unsafe cyclist. My bro-in-law got hit by a van when cycling some years ago, landed hard on his head, his helmet split but kept the main impact on the helmet (not his head although he still landed in the hospital for a many-months stay). By all accounts, the helmet did save his life. I won't argue statistics and hey, if you don't want to wear a helmet than so be it. His accident doesn't keep me from bike commuting nor does it keep him off a bike. He does, however, wear a helmet as well....
Looks like you had a fun time out. Go, Grandparents! So excited to hear of your new Madsen adventures.
must. not. get. into. the helmet thing.
Whew, that was close!
I too find my down vest very useful when the temperatures drop. When I cycle, I for some reason get cold mostly in my torso, so vests are my friends.
Hmm, perhaps instead of tying the scarf bandit-style over your face you should consider the ninja-clava! My friend Eleisha wears one when riding her bike to work.
http://www.evogear.com/balaclavas/red-ninjaclava-2.aspx
Miss Sarah: Kudos to you for braving the elements with such style. In that sort of weather, I'd look like some kind of nomadic Michelin man with scarves tied all around my head and a humongous coat!
Mr. Keatinge and other helmet dissidents: I think you may be conflating the effectiveness of mandatory helmet laws with the effectiveness of helmets. Helmet laws might lead to a perception that cycling is dangerous and discourage people from riding, but the item that one wears on one's head is hardly to blame. To me, it's just common sense to prefer having something between one's head and the ground should the two meet. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study that found helmets reduced a cyclist's risk of head injury by 85% and brain injury by 88%. I know I'm not the only person who will take those numbers, so rag on helmet laws all you want, but it doesn't make sense to rag on helmet use.
Wind running into your jacket/sweater?! I saw this on etsy and think it's the perfect design to solve that :D
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19714710
I can't afford their price, but knit my own. It wouldn't be hard to make (crochet or knit) ;) so perhaps you can ask a friend to make one!
And, luckily I don't have people hounding me a lot about the helmet issue (I don't wanna wear one), but I also feel that people should not be shamed about not wearing it.
You are all playing very nice about the helmet thing! I'm happy for the referrals to places where I can read up on stats both for and against. Isn't it strange how talking helmets is sort of like religion or politics?
On the one hand I get excited because it's good to see people passionate about their opinions. On the other hand, it's just too bad when people are UPSET about the debate. Too often have I gotten into the discussion only to get totally shut down. Like that time somebody started arguing with me about whether I wear a seatbelt. It was helmets... then seatbelts, then all of a sudden I was just written off as some thrill seeker with no regard for my life!
And ironically I DO wear a helmet. Some people find it so difficult to talk about things in degrees, or in a larger social context. So I like that you're all contributing to the discussion constructively!
My readers are awesome. Thanks guys!
S*
Mama V - My legs look okay because that long hoodie sort of acts like a girdle for my thighs:) I know "girdle for my thighs" is such a disgusting combination of words. Thanks for the props! I'm feeling good:)
S*
Drifting off style matters - but helmets do count, mainly because they're such poor style. For some reasons why the 88% figure so widely quoted is wrong, see http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1131.html. The trouble with helmet use is that mass helmet use, as happened after the Antipodeans made it illegal to ride without a helmet, didn't make any difference to the rate of head injury. (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16565131 is the reference) I think that's remarkable, but it does seem to be true. There are a couple of casual comments from engineers that may indicate why; helmets don't seem to crush in real accidents, they generally fail instead - by breaking, which tends to explain the anecdotes about my-helmet-broke-so-it-saved-my-life. And the laws put people off cycling. Brute discomfort and inconvenience may have something to do with it, but sheer lack of style probably matters too. I also notice that the only selling point of helmets is the danger of cycling, and I suspect that helmet promotion does inflate a false perception of danger, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACpP1NvMvxo, Knockin Noggins... but wear one if you want to, people do much worse things without upsetting me. In one way however laws are definitely the problem; anyone proposing a mandatory helmet law is proposing to make my harmless daily activity into a crime, and I really object. I'm not the only one, see Sue Abbott at http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2009/09/sue-abbott-without-helmet.html
The true test of style is looking good even when covered by layers of clothing in the winter, and you get an A+! :) The vest, hood and mittens are darling.
Also, great pictures, especially the B+W.
I was annoyed that the first comment on the academichic post was about helmets. Come ON people! Why must the first thought that comes to people's minds about cycling be DANGER. That's so ridiculous. The more people go on about helmets, the more DANGER will win out in the word association game. Cars are dangerous - multiple people die every day in Chicagoland by car crashes (no exaggeration) - and no one's worried about that. I personally wear a helmet most of the time, but that's not the point. Wow, I'm getting ranty. I've been reading the Fear of Cycling series on Copenhagenize, so I'm already worked up about the issue.
Dottie,
I KNOW. I get so frustrated. It seems like I can't bring up the word "helmet" without getting it from both sides. If you don't wear one here you basically get crucified so I'm happy to oblige since I don't want what's important to me getting lost in debating about my head gear. Also, I like my helmet so that counts for a lot in my style book.
Helmets aside, I too am appalled at how ready people are to dismiss the discussion on how dangerous cars are. A lady died here just on Monday while crossing the street on foot. And all we can say is "too bad". And I saw from your Twitter that something similar happened just the other day in Chicago.
Wait until you are pregnant or have a kid, then the masses are going to be judging you big time on keeping your fetus and baby safe. Better start saving for a hummer! In the event of a zombie apocalypse, though, you might have the upper hand with a hummer :)
Me ranty too. Unite!
Never, ever let your panties get in a twist over helmets. Wear one, don't. Don't worry about what anyone else has on their head.
Now, if you want something to worry about, I need a pair of jeans that can tuck into boots and a pair of boots that can have pants tucked into them. I have neither and I am experiencing almost 40 fashion angst that needs to be alleviated right now.
Anyone want to go shopping with me?
Adrienne,
Love how you just sum it up!
I'll go shopping with you ANY TIME:) I just got my super skinny jeans from American Eagle. Not because I'm super skinny, but because their pants come in "short" so I don't have to hem them.
And I need them narrow to stuff into the boots.
Whatever you do, please don't get Uggs? Unless you love Uggs in which case I will shut up and mind my own business:)
I have Uggs. They are UGLY!!!!! I use them in the snow, twice a year. They are worn under my snow pants when I am hiking through snow drifts.
It would be funny if we went shopping together. I am 6 feet tall and I bet my handle bars are about at your ear level : )
I hear Uggs are amazingly comfortable. I generally don't like them because lots of the teeny boppers where the kind that only go up to the ankle, and they're not very good support so lots of the girls end up shuffling and sort of walking pigeon-toed.
I am a big fan of other Ugg-like boots that are more like fuzzy knee-high moccasins.
I have an ugly heavy snow pair of boots for trekking too.
Oh, hanging out with you would be hilarious! Particularly if you wear heels and I'm in flats. Maybe you could double me on your handlebars? Freak show..
S*!
You can ride on Declan's seat : D
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