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From: fred@varian.UUCP (Fred Klink)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: USCF HELMET RULE
Message-ID: <556@varian.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 00:31:00 EST
Article-I.D.: varian.556
Posted: Tue Feb 25 00:31:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Mar-86 18:52:17 EST
References: <173@oasys.UUCP> <446@tekred.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 30

> 
> It never ceases to amaze me how bicycle racers are vehemently against safety
> equipment. This doesn't seem to be true in any other sport.

Wrong!  I played ice hockey for a number of years before moving to the current
sunny climes (climbs?) where I now reside.  Hockey players opposed helments 
for years for a number of good and bad reasons.  Currently the NHL requires
all *new* players to wear helmets whereas the old-timers do not have to.
For the USCF to have adopted this sort of approach would make more sense 
than the sudden, unexpected transition.  Any equipment change by fiat will
be rejected in the same way.  The participants in other sports would react
no differently.  Equipment changes in the sports you mentioned are care-
fully considered over a period of years with the athletes actually using
prototype equipment in top level competition before final designs are 
adopted.  Nothing of this sort was done in cycling.  No-- Cat 3,4 riders
wearing a Bell Biker in their local 25 mile criterium does not qualify
as careful evaluation.  (No flames, OK?   I'm a Cat 3 and ride local
criteriums myself)

> I'm sure there are lots of other examples. Bicycle racers, though, insist
> on their right to bleed and die. Maybe you just have to be stupid to get
> into bicycle racing in the first place.
> 
I don't know about that, but you sure have to be stupid to put a comment
like that on the net.  Have you ever raced?  Have you ever seen a race?
Racers are not daredevils.  You don't win if you crash and you surely don't
win if you die.  And winning is what its all about.  But you also don't
win if you overheat or the sweat pours in your eyes and blinds you.  What
the original author was trying for was an intelligent discussion of the
USCF ruling.  If you can't contribute to that then don't waste our time.