Bike Girl Reads Blogs

Bike Girl has already posted about helmets. While riding, she also wears a Road I-D. But this week, her attention was called to another bit of safety equipment.

Artistic Cyclist Ines Brunn performed in Los Angeles at a recent Bicycle Film Festival event. She lives in China, and regularly wears a mask to protect herself from breathing in pollution.

Recently, this mask gave her an added measure of protection. Instead of re-telling her story, Bike Girl encourages readers to check out Ines's blog about the experience here

Bike Girl Wears A Helmet...Usually

Bike Girl does not think Mandatory Helmet Wearing laws are a good idea. When convincing many people riding is a good idea, both Girls and Boys often ask if they'll have to wear a helmet. By the tone of their voice, Bike Girl can tell they're not keen on the idea. After all, helmets do not look cool on anyone.

But Bike Girl is certainly not anti-helmet. In fact, there are some situations in which Bike Girl thinks helmet wearing is important. Following are some situations our fair protagonist has recently found herself in, where the decision to, or not to, wear a helmet was made.

1. Helmet: Bike Girl spends a lot of time riding on poorly maintained streets. (Bike Girl is looking at you Tom LaBonge) These poorly maintained, busy, narrow streets are somewhat treacherous. Bike Girl has wiped out numerous times by catching a wheel in a pot-hole, sliding out in a turn on gravel, or avoiding obstacles. There's also always the off chance that a careless driver will bump her. For most trips on these roads, Bike Girl wears a helmet.

2. No Helmet: On a particularly good hair day, Bike Girl dolled herself up in ribbons and curls and took her Girl Bike to work.She also was planning to take her bike on the bus for part of the trip to avoid getting sweaty. Even though her route to the bus stop was over busy, poorly-paved streets, she determined she would be visible enough in her dress, curls waving wildly in the breeze, for the 1 mile trip, she chose not to wear a helmet.

3. Helmet: In order to maintain her Girlish figure, and because she's game for a challenge, Bike Girl regularly takes her Go-Fast bike on training rides. As she pictured herself screaming down hills, weaving through traffic, and head-down sprinting, she decided a helmet was a good idea.

4. No Helmet: Bike Girl, while fiercely independent, enjoys special time with her Significant Other. Lucky for Bike Girl, her Significant Other happens to own a tandem bicycle. When she rides the tandem with her Significant Other along low-traffic roads to the beach path for a romantic sunset make-out session, Bike Girl is protected by a Love Bubble. This bubble is impervious to cars. Seriously, when was the last time anyone heard of a disgustingly cute tandem couple being hit by a car or wiping out? Bike Girl chose not to wear a helmet.

So in conclusion, should people be required to wear helmets? Bike Girl thinks not. But should people wear them anyway? Bike Girl, 90% of the time, says yes.

Bike Girl Wears A Dress

Life has been weighing heavily on our fair protagonist lately. Bike Girl's Job has been stressful, she fell ill, she's been training for races, and then the roads seemed to get just a little more dangerous.

Today, Bike Girl decided it was time to lighten up. She threw care to the wind, donned a summer dress, and headed out for a slow ride on her extremely feminine girl-bike. Bike Girl loves her girl-bike. When she's on it, she cannot help but smile. She also cannot break 12 miles per hour, which is a lovely change.

She rode to work with her hair blowing freely in the wind. She took the side roads, and wore no helmet. Pedestrians smiled, drivers gave her more room than usual, and when the wind blew, she accidentally gave a bus driver quite a show.

While riding in the sunshine, stress melted away. Sore muscles were not felt. And Bike Girl had a great deal of fun.