YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Bike-Share Riders Shun Helmets

    Click here to listen to this podcast

    Bike sharing is a growing phenomenon, and lots of cities are launching programs that allow people to borrow a set of wheels. But do these fly-by-night cyclists play it safe as they tool around town? A new study shows that in Washington DC most of them don’t—at least when it comes to wearing a helmet. The results appear in the American Journal of Public Health. [John D. Kraemer, Jason S. Roffenbender and Laura Anderko, "Helmet Wearing Among Users of a Public Bicycle-Sharing Program in the District of Columbia and Comparable Riders on Personal Bicycles"]

    Researchers at Georgetown University spent a month watching people ride bikes around the nation’s capital. D.C. is home to Capital Bikeshares, one of the largest programs in the U.S. The researchers noted whether cyclists were on Capital bikes or wheels of their own. They also classified riders as either casual users or likely commuters, depending on when and where the cyclists were spotted. 

    What they found is: bike-share riders tend to shun headgear. While 70 percent of the commuters who rode their own bikes wore helmets, fewer than a third of the bike-share commuters did the same. And the casual riders were even more lax.

    To encourage helmet use, New York City, whose bike-share system is set to launch in July, is giving them away. Just show up for a fitting. It’s one way to stay a head.

    —Karen Hopkin

    [The above text is an exact transcript of this podcast.]

    Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
    © 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

    Loading...
    • Even Cavendish surprised by fourth stage win

      By Alasdair and Fotheringham CHERASCO, Italy, May 17 - A series of small but challenging climbs late on Friday's stage of the 2012 Giro d'Italia could not stop Britain's Mark Cavendish taking his fourth stage win and second in two days. Italy's Vincenzo Nibali remained overall leader but it was sprinter Cavendish who stole the show again after compatriot and pre-race favorite Bradley Wiggins failed to start the 254 kilometer stage, the longest in this year's Giro. In a bunch sprint finish Cavendish outgunned Italy's Giacomo Nizzolo and Slovenia's Luka Mezgec. ...

    • NYers furious over photos taken through windows

      In one photo, a woman is on all fours, presumably picking something up, her posterior pressed against a glass window. Another photo shows a couple in bathrobes, their feet touching beneath a table. And ...

    • Bea Arthur topless painting fetches $1.9M in NYC

      A painting of actress Bea Arthur topless has sold for $1.9 million at a New York City auction. The painting is by artist John Currin and is titled "Bea Arthur Naked." It sold at Christie's auction ...

    • Kanye West's Angry 'SNL' Rant Makes Saturday's Season Finale a Must-Watch

      This coming weekend is a big one for Saturday Night Live. It marks the end of Bill Hader's tenure on the show and Ben Affleck's fifth time hosting. But perhaps the most significant reason to tune in is the fact that Kanye West is the musical guest, and he's making it seem like he really, really doesn't want to be. With West's apparent frustration with the show and his penchant for, shall we say ... off-the-cuff remarks, producers should be worried and we should be excited. Is there a better combo than that?

    • This Child Made a Film About His School Lunch—and He Titled It ‘Yuck.’ (VIDEO)

      When fourth grader Zachary Maxwell started nagging his parents to let him bring his own lunch to school, they knew something was up. Zachary was served lunch every day in his New York City public school and because it was a hot lunch, his parents were insistent he take advantage of it.

    • A record Powerball jackpot isn't a record to celebrate

      When the 43-state Powerball lottery jackpot hit a record at $600 million Friday, many Americans who would otherwise not gamble rushed out to buy the $2 tickets. “Just on the off-chance,” many probably said.

    • The Next Time Someone Says Art Doesn’t Accomplish Anything, Show Them This

      When Hurricane Katrina was making its way to New Orleans some eight years ago, tens of thousands of residents stayed in the city instead of evacuating for the simple reason that they didn’t have access to transportation. In the years following New Orleans’ rebuilding process, a free, public evacuation bus system has been established.

    Loading...

    Follow Yahoo! News