In April of this year, I witnessed something on the Stanford campus that will be seared into my memory forever: a student on a bicycle, wearing flip-flops, AirPods in ear, going the wrong way through a roundabout in an active construction zone, with no helmet. But like any good follower of science, the student was wearing a disposable blue face mask – for safety, I guess.
. . . Stanford students are about twice as likely to wear a mask on a bicycle as a helmet.
Stanford is one the premier universities in the US. The university includes extensive programs in science, economics, and engineering where decisions need to be based on evidence and rational analysis. This a place is where the “best and brightest” are supposed learn how to lead the country. Instead the students seem to be illustrating “stupid is as stupid does”.
Is Stanford producing a new generation of leaders who are clueless about relative risks?
Can we look forward to more conformist fascism instead of policies based on actual analysis and reason?
Wearing a mask on a bike makes zero sense. It is not protecting anyone and it makes breathing more difficult, which could increase risks of injury from breathing problems or passing out while riding.
The only benefit is to reduce the risk of attack and harassment from Antifa.
This thread reminds me of a years old broadcast by CNN’s Jack Cafferty on critical skills lacked by modern college skills—such necessities as when to pump gas into their vehicles and comparison price shopping.
Wearing of the Mask is an act of faith and obeisance to the system, not an act of conforming to medical principles…at least as far as those flimsy little paper masks are concerned, in places where people are mostly separated by over three feet.
Lasuen Mall, where he did his study, is part of Stanford’s central pedestrian zone, where there is no motorized vehicle traffic allowed other than authorized golf carts. That would greatly reduce the risk of being killed while riding a bike in that area.
While waiting in the room with the neat chairs that weigh you while you sit for my new primary care doc, I took my mask off to fix my beard and didn’t have it back on by the time he entered the room. As soon as I went to put it on, Doc chimed in with, “Ah, I don’t care about that thing, leave it off! How are you feeling today?” and shook my hand. He didn’t put sanitizer on afterwards.
I’m glad I met him. Awesome guy, has the bone structure of a freaking gorilla. He also has his chiropractic office right next to the one we met in. Can’t wait to see his claims come true of being able to help me regain some feeling in my feet. I’ll tip my hat if he does. lol
Most interactions with cars while riding a bike are not high speed… given the nature of how urban road systems work. A bike helmet will reduce the risk of head trauma if knocked to the ground or into the vehicle.
