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Bike-Safety Groups Take President Obama Head on After Ride Without Helmet
New York Daily News ^ | 8/28/09 | David Saltonstall, Michael Saul

Posted on 08/28/2009 4:36:17 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Perhaps President Obama didn't want to look uncool on his bike ride Thursday, but his decision to skip the helmet had safety experts banging their heads.

Obama, on vacation with his family in Martha's Vineyard, joined the First Lady and his daughters yesterday for a ride in Aquinnah, a town at the western, most rural end of the island.

The President appeared to be the only one with no helmet.

Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group in New York, speculated the President might have been concerned about his image.

"Helmets look goofy - you look a little dorky," he said. "When you're the leader of the free world you have to look tough."

White agreed it would have been better if Obama had worn his helmet, but cut him a little slack.

There's a difference between riding on the congestion-clogged streets of Manhattan and a bucolic swath of Massachusetts, he said.

David Mozer, director of the International Bicycle Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group in Seattle, disagreed.

"Most bike accidents just happen. Bicycles up and turn over by themselves, and head injuries are a possible consequence of that," he said. "Head injures don't heal well, and they can be very expensive and life-long."

"It would be great if the President set an example," Mozer said.

Still, Mozer conceded, "It's really hard to get the girl when you're wearing a helmet - they're not real flattering."

But he pointed out bicycling superstar Lance Armstrong looks cool in his helmet.

Last year during the campaign, Obama became the target of ridicule on the Internet when he was photographed riding with a helmet in Chicago.

Perhaps that's why White House spokesman Bill Burton seemed mildly surprised to learn his boss was not wearing his safety gear.

"I know that he generally does wear a helmet when he rides a bicycle," Burton told reporters. "He supports the wearing of bicycle helmets."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: bhovacation; dangerous; marthasvineyard; nannystate; obama; obamafamily; vacation
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To: theDentist
ObamaCare mentors will discuss with him quality of life and how he has the option to end it all.

Unfortunately, no. 0bama has exempted himself and congress from having to endure their program. They have their own "special" program - for the elite. Us peasants are the only ones that have to endure the death panels.

41 posted on 08/28/2009 5:44:14 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (FUBO - No socialist Bureaucrat on a Death Panel is going to decide whether I live or die!)
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To: nickcarraway
I started riding a bicycle to deliver the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in Ocean City, NJ, at about age 13. Kept riding throughout my life (so far). Started wearing a helmet way before it was cool, the first one looked like an 'Star Wars Imperial Storm Trooper' helmet. I am a good rider but I have 3 helmets on the shelf that had saved me more serious injury than I got.

I NEVER ride without one and it does not take speed to have an accident. I sincerely wish I had a picture of me when I had my bike standing still and turned the front wheel too far and down I went like the best of the 'prat-fall' comics. Funny now, but I fell HARD and the helmet saved at least a major bruise but probably more.

Having said this, when I see pictures like this of the President, my libertarian ideals and my experience war with each other. I do know one thing, that parents are the very best role models for their kids before they become 'too smart'. It is different to say "wear it because it is the law" versus "wear it because I do".

42 posted on 08/28/2009 5:48:01 AM PDT by SES1066 (Cycling to conserve, Conservative to save, Saving to Retire, will Retire to Cycle.)
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To: Uncle Ike
That must be the fat white guy ...

Hard to tell from photo but the 'fat' might be body armor and concealed communication equipment. Just speculating.

43 posted on 08/28/2009 5:51:13 AM PDT by SES1066 (Cycling to conserve, Conservative to save, Saving to Retire, will Retire to Cycle.)
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To: UCFRoadWarrior

But that will save the public healthcare system money. Hence the need to wear the helmets.


44 posted on 08/28/2009 6:17:01 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
The President appeared to be the only one with no helmet.

I guess there is NO gray matter in there to protect.

45 posted on 08/28/2009 6:41:32 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Jimmy Carter - now the second worst POTUS ever. BHO has #1 spot in his sights.)
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To: RobRoy
I am no fan of him, but it’s his call whether or not to wear a helmet.... he should tell the groups to stuff it

OTOH, if his decision to not wear a helmet could result in my being subjected to the hell of President Joe Biden, then I think it is my right as a US citizen to tell Zero to wear a damn helmet!

46 posted on 08/28/2009 6:44:01 AM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: VRWCmember

...and body armor.

;^)


47 posted on 08/28/2009 6:48:36 AM PDT by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th)
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To: nickcarraway

I won’t wear one either but I still intensely dislike the president.


48 posted on 08/28/2009 7:03:23 AM PDT by Pilated
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To: theDentist

LOL!


49 posted on 08/28/2009 7:06:04 AM PDT by TypeZoNegative (Pro life & Vegan because I respect all life, Republican because our enemies don't respect ours.)
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To: Pilated

The bike helmet issue hasn’t swayed you to his side?


50 posted on 08/28/2009 7:23:43 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: VRWCmember

>>OTOH, if his decision to not wear a helmet could result in my being subjected to the hell of President Joe Biden, then I think it is my right as a US citizen to tell Zero to wear a damn helmet!<<

Point taken. ;)

You touch on why I think even the liberal press is fairly soft on Obama. I think of it as the Algore syndrome. That is, the republcans impeached Clinton but they did not throw him out of office, for the obvious reason. :)


51 posted on 08/28/2009 7:45:22 AM PDT by RobRoy (The US today: Revelation 18:4)
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To: nickcarraway

GOOD! Obama and I are on the same page....He does not want to be “uncool”. As for me,although improbable, it is just one more way to expedite his trip to “room temperature”! Walk under ladders, adopt a black cat, take up sky diving, put alligators in the White House swimming pool, anything, JUST GO!

Crash and burn! You Marxist POS!


52 posted on 08/28/2009 10:45:52 AM PDT by outhousepatrol
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To: LearsFool
Bicycles up and turn over by themselves, and head injuries are a possible consequence of that.

They have probably been corrupted by the evil SUVs which also flip over by themselves, as well as running over people and other cars. We should probably check to make sure the bikes haven't been influenced the the equally evil guns, too. We're gonna need another study...

53 posted on 08/28/2009 11:00:45 AM PDT by Hoffer Rand (There ARE two Americas: "God's children" and the tax payers)
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To: theDentist

Attack of the bed-wetters...


54 posted on 08/28/2009 3:02:19 PM PDT by bt_dooftlook (John Adams: Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate)
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To: Hoffer Rand

Have you priced the self-flipping option? They charge you a fortune for it.


55 posted on 08/28/2009 9:36:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: vg0va3

He is already a burden on us.


56 posted on 08/28/2009 10:57:43 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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