Cycling's Occupational Hazard

[cmtbiz]

Sharing from what I read..

Cycling's Occupational Hazard

Concussions Stir Up Concern Among Pro Cyclists; After a Crash, Spending 18 Hours a Day in Bed

Article Link below:

Cycling's Occupational Hazard - WSJ.com

[Marc]

What is with the WSJ writing about cycling lately?

I note how they fail to mention the odds of getting a concussion in cycling are pretty damn low compared to any other popular sport. "Cycling's Occupational Hazard" indeed. You can get a concussion in any sport, and your odds of getting one in any other sport are far higher, I'd wager. Why call it "Cycling's Occupation Hazard" then?

[JoelS]

I expect the rate of incidence is much higher among those that race vs. those that ride for fun and fitness. Crashing is very much a part of racing. It's not so much a part of rec riding.

[JCavilia]

Silly-ass article. All anecdotal. Absolutely no attempt to obtain or use any statistics. All we know from that article is that bike racers sometimes crash, and sometimes they get concussions. As others have said, I suspect that concussions are far more frequent in football, and hockey, and even soccer. But you won't know either way from that article.

[Marc]

Is it such a bad thing that cycling gets coverage in the _Sports_ pages of a widely-read media institution such as the WSJ? Cycling _is_ a sport! Isn't it?

In any case, when you consider the demographics of WSJ's readers (some of them running the businesses that sponsor pro cycling teams), and the high cost of top-shelf bikes, it makes perfect sense to me.

Study the ongoing recent story of Amy's Baking Company...before deciding that even bad press is a good thing. ;)

[JoePAz]

Silly-ass article. All anecdotal. Absolutely no attempt to obtain or use any statistics. All we know from that article is that bike racers sometimes crash, and sometimes they get concussions. As others have said, I suspect that concussions are far more frequent in football, and hockey, and even soccer. But you won't know either way from that article.

Quite Right... Hey crashing hurts and when ever you compete you push harder and take more risks. Often that means greater chance to make a mistake and a greater chance any mistake will hurt. I don't see where the news is.

[NJBiker72]

Bicycling also had a good article on concussions and helmets. I wish they put better helmets out for concussions.

[JCavilia]

Is it such a bad thing that cycling gets coverage in the _Sports_ pages of a widely-read media institution such as the WSJ? Cycling _is_ a sport! Isn't it?

In any case, when you consider the demographics of WSJ's readers (some of them running the businesses that sponsor pro cycling teams), and the high cost of top-shelf bikes, it makes perfect sense to me.

I don't think any of the responses here were objecting to the fact that WSJ or any other media outlet talks about cycling. We were objecting to the content of the article, which we found ill-considered and badly researched.

[AlanE]

I expect the rate of incidence is much higher among those that race vs. those that ride for fun and fitness. Crashing is very much a part of racing. It's not so much a part of rec riding.

A big difference between crashing in a race (especially at the pro level) and crashing during a rec ride is that in a pro race the ambulance is usually close behind.

[Marc]

I didn't think any of the responses were _objecting_ to the WSJ talked about cycling either. Nor is my post a response to an _objection_. My post was a direct answer to the following very direct question:





Why does that upset you so? Is it because I didn't respond to your post?

Upset, Naw. I notice it because this is the second moronic article about cycling printed by WSJ this week. And we're not that far into the week.

[King Arthur]

While the articles only briefly touches on recreational cycling (which I do), the professionals are affected. Even though the rate for concussions during a professional race
are high, not all the pro's will get into accidents, crash or suffer serious head injury. Saul Raisin is one extreme example of what can happen, but how many times has a
Wiggins, Evans or a Nibali, been involved in a crash severe enough to cause them to reconsider career plans. In my opinion, not many. It is the "price of doing business", until either the sport is outlawed, banned or becomes extinct.

[JCavilia]

I didn't think any of the responses were _objecting_ to the fact that WSJ talked about cycling either. Nor is my post a response to an _objection_. My post was a direct answer to the following very direct question:
Why does that upset you so? Is it because I didn't respond to your post? OK. So, you got my attention. Do you feel better now?

Are you talking to me now? I'm not the least bit upset. Confused, but not enough to really care.

[jlandry]

LOL...

"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Well, who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well, I'm the only one here. Who the f--k do you think you're talkin' to?"