Paul Statt Communications

The bicycle is the apotheosis of technology. It may be the perfect machine. Relatively cheap, simple in repairs and upkeep, a two-wheeler doesn’t pollute, is easy to ride, and is good for your health.

Or so you may assume. What I’ve learned working in public health law research is that there will be those who disagree with even the most commonsensical arguments about public health. Look at the Wikipedia article about about bicycle helmets. I have tried without success to cite a Public Health Law Research “evidence brief” there; it seems to some people that a helmet might put a rider at greater risk.

Public health law research is necessary, even if “so much research is proving the obvious, but once you get the numbers, you can hopefully get policy changes.” (I cite an anonymous toiler in the mills of PHLR.)

But now it can be told: your bicycle is good for your health, despite its dangers.

Johan de Hartog, J., Boogaard, H., Nijland, H., & Hoek, G. (2010). Do the Health Benefits of Cycling Outweigh the Risks? Environmental Health Perspectives, 118 (8), 1109-1116 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0901747

This entry was posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 7:27 pm and is filed under technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.