Cycling Diplomatically: Norwegian consul general pedals to work
Hey Mr. Consul General, even the Vikings wore helmets. Where's your brain bucket? Photo borrowed from: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5fb7db520100gxmo.html
I was going to work yesterday, crossing the Guangzhou Bridge in a bus. I was watching the bedraggled paceline of migrant workers pedaling to work when I saw a tall Western guy riding across the bridge. On his left side, a guy with a video camera was filming him through the sunroof of a mini van. Very weird.
The mystery of the man’s identity and purpose was solved today in the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper. The cyclist was the Norwegian consul general, Tormod C. Endresen, who is trying to get to know Guangzhou better by commuting to work by bike, subway, bus and taxi. The story’s headline was: “Norwegian consul general says riding a bike to work is extremely comfortable!” He blogged about the experience and you can read it here. (The English version is just beneath the Chinese, so keep scrolling down.)
I applaud and admire his adventurous spirit and promotion of cycling. I’ll be the first to admit that, at times, I bitch too much about the roads. It’s refreshing to read something written by someone who has a lot of nice things to say. But I don’t know. It comes off as being too diplomatic. That’s to be expected, of course. But I’ve ridden his route before, and there are plenty of bike traps, dodgy street furniture and danger zones – areas where the bike path just seems to disappear, leaving cyclists in the middle of a speedway. I hope Guangzhou’s road czars realize the consul general was being polite. I hope they don’t think that all is pretty much well and “comfortable” for cyclists. It’s a shame the consul general is not going to be riding to work for an entire week or – better – a month to get a better taste of things.
Tomorrow, we’ll hear from a real road warrior who commutes everyday.
he is a great inspiration
although helmets are for americans.
in the European union the helmet wearing rate is only about 5-7%. we prefer to promote the health benefits of cycling instead scaring people away from cycling by telling them it’s dangerous. the health benefits are 20 times greater than any risk, which is much more important in this world of lifestyle illnesses and obesity.
check the bicycle helmet research foundation for facts about helmets. http://www.cyclehelmets.org
Hi Elle,
This is an interesting point, and I really appreciate it. I’ve got several thoughts about this, and I’ll discuss them in another blog post, perhaps on Thursday. But for now, I would just like to say that the decision to wear a helmet shouldn’t be based on your philosophy about cycling. It should be based on a cold-eye assessment of the roads you’re riding on. Amsterdam and Copenhagen? OK, no helmet for commuting. Guangzhou? You’re crazy not to be wearing one. Again, I’ll explain more later.
Cheers,
W&S
Hello Elle,
Wearing helmets as a law in the USA has nothing to do safety or “scaring away riders”. The law requiring cyclists under the age of 16 to wear helmets was made to reduce/minimize head injury medical costs to insurance companies. Health concerns were not part of lobbying for this law… A person should wear brain bucket because it’s the smart thing to do and especially in China. Watch out for those overhead welders!
Ciao,
Philip Richardson
Panyu, China
I was broadsided by a motorcycle running a red light (surprise!) and I clearly remember thunking my helmet hard onto the ground. I struck it on the back left, meaning without the helmet, I would not have been getting up and finishing my ride.
You can lump Canadians in with Americans, fine, but I’ll take that versus a huge lump on my head.
Hello Bill,
I’ve been thinking about the Norwegian guy “Tormod” whom cycles in Guangzhou.
His name reminded me of an ongoing observation of names I have. What’s the deal with the Norwegians having the corner on the market of macho male names like; Armod, Arinbjorn, Joekull, Valgred or Thor. And us Americans are stuck with male metro-sexual names such as : Chris, Julian, Kyle or Sandy? And further reminded me of the female names in China; Virgin, Joanut, Vigor, Kamilto (prounounced camel toe). What are some Chinglish female names of females you have personally met?
Thank you.
Ciao,
Philip Richardson
Panyu, China