Two Plus Two Newer Archives  

Go Back   Two Plus Two Newer Archives > Other Topics > Science, Math, and Philosophy

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-17-2007, 01:12 AM
surftheiop surftheiop is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 640
Default Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

Cliff notes: People freak out about adding a very small amount of risk to an already very risky activity then try to use statistics to defend the point.

Im a member of my university's Outting Club and I got a list serv email telling us not to go moutainbiking in the woods because its hunting season and we might get shot.

(The email said not to ride in any forest, even if it was labeled "No hunting" because its not worth taking the risk of a stupid person shooting you)
This was good to know as i had no idea it was hunting season.

Someone replied that its not that big of deal and you should just wear orange to be safe.

The original emailer sent out and email saying "If you go mountain bike in woods your stupid, is it really worth taking a risk of killing yourself????"

This although not completly rational doesnt bother me much, but the next part did-

to "prove" the point the emailer quoted a stat saying "There were 35 hunting injuries reported last year, 16 of them where self inflicted"

I almost laughed at this statistic. I assume >50% of non- self inflicted injuries would be inflicted on a member of the hunting party (Dick Cheney style). Furthermore i would assume >80% of the injuries are inflicted on other hunters.

This probaly leaves about 2 or 3 "innocent bystander" injuries from hunting in the forest each year. Hunters are in general taught not to shoot at a quickly moving target so that makes mountain biker probaly the least likely of any innocent human to be shot.

(I know my logic isnt perfect here, obviously the amount of innocent bystanders injured each year is lower because people tend to stay off hunting land but the essence of what im saying is definately true)

So this wouldnt bother me too much, you know better to be safe than sorry except for how dangerous mountain biking inherently is.

I know for a fact its not unheard of for a biker to die during a given race.
I know its very uncommon not to have someone knocked unconsious or suffer a serious bone break in a race.
Mountainbiking has to be one of the most dangerous sports there is.

If your comfortable enough assuming the risks normally associated with mountainbiking then the extra .00000001 risk of being shot in a no hunting designated forest should have nothing to do with your decision to mountain bike.

/rant off
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-17-2007, 07:54 AM
tame_deuces tame_deuces is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,494
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me


I think the logical conclusion must be to stop mountainbiking.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-17-2007, 08:04 AM
kerowo kerowo is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,880
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

I think you mistake an "outing" with a "race." If mountain bike riding was as dangerous as you think universities would not be allowing it because it would screw up their insurance.

It would interesting to see a break down of number of injuries per hour played of sport at the professional level to see which sport really is the most dangerous, maybe even the average number of hours missed per injury as well. I wouldn't imagine any type of cycling; road, mountain or cyclocross, would make it much higher than baseball.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-17-2007, 01:24 PM
surftheiop surftheiop is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 640
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

I was refering to races with no prize money, i have no idea what happens on the professional level.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-17-2007, 01:44 PM
Kaj Kaj is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bet-the-pot
Posts: 1,812
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

[ QUOTE ]
Cliff notes: People freak out about adding a very small amount of risk to an already very risky activity then try to use statistics to defend the point.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
(The email said not to ride in any forest, even if it was labeled "No hunting" because its not worth taking the risk of a stupid person shooting you) This was good to know as i had no idea it was hunting season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol.

Well I guess his email had value to you. No need to nit his motivations.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-17-2007, 02:51 PM
surftheiop surftheiop is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 640
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

the first email was fine, it was the reply to the person who said "wear orange, be alert and dont really worry about it" where he tried to use statistics to prove the point is what got to me
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-17-2007, 03:13 PM
luckyme luckyme is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,778
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

The cowboys were mathlete's ?

Sundance Kid: I can't swim.
Butch Cassidy: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-17-2007, 04:37 PM
CallMeIshmael CallMeIshmael is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Tis the season, imo
Posts: 7,849
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

"Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me "

thats what she said
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-17-2007, 10:57 PM
CommanderCorm CommanderCorm is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: trapped in witchspace
Posts: 658
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

[ QUOTE ]
Someone replied you should just wear orange to be safe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now this is just being an easy target.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-18-2007, 12:02 AM
sebbb sebbb is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 970
Default Re: Well i think a little bit of DS rubbed off on me

Did you add the spelling mistakes in the quotes to make the guy look more retarded?
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:16 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.