Maybe it is because most of our kids learn to ride the bicycle before they are 5, they do a lot of stupid things while playing near the house, when they are to young to do them in dangerous places.

We do have separate bike-lanes at the side of many buzy streets and country road, but on the other hand, cars may pass you so near that the wing mirror hits your handlebars. (Mostly it is a miss because of a difference in hight rather than in width.)

The age-groups that are most likely to have accidents on bikes are the eldery and the 12 to 16 year olds who use their bikes to go to school.
The kids have mostly a 10 to 20 minutes ride both ways.
The danger their is kids riding 3 next to each other, forgetting there are also cars on the road. And kids crossing when the gap between cars is not big enough.
In those cases a helmet might help, but most harm is broken bones and occasionally a hit by a truck where nothing would have helped.

The eldery (65 to 90-something) are more likely to go at a low speed and forget to look over their shoulder when they change direction.

But on the whole the number of accidents is low, (if I may believe the people interpretating the statistics,) and most of the accidents are of the 'a good scare' kind.

We do not have many railroad turned into bike-paths. Most are still in use by the train
My parents have used several of them a few years ago on a biketrip to Paris, France. And found them boring.
(They are now on biking holiday in France, using the smaller roads of the Normandy and Brittany coast, at 71 and 72.)

But safety is important, and while I do not believe in using a helmet on the bike here in the Netherlands on normal roads, I do believe in using one when racing and going up and down hill.
And when slinging I often use little balls that can not do harm, even a direct hit at full speed will not cause more than a black and blue spot, if that. (I have tested on myself.)
Slinging stones can be much more dangerous, so keep to the same safety rules as the bow and arrow competition people, when there are people in the danger zone no stones in the air.
The slinger needs to protect himself as needed.

Willeke

Great points, as always, Unsapien!  I have to totally agree!  The most important things I can think of are the selection of a safe, isolated location where the area has been checked out, using proper technique progression, and management/orientation of the danger zone.

If you are always aware of your background so that the rock can't fly beyond the safe zone, and nobody can run onto "the green"/impact zone in time to catch a rock in the head, that's a good start.  Either a wide, open space for 360 degrees, or wall-like barrier that can stop rocks on three sides like a batting cage is ideal.

Warming up with a single overhand stroke, then progressing to underhand, to semi-helicopter with any other slingers/observers on your non-throwing side is a good way to manage the danger zone, and minimize the chances of a lost rock will hit anyone or anything with any power.

Safety devices such as clothing, eye protection, etc., and the use of soft projectiles in crowded locations are further ways to enhance safety, of course.  As the sport spreads, we will need to promote safety more and more, just as the NRA promotes hunter safety.

I had a martial arts instructor who was reputed to have been yanked in front of a congressional committee of some sort, and had to tell off Ted Kennedy, a man with serious "control issues" who was trying to have his martial art and/or his equipment outlawed! 

wht slinging  method is safer as a begginer using an overarm throw i am worried i may hit someone behind me

Quote:


Slinging is a dangerous sport...Like shooting with gun's...It's dangerous, and you have to take care...If not there is not a good idea to keep on slinging... Ain't that right? BTW: I was there when Gard got that stone in his head, and it was not a very hard shot eather... And we were around 20 meters away from the wall...Take vare everybody


Greetings,
Zt@1n1