argument41--头盔 求拍

山依格紫

In this argument, the author recommends that to reduce the number of serious injuries from bicycle accidents, the government should concentrate more on educating people about bicycle safety and less on encouraging or requiring bicyclists to wear helmets.To support the claim the author points out that in the ten-year period bicyclists reported wearing helmets increased from 35 percent to 80 percent, however, during the same ten-year period, the number of bicycle-related accidents has increased 200 percent. Then then author assumes that these results demonstrate that bicyclists feel safer because they are wearing helmets, and they take more risks as a result. However, I find this argument suspicious on several grounds.


One, the author unfairly assumes that there is an increase of the accident rate in the ten-year period. though the number of bicycle-related accidents has increased 200 percent, however, it is entirely possible that the quantity of the  bicyclists has a great boom in this ten-year period and the increase exceeds by 200 percent, thus, the accident rate would not have a increase but a decline. Therefore, without detailed and accurate information about the increased numbers of bicyclists in this ten-year period, the recommendation is unpersuasive.

Two, the author provide  no clear information to justify the assumption that the increased accidents indicate that bicyclists feel safer because they are wearing helmets, and they take more risks as a result. Though these accidents are involved with these bicyclists, perhaps these bicyclists should not be blamed, it is entirely possible that motor drivers' carelessness but not bicyclists' lead to the accidents. Even if these bicyclists should take the responsibility of the accidents, it is quite possible that in these ten-year priod the weather is worse than before  thus it is much more likely to have an accident. It is also likely that policemen's administration is not good as that of  ten years ago. Therefore, without ruling out these possibilities, the author cannot convince me that  it is the decline of bicyclists' safety awareness that make a high record of accidents.

And finally,  the high record of accidents results from the decrease of bicyclists' safety awareness, the recommendation that the government should less on encouraging or requiring bicyclists to wear helmets is also irrational. Though wearing a helmet cannot avoid a accidents, it could reduce the severity of an accident, which would protect the bicyclists from  having a serious injury. Educating people about bicycle safety is indeed quite important and indispensable, but encouraging and requiring bicyclists to wear helmets is of equal importance. The record of high accident rate could be showed to those bicyclists and tell them that though they wear a helmet, the possibility of having an accident is still high. In addition, if the accidents are related to the careless of motor drivers, the government should also educating those motor drivers about car safety. Therefore, the recommendation is not advisable.

Summed up, the recommedation is not on sound reasoning and therefore not advisable as it stands. To bolster it the author must provide persuasive and clear information that the accident rate indeed has an increase. In addition must prove that the bicyclists take the responsiblity of the accidents. In addition, other measures could be taken to improve people's safety awareness rather than dissuade bicyclists from wearing a helmet.

竹林中人

感觉还行，没什么明显的毛病，继续努力!