How much to live on

SouthCoastBoy

Nebulous2 said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

Nebulous2 said:

[Deleted User] said:

Of course the simplest way to avoid such injuries is to avoid perilous activities when reaching a certain age. For me walking, daily stretching and swimming work perfectly. I have never had the desire to have an adrenaline rush or attempt activities where possible fractures are more likely to occur, even when I was much much younger. 

You've never been a risk-taker Lord Mattenly?

I come from a working class background where people took huge risks regularly at their work. It gave a skewed view of risk in the rest of their lives, like driving cars, which was difficult for people outside that culture to understand.

There is something irresistibly attractive about going down a hill at 50+ MPH on a bicycle. That's when you really know you are alive. 

There is a huge difference between risk and perceived risk. Many people are terrified of flying, yet it is the safest means of travel, with being in a car considerably more dangerous. By some measures (deaths per billion miles travelled) walking (being a pedestrian) is more dangerous than cycling. 

Taking regular vigorous exercise carries a very small risk of death or serious injury, against a much bigger likelihood of living longer, and more importantly living longer in good health.  

Having said that - your swimming would certainly bring benefits, without loadbearing, particularly if you work hard. 

Here's some figures for you, from the last time I looked at this, 2011 stats for deaths:- 

Cyclists 98
Pedestrians 365 
Falls on stairs 693 
All transport accidents 1815
Accidental poisoning 1993
All accidents 11390 

Possibly the most dangerous thing any of us have done today is go downstairs. 
We have a higher risk of being poisoned than of dying in a traffic accident. 

For these figures to mean something we need some context i.e. is that 98 cyclists out of every 100,000 cyclists? I would think a lot more people walk up and down the stairs than cycle, so cycling may be more dangerous than walking up and down stairs. Without the context the figures become a little meaningless

Those are totals for accidental deaths in England and Wales during 2011. I thought I'd said that, but obviously not clearly enough. 

It wasn't intended to show that cycling is less dangerous than going down stairs, but that cycling isn't as dangerous as people perceive it is.

 When many people think about cycling their brain jumps to 'risky' almost immediately,  but it doesn't do the same for other activities. Do you ever think about stairs in terms of risk? Or do you worry more about family members being poisoned than of being in an accident? 

Cycling deaths have dropped dramatically since the 70s, but the perception of it being risky has increased. 

That there are more deaths per billion miles walked, than per billion miles cycled, is a difficult one for people to get their heads round, as we automatically believe walking is safer. 

Thks for the clarification, it was most probably me not reading it properly. 

Re the billion miles walked vs billion miles cycled. The walker would take a lot longer and therefore is at risk for a longer period of time, so maybe it is not as dangerous. Sorry, i will  stop now  

I cycle and walk, and I also know a number of cyclists, some of which have had nasty accidents. These days most cyclists wear safety helmets, which is obviously a good thing, in my younger days I would never have thought of wearing one.

uralmaid

Well I am risk averse in some things - for instance I don't like water - When I was a teenager I was offered the chance to sing on the cruiseships but turned it down as the thought of being on a vast sea and a ship going down was enough to forego the challenge. (Who knows -I could have been the next Jane Macdonald - we lived in the same town and were singing on the same circuit)  I do however like motorcycles and the camaraderie associated with it. Over the years we have had many wonderful times. Last year we purchased a huge Can Am 3 wheeler as I was having problems getting on and off the motorcycles (we still have 3 others). It has revitalised me and we are planning lots of holidays on it this year.  Trouble is we also have a motorhome so have to juggle the hols between the two.  Up to recently I still sang with a rock band too and my hair is purple. I have no intention of leading a boring old age although reading some of the responses it would appear boring isn't limited to old age.  Each to their own.

helensbiggestfan

A three wheeler sounds perfect.  Have fun,  I live not far from Matlock (Derbyshire). On Sundays it's a meeting place for bikers.  I doubt many of them are under 50.  

barnstar2077

helensbiggestfan said:

Coughing is a perilous activity.  😱.  In the past I have fractured my ribs by coughing.  🤣

I once perforated my eardrum blowing my nose, I didn't even know that was possible!

These are the things they should tell you about in school in my opinion :  )

barnstar2077

My two pence on the safety of cycling.  I have broken bones twice (in two separate incidents) while cycling to and from work in the last 32 years.  Not sure if that is a good or bad statistic really.  One was me not paying attention, and the other was a driver not paying attention.

Nebulous2

Organgrinder said:

Everyone's attitude to risk is different and no doubt is a mixture of nature and nurture.

The exact mixture I wouldn't know but looking at inherited traits between parents and their children it can't just be down to how you've been reared.

As I said upstream my background is one where most men engaged in the most dangerous occupation in the world. More dangerous than mining. That colours your attitude to risk.

Two of my great-grandfathers on one side of the family, and at least one of my great-great grandfathers on the same side drowned. 

There has been some fascinating research into the kind of cultures that grow up around extreme occupations. Often there is a fatalistic approach, that what will be will be, and it is outside our control. To an outsider some of that can seem extremely foolhardy, but it is perhaps a protection mechanism. Why would you get up, day-after-day, week after week, and put yourself at risk, if you didn't believe you had some protection? 

LL_USS

Interesting discussion regarding risks...

It is indeed a culture-bound attitude. Chinese, South East people tend to take the golden middle point, not showing anything extreme especially in public, and call it "PLAYING stocks" for example. Americans have higher percentage of their assets in stocks and shares whilst British favour a higher percentage in property (well, let's see how much this trend will change after all the tightening rules for the BTL sector).

Whilst I am risk-adverse in general, I still think if I don't try lots of things when I am still quite young then I will never experence these when I am older. I cycle to work even when I am warned our roads are not cyclist friendly. Scared at first but I thought "little kids could go so why not me", so I then went on all the most "scary" roller coaster rides when I took my children to Disney Land/ Alton Towers/ Thorpe park.... I ride a moped (only with a bit of hesitation ) when I travel in Asia. Perhaps still not skiing though :-).

SouthCoastBoy

I'm risk adverse when it comes to investment but like an outdoor adventure, climbing, sailing, running, skiing,  cycling, swimming etc. 

Everyone is different,I think it's all about knowing your strengths and weaknesses

Organgrinder

We all are what we are.

As long as you're honest and true to yourself that is all that matters.

helensbiggestfan

[Deleted User] said:

I guess I have more weaknesses than strengths lol. 

Just be yourself. As long as you are happy in your skin that's all that counts.