Dumpers, rips, and other hazards for the environmental surfer
- Injury Prevention Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand
Anyone who has played in the sea will know there are waves that are great for surfing but there are others that will dump you, and there is also the occasional rip which can carry you out to sea. To complicate surfing further there is the weather to contend with, other users of the sea, rocks, and the odd shark. Roberts suggests that capitalising on increasing concerns about air pollution, noise, and congestion may be easier, in some instances, than focusing on injury reduction in seeking to make transportation safer.1 I am inclined to think he may be right, the trouble is that there is the odd shark lurking around. For example, while I have no doubt that many parents transport their children to school by car because they have concerns about the risks of cycling or walking they also may be concerned about the risk of sexual …
