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First Aid Kit?

01.10.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 15 Comments

Recently, I was riding at the local Veloway when I caught up to a family out for a spin. A father, mother, and their grade-school daughter were riding easily along, but the little girl wasn’t very steady on the bike. She weaved back and forth across the track, but seemed to keep her bike more or less under control — until she hit a rock.

The front wheel turned sharply, and she was catapulted from the bike onto the hard surface. She wore a helmet, but that didn’t keep her from scraping her face on the asphalt. Her parents jumped to help her. I asked if I could do anything, but the dad said since we were near the parking lot, they would just head back there and take her home.

I thought about the crash, and about some that I’ve seen, and been involved in myself. After my last crash, I had some severe road rash, but still had four uncomfortable miles to pedal home before I could treat it. I wonder — should we be carrying first aid kits in our seat bags?

That’s something I’ve never discussed with the folks I usually ride with. I know there are commercially-packaged kits, like the one in the picture, that would probably do the job admirably. This one is by Skinz, and seems to cover all the bases. It contains:

2- Sterile 3×3 Dressing (pkg 2)
3-1×3 band aids
2- Knuckle band aids
1-1/2” x 10yd tape
1-sting relief pad
1-APAP extra strength pkg of 2 (like Tylenol)
1- Mole skin(for blisters)
3-antiseptic towelette’s
1-antibiotic ointment

The downside is, kits like this cost $25-$30. We might not need as much as this one has, but if you were going to put together some kind of first aid kit for your seatbag, what would it contain? Or are these another unnecessary addition to our loads?

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Categories // Injury, Safety Tags // first aid, Injury, Safety

Hybrid Cars Dangerous to Bikers?

12.06.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 10 Comments

A menace to bikers?*

In some casual web surfing last week, I came across several items decrying the dangers posed to bicyclists, runners and pedestrians by hybrid cars. It seems these gas-electric vehicles are so quiet, bikers can’t hear them — and that causes accidents.

We’ve heard anecdotes along these lines ever since hybrids first came on the scene. Some people are even proposing that car makers add some kind of “noise” to hybrids so bicyclists (and pedestrians) are aware of their presence.

What struck me about the articles was their total reliance on anecdotal evidence. Nowhere were hard statistics cited, although some referred to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The study is available as a PDF document on the NHTSA’s web site.

In a nutshell, it says there is a higher incidence of accidents involving hybrids and pedestrians or bikers — in certain situations.

If a hybrid car is turning, slowing or stopping, backing up, or entering a parking space, the incidence of crashes with bikes is significantly higher than if an internal combustion engined car was making the same moves. Collisions between bikes and hybrids were more likely to happen when the car was moving at less than 35 mph.

The NHTSA report notes that it’s based on figures supplied by only 12 states — those whose VIN numbers identify cars as either hybrid or internal combustion. The NHTSA wants to do a more detailed study based on figures from all 50 states.

So — should bikers take evasive action when they see a hybrid coming their way? No more than they would for any other vehicle. Yes, hybrids are quieter. But the wise biker will always be aware of his or her surroundings. Knowing that a vehicle — hybrid or otherwise — is nearby will be your best defense.

*Photo by OrangeLimey, licensed under Creative Commons 2.0.

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Categories // Safety Tags // Safety

Be Seen, Be Safe

12.03.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 8 Comments

The clock has been set back, the leaves have fallen and it’s dark and cold mornings in many places. I ride for fitness so I ride my bike instead of walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical trainer in at a health club.

I’m fortunate that the part of Northern California that I call home allows me to ride year round. Barring rain, I’ll get out if I can. I don’t have to deal with the real nasty winter weather of snow, ice and sleet, that type of stuff.

But the darkness is another matter. Being out on a bike in early morning without proper visibility is a recipe for disaster.

Last year when I was out riding before sunrise, I scraped by with a rudimentary headlight. I purchased this Cateye headlight because it was affordable and I didn’t know anything about cycling lights. I thought a light was a light.

And quite frankly I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around paying $200 for a bicycle light. That was the cost of a light that a cyclist friend recommended to me.

I quickly learned the difference among lights. I discovered the Cateye was best suited for riding in lighted areas, meaning it’s a light you use that was best for being seen but not to help you see, at least if you’re riding in areas that aren’t well lit.

Well this year I replaced it with a Cyglolite dual LED headlight with a rechargeable battery. This puppy enables me to see in darkened areas where I wouldn’t have thought of going with the Cateye. It has a number of different settings – high, medium and low beams. It also has a flash setting, a setting for walking, although it’s awkward to carry on a walk because of the battery pack and an SOS flash setting.

Recently I started a ride with it on high and ended the ride with it on low as the sun rose. The separate battery pack, which I attach to the front of my bike, keeps the light going for several hours. I like this light, it does everything that I want it to. I guess it should as even on sale and with an additional discount it was about 10 times the cost of the Cateye.

On the back of my bike I have a flashing taillight and I make sure to wear plenty of reflective clothing. I have a vest similar to what crossing guards or outdoor workers wear, a “screaming yellow” jacket, reflective bands and also reflective logos on my shorts and other clothing.

Afterall, being seen is a step toward being safe.

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Categories // Safety Tags // Blount, guest post, lighting, Safety

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