North Carolina Tragedy – Do you use mirrors?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by admin

At about 7:10 PM on Friday April 13th Katherine Shubert, 38 was riding her bicycle in a rural area in Guilford County, NC when she was struck from behind by a SUV and died later that night.  She was a very experienced cyclist and a competitive triathlete.

The person who killed her, Kimberly Mann, 33 was driving with three young children and claims to have been blinded by the sun.  She has been charged with death by motor vehicle, a misdemeanor in North Carolina.  At the scene of the accident two days later at 7:10 PM I was struck by how high the sun still was in the sky.  It presented no problem whatsoever for me.

This particular death has had a profound effect on me personally.  The road Katherine was riding on is part of my default route.  When I just don’t have the time for a longer ride or my biking buddy is busy and I just want a quick one hour ride this is the route I take.  It has always felt comfortable as traffic is exceptionally light and drivers are generally reasonable and courteous to cyclists.

So the sense of disillusionment is very strong; the reality is that on a bike, on public roads, you are never really safe.

I can’t understand why every recreational cyclist doesn’t use a mirror to see what’s coming up behind him.  In reality, almost no one does.  My riding buddy and I rode on a charity group ride last Saturday.  We were the only riders we saw using mirrors.

A little over a year ago we did some in depth interviews with riders about bicycle safety.  Most respondents claimed to be very aware of safety and rode responsibly; not one of them used a mirror.  One cyclist told us that he can tell where a vehicle is positioned in the lane by the sound of the vehicle coming up behind him.  This is simply nuts.

If you don’t use a mirror the only way to see what’s behind you is to turn your body to look back.  This inevitably turns your handlebars to the left into traffic.  It takes a lot of experience riding to not turn the bars left when looking back.  My bike buddy has cycled all over the US and in Europe for over 50 years and still turns his handlebars left when he looks behind him. No joke.

That’s why he always uses a mirror when riding.  His mirror clamps on the earpiece of his eyeglasses.  I use a mirror that fits on the brake hoods on the handlebars.  They both work very well and have saved us from being hit on several occasions.  If we see a vehicle coming too close we simply turn off the road, no matter what’s there.  No fall is as bad as being hit by a 4,000 lb. vehicle traveling at 50 mph.

Some people claim that mirrors are a distraction that makes them feel less safe.  Just use the mirror and in a very short while it will become second nature to you and you won’t feel safe riding without one.  It’s very reassuring to be able to see what’s coming up behind you in time to take action if it’s necessary.

Earle Bower

 

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Distracted Drivers Pose Increasing Threat for Cyclists

Posted on March 12, 2012 by admin

May is National Bike Month, and National Bike Safety Month. But it looks as if cycling may becoming more dangerous as drivers are more distracted with electronic devices in their vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 16% of traffic fatalities are caused by distracted drivers; a 60% increase in just the last 4 years. This represents about 5,260 traffic fatalities in 2010 caused by distracted drivers.

And it’s only getting worse; The Wall Street Journal reports, “Undaunted by fear of safety regulations automakers are piling new technologies into their vehicles: everything from 17 inch dashboard screens to services that check Facebook and buy movie tickets.”

Meanwhile the NHTSA, which used to try and stop the spread of distracting technology into vehicles, has virtually given up the effort. They recently published guidelines to minimize distractions that are more a sop to the automakers then an attempt to save lies. For example, they suggest that any activity that is ‘hand activated’ shouldn’t require the driver to take his eyes off the road for over 2 seconds. At 60 mph you cover 176 ft in 2 seconds, more than ½ a football field. They also suggest; “Limit text seen by the driver to 30 characters when the vehicle is in motion.” Unreal!

So what is a cyclist who rides on the roads to do? Here are some suggestions from a long time cyclist:

First, don’t ride at night unless absolutely necessary. 49% of all cyclist fatalities occur at night, when only a tiny percentage of all cycling occurs.

Second, if you must ride at night buy one of the new ultra powerful LED light sets for both the front and back of your bike.

Third, wear the brightest clothing possible. The California DOT advises; “Remember, your bicycle is a small, inconspicuous vehicle. It is not easily seen and will seldom attract attention to its owner. Do all you can to make sure you’re noticed.” For greatest visibility the superiority of fluorescent clothing was demonstrated by Bicycling Magazine. (December 2010, p. 34) “When cyclists wear fluorescent clothing, a driver’s perception distance (when the driver first spots something on the road) increases from 400 feet to 2,200 feet during the day and from 150 feet to 560 feet at night.” That’s 5 ½ times greater distance with fluorescent clothing. Exceptionally bright fluorescent clothing is available from see me wear on their website at: www.seemewear.com. Your bike shop may also carry some fluorescent jerseys.

Fourth, use a mirror on every ride. It’s the best way to check on vehicles coming up behind you. It may take a while to get used to the mirror, make the effort, it’s very important. Blackburn makes a number of excellent mirrors; available in most bike stores.

Fifth, ride courteously and don’t annoy drivers by hogging the lane, running red lights or other obnoxious behavior. Remember, a cyclist must follow the rules of the road just like any other vehicle.

Sixth, always ride defensively, even if you are in the right, yield to an aggressive or discourteous driver. Remember in any contact with a motor vehicle the cyclist always loses.

Finally, if you disagree with the current course of the NHTSA, write to either U. S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood or David L. Strickland, Administrator, NHTSA. It only takes a small number of letters to get Washington’s attention.

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Hydration

Posted on August 11, 2011 by admin

I had a minor heart attack ten years ago, so I see a cardiologist every six months for a checkup.  My cardiologist is a cyclist too and a real good guy, so we usually take a few minutes to talk about new routes and other riding stuff. I was complaining about the heat to him and how after one ride I felt slightly lightheaded and suspected low blood pressure.  He asked me how much fluid I drank on the ride; I told him a full bottle – about 24 oz. for a 1 ½ hour ride.  He said the lightheadedness was probably dehydration and advised me to drink a full liter of fluid for each hour that I rode.

He also reminded me that as you get older your sense of thirst changes a lot.  A senior typically won’t feel thirsty until he is already dehydrated.  That’s the case with me, I almost never feel thirsty.  But it’s terribly important to keep drinking even if you don’t feel you need it.

It’s so basic, we always carry a full drink bottle on every ride, but we may not be drinking enough.  I simply can’t drink a full liter per hour; if I try my stomach gets upset, but since my talk I do make sure I do intake a full bottle per hour, not per ride.  Check it out, are you hydrating enough?  In the summer it’s critical.

 

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