Another hazard we don’t have to worry about in most of the US. I’m guessing that riding in a sandstorm is about as dangerous as riding in a rainstorm. But wear and tear on the bike would be worse. Anybody ever ridden in a sandstorm?

Here’s a hazard we don’t have to worry about in the US.

A Pennsylvania rider had the unfortunate experience of being the target of a flying red-tailed hawk. He suffered a fractured clavicle, broken thumb and totalled bike. The hawk did not fair so well: shattered wing and punctured trachea and esophagus. He’ll be up and riding within three months. The hawk faces a long period of recovery and rehab at the Windy Ridge Wildlife Refuge. Source WPXI.com

I expect dogs on neighborhood streets and deer in the country. But large, normally high flying birds? It’s a new threat to me. Just proves we’re not safe from anything.

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In a followup article to yesterday’s article on James V. Ouellet’s presentation to the International Motorcycle Safety Conference, Wendy Moon examines his research findings in some detail. There is much informative and valuable information in her summary. It’s a must read if you ride in traffic and care about your life. I won’t try to summarize it here. Just read it.

Not very according to a presentation by noted motorcycle safety researcher James V. Ouellet at the Long Beach, CA International Motorcycle Safety Conference a few weeks ago. Ouellet is an author of the famous and oft quoted Hurt report and subsequent studies. His current paper is “Rider Training and Collision Avoidance in Thailand and Los Angeles Motorcycle Crashes”

My source for this information is Wendy Moon. Her Moonrider’s Journal article is very interesting reading. You should read it in its entirety.

For those that don’t, Ouellet answers the question ““Does rider training to develop collision avoidance skills actually prevent crashes?” The answer is a resounding no. This is contrary to the tenets of the MSF who stresses swerving and braking in their courses. So it is no wonder that, at the end of Ouellet’s presentation of his paper, the MSF, MIC and manufacturer attendees appeared out-of-sorts and walked out of their own conference, even though there were more papers to be presented.

Ouellet’s conclusions are that “focusing on preventing the precipitating event instead of trying to react effectively after it has already occurred” is the best strategy. In other words, develop your defensive riding skills and habits. “Better lane position strategies, better hazard awareness perception, techniques for alerting driver’s to one’s presence, etc. are the way to go.”

When I first started riding again and took the Team Oregon basic riders course I had no problem with the parking lot swerve and braking tests. But I didn’t let that lull me into a false sense of safety. It was clear to me that those tests are not at all like riding in the real world. “Out there” an emergency happens suddenly and unexpectedly. You have microseconds to react and decide on a course of action. Even if you manage to keep your wits about you, it may often be to be too late to entirely avoid the danger. You may be able to decrease the damage but not eliminate it entirely

It seemed to me that the best strategy was to develop defensive riding habits designed to avoid having any emergency encounters. A potential danger does not become an emergency if you become aware of it soon enough. So I paid attention in the classroom when the instructor spent a considerable amount of time covering defensive riding strategies. That information seemed more valuable than the little amount of braking and swerving practice we had. In my opinion the best emergency is the one you never had. Ouellet’s research simply validates what seems to me to be common sense.

Update: Wendy wrote a followup article in which she examines Ouellet’s research findings in some detail. There is much informative and valuable information in her summary. It’s a must read if you ride in traffic and care about your life. I won’t try to summarize it here. Just read it.

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Is this our future? A NewScientest.com report looks at new “smart” armor being worn by some US competitive skiers. Manufactured by Spyder (hence the styling) from material created by 3do Labs, the suit is flexible but instantly hardens into armor upon impact. The suit, worn under normal ski clothing, provided protection for US and Canadian skiers during slalom and giant slalom races in Turin, Italy.

In laboratory testing, the material provided as much protection as most conventional protective materials, according to its makers. But a d3o Labs spokesperson says it is difficult to precisely measure the material’s properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself.

Considering the speeds competitive skiers reach and the hardness of packed snow, I expect the material or a variation would be suitable for riding armor. I wonder which riding gear manufacturer will be the first to give it a test.

Questions, of course, abound. How hot is it inside such a suit? Winter sports may be a fine application but southwestern and eastern US summer riding is another matter altogether. How easy is the suit to put on and take off? Will the wearer develop a craving for flying insects? Will Kirstan Dunst ride pillion if you wear it? Will your father disown you and your mother weep when they see you wearing it?

Returning vistors may have noticed a series of changes lately. That was one of the projects intruding on my writing time. But the futzing is finished (I hope). I think I’ve finally nudged the site layout into its last incarnaton. (Where have I said that before?)

The main menu in the masthead is new as is the page selection menu on the northwest roads pages. Sidebars were added to all pages on the site giving a common look and feel. And the color scheme was softened slightly.

I have used and praise the work of Stu Nichols at cssplay.com. He makes publicly available a wealth of information and code for creating beautiful effects using only css—no images or javascript.

These blog pages sport a number of changes. I upgraded to the new version of Wordpress software and added a feature called “lightbox.” Click on any thumbnail image with dotted side border and you’ll see what it does. Another addon allows you to view comments “inline” on the page without jumping to the comments page.

I also savaged the sidebar entries, significantly reducing its length. The sidebar list of recommended blogs has been moved to a separate page and I added notes about each site. Highlighting of sidebar entries along with captions below the masthead now show you where you are as you navigate the blog.

For readers new to the world of blogs I added an explanation of feeds and what subscribing is all about.

So it’s a wrap for tinkering and back to my other project and working through my backlog of articles.

Most adults would no longer have to wear helmets when they hop onto a motorcycle under a bill receiving final approval in the House. The bill would lift the requirement that Missourians 21-years-old and older wear motorcycle helmets. Those under 21 would still be required to wear them. Opponents predict fatalities and severe injuries will increase if the repeal becomes law. Supporters dismiss such dire forecasts and argue that the government has no right to tell an adult he has to wear a helmet. The bill now moves to the Senate.Source MissourieNet.com

I have been very involved in another endeavor. Thus the scarcity of articles recently. I will be back soon and have a rather large backlog of items to write about. If that is, they are not outdated when I return

What a job, riding a motorcycle and getting paid for it. I believe CMP Motorcycle Billboards has a winner of an idea. They provide an all inclusive package and will take the advertiser’s message throughout the west coast or on national tours that originate and end in California. This in my opinion is entrepreneurship at its finest.

Started by Chris Puehse, the fledgling company offers advertisers a new, cost-effective option for their advertising campaigns. Companies can book campaigns from one week to several months, local or coast-to-coast.

The client’s message is displayed on both sides of custom-built trailers towed by a late-model Harley Davidson. “It’s hard for anyone to ignore the thunderous sound generated by a Harley,” Chris explained. “Now imagine this mighty hog pulling a custom-trailer behind it. The reaction of all who encounter this one-of-a-kind advertising medium is nothing short of intrigue and interest.” Source El Dorado Hills Telegraph

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