Mike’s Typo

As the hills south of Santa Cruz burn, there is lots of newz and lots of helpful information on the Internet.  The Santa Cruz Sentinel, with their awful (new-and-improved) web site, are covering all bases by providing the Evacuation Checklist.  When I saw this I thought, “this could be handy.”  Think about it: you’re in a panic trying to concentrate on what you should do/what you should take/how much time you’ve got to get out.  Having a list could really focus your attention, right?  Ok.  So, here is the list.  Obviously the person who prepared this wasn’t faced with having to evacuate any time soon.  But, for those who like to be prepared, this is a great list.

Is it right to categorize this under “stupid stuff” and “safety”?

Ok. Ok. I know that’s not original. It’s the best I can do this morning. The story is better than the title - believe me. Guy takes flight over the Alps with his handmade jet wing-thing. This guy’s got a wing-thing missing. He’s doin’ 186 mph. And, those are mountains all around him. I think I would have done this over a bunch of trees with nice soft canopies, or the water, or…. Well actually, there is NO amount of money you could have paid me to do this. Watch. And, they say riding a motorcycle is dangerous.

Post Script (that’s what PS stands for - just figured that out). Let the next video “Your Fix of Morning Joe” roll - very funny.

Got an email from a friend yesterday.  Great link to a video “test.”  It takes about 15 seconds to watch this video.  When it’s all done, it’s quite an eye opener for motorcyclist and bicyclists alike.  Highly recommend this.  Then pass it on to those folks who drive cages.  Can’t say anymore, I’ll give it all away.  Watch this.

Ok. I’m going to state it up front - we don’t carry this product-of-the-week. Our technicians hate this stuff. I’m talking SLIME. SLIME is that green stuff that seals up tires that would otherwise result in a “bad riding day.” So, in my book, it can’t be all that bad. But, just wait until you have to change the tire. That green slimy stuff has to go somewhere. Having seen the process down in the shop, I can attest that a significant amount of what you put in the tire ends up on the technician as he attempts to change your tire. But, hey, this stuff will get you off the road and down the road. So, I’m risking the wrath of the gang and recommending it.

SLIME has put out a special motorcycle kit. It’s compact. And, it’s pretty much everything you need when it comes time to SLIME up including a 300psi air compressor. I’m thinking about the only other thing you might need is a good pair of needle-nose pliers to pull a nail, screw, or other offending object stuck in your tire.

Here is the caution and disclaimer. First off. Don’t skimp on tires - your life depends on it. Get a flat, replace the tire. SLIME, plug kits, and other temporary fixes are just that - temporary. This may or may not work with tubed tires. Check out SLIME’s site for compatibility and further product information. You can even buy it direct from them online.

It’s that time of year. Blame it on the time change, the position of the sun (or lack thereof), or maybe less bikes on the road, but there’s more close calls with cars. Seems to me to be worst on the freeway. But, it probably is worse for you wherever you ride most. When it happens my first reaction is to get pissed. Then I think about it and realize (most of the time) I was riding in a spot that was hard to see for the driver. This is a good time to remind yourself where you need to be around a car to make sure they see you. First and foremost, if they have to see you in a mirror - you are in the wrong spot. You’ve got to figure that whatever lane you’re in, that car is going to develop “lane envy” and make a lane change. So, it’s key to make sure you are far enough forward of the driver’s door that the driver sees you as they are looking forward. Alternatively, be far enough back that their sudden lane change isn’t going to cause you to panic. It’s that time of year, so be extra careful out there.

Not what I usually say when I see a deer on the edge of the road. There’s usually an expletive involved. Not-to-mention a sudden quickening of the heart rate. And, I always remember at that moment something my Grandfather said, “where there’s one, there is surely two.” That always seems to be the case. None-the-less I bring this up as a reminder this is the time of year we see the most “deer damage” coming through the Service Department. Seems that more of us are riding at dusk with the time change and shorter days. That’s when the deer seem to get active and stupid. So, long way around to say, watch the sides of the road when your in deer areas.

In David Edwards 11/06, column in Cycle World (page 10 for those of you who want to read the whole column — and I recommend it), he makes some great points about the newest danger for motorcyclists. Suffice-it-to-say, forget poorly maintained highways, increased traffic, irate drivers — cell phones may be the biggest, newest risk for motorcyclists. There are 212 million in the US alone. Try this in your car: both hands on the wheel, wedge the cell phone between your shoulder and ear, now make a lane change. Gotcha — you forgot to look. So, the thump on the left before you swerved and hit the guy on the right — was me! The reality is that juggling the cell phone (hands free or not — thank you Gov. Arnold!) takes more attention than any driver has to give. Motorcyclists are used to predicting threats. We’re constantly processing clues — the movement of the vehicle, their speed; how often they are applying their brakes; the direction of their tires; or, the load they are carrying in the bed of the pickup. There are thousands of “alerts” that are hardwired into our defensive-maneuver-strategic-command-site. Add a new one: assume every driver is on their cell phone — because they probably are. David makes some great points in his column. Some “…sobering news. A 2006 study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Safety Administration found that almost 80% of all car crashes involved some sort of driver inattention within 3 seconds of the incident. The study found that the most common distraction is — you guessed it — cell phone use.”

Editorial comment: did we really have to pay for that study? David has some pretty creative suggestions for fixing the problem. And, there is a little-traveled highway in West Texas, that he makes a compelling case to visit. In the end, we all know, we’re a hazard when we drive with our cell phones, so let’s factor that into our thinking when we are on our bikes.

Source: Cycle World, 11/06

As many of you know, I ride motorcycles and bicycles. On the bicycle side, I came across a product that’s for everyone who travels alone. The company, RoadID makes a bracelet that will identify you to emergency services if you are incapacitated in an accident. The id bracelet is imprinted with whatever you want. Typically, you’d put your name, drug allergies, medical insurance info, doctor’s name and number, and an emergency contact. What made me think about this was the story of the motorcyclist that was killed on Highway 17. In the crash, his bags came apart and personal stuff was scattered all over the road. It took two or three days before they figured out who the rider was. The story was tragic in so many ways, but it reminded me that making it easier on the emergency services folks could save your life. Last time I checked, the custom imprinted Velcro bracelet will set you back about $20. Visit the RoadID site and check it out: www.roadid.com.