They offer replacable lens (many options, including non prescription bi-focal), good wind protection, and a place to put them which seems to help me keep from breaking, scratching, or losing them. Pet peeve of this O.F. (Old Fart) dealing with bouts of CRS (Can't Remember Stuff).
They also offer over prescription lens goggles and safety glasses. These have been serving me well for the past 3 months (since August). Don't pay over $25 you can likely find the kit for $15 or so. Those who weren't able to attend Saturday's meeting missed out on a good discussion about riding at night. It turns out a lot of us (at least those over age 40) have had the same sort of thoughts but really hadn't compared notes very much.
2. A general feeling that we just don't see as much now as we once did in the dark. (yes, I know sometimes that might be a good thing)
Did you know a 50 year old may need twice as much light to see an object as a 30 year old?
Good reason for most of us to make sure our headlights are functioning at 100%. I've looked around the Internet a bit and have found some worthy night riding tips. Among them:
while not causing glare for other road users. Look slightly to the left of oncoming traffic or to the right of your lane at night to avoid suffering from glare which can take some time to recover from.
If you need to wear glasses for driving, a spare pair is a good idea in case you lose or break your main pair. Any scratches or smudges on your driving glasses (or sunglasses) will increase glare – keep them clean!
This site in Britain has a lot of information about 'why' our night vision is different as we age:
http://www.eye-care.org.uk/item_view.php?item_id=52&content_id=3
Representing myself as a concerned motorcyclist, and an un-official spokesman for several motorcycling organizations, I have been in contact with: CalTrans, regarding civilian construction crews who have
been sloppy in their work, leaving open construction holes and sand on the road without proper marking, as they are supposed to. We have had quite a few calls back and forth, with positive results. TV Channel 10 News, regarding a series they are running called "dirty streets", dealing with garbage left on the highways by the public. and The San Diego office of the CHP crashes on the Freeway, and the broken glass, fenders, bumpers, etc, that are left in the roadway after the crashed vehicles are gone.
A tow truck driver who picks up a wreck is supposed to take ALL parts of that wreck with him, including liquids.
The CHP officer that I spoke to got a bit snitty, saying that if I didn' actually SEE the tow truck driving away and leaving parts on the ground, then it did not happen that way.
SO..........If anyone has any input , questions, comments,,,etc on Junk On The Road, then give me a shout !
I would be glad to pass it on..
Not Veh. Mans., but Murder. I guess he was more important than Bull Driver from IB , or Basil from ABATE who was killed the exact same way a few weeks ago. Oh, well......gotta watch your mirrors
driven by a 71-year-old woman pulling out of a strip mall. The Palomar College student died at the scene.
WELL, TIE ME DOWN !
by John Del Santo
The average driver has no clue as to how much force the wind can create. They’ll watch the News on TV and see a 65 MPH Gale blowing down trees on the Florida coast, and then they’ll put chairs, garbage cans, and an aluminum ladder in the back of a pickup truck and drive down the highway at 65 MPH and expect the stuff to stay there ! The most common things to find lying in the road are bungee cords (the hooks on those are good for a flat tire). The second most common thing to find in the roadway are the things the bungee cords used to be holding down…..and there is a GIANT list of stuff waiting to snare you…. Aluminum ladders and pieces of plywood, mattresses and living room chairs, tires, parts of tires ( road gators), and hub caps… Lawn chairs, charcoal barbeques, and coolers, AND the liners from inside the back of pickup trucks. Whew ! It can be like running an obstacle course ! Constant Surface Appraisal is a necessity,
And a good healthy following distance can give you time to see and evade things on the road that will hurt you, including the time to see big potholes as they emerge into view from under the car that you are following.
We are aware of the things we need to watch for when other people don’t secure things properly, so now let’s look at the types of tie-downs that we need to do right. I’ve heard some bikers say that if something did not fit in their wallet, they didn’t take it on a trip. The rest of us, from time to time, go on a tour and need to attach something to our bike. First…. Bungee Cords…Don’t trust them. If you don’t use them at all, they won’t hurt you. Some government agencies forbid their drivers from using them on official vehicles for any reason. Some people use them, but will use FOUR of them across something on their bike instead of ONE, Just as insurance, or in addition to nylon straps. We can strap something down snugly on our bike, but should stop an hour down the road to check if the weight has shifted or the tie-down has loosened. We need to keep our Center of Gravity low and centered so the bike handles properly. The luggage rack on the back of a bike was not designed for heavy stuff, and things tied to the front forks do nothing good for the forks or the steering. A rawhide boot-lace or parachute cord only takes up a little carrying space, but in an emergency can make a pretty good one-time tie-down strap. A friend made her own tie-down straps, strong black nylon straps, with substantial black buckles…..used for securing the tent and sleeping bag and rain gear…..nothing was going to escape from these babies !! However, pulling into the campground late at night during a storm, one discovers that black may not have been the best color to use ….. It was tough to see which strap went where in the dark; multi-colored straps will do the trick next time. A rider tells the story about his leather jacket escaping from the bungee cord on the back seat and the wind taking it down into the spokes of the back wheel……Ya’ talk about a SUDDEN STOP !!
It would be nice to expect a clear road out in front of us….but it just isn’t going to happen. So we’ll need to make our tie-downs secure, and stay alert and be ready for anything that’s out there on the road that shouldn’t be. Be Aware, Get your knees in the breeze, and ….Ride Safe !
TIRE TALK Yes, we have heard this before about a zillion times, but how about just once more. New tires, even really good brands, are VERY slippery when they are new. It takes a few good miles to get the ‘slick’ worn away (Michelin (800)847-3435). And Bridgestone advises us to “Mount only ‘tubeless’ tires on ‘tubeless’ rims when the rim manufacturer recommends this fitment. Have you checked your tire pressure recently? Did you know that you can buy a valve-stem-cap that will let you know at a glance if your tire loses a little pressure ? (Cycle Parts West is one source). There are cute little valve stem caps that rotate and light up as you ride along…..And the word from different riders and different publications is that the vibration caused by the rotation of one type of these “firefly” type caps can cause your valve stem to weaken, leak, and possibly even break off while you are riding. Whoops ! TIRES ARE RATED For the type of roadway that you travel, the type of riding that you do, the weight that your bike carries, and the speed that you normally travel. When we are buying tires, no matter how great a deal we are offered…… If it is the wrong rating for your type of use…..It is the wrong tire. Check with someone you know who is knowledgeable about tires.
BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD…..CHECK TO SEE IF THESE WARNINGS ARE ON YOUR MEDICATIONS:
_____________________________________
WHEN USING THIS PRODUCT:
# Avoid alcoholic drinks.
# Drowsiness may occur.
# Alcohol, sedatives & tranquilizers
increase drowsiness.
# Be careful when driving a motor vehicle
or operating machinery.
IN THE CONE ZONE
By John Del Santo
We’re riding down the road, wind in our hair, breeze on our knees, and there appears a sign that could spell trouble for a motorcyclist: “ROAD CONSTRUCTION AHEAD”. If we knew the road work was happening there, we probably would have picked another route, but it often comes as a surprise. How we get through it depends on how we read the road ahead.
First and Foremost we need to show attention to, and care for, the construction workers.
“Give ‘em a Brake” as the sign reads. There is usually plenty of warning when lanes are closing and traffic is merging together. Plenty of warning that is, for those drivers around you who are bothering to look down the road. A lot of them don’t aim high, and spend most of their time being surprised by things that happen. Use your hand signals when slowing in tight traffic… people tend to see that sooner than they see your brake light. You know there are a lot of drivers out there with a “me first” mentality who get impatient and selfish and meaner than snakes whenever they’re forced to slow down for anything. Be ready for them to do something radical. If everyone just followed the rules they learned in Kindergarten…You know, “Be nice” “Share” “Don’t hit”, then merging would happen smooth and easy. Cars in the lane next to you that don’t have a decent following distance will suddenly swerve one way or another when the traffic slows down…Don’t stay in anyone’s Blind Spot any longer than necessary and be ready with your throttle, brakes, and horn. Work zones are famous for rear-end accidents…So in stop-and-go traffic it can be a good idea to position your bike near the outer edge of your lane and keep an eye on your mirrors… If traffic is stopping and the guy behind you doesn’t seem to be paying attention, you can make a move out between the rows of traffic and not be smushed like a bug.
We’re keeping a Giant following distance, much more than usual, so we can see far enough ahead to spot any hazards in time to handle them. We’re watching for unevenly paved lanes, you know… the dreaded Edge Trap… you can probably ride off the edge, but trying to ride up the edge will drop you in a flash! These are especially dangerous at night when all blacktop looks the same and our depth perception is poor. We’re staying alert for loose gravel, which will lengthen our stopping distance, holes in the road, and steel trench plates…Slippppppery ! We don’t even think about touching the brakes while on a trench plate ! Be watching for paint lines that used to guide traffic in one direction but now go somewhere else…maybe off the road or into the next lane of traffic. Watch for the driver in the next lane being confused by that, and drifting into your lane.
Once we’re out of the Work Zone, we’re prepared for other drivers jackrabbiting up to speed and jumping around from lane to lane trying to make up the time they lost. Tires, especially truck tires, can pick up stones in a construction area, and then as they get back up to speed will slingshot those stones back at you. By keeping a healthy following distance we stand a better chance of not being in range of those thrown stones, and not be feeling like a duck in a shooting gallery. Following distance is like Money. You can never have too much, but if you have a little bit less than you need… you can be in trouble !
So, to avoid turning a Construction Area into a Destruction Area, avoid the Cone Zone if you can… and if not, Be Alert, Ride Easy, and Ride Safe
SOME SHOCKING KNOWLEDGE
By John Del Santo and Kim Blackhurst
When putting together a first aid kit for your bike, knowledge is the most important component to include. There are First Aid classes and CPR classes going on somewhere in your town. Check it out.
SHOCK is the failure of the cardiovascular system to provide circulation to our vital organs.
SOME CAUSES are: Serious Injury; Bleeding; Burns; Poisonous Insects and Snakes; Allergic Reaction; or even a Traumatic Experience, such as just seeing the results of a serious vehicle accident.
SYMPTOMS may include: Feeling faint, weak, or disoriented; Cold, clammy skin; Pale…even blue…skin; Irregular breathing; Pulse is weak and fast.
Symptoms may develop rapidly or may be delayed until hours after the event that causes it. Shock occurs to some degree after every injury….It may be so slight as to not be noticed….or so serious that it results in death. Anaphylactic Shock can be fatal in less than 15 minutes !
TREATMENT: Call 911. Keep the victim lying down flat on their back; Slightly elevate their legs and feet; Loosen any tight clothing; Keep them at a normal temperature…you will probably need to cover them to accomplish this; Use CPR if necessary; Arrange to transport them to a hospital.
HOPEFULLY you will never need to use this info out on the road, but…
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER !!
Highway Safety Action Alert Take Action!
Congress to determine the future safety of cars and trucks
Next month Congress will determine the future safety of cars and trucks.
Last year Congress failed to pass S.1072, a multi-year, multi-billion
dollar surface transportation funding bill. S.1072 included a critically
important safety agenda addressing all aspects of the highway and auto
safety problem -- provisions to prevent vehicle rollovers and provide
occupants better side impact and head protection in crashes, truck safety
improvements, programs to encourage booster seat use and child safety,
funds for impaired driving and seat belt programs as well as other
measures to bring down traffic deaths and injuries. This year passage
of a surface transportation funding bill is a top congressional priority,
however, there is strong industry opposition to including these safety
provisions in the transportation bill this year.
The safety provisions are at risk and we need your help. The Senate
Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that will write the
safety bill has new leaders this year. Please act now by sending a
letter to these three Senators showing your support for passing the
same safety measures that were in last year's bill, S.1072.
Please act now and help our effort by sending a letter to:
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510 or/
202.224.2354 (fax)
http://stevens.senate.gov/
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
202.224.6747 (fax)
http://inouye.senate.gov/
Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS)
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
202.224.2262 (fax)
http://lott.senate.gov/
(Please note, if you are a resident of the Senator's home state you can also
send an email through the website)
Talking Points:
Every year nearly 43,000 people are killed and 3 million more are injured in
motor vehicle crashes at a cost of $230 Billion.
Some forecasts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
indicate that this death toll could exceed 50,000 by 2008 without safety
interventions.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children, teens and
adults to age 33.
Since 1991, more than 125,000 people have died in rollover crashes. Rollover
crashes account for less than 3 per cent of all crashes but account for a
third of all occupant fatalities annually.
Federal legislation is needed to direct NHTSA to issue long overdue safety
standards including rollover prevention, side impact crash protection,
occupant ejection prevention, vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility, 15-passenger
van safety, child safety measures and better consumer safety information.
Please send a copy of your letter, and address any questions to,
Jgillan@saferoads.org. For more information about the safety provisions
in S.1072 go to
http://www.saferoads.org/federal/2003/SenateCommerceBill_2003.htm
To Unsubscribe: You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time by
visiting here.
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THAT “APEHANGER” LAW
by John Del Santo
If you sit around anywhere with ten other Bikers and mention the change in the handlebar law, you’ll hear at least fourteen different opinions about what the new law really means…… So here we go: AB2844 was passed to read:
SECTION 1. Section 27801 of the California Vehicle Code is amended to read:
27801. A person shall not drive a two-wheel motorcycle that is equipped with either of the following:
(a) A seat so positioned that the driver, when sitting astride the seat, cannot reach the ground with his or her feet.
(b) Handlebars so positioned that the hands of the driver, when upon the grips,
are more than six inches above his or her shoulder height when sitting
astride the seat.
And THAT’S IT !! The mention of feet on the ground, section (a) is NOT a stipulation to be associated with measuring the height of the handlebars; section (b) makes no mention of feet. Section (a) just tells us that the feet should reach the ground Both feet at the same time? Or one at a time? What part of the feet ?? Heels or tippy toes ?? Does the bike need to be straight up ? or tipped? or sitting on the kickstand? Does the rider need to be sitting straight up or slouched to one side or the other? How about if you’re on one of those big, tall Dual Purpose bikes? How about if you don’t have two feet? There’s a discrimination lawsuit waiting in there somewhere. And…..“The drivers hands must be no higher than”……. What part of the hands???? The top of the knuckles or the bottom of the thumb??
As “Splat” says, There are many points to use as a defense in a court of law.
Neither subsection prescribes a scientific methodology for measurement, one can only make presumptions. The law is vague about specific criteria to be used for measurement in either instance. If you still happen to be stopped and written,
you can register it with the Citation Database at www.bikernation.us
SPRING HAS SPRUNG !
by John Del Santo
“Spring has Sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where last years flowers is ?” The season of awakening is upon us, and there will be a lot more people on those back roads sightseeing. More bicycles right around the blind corners, more people parked half on the shoulder looking at the flowers, more people driving slowly looking at scenery. Be aware when you have a lack of visibility around the next curve, and don’t let the leaf-peepers surprise you. When you decide to pass a car that’s moving slowly, do it safely! Many motorcycles are struck while doing an unexpected pass. Is there a driveway or side road on the left that the car may be thinking of turning into? If the car is slowing, WHY is it slowing? Do you have plenty of visibility out in front of you? Does that driver see you? Many car drivers don’t see motorcycles. Is there plenty of room to make the pass and get back into lane before the next curve? When in doubt, don’t ! Another opportunity will come along. On multi-lane roads, if the traffic backs up and you’re thinking about Lane-Splitting, A good thought to keep in mind is that when you’re lane-splitting or white-lining you are only eight inches away from the hospital. Space is your best health insurance.
Because of the spring runoff, expect a spread of water or some washed out sand right around the next bend in the road. On some of those canyon roads where there is a constant trickle of water running across the road, there may be moss growing under the water, which is about a hundred times more slippery than sand.
Has your battery survived the winter months? Check your tires for tread and pressure and your valve stems for cracks. Run your hands and fingers gently and smoothly over every single part of your bike…. Does everything move that’s supposed to move, and is everything tight that’s supposed to be tight ? Now’s a good time to find out.
The flowers are blooming and the bees are buzzing….It’s the season when you spot other motorcycle riders parked on the side of the road doing the Bee Dance !
How allergic are you to insect bites? Do you carry allergy medicine with you? Check the label to see if the medication will affect your reaction time or other riding abilities.
So, Ride !, Ride !, Ride ! Enjoy the weather, enjoy the roads, and…….Ride Safe !!
1/05 revised
THINKING DOWN THE ROAD
by John Del Santo
Good Riders scan the traffic picture at least a block ahead
in town and a half-mile ahead on the open road, and they try to keep their concentration zeroed in on the developing traffic situations. This would be real easy to do if we were programming a computer or setting the controls on an automatic pilot. Our computer, our flight controller, is located between our ears… And If we supply our brain with the proper info, it can work faster than a computer and is able to think and make decisions which a computer cannot do.
When I am out there rolling down the road on my motorcycle I’m having a more enjoyable ride than the other vehicles around me….Freedom! And when I am out there on a bike, rolling down the road I have put myself in more dangerous circumstances than the other drivers around me. So….. If I am riding along thinking about the argument I had with my kids this morning, or about that terrible driver that violated my right of way at the last intersection, or worrying about my job security, or thinking about paying bills, then I am not supplying my brain, my flight controller, with the right information to keep ME in control of the traffic developing around me. They say that the ‘average’ driver makes about a hundred driving mistakes each mile. We are surrounded out there by all of these “average” drivers, and need to stay sharp and focused to protect ourselves and stay out of the hospital! It would be convenient if we could just “click” our emotions and stress onto ‘Hold’ until we arrive at our destination, but we are not computers… and certainly don’t want to be… far from it. As motorcyclists we want to be free and more in control of ourselves than any of those other drivers around us on the road. If I have a bunch of stuff on my mind, Ill try to put most of it aside while I am riding. But if I don’t, then I am letting outside situations cloud my decisions. Some prescription drugs can change how we’ll react, too…Read the bottle. If I get a late start, and I know that I’ll be fifteen minutes late for that really important appointment, I can call and let them know that I’ll be twenty five minutes late…this will take the pressure off, and gives me some breathing room. If it’s really a terrible horrible nasty emotional day, overflowing with turmoil and stress, we can always cancel the trip. You’re the Boss !! You’re in charge !
Computers crash, and automatic pilots fly planes into the sides of mountains. We can certainly be better than that. We need to do our best to stay alert and focused….Controlled and in charge and ready for just about anything that might happen around us in traffic. Be Aware, No Surprises, and…Ride Safe !!
11/04
THE “EYES” HAVE IT
by John Del Santo
What you see is what you get, and your ride is only as safe as your visibility. California law does not require us to wear glasses when we ride (except when your license calls for glasses or contacts with corrective lenses), but riding without eye protection would probably ruin our day if we met a big fat bumblebee coming at us at 65 MPH. At the same time, California law doesn’t prohibit us from wearing dark glasses after sundown, either, but if we wear sunglasses after dark, we might as well put a paper bag over our head for all the things that we won’t see. As sunlight turns to dark we put the sunglasses away or take off the dark face shield if we expect to see anything out there worth seeing. Even the photo-sensitive lenses that darken as the day gets brighter, don’t clear up all the way when it gets dark….They still maintain about 16% of their shade at night, and we’ll see 16% less of what we need to see, especially as the glasses getolder. “Polarized” sunglasses can give you a problem at certain angles if youhave a windshield that you look through rather than over. The polarized glasses can make the windshield seem cloudy or opaque. That’s one reason they are not considered suitable for pilots, and that type lens can also keep you from seeing L.E.D. gauges on your bike. At the Track, they put blinders on some racehorses to limit their sight towards the front only, so they don’t notice what’s happening around them. The same thing happens when someone wears a pair of glasseswith wide, solid, temple pieces that block their peripheral vision…”Honest, officer….that guy came out of NOWHERE !!” A pair of 50 year old eyes see about 20% less at night than a pair of 20 year old eyes. We may know more, and have more skill and experience, but we do see less. The 50 year old eyes also have slower glare recovery and take longer to focus when shifting from close-to distant-back to close again. If I expect that to happen, it won’t take me by surprise…. A good following distance makes all the difference in the world.
Blue Blocker-type sunglasses can give all the world a pretty glow…Greens are greener, reds are redder, and yellows just tend to blend right away…..which can be a real surprise when the vehicle in front of you puts on their yellow directional signal or the traffic light changes to yellow, and you don’t notice the change for an extra second because of the glasses. Surprise ! Surprise ! There are yellow “night driving glasses” available, and they cut the glare somewhat, but they make ALL the lights coming at you look like yellow lights…A good Glare Coating applied to new glasses by your optometrist will give you better results, and lenses made from shatterproof Polycarbonate are safer than other materials. It is said that cigarettes are not good for our eyesight, and carrots are good for our eyesight. (but the carrots are harder to keep lit).
What we see is what we get…Our eyes are important to our ride ! So we need to do what must be done, to see what must be seen, to keep rolling down the road. Keep your glasses clean, and…..
Ride Safe !!
10/04
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