Perils of Biking and how to avoid mitigate them

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 19, 2017

Happy Rizal (Birth)Day today.  It is a holiday in entire Laguna to celebrate the natal day of who is recognized as national hero.

Warning:   the pictures are graphic and can be disturbing

From topgear - Nathan Buenconsejo - pinned by jeepney   He is a kapadyak from Rain Forest in Pasig City

1127 deaths from bicycle accidents

The article reports that in 2005 to 2013, there were 1127 deaths arising from accidents involving bicycles compared to only 366 involving 4 wheeled or more vehicles.  This is 3x  more


I have long wanted to write on this to collate my experience on the said topic:  perils of biking and how they can be motivated.  It always escapes my attention until yesterday when a twenty foot container plowed into several people killing four in Taytay Rizal. Another post at facebook showed a donation campaign for a biker who met an accident in Antipolo:   he broke his jaw when his brake locked which caused his fall. He needed jaw reconstruction which cost a lot of money.

Many of us would dismiss or shrug off the dangers and just be careful;   when we have to go we  go.  And we would like to go with our boots on (cleats on) rather than wait for our time on the rocking chair.

I would like to list down classifications of causes/sources of dangers from biking:

Bikers Road Safety vs. SAFE as a theme/priority

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 7, 2016

This post commends the gathering of Rizal leaders:  provincial fiscal, the Comelec PNP director for having its theme of S.A.F.E, (Secure and Fair Election) as their theme, and to promote that in yesterday's MTB race.. Unless there the political dynasty in Rizal are vicious warlords, and unless they have worthy opponents, the unsafe or unfair election are mostly unlikely to happen.  The bikers and the general public could not care less and may be irrelevant for most riders. What can bike riders do to ensure safe and fair election?  Only the police, Comelec, and the prosecutors can.

I suggest that we should have paid attention for safe and accident free riding as the next relevant theme for the ride.   There are numerous altercations and accidents involving motorcycle vs bikers, tricycle vs bikers, and large motor vehicles and bikers.  One or the worst was the death of Eljay Arambulo, a newbie who was struck by a Meralco sub contractor in Mahabang Parang.

In yesterday;s race for MTB sponsored by MTB, despite the numerous PO marshalls and motorcycle cops several disturbing contra riders actuations by mv drivers put many riders at risk.  In intersections, the obstructions were numerous inviting collisions and crashes. In one instance, on the way back to the municipal hall grounds of Binangonan, a tricycle came running at high speed right into the path of bikers (they are supposed to be a the middle lane.   I nearly collided with that tricycle.

Let us campaign for biker friendly MV MC drivers.  As of now. they are not.

They cant think of anything except their bikes and padyak!

Beware of road hazards - Ride Safe

Real Cyclists

Angono, Rizal, PHL  | February 19, 2013

A tragic traffic accident happened yesterday at dawn.  A group of young ones collided head on with a motor vehicle and three died.

 Choco2 I heard met a traffic accident Sunday evening -  he was bumped by a motorcycle.

Here are some reminders:

l.  Avoid riding at night.  If you do, wear reflectorized vests, and have equipment with reflector tapes or LED lamps.  Be visible if you ride at night.

2.  Be wary of motorcycles.  They are the new hazards on the road.  They could come from your right, or head on.  They ride at terrific and unsafe speeds.

3.  Maintain a distance of l.5 meters if you pass parked vehicles. (This is the Singapore standard) If they open the door which is usually less than l meter, then you will not run smack into the door.  I just saw last Saturday a MTB that rammed into an Elf door that was just opened.

4.  Most resurfacing of roads (and they are busy doing this before the construction ban mandated by the Election Code starts) are usually 3 inches thick.  The uneven surface are dangerous.  If you must change lane:  from shoulder to main road surface, you are bound to fall.  Better look for the place where elevation difference is slight.  Or better still, stop walk your bike up the incline..

It was close...

Biking and good health


                       

I nearly got sideswiped by a Binangonan Cainta Jeep UDL 887 white paint at Bilibiran and was witnessed by Amigo, whom I rode with early going back home, and a biker from Sunnyvale 3 (I was the developer of that subdivision).  It was that close;   maybe just 0.5 mm and I was just waiting for the fall and the crash to happen.  For only PHP 8 fare, the young jeepney driver can afford to injure me and cause my disability! Wow.  How could he?  He can choose to give me a wide berth

And just to think that the opposite lane was clear.  Paging TMG LFTRB, PNP.  Let us discipline these maniacs on the road.  I can not  make "Isumbong kay Tulfo" or T3 because they are busy with Santiago and Claudine.

When can we stop such homicidal and irresponsible behavior on the road?  Are these jeepney drivers a.  flaunting their TODA size (that they can violate the law?) b,  or that is from their own free choice or c.  the enforcers are not l00% to their job?   Take your pick.

There is a limit on how we can be safe riders.  The others are not.

Safe Biking from Slideshare

"Mens sana en corpora sano" Sound mind in a sound body.

Cycling Safety (bicycles)

View more presentations from Richard_Birdsey

Avoiding Crash When Riding a Paceline or Peloton

As we monitor the Tour de France, we learn of the many crashes by top riders.  Alberto Contador had crash early on and now there is Horner quitting because of a bad crash which left him with broken nose, badly bruised leg disabling him from further continuing the Tour. At speeds of 50 kmh and above on flats, and up to 90 downhill, bad crashes are part of the game at Tour de France.

At the recreational level, crashes can be avoided by following certain rules/tips:
l  Focus.  Dont think of anything else or do anything else (like drinking water) when you are riding fast and furious.
2.  The lead rider must give timely and correct hand signal:  when to slow down, avoid obstacles, turn left etc.
3.   No swerving or sudden braking. even if it means destroying your rim or having a flat.  A multiple crash is more expensive. To slow down, let rise up to let the wind be your brake.
4.  Practice wheel touch.  Our reflex action is to avoid the offender but this really cause the crash.  They say you have to turn your wheel again to the contact point.  But then again, it can be learned by riding slowly at grassy ground and practicing wheel touch.
5. When turning, avoid ground with loose sand and gravel.  It can cause your wheels at the rear to slide and crash.
6.  Be safe.  Beware of:

     l.  Cars that may come out of garage or intersections.
     2.  Stay to the left of vehicles you are following so that the driver will see you at his rear view mirror (he often uses the left) and so that you can avoid his vehicle when he stops.  Be extra careful if its a tricycle or jeepney you are following.
     3.  Stay clear off parked cars by at least 2 meters because the doors may suddenly open and you may crash into their door.
     4.  Observe the precaution when riding in wet condition.  Ride more slowly.  Avoid steel manhole covers and paint on the road for road signs.  They are very very slippery when wet,  and dangerous too.

There Oughta be Some Order

We need to improve on many thing that piss us off on the road:

l.  Motorcyle riders, jeepney drivers, tricyle drivers must drive safely.  When they drive, they drive as if bike riders do not exist.  For a measly P8.00 fare, a jeepney driver will without warning screech to a halt in front of you or drive you off the road just to get one (l) one passenger.As for motorcycle riders, many of them must learn traffic rules, courtesy, and safety.  Many of them don't and they pay dearly with broken body parts if not their lives...

2,  Smoke belching vehicles must have their smoke belching corrected.  Its  bad for our lungs.

3.  Gratings that are traps on the road must be removed.(DPWH?)

4.  All motor vehicle drivers must be educated that bikers. like them are entitled to one lane on the road.  One lane, repeat one lane not a sliver of space.(LTO? TMG)

5.  Our dear beer, wine, alcohol (alcogel?) drinkers, and others must not throw broken glasses or glasses on the road.  They are the main causes of flats. I thought we have proper solid waste disposal.  And the road is not the place to throw solid waste.... Hmmmm.

6. Road joints especially without seal in the middle can cause flats or fatal crash.  In Jalajala there are so many.  It takes little amount of asphalt (bitumen to remedy this. Where does the road maintenance budget go?) DPWH?

7.  The taunted bike lanes that are used as parking of homeowners or with dangerous obstacles in the middle?  Are you kidding?

Concerned bureaucrats must do something?!