Bike Safety

Cycling, especially group riding, is a fantastic, social, low impact way to get in shape. As fun as it can be to storm down a hill at 30mph, the sport is inherently dangerous. Cyclists crash, get hit by cars, and even killed much more frequently than we would like to admit. Fortunately, there are some simple rules to avoid most safety hazards and some damage control precautions for when they do happen.

1) Helmet required.

2) Helmet required.
There seems to be some macho resistance to helmet wearing. The problem is that whether the car does something stupid or the cyclist does something stupid, the car tends to drive away intact. At best the cyclist at best tends to leave a substantial amount of skin behind. Similar concepts apply for those cyclists who insist on the right of way. Whoever wins in court later, said cyclist still has a broken ribs and no skin on his or her rear.

3) Cars.
Drivers do stupid things. Expect this and anticipate it because the car vs. cyclist collision always leaves the cyclist in worse condition than the car. Look over your shoulder before crossing lanes to make left turns. Signal. Especially watch out for doors on parked cars, cars making right or left turns in front of you, and cars jumping into the bike lane to park. Be alert and learn the signs. Do not rely on the driver to use turn signals as they rarely do for last minute decisions. Instead watch wheels, brake lights, and signs of hesitation or erratic decision-making. After a while your instincts kick in and if you get the feeling a car is about to do something stupid, it probably will.

4) Signals.
Pointing to the left with your left hand means turning left. Holding left arm up at a 90 degree angle means turning right as does pointing with right hand. Placing left fist behind your waist means stopping. Be sure to clearly point out obstacles such as car doors and potholes although not if this means you will crash yourself.

5) Drafting basics.
~Do not brake suddenly unless you want the people behind you to land on top of you.
~Do not overlap wheels. If someone veers slightly to the side to avoid an object you will go down, along with the rest of your group.
~Do not enter the danger zone about 6 inches off your leader’s back wheels. The safest place to draft is actually directly behind the wheel in front of you because that path should already avoid any obstacles. Some elite cyclists say they actually pay close attention to the person’s brakes
~Point out obstacles for the people behind you because you are blocking their view. The safety of the people on your wheel is in your hands.
~When passing someone in the group, do not pass around the apex of a turn, especially when descending. The inside rider might drift out or there might be a car coming around the other side.

6) Pack riding for triathletes.
Aerobars are for going fast in a straight line. They are not for riding in a pack, cornering, or drafting because you have far less control and your hands are too far from the brakes. This is why drafting is illegal in amateur triathlons. Even in professional, draft legal triathlons where all riders are specially licensed aerobars are not permitted to extend past the brake hoods for safety reasons. In smaller groups (i.e. 2-3) riding in aerobars is acceptable, conditions permitting.

7) Things to carry.
~Cell Phone!!!! The one time you forget this, will be the time you flat in the rain and run out of spare tubes!!
~Spare tubes
~Tire levers
~Patch Kit
~$5 for emergencies
~ID/Health Insurance Cards (recommended)
~Valve extenders (deep dish wheels only)
~CO2 dispenser/cartridges (optional)

8) Crashes
Crashes happen, although infrequently if you follow the above rules. Things to keep in mind when managing a crash:
~If you have been hit by a car, go to the emergency room regardless of your state of being. Calling the police or medical personal is a good idea. The use of a digital or cell phone camera to document wounds, bike damage, location, and car damage is advised. Ambulance rides are expensive but necessary with major injuries, especially head injuries. If the injuries are minor (no signs of concussion), some choose to call a friend or spouse for a ride to the ER. For legal reasons it is vital to document the crash should any complications arise later (i.e. back or neck injuries). I know cyclists who have waited to see a doctor for 6 months after being hit by a car only to have a spine fracture show up on x-ray.
~Clean out your road rash. This means scrub with antiseptics such as Betadine, hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol. This is absolutely vital to your safety and well-being. I have seen life-threatening cellulitis and blood borne staph infections develop in untreated road rash within 36 hours of a crash. If the area looks red, swollen, hot, and develops a red streak aimed for your core/heart go to the emergency room IMMEDIATELY, especially if accompanied by a fever. These infections are can be extraordinarily aggressive and threatening to life and limb without aggressive antibiotic therapy.
~If a wound “gaps” go immediately to the emergency room for stitches. It will heal much faster with less scarring. After a certain period of time you cannot get stitches because the risk for infection is too high.
~Cover the wound, preferably using Neosporin or some similar antibiotic wound formula to keep it moist. Bike shops sometimes carry wound formulas specifically for road rash. Tegaderm is especially good to cover and seal the wound so you can even swim. If you use Tegaderm be sure to change every 2-3 days to prevent infections.
~The next couple of days after a crash tend to feel pretty sore and lousy. If there is any pain out of the ordinary, especially point tenderness over a bone or back pain, see a doctor. If it hurts to breathe GO TO THE ER as you may have broken a rib which puts you at risk of pneumonia or a collapsed lung.