Basic Safety

As most of you know, one of our new teammates Camille Hood was taken down during the UWBL ride on Saturday. We were 3 hours into a 4 hour effort with about 200 other “A” groupers when a rider suddenly went left across her path, taking out her front wheel. I’m very pleased to report that we avoided total disaster and Camille suffered no broken bones in her crash. Hopefully, she will heal quickly and be back in action soon.

The crash this weekend was a poignant reminder to me and many others that cycling is a dangerous sport. Luckily we do not think about the danger most of the time. If we did, it would be crippling. The constant fear would make it almost impossible to get out there on the road to pedal all those miles every week. Instead we compartmentalize the dangerous thoughts and tuck them neatly away behind our comfort zone boundary. Instead of riding with the continuous thought of impending doom we are free to experience the joys of cycling with our friends. The crash did bring to mind some important issues, and I wanted to remind everyone of some basic actions we can all take personally to help us remain safe in the saddle.

1. Be Alert: This is even more important when you’re riding with a large group of people you don’t know. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable (like Camille’s incident Saturday), but staying aware of what’s around you at all times always pays dividends.
   
   
2. Point Out Obstacles & Communicate: This is one of the most basic forms of group riding etiquette. It’s common courtesy to point out obstacles to the riders behind you. I’ll go farther and say that this is not just a courtesy but an obligation you have to those around you. You must point out obstacles and dangers in the road as soon as you see them. The person in front of you should be doing this for you and you should be doing this for those behind. Pass it on through the pack no matter where you are in that pack. This goes for signaling turns as well. Give people enough notice by signaling your turns safely in advance.
   
   
3. Practice Fundamental Bicycle Handling Skills: I am a firm believer in developing excellent bike handling skills as a foundation for safe cycling. You have to learn the basics and practice the fundamentals BEFORE you are called on to use the skills in a competitive situation. If you learn to avoid situations or adjust to things in the pack before they become large safety issues, we will all be safer. (I will be doing my part to help every teammate learn more fundamental riding skills through some basic skills clinics I will be leading very soon. I promise that everyone will learn a lot no matter what your competency level is already.)
   
   
4. Learn Basic First Aid: There will be times when accidents happen. At those critical moments, it’s important that we all make the right decisions quickly to avoid making things any worse. Every one of us should learn basic first aid so that we will know what to do in the event of a crash. Thankfully, most crashes are minor and don’t require any critical care. However, like Camille’s crash this weekend, sometimes things get more serious. If you learn the basics, you can be an asset in the situation and possibly prevent further injury. Basic First Aid is taught locally or you can just read up online. Even if you’re not officially “certified” you want to make the right decisions quickly.
   
   
5. Carry ID (& Insurance Information): You should never ride your bike without some form of ID. I use a Road ID bracelet and I carry a copy of my driver’s license and insurance card in my saddle bag. You might be with others when you crash, but chances are that none of us know your insurance information. The hospital can find out a lot about us by using our driver’s license.
   
   
6. Cell Phone: I have to admit that I don’t always ride with my cell phone, but it’s a good idea to have at least one with every group. In the event of a critical incident, you will want to get help quickly. Having a phone with you can greatly reduce emergency response time.

Some of you might be thinking that I’m exaggerating to make my point, but I can honestly say that every single bullet point above has come in handy for me or someone else I’ve been riding with in the last 12 months. These basic precautions are excellent safety tools for all of us. At the very least, you will be a little safer and smarter in the saddle. At most, these could save someone’s life.