And once again, the new year highlights that there is a very real differentiator between “bicyclists” and “people who bike.” This differentiator can be fatal, as in the case of Kerry Steven Baker. Mr. Baker was killed pre-dawn on New Year’s morning, [...]]]>

So, here we are. Minneapolis gets recognition and awards for its bike culture. Bicyclists, woo!

And once again, the new year highlights that there is a very real differentiator between “bicyclists” and “people who bike.” This differentiator can be fatal, as in the case of Kerry Steven Baker. Mr. Baker was killed pre-dawn on New Year’s morning, riding northbound in the southbound lanes of the 4700 block of East River Road, near the Anoka County Riverfront Park. He was hit by a plow going southbound in those southbound lanes.

News reports are calling out that he had no lights and no helmet, but not calling out that much like lacking a headlamp in the dark, riding against the flow of traffic is contrary to Minnesota state regulations for bicycle use. Nope, it’s all about the helmet!

Further revelations (via Fridley Patch) indicate that the deceased had a long criminal record featuring many kinds of violations that would preclude driving a car legally, although nothing has outright stated that he lacked a driver’s license.

These sorts of accidents really call out the people who aren’t touched by “bicycle culture!” as is so frequently touted in mags like Bicycling, or on sites like Grist or Streetsblog, which speak to a certain level of audience. These people get lost in things like the annual bicycle counts for the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program, because they don’t use “commuter” routes, and are often out at irregular times. Often, these people don’t speak great English, use sidewalks, don’t wear helmets, don’t have lights, etc.

There is much to be said that making roads safer for bicyclists also makes it safer for people who bike. But most communities remain stuck on the how of reaching many of the people who bike, because they are so outside of their experience. Some communities don’t even recognize/realize the need.

At the end of the day, the cycling movement really needs to work on empowering people beyond the spandex-clad, the hipsters, the young, and find ways to reach out to people who feel forced to ride, and people who think riding is out of reach, such as many women, people with kids, etc. It’s a hard problem. But the first step is recognizing the need, and not getting too caught up in congratulations, awards, and circle-jerking within the core community of bicyclists — a group who often look down on people who bike, and a group who people who bike often feel no kinship with. We’re all on these roads together.

Edit/Addition: The section of road where this cyclist died is highly bikeable, and there are several off-road routes that overlap, but are unlikely to have been passable immediately post-snow. A lot more of this accident is on wrong-way riding and a lack of lights — both of which can be taught. This accident was by no means a facility issue.

This brings up the important safety question of what to do when the sky lets loose and you’re on your bicycle. Generally speaking, if you know there’s tornado warnings, you shouldn’t be wandering on out to go for a nice ride. That’s [...]]]>

Last night, Minnesota saw some yellow-green skies and golfball-sized hail. Spring has in fact sprung.

This brings up the important safety question of what to do when the sky lets loose and you’re on your bicycle. Generally speaking, if you know there’s tornado warnings, you shouldn’t be wandering on out to go for a nice ride. That’s somewhere between ‘kinda dumb’ and ‘evolution failed,’ depending on the warning and the notice you have, and the sort of ride you’re about to execute.

However, there are days where rain is predicted for ‘after 3.’ You leave at 10 AM, knowing you have plenty of time for some good miles and a stop for a double-scoop waffle cone. You blow a tire, and have to spend a bunch of time stabilizing it with duct tape and a dollar, then you cut your scoop short to a single. And the storm, it seems, is showing up at 2, not 3. In these situations, you need to have a duck-and-cover protocol.

As the sky starts turning green, consider your strategy. Do you know the area? If you’re in the country, is there a town or a gas station nearby? Even if it’s not necessarily in the proper path of your eventual destination, start heading towards the nearest source of shelter. If the sky is putting lime in its coconut, it’s not the time to be concerned about progress to endpoint.

In general, once the sky opens up and is pounding, let alone emitting hail, you should get off the road. There will be some cars who continue in the weather; depending on volume of downpour/hail and visibility, they are dumb. As far as you, on a bicycle, are concerned, the visibility factor is giant. You won’t be able to see or be seen, which can end badly.

Look for some form of cover. In the city, bridges and overpasses can work pretty well. If you’re fortunate, you may be near a shop — or better yet, a cafe. Nearby homes with garages or car sheds may also be an option. In the country, you may have some bridge or overpass options, but often you end up needing to show more creativity. A culvert won’t keep you dry, but it’s a safer place to be (short of flash flooding). I spent one hailstorm in Wisconsin hanging out in a crop-duster shed. If you’re really fortunate, you’ll be near the rural center of action and be able to get in to the town bar. While you may feel weird showing up with your bike and little bike shorts, the locals will typically be welcoming and nice about the fact that you don’t want to be hailed on. Stay away from metal objects, like metal picnic tables, and possibly your bike if you have enough space to put some distance between you and it.

Don’t decide the storm is over too soon. If you have been unable to get into a building situation with wether radio or TV, this can be a challenge. In the situation with the crop duster shed, I was a mile from the rest stop for the event, and I knew there were cookies there (cookies!). I was already soaked. The wind had eased off and the rain was much more sensible. I figured I could make a break for it. About a quarter mile out, POW. Got hailed on. Not recommended. So don’t trust me to give you tips on telling when the storm blew, just try to figure it out and hope.

Be safe out there.

Go read it, for it is super awesome.

But cycling safety goes beyond those issues. Taking care of YOURSELF is also core to cycling safety, especially on sweltering summer days like the one we’re having today here in Minnesota.

There are a number [...]]]>

When bicycle advocates talk about safety, they frequently talk about engineering issues, defensive cycling and vehicular behavior, stopping at stop signs, etc. etc.

But cycling safety goes beyond those issues. Taking care of YOURSELF is also core to cycling safety, especially on sweltering summer days like the one we’re having today here in Minnesota.

There are a number of considerations:

• Hydration. If you don’t hydrate, you can lose concentration. This can be dangerous. When it’s especially hot, you’re going to sweat more (more on that later), and thus you need to intake more. Plain old water is your friend, as are drinks with electrolytes. I personally like to take sport drink and mix it halvsies with water to make it less sweet, but still get sodium and potassium.
• Nutrition. I can’t tell you how many people trying to use cycling as weight control I’ve seen bonk because they’re trying to dodge taking in calories. You can balance the two and output more than you input, but your body needs glycogen to break into fat stores, which requires a bit of a quick-hit input. You also need, as mentioned, potassium and sodium. Water and low-calorie ‘sports drink’ alone may not be sufficient. When you bonk, this can be unsafe.<.li>
• Sunscreen. Look, skin cancer is no fun. I spent part of last weekend just wincing watching people ride by shirtless, and it was clear that the chest on display hadn’t seen sun in YEARS and if you held a piece of white printer paper up next to it, it’d blend. This just yells ‘ouch.’ Sunburn can raise your body temperature, and is skin damage. A generic sport sunscreen, reapplied regularly, is a fine thing.
• Moderation. Maybe the day with a 101 heat index isn’t a good day to do hill repeats. Moving your workout to dawn and dusk, outside the day’s heat and most direct sun, is a good start. Consider easier workouts, as hot weather can stress the heart, create air quality issues that stress the lungs, and stress your body’s ability to regulate temperature. Sweat is the body’s way of reducing temperature – you sweat, it evaporates on your skin, you cool. But if heat index is greater than standard body temperature, the evaporation step may be missing. Be aware of your body’s response to heat!

There are other considerations for heat, as well. Check your tire pressure, as temperature changes can impact the inflation of your tires. Beware of pavement tar strips intended to fix cracks, as they are treacherous when hot. Find a shady route. Or consider cross-training: A pool workout can build your upper-body core, all while being in delightful and refreshing water.

Being well is a first step to being safe. Never undervalue your own health in the safety equation!