Tag: safety

Indicate for a Brighter Tomorrow

Anthroposemiotics, or human communication, is a fascinating field. We, the good people of this plant, are rather remarkable in our ability to use sounds, signs, and signals for the purpose of cooperation and sharing intentions.

What began as a grunt-grunt in some prehistoric cave, developed into words. There are thousands of languages spoken in the world today, with millions of variations on the theme of verb conjugation, and innumerable school children that suffer the consequence of this sophistication. Language is perhaps the highest level of communication, but there are other means of getting your point across. Facial expressions and body language, for example. A wide-eyed gape or an eye-roll are as effective at saying “no way, dude!” or “whatevs” as the words. In fact, these less intricate modes might be considered of greater integrity than language, which is prone to manipulation and subject to interpretation.

The more basic the means, the greater the clarity.

Signage is a good example of this. A big, fat, yellow sign with Skippy is hard to misunderstand. It’s simple, but clear. Which brings us neatly to the point behind this particular attempt at communication: indicating.

Indicating?—?a seriously underestimated, mundane example of communication, but one of its most splendid manifestations.

Once upon a time, in the dark ages before drive-thrus, people had to use legs to get about. Not satisfied with their own two legs, they employed the four legs of the horsey. But even this left a need?—?a need for speed. There followed a few attempts at harnessing the power of steam, until someone went “Aha! Combustion engine!” Suddenly the population was able to convey themselves at neck-breaking speed.

Well, it was more like two dudes, François and his mate, Bob. Though a bad fall on your head at 8km/h could do some damage.

History, as we live it, was written. Eventually everybody got driving, and driving got pretty fast.

At some point someone decided that it would make sense to equip the automobile with means of conveying one’s intention to other drivers. This was in a time of top-hats and old-worldly sophistication, where good manners and etiquette, still mattered. It makes sense that the history of indicating can be dated back to an age where people knew the proper reply to “how do you do”.

When I convey myself down the highway in my automobile and someone indicates, I hear a posh Victorian voice saying:

“Good day, Madame. It is my intention to change lanes to my left, and hope that this purpose will be well received by your good self. If you should find it convenient, I would hold it in the highest regard should you offer your cooperation. Kind Regards, and wishing you a pleasant day, Mr. Volvo.”

When someone performs any maneuver without indicating, I hear Donald Trump saying:

“Fuck you, I’m Tweeting.”

Indicating is, obviously, a matter of safety. Letting the five-ton truck behind you know that you are about to merge seems like basic survival instinct. Indicating also makes people active drivers by encouraging thought before communication before action. It makes the driving collective more efficient?—?clear communication keeps things running smoothing and without unnecessary delays. As a driver, the pursuit of your own interest (i.e. getting somewhere safely and speedily) is in everybody’s interest. By being a safe, responsible driver you are contributing to the communal happiness by also helping everyone else attain their goal.

The fact that thousands of people can speed along in their cars, heading in opposite directions, in a relatively civilized and orderly fashion is nothing short of magical. Roads offer methodical access, while traffic lights and signs provide order. But indicating?—?indicating brings the humanity. Without these little flashes of recognition, we are just automatons mindlessly bopping along on the road to nowhere. We start, we stop, we start, we stop, and we are alone.

Indicating brings us together. It is an acknowledgement. It is acceptance of the fact that we all have to share this world, and the roads, and that a little bit of consideration will make the journey a more pleasant one.

Indicating might not be as showy as a Shakespearian sonnet, but it is the most eloquent expression of survival savvy, efficiency, and civility.

And all this goodness requires basically no effort. A little flick of the finger and you are making the world a better place.

Which is why one’s mind is always boggled by the number of people who opt out of this exercise of common sense and decency. Every day, on highways and side streets, thousands of drivers are extending only the proverbial middle finger.

Why?

Perhaps laziness. Or bad habits. Or perhaps it is a symptom of the disconnectedness of our times. We trust in the virtue of our own instant gratification. Any discomfort, however slight, is considered a breach against my right to be comfortable at all times. I look away, buy something pretty, and assure myself that my needs are definitely more significant than anybody else’s. Aggressive individualism does not benefit the individual. It fragments society and isolates people from each other. The only ones who benefit are the organisations trying to sell you something.

You are just so damn special that you deserve this $100k SUV with all the safety features. Think about the kids. Think about the box of eggs you have in the trunk. You can crash this beauty into a cement bypass at 120km/h without so much as spilling your coffee. You need this to be safe, and you should be safe because you are special.

Or you could just indicate.

There should be some empirical research done into the cost of non-indicating. It would be interesting to know just how many accidents might be traced back to someone randomly ploughing their 4×4 across all the lanes, without so much as a wink. It would be good to have data on the number of delays caused by confused drivers having to anticipate the intentions of the Jeep God in front of them. If he goes left, the rains will come.

Do the non-indicators think themselves too cool to play along? Society expects them to indicate, but they just won’t be tied down by no rules. It may be some kind of misguided attempt at rebellion. James Dean probably didn’t indicate either.

Whatever the reason: stop. Or rather, start. Start being a slightly more considerate human being, who accepts the possibly of the world not revolving around you. Start paying other people a bit more respect, and in the process start being part of a community. It is the little things that make the world a better place?—?a smile from a stranger, someone giving up their seat on the train.

Start making the world a better place?—?indicate.

A beginners guide to picking the right bicycle

Many recent graduates of our adult bike classes have a number of burning questions all around the same topic: what type of bike should I buy? What’s the best bicycle for me? And, most importantly, how much should I spend?

Whilst all good questions, we thought we should provide you with a checklist that will help you make the right decision. Firstly, whilst it’s tempting to just ask for any bicycle as a Christmas gift and leave the decision-making process to someone else, be aware that this will result in two things: 1) You will have a bike (yay). 2) You will most likely have a bike that, at least in some respects, you may not actually like. So, make the choice of picking a bicycle yours, then, with a specific list of criteria defined by you, hand the list to Santa (or go shopping yourself).

A lot of budget conscious beginners wonder whether purchasing a second-hand bicycle would do the trick. With any bicycle the question is, do you know what you want? If you do and you find the right bicycle on gumtree, of course that’s an option. With any new purchase that’s not from a reputable retailer, do budget money for a decent service before you embark on your first ride. Be aware that a very cheap bike may turn into a costly steed if many vital parts need replacing. If you’re not sure how to check whether a bike is roadworthy, do yourself a favour and go with a purchase that comes with a warranty.

Start your contemplation by pinning down what type of riding you think you’ll be doing most. Think about the lengths of rides, are they short strolls around your neighbourhood? Are you planning to go riding in the hills? Do you want to commute to work? How fit are you and what skill level do you have? The distance you’re planning to travel, the type of surface you’ll be riding on and the potential to carry bags with you are all determining factors of what will be most suitable bicycle for you. For someone who is just getting back into riding these questions may not be easily answered, but they are incredibly worthwhile to think about.

Find a quality retailer who is helping you with customising your bicycle to suit your needs.

As long as you’re not sure what type of riding you may enjoy, the best option could be to simply hire a range of different bikes over a few weekends and trial them for comfort and fit. Try a bicycle with a step through frame that will see you sit-up straight and will allow you to move your leg onto the bicycle easily. The advantages of step-through bicycles are they are easy to ride for beginners as their tires are usually wider, allowing you to ride with ease on asphalt as well as gravel surfaces. Step-throughs are also forgiving when you bumble over curbs and they handle storing of little cargo like shopping, or handbags in baskets or on penny racks easily.

Disadvantages? Step-throughs are usually heavier and slower. If you plan to put your bicycle onto, or inside your car to get to the start of your riding trip this type of bicycle will require some serious elbow-grease. Another down-side is the number of gears. Usually step-throughs come with a smaller number of them (three to seven). This makes getting the hang of them easier, but it also means the longer and more hilly your ride, the more effort is required on your behalf.

Mountain bicycles are perfect for gravel roads and off-road adventures. They can be even fun to ride in city environments and make handling curbs and bumps easy. Plenty of gears will get you up those hills in no time and their thick, wide tires provide plenty of grip on gravel, although they will slow you down on asphalt. The flat, straight handlebar of mountain bikes can be challenging for beginners as the seating position feels a lot more forward, which can be daunting.

If you like the flat handle bar of a mountain bike, but are planning to ride more on sealed ground a combination of the step-through and mountain bike could be the right vehicle. City bicycles or commuter bicycles can usually accommodate a little bit of both worlds and still give you a some level of comfort. City bicycles come usually with thinner tires – remember, the thinner the tires the speedier the ride! While enjoyed by regular riders, a quick, sleek ride can be slightly terrifying for beginners.

You should know that any part of your bicycle can be customised. For example, if a standard flat handle-bars is annoying you, it can be replaced with a differently shaped one. If you love the colour and frame of your pick, but don’t like its seat, it can be fitted with another one. The key is to find someone who listens to your wishes and is assisting you with adjusting your bike. if you are told that replacing pedals or putting on a penny rack or basket isn’t possible then you may not be talking to the right person. It definitely pays to shop around.

After you’ve tested a few bicycles go with the one that you’re comfortable with right now, not the one you’re told will be the right match in a year’s time. Plenty of bicycles end up unused, stacked in garages because they just weren’t the right purchase. Things like position of the seat, handlebar, ease of reaching and using your brakes are crucial – if it doesn’t feel right now you will very likely be dreading to get on the bicycle instead of using your new vehicle regularly. The advantage of going on a test ride is that you can see whether after twenty minutes your opinion of the bicycle is still the same or whether it is uncomfortable. Always listen to your butt as well as your gut!

Making riding a bike safer: what can we do?

Safety, or lack of perceived and actual safety, is one of the main reasons people don’t choose to ride a bicycle. how can we make riding a bicycle safer?

Building better infrastructure, one in which bicycles, cars and pedestrians are completely separated from each other, may be a quick reply, but not a quick solution. Planning, design, development and implementation takes decades and that’s if only if those involved in infrastructure projects are favouring a separation approach. Our car-centric philosophy is only slowly changing; a painstaking process.

Creating a more harmonious culture on the road may be another approach. Changing people’s behaviour on the road – regardless of how they travel – is a terrific idea and one badly needing implementation. In theory, few people disagree with a statement that “we all have to share and care for each other”. But then there is reality. On our daily commute home we’re sorely reminded that it seems everybody elses mission to get home QUICKLY counts more than safety.

Encouraging road-harmony requires advertising and educational campaigns to change actual road behaviour. Reports looking at behaviour changes as a result of Queensland’s passing distance laws suggest the media blitz around the introduction of the new laws had an instantly positive effect on people’s behaviour.

Admittedly, this can be a costly approach, not as pricy as building a more cohesive network, but still worth a couple of millions, no doubt.

While we might be waiting for both advertising and infrastructure a little while longer is there something we can do to increase our own safety (apart from flatly refusing to ride a bicycle)? Without people on bicycles already riding “out there”, proving and promoting that riding a bicycle is a smart transport solution, there’d be little point in tackling any long term solutions.

What we can look at is the most common factors for accidents. Particularly useful is the Monash Alfred Cycle Crash Study (MACCS), completed in July 2012, which collected data from 158 patients who were presenting at two emergency departments in Melbourne.

Reading a comprehensive crash report may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is fascinating, completely worthwhile and I encourage you to give it a go though.

Firstly, there are a few parameters of the study that slightly skew the image: the study surveyed people on bicycles who had been involved in an accident – excluding fatalities. The majority of interviewees were male, between the age of 35 and 54. Almost all possessed a drivers licence. More than half were riding more than 50 kilometres weekly and almost all of the other half were riding even further – more than 100 kilometres per week. If your guess is they were mainly riding road bikes you’d be spot on. And yes, most wore a helmet, also no surprise given Australia’s helmet laws.

In other words, according to this study, if you’re male, middle-aged, riding long distances you’re more likely to have an accident. Well, the majority of people on bicycles tick those boxes, it doesn’t mean young female riders are safe.

Elements of the study that were useful (keeping in mind above bias and the small sample number) are the following: 60% of the accidents occurred as a single road user crash, meaning only the rider was involved. The other 40% of crashes involved moving cars, other bicycles, parked cars and stationary cars (in exactly this hierarchy of occurence).

More specifically, of the 21 cases which involved moving cars the cars had been turning (either parallel left turn, same direction or across an intersection).

Particularly interesting was the fact that more than half of the riders involved in an accident were travelling at or over 20 kilometres an hour. Given that more than half of the accidents only involved the bicycle speed is a crucial factor. People travelling on fast road bikes have little time to respond to obstacles. Unfortunately, being conducted in Melbourne, tram tracks are a big problem.

So, advice to take with you when riding out and about: slow down, pay attention to objects in front of you and watch out for turning cars. On that note, happy pedalling.