I received this from Paul French – Blue Knight MWRC Safety Officer
Thought I would share the MWRC Newsletter Safety Report with you folks…
HELLO BLUE KNIGHTS….Been out riding for a while now? Mid-summer, the National BK Convention is over, several Conferences have finished their annual meetings but there are some fall conference get-together’s still to go.
You feel like you now have SAFETY well under your belt for the year?
Don’t think SAFETY is a concern now with your riding shape all under control?
Hmmmm how about these things: STEEL BRIDGE GRATINGS & RAIN GROOVES = these can be unnerving to some. But you have the correct things down – right? You – Don’t grip the handlebars TOO TIGHT. If there is a viibration in the handlebars you DO NOT fight it. You know this is a natural feedback from your tires going over those thousands of little steel squares.
You know the same about highway RAIN GROOVES. You know the purpose of those rain grooves is NOT some anti-cycling DOT ogre trying to knock you down, but instead it’s the DOT trying to keep traction for cars and trucks when it rains. You know it is your selection of tire tread on your cycle that affects the way your cycle will react on those grooves.
Again, you have the rain groove riding down pat – right? You – rearealize that if it feels like you have a flat tire when getting a squishy back & forth sideways motion that it’s likely just the rain grooves versus your tire tread. You DON’T worry. You keep going straight. You DON’T fight the handlebars. You know it “just feels funny.”
You have already ridden in RAIN. You know the rain gear fits OK, rain gloves are boots work just fine (your winter weight didn’t make the rain suit TOO tight). You’re MOST CAUTIOUS at the very start of rain, when road oil and residue cause the most slipperiness. You slow down, try not to cause tire traction to lose its road grip. Your more cautious on curves and avoid quick jerk turns.
OK, you are well on the way to a SAFE RIDING YEAR. Keep it up. We’ll see you on the highway and conventions where you arrive safe & sound.
Paul French MWRC Safety Officer