Saturday, January 17, 2004
WINTER RIDING SAFETY REMINDER PHOTO
Since the holiday season is quite past now, I thought it was time to take down the photo of our little tree. But what to replace it with? What better than a daily reminder as to the road conditions along my route in the winter. Now this won't have a new photo daily, but is there so that we look at it every day, and so that it reminds us that we have to ride consciously of the road conditions.
One of the secrets to winter riding is taking things a little slower, a little more carefully, and recognizing when dangerous areas pop up along your route. It is obviously necessary to ride a little differently than in the summer. And I think that some of us don't always take that to heart. So when you look at the photo remind yourself to be aware while out there commuting.
This little stretch of road is ride outside my doorway at home, but is typical of the route all the way along to work. This is along the shoulder, or parking area, along the roadway. And fortunately the actual roadways are clear, but there are few of us who can keep up with traffic enough to be able to stay in the road consistently without holding up traffic, and we are sometimes relying on the shoulders for travel.
I cannot for example keep up with traffic along Bridge St out of New Cumberland because it is a long steady uphill, with some undulations along the more level stretch at the top of the hill. But I always use the side of the extra wide roadway so that vehicles can pass me along this way, well now that isn't so easy because of the ice and snow, and the lack of clearance along the sides as opposed to the main road path. And unless another warmup arives, it may stay like this for a long time, so we ahave to be aware, practice our winter driving skills, and give ourselves a little more time perhaps to be safe.
Song of the day: The Grateful Dead's "Ripple" performed by Jane's Addiction
One of the secrets to winter riding is taking things a little slower, a little more carefully, and recognizing when dangerous areas pop up along your route. It is obviously necessary to ride a little differently than in the summer. And I think that some of us don't always take that to heart. So when you look at the photo remind yourself to be aware while out there commuting.
This little stretch of road is ride outside my doorway at home, but is typical of the route all the way along to work. This is along the shoulder, or parking area, along the roadway. And fortunately the actual roadways are clear, but there are few of us who can keep up with traffic enough to be able to stay in the road consistently without holding up traffic, and we are sometimes relying on the shoulders for travel.
I cannot for example keep up with traffic along Bridge St out of New Cumberland because it is a long steady uphill, with some undulations along the more level stretch at the top of the hill. But I always use the side of the extra wide roadway so that vehicles can pass me along this way, well now that isn't so easy because of the ice and snow, and the lack of clearance along the sides as opposed to the main road path. And unless another warmup arives, it may stay like this for a long time, so we ahave to be aware, practice our winter driving skills, and give ourselves a little more time perhaps to be safe.
Song of the day: The Grateful Dead's "Ripple" performed by Jane's Addiction
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