Archive: Odds and ends
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After the big RIF last year at work, I inherited responsibility for the soda machine - a vital caffeine lifeline to the software developers at my office. It doesn't take much time - about 5 minutes a week - and at 35 cents each it's good for morale, so I don't sweat it, in spite of my overly lofty job description. A guy from the main office in Orange County brings the sodas I need once a week, so all I have to do is load it up and do the monthly accounting.
There was a big run on Diet Coke this week, and the regular delivery is delayed until Monday, so I had to bring in an emergency 12-pack today on my FJR. I looked around for some bungies to tie the box down to the stock rear rack, but couldn't find any. On a whim I decided to test the box in the right saddle bag to see how many I'd have to pull out to make it fit - and was somewhat surprised that the box fit inside as is.
In the past I've loaded up two one-gallon containers - a milk and an orange juice - in one saddle bag, so I knew they were big. I just didn't think they were that big.
Posted 9 Apr 2010 @ 9.34 AM
Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence.
Posted 6 Sep 2009 @ 12.06 PM
My friend Doug stopped by tonight after work. He wanted a second set of eyes on a nail he found in the rear tire of his VFR.
Luckily, when we pulled it out we found that it was to top of a rounded brad, and it was embedded only in the tread layer. It was at a weird angle, and it looked like a bad one, but it was short and mostly on its side, so it hadn't penetrated the belts.
Since we had all the roadside tire repair gear out, we practiced plugging a hole with string, on an old tire I had around.
Afterwards, we got in out of the heat and talked for a while. I'm going to take his advice and go to Yamaha of Rancho Cucamonga for my 52,000 mile valve check.
I had a great time!
Posted 25 Aug 2009 @ 10.36 PM
This article by Nick Ienatsch was originally published in the August 1995 issue of Sport Rider magazine.
Ten years ago I signed on at Motorcyclist magazine and began commuting to work on a motorcycle over the busiest freeways and streets of Los Angeles. In those 10 years of commuting, two staff members had commuting accidents, neither of which caused significant damage or pain. That's five to seven editors riding to work every working day for 10 years. If we were the survey panel, the conclusion would be that commuting on a motorcycle is an extremely safe way to get to work. And with the proper skills, it can be.
Experience is a great teacher, but an often painful one. To help shortcut experience, we've compiled five basic steps to existing in traffic to help get commuters out of their cars and onto motorcycles. You'll save time (one of the few nonreplenishable resources we have!) and reduce parking problems, and your work day will begin and end with less stress and more pleasure. One thing we know for sure: That sport bike in your garage isn't just for Sunday mornings.
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URBAN GUERRILLA STEP ONE: TRUST NO ONE
Learn to rely on one person, and one person only: yourself. Be paranoid. When you see a dented, dirty or neglected car, be especially paranoid. Dents are a rolling history of mistakes, and you don't want to be involved. Dirt and neglect show disinterest, and that disinterest probably bleeds into their driving as well.
Experience has taught us to watch for particular car types in addition to neglected cars. Volvo works hard to promote the safety of its cars, and that means some owners of Volvos buy them because they know they're going to be in an accident. Sure, it's an unfair generalization of Volvo owners, but it's an observation made after a decade in Los Angeles. Watch for minivans. They're usually purchased to carry the kids, so the driver is often dealing with much more than the road. Beware of high-performance cars in a hurry; a modern car can accelerate and change lanes surprisingly quickly, so give them room if they're driving aggressively. Give four-wheel drive pickups some room because (another unfair generalization) they're often driven by aggressive young men who believe that might makes right. What car types can you trust? None.
URBAN GUERRILLA STEP TWO: AVOID BLIND SPOTS
If one thought rules your urban riding, let it be this: Stay out of blind spots. If you can't see the driver's face in the car's mirror, that driver can't see you and you simply don't exist. Place blind-spot avoidance on top of your priority list for urban survival. Use acceleration, deceleration and lane position to "ride in the mirrors" of the cars around you. Develop a blind-spot warning buzzer that blares every time you approach a blind spot. The Highway Patrol teaches its riders to constantly move through traffic, to ride slightly (slightly!) faster than traffic and move through blind spots rather than sitting in them. Good advice.
Of course, just because you're riding in the mirrors of a car doesn't mean that driver will use that mirror before changing lanes into you. Position yourself so that if the driver fails to see you in the mirror, you still aren't in danger of getting tagged. You will know when you're riding well and staying clear of blind spots because you are no longer using your horn to warn encroaching drivers of your presence; they've already seen you in the mirror, alongside or ahead. In fact, our response to "loud pipes save lives" is "get out of the blind spot."
URBAN GUERRILLA STEP THREE: BE DEFENSIVE, BE AGGRESSIVE
Combining defensive tactics and aggressive riding will create a riding portfolio that will weather any storm. The secret is knowing when to use each of the tactics. After all, blasting aggressively down Main Street is an open invitation for trouble. Conversely, creeping slowly down Main Street invites different but still deadly trouble, putting you at the mercy of other drivers' skills-or lack thereof.
Defensive riding means being aware of your space and maintaining that space by positioning yourself in surrounding traffic. Riding defensively is a way of looking at traffic to predict its effect on you, and making sure that effect is minimal.
Riding aggressively is much less a way of riding than an applied technique to be exercised only occasionally. As motorcyclists, we must put ourselves in view, and sometimes that means a bit of aggressive throttle use to come up even with a driver's window. Simply put, sometimes slowing down is extremely dangerous and some aggressive acceleration or lane changing is called for.
Create your own traffic destiny. Put yourself in a position with an escape route if your worst-case predictions come true. Look for traffic patterns and try to move through traffic, rather than sit within a knot of traffic. The time you become lethargic will be the time somebody parks a Suburban in your lap at 60 mph.
URBAN GUERRILLA STEP FOUR: MAKE ROOM FOR OTHERS' MISTAKES
In case you haven't noticed, drivers make mistakes. Dozens of them, from no turn signal to last-minute freeway exits to locked brakes at a yellow light to-well, how long a list do you need? America's current driver's training programs aren't going to correct America's drivers in the foreseeable future, so the secret is to plan on and predict the mistakes and make sure you're not affected. In other words, give 'em room to screw up.
Understand this: You won't change the mistakes being made out there, but by recognizing and giving them room to happen, you won't be negatively affected by them either. There's no reason to get upset, violent, aggressive or reactionary; once you begin to make room for mistakes, it becomes almost humorous to watch the stupidity around you because you will no longer be taken by surprise or put in danger.
URBAN GUERRILLA STEP FIVE: SLOW DOWN IN TOWN
Speed itself doesn't kill, but it sure makes those sudden stops painful. Basically, too much speed makes us unreadable. The car driver looks down the street, sees a headlight approaching at what he guesses to be the speed limit, and proceeds through the intersection. Unfortunately, the bike is doing double the speed limit and slams into the side of the car. Whose fault is it? Not the car driver's. Slow down to be seen; slow down to avoid being misread.
Slowing down allows you to stop before becoming involved in someone else's mistake. Even if you're the Kevin Schwantz of braking, it takes more distance to stop a bike from 50 mph than it does from 30 mph; that extra distance usually isn't available to urban guerrillas.
Slowing down gives your brain a chance to notice things and more time to react. Your peripheral vision widens and you relax enough to read and predict traffic. Try walking down the supermarket aisle and reading labels, then try running down the same aisle. Now imagine all those soup cans are about to jump into your path and you'll see how slowing down affects your perception. There are plenty of places to go fast, but in and around traffic isn't one of them. If you can't slow down in town, put me in your will.
URBAN GUERRILLA BONUS STEP: PRACTICE
When everything goes wrong and the above five steps fail to keep you in safety's arms, you'd better be a good motorcycle rider. Get to an empty parking lot and practice braking; take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Experienced RiderCourse. Experiment with flicking lane changes. Become intimately familiar with the effects of countersteering, experimenting with differing pressures on the handgrips. Practice quick glances in the mirrors and hurried looks over your shoulder, as if you were initiating an emergency lane change. Use your turn signals in all conditions so that you'll remember to cancel them when things get stressful. Know the route you and your neighborhood commuters take on the way to the freeway and study the mistakes being made; when you're not on your bike, watch traffic patterns and instances that would get a rider in trouble.
All this is practice, and it's just as important for the urban guerrilla as it is for the expert-level roadracer. You can't win a trophy with your commuting prowess, but you can step out of the car or bus and add two irreplaceable things to your life: time and enjoyment.
Posted 21 Feb 2008 @ 11.03 AM
OrangevaleFJR @ Oct 23 2007, 07:07 AM)
Did not riding twisties even cross my mind? Riding the twisties wasn't the problem, and no, not riding my ride did not cross my mind and wont. If I die doing it, so be it; I'll die doing something I love. Better than death on the couch watching the Discovery Channel as though I need someone to show me adventures instead of finding them on my own. People die. I will die. I want to have lived before I die and riding is a huge part of life for me.
Posted 12 Nov 2007 @ 8.36 AM
Wildfires in Southern California have a half-million people evacuated from their homes. I waited an hour or so for my wife to get home from work before putting my FJR in the garage, and wound up with a nice coating of ash.
Posted 24 Oct 2007 @ 12.45 PM
Motorcycle Sport Bike Riding Tips - Riding Skill Series - Sport Rider
Posted 20 Jun 2007 @ 12.41 PM
Upcycle Design, Film Case Maglite Lantern Adapter
Posted 14 Jun 2007 @ 11.04 AM
From a forum post by Ari Rankum:
It was hot as hell yesterday, but I still went for a 400 mile ride. Coming down from the mountains, I used the new air temp feature on the 2006 instrument panel to watch the temperature creep back up with every mile. Pretty soon, I was wincing with the heat, the sweat in the eyes, and the reflected sun. Pretty much like a switch got thrown, I decided I needed to get a big-ass soda with lots of ice, and I mean right now.
I pulled into the first gas station/mini mart I came upon. Inside was the fountain of youth - any Pepsi product you want in sizes up to the truly ridiculous and a fount labeled "ICE" that almost promised to provide the cooling that can only come from phase change way down in your belly. I grabbed the truly ridiculous size cup and stabbed at the "ICE" button. There was lots of commotion, but dammit, no frosty cubes were issuing. My sweaty head started to boil over. Nooooooo! Oh, uh, I mean yes - here it comes. I filled my cup to the brim with ice, then used Pepsi to fill up all the voids between the cubes.
I paid my buck-twenty-nine and headed outside. This establishment sat about 20 vertical feet below the road surface, which happened to wind along the top of a low hill. It looked like there was a nice grassy spot up by the road in the shade where I could take a load off, and there were tell-tale signs of an actual breeze up there. So off I went.
As I sat there in the slight breeze, crunching and swallowing ice in huge, lumpy gulps, I began to feel a lot better. I watched cage after cage pull in to get some gas, or a snack or drink. Most seemed not to notice me. After a while, a mid-size Chrysler pulled up to the store. Out comes a mom from the driver's seat. It was clear from the way she walked that she probably looked pretty good 20 years and 50 pounds ago. It was also clear, from that very same walk, that she didn't think she looked very good anymore. Neither of us did, and I think we were both a little sad about that. Then followed 2.3 kids, and, lo, a dude in a do-rag, old , saggy jeans tucked into even older and saggier boots, and a faded black T-shirt festooned with the unmistakable, but faint, 2 foot by 3 foot Harley regalia all over the back. As he walked into the store, oppressed by the heat and the facts of married life that no one ever warns you about, he had to walk past the FJR. I could see the high-voltage jolt pass through him at his first glance, as his whole body seemed to flinch for just an instant and he took a short step, almost, but not quite, tripping. Something about the look of the bike elicited an almost involuntary response.
After what seemed like forever, the family comes out, he bringing up the rear. He risks a longer look at the bike, the kind that, if anyone were watching, would be undeniable as a painful plaintive glance. When he gets back into the car, I've got a very good view of the inside. His wife is going on about something, perhaps whatever took so long in the store. He has his head turned to the left as far as it will go, past his wife, right at the bike. She keeps talking at him and talking at him, and he hears nothing. He just keeps staring at the bike. As they pull out to leave, his neck completes truly remarkable feats while keeping the bike in view. I didn't realize it until today, but right then, with the wife going on about something distantly related to an all but forgotten youth and not insignificant string of disappointments, with 2.3 kids sweltering in the back seat of that tattered american iron, covered in a sticky slurry of sweat and sugar that can only be tolerated by the youngest of the young, that dude checked out on my bike. In an instant he was accelerating at maximum rate on a fantastic blue machine on the perfect crushed-graphite roads that twist and whirl in the impossible ways that only the imagination can engineer. In the eternity that the mind can make of a single moment, he had left us all, riding like a bat out of hell, faster than I would ever take my machine, accelerating past a buck-twenty-nine, to a place a lot cooler than where we all met.
I'm glad I was invisible on that hot, breezy hill. I wouldn't have wanted to miss that.
Posted 27 May 2007 @ 11.00 AM
Digi-Key Corporation - USA Home Page
Posted 24 Apr 2007 @ 8.27 PM
Carole had other things going, so I spent Saturday fussing with the motorcycle. I installed the bracket for the Garmin Zumo GPS, and even shrink-wrapped the soldered spade connectors before attaching them to the barrier strips. I installed my cool new TCFJR personalized plate (thanks, Carole!), which is actually a pain because of the helmet lock bracket. I finished the setup of the Skyway hydration system by drilling out a lid, inserting the hard tube, and threading the long tube into the neoprene cover (which tore up my hands).
Finally, I installed my new Cateye V-1 security enclosure. This took a few tries (including drilling a couple of holes for the diamond RAM base), but I'm happy with the final outcome. The remote audio unit attaches to the bottom of the main enclosure with velcro and a cable tie (routed through pre-drilled holes on the base of the enclosure).
I replaced all my RAM arm knobs with 1/4x20 x 1.5" hex head bolts. Last night I ordered ten high security bolts from McMaster-Carr, along with two drivers. I won't leave the Zumo on the bike unattended, but once the tamper-resistant bolts are on I'll probably be able to leave the V-1 on the bike during a quick lunch stop.
Posted 4 Mar 2007 @ 9.38 AM
Here's an outline of the important points I learned at yesterday's Accident Scene Management class:
- Prevent Futher Injury
- Secure the scene
- Prevent disease transmission
- Maintain evidence
- Gather names/phone numbers of potential witnesses
- Don't move injured unless required
- Spinal immobilization
- Assess the situation
- Reassure victim
- Determine type/severity of injuries
- Contact EMS
- Send someone to call; have them return after call
- Give your name and phone number
- Provide location (address, mile-marker, landmarks)
- What happened
- How many/what type of vehicles involved
- How many/what type of injuries.
- Anyone trapped? Any fire?
- Don't hang up until directed to do so by dispatch
- Golden hour
- Gather info while waiting for EMS to arrive
- SAMPLE
- Signs/symptoms - where does it hurt?
- Allergies
- Medications - name or what it's for
- Physician and medical history
- Last time they ate/drank and what
- Events leading up to crash
- Wear gloves for protection and authority
- Treat injuries with life sustaining care
- Airway
- Breathing
- Helmet removal (only if not breathing!)
- Jaw-thrust breathing
- CPR
- Circulation
- DEP
- Direct pressure
- Elevate (unless extremity is injured)
- Pressure points
- Layer bandages
- Shock
- Spinal immobilization
Posted 29 Jan 2007 @ 1.20 PM
Barabus and zzkenoman set up an Accident Scene Management class down in Mission Viejo on Sunday. I signed up as soon as I saw the post on the forum.
The class started at 10am in a nice conference room. The instructor was Joy Medved, a long-time cyclist who knew her stuff. We went over the things you need to know to be helpful at a motorcycle accident scene.
Joy's co-instructor was a great guy just retired from 13 years on with the Orange County sherrifs. He stuck around during some of the breaks to talk about motorcycles and law enforcement - things like how to behave during a traffic stop, California's basic speed law, and the Hell's Angels.
All in all, I learned a lot, and recommend the class to any motorcyclist who wants to be in a position to help if they come upon a motorcycle accident.
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Here's a write-up of the course from Silver Penguin, an RN who attended the class with her husband, from her post on the FJR Forum:
A Crash Course For The Motorcyclist
The following is from notes taken during a lecture by Joy Medved, of The Joy Of Motorcycling, Inc, presented to the Epicurean Riders on 1-28-07. Joy is an 18yr motorcyclist, with extensive experience of riding and of participation in accidents! She has ridden 400,000 miles mostly on Goldwings. Her experience includes Motorcycle Drill Team, MC Escort Officer, Top Gun competitor, MSF instructor for both civilian and military, and teaching motorcycle traffic school. You can contact her at Joy@Joyofmotorcycling.com
As more people become certified in basic Accident Scene Management, Joy hopes to bring an advanced level course to California. These courses originated in Wisconsin with Vicki Roberts-Sanfelipo RN/EMT in December 1996.
This course is not endorsed by MSF. Some of the teaching materials are filmed in Wisconsin and depict riders not wearing helmets. Since MSF requires the use of a helmet at all times, when riding, they refuse to sanction the course.
Further information may be found at www.accidentscene.org
The notes are shared here, for those who were unable to make the class. However, these notes cannot replace the experience of being in a live class. Should the opportunity present itself, I highly recommend that you enroll for an Accident Scene Management class.
Difference between a crash and an accident;
A crash is predictable and preventable. An accident involves something unforeseen e.g. a meteor landing on you.
Goals of this course;
1. To reduce victim injuries and fatalities.
2. To reduce injuries to rescuers.
3. To increase the effectiveness of Emergency Medical Services.
4. To address motorcycle specific concerns.
At the scene of an accident, civilians have no obligation to offer aid but professionally trained people such as police officers, doctors, nurses etc are expected to help. To protect all who help the injured, CA Health and Safety Code 1799.102 states that ‘No person who in good faith and not for compensation renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from any kind of omission. This does not apply to gross negligence.
The above was qualified by re-stating IN GOOD FAITH, and within the scope of training received.
In the event of a fatality, First responders to an accident scene must offer aid unless the victim is obviously decapitated or decomposed. Otherwise, only a physician can pronounce a victim to be dead, so rescue efforts continue until that happens.
Other legal concerns.
1. Ask the victim if they need your help. If they say no, any assistance may be seen as assault and battery. However, if a law enforcement officer is present, he/she can take the victim into temporary custody, which allows aid to be rendered.
2. An unconscious victim has implied consent for you to assist.
3. Once you’ve started to help, you must continue until either relieved by someone else, or to the limits of your physical capability. Anything less is considered abandonment.
4. If the victim carries a Do-Not-Resuscitate order, consent to aid is denied.
5. Look for medic-alert bracelets, necklaces or an e-health key.
6. If you personally have a DNR, allergies or health issues, a medic-alert device is essential. Look at www.medicalert.org to see what’s new.
The whole course is based around the acronym P.A.C.T.
P Prevent further injury
A Assess the situation
C Contact the EMS
T Treat the injured
Preventing further injury is accomplished by the following;
1. Someone takes charge of the situation (cue slide of George S. Patton). This will be the person with the most experience, who will delegate responsibilities. Riding groups can set up who will do this before leaving, but it may change depending on circumstances. It is recommended that each and every rider carry a first aid kit on their bike.
2. Secure the scene. This minimizes the risk to both the victim and the rescuer. Solicit help from drivers, and use their vehicles to shield the injured. Turn on hazard lights but do not point headlights towards oncoming traffic. It’s OK to hold up and/or inconvenience other road users, in the name of safety. Be aware of fluid spills on the road. Don’t smoke. Don’t ride in Orlando, FL where they even have road signs advising drivers to pull damaged vehicles to the shoulder after fender benders. (There was a photo of one of the signs).
3. Ensure maximum visibility. If you carry, and use flares, the CHP will replace however many you used at the scene. Place flares 100 feet from the scene. Look carefully for a passenger who may have been thrown from the bike. Joy gave the example of one rider who was found on TOP of a three storey building after a collision. Reflective vests help. Reflective triangles are useful. There are various kinds of flashlights available, some with cranks, some shaken to operate, some with headstraps.
4. Control Traffic. At 55mph it takes 185 feet to come to a stop AFTER the driver has seen you. Alert drivers as soon as possible to the danger ahead. Wave a white t-shirt, or a motorcycle jacket. Even better if you have a really big guy wearing a Hi-Viz Yellow Aerostich suit.
5. Prevent transmission of disease. A leather-clad biker/rescuer is actually pretty well protected from the victim’s body fluids. The gear protects YOU from the victim. HIV, hepatitis C and TB are on the rise. Carry non-latex gloves and replace them frequently. After assisting a victim, remember to wash your hands or use hand-gel before touching anything important, including your own bike. Keeping your protective gloves in a zip-lock baggie gives you a place to put your contaminated gloves afterwards.
6. Preserve evidence. You can buy a 27 exposure disposable camera with flash, for around $3 at Wal-Mart. This uses 35mm film, which is admissible as evidence. Due to the popularity of PhotoShop, digital images cannot be used in court by the lay person. Don’t move anything at the scene. Make notes. Write down names, location, license plates, witness names and phone #s. Make a sketch of how things happened.
7. Move the injured, if necessary. If the victim isn’t breathing, you’ll have to get him to a position where his airway is open. This is more important than immobilizing his c-spine. If the bike is lying on the victim, hot pipes may be burning his leg. Two or more people can gentle separate rider and bike. If the victim is lying in a pool of gasoline, he needs to be moved. If you cannot control traffic, especially after dark, the victim will have to be moved. Turn the bike’s ignition off. Beware of sharp, broken motorcycle parts especially on choppers.
How to move a victim.
There are three ways to do this, all with respect to possible spinal injury. The victim can be log-rolled. Rescuer #1 supports the head, keeping it aligned with the body at all times. Rescuers #2 and #3 take the chest and hips, interlinking their arms, to get a smooth turn.
Secondly, the victim can be log rolled onto a blanket (or riding jacket) then dragged. Remember to keep the spine straight.
Third is the armpit drag, which one person can do. Put your arms under the victim’s armpits. Hold his spine. Don’t pull via a jacket. Use your knees rather than your back to take the weight.
Assessment of the situation.
If you know what type of crash, and where the impact was, you may be able to predict the likely injuries. Types of crashes are:
1. Failure to negotiate – high side or low side.
2. Right of way violation – t-bone, sideswipe, u-turn
3. Loss of traction – debris, liquid
4. Mechanical failure – locked chain, tire blow out.
Types of impact
1. Motorcycle hits something
2. Rider/ passenger hits obstacle/ground
3. Internal organs hit internal stuff.
Types of injury
1. Road rash
2. Bones – especially collar bones
3. Head trauma. Usually slight concussion at very least.
4. Head and neck injuries involve the brain and spine.
5. Chest injuries involve the ribs, lungs and heart.
6. Abdominal injuries involve the stomach, liver, spleen and kidney
7. Orthopedic injuries involved the bones and soft tissue
During a T-bone accident, the rider may experience femur fractures when the thighs hit the handlebars. The lungs will hyperinflate during the ‘Oh Sh*t’ moment. Broken ribs can pierce the lungs causing flail chest and a pneumothorax. Wrists, elbows and collarbone will shatter on impact and the spine can suffer compression fractures. Andy Hall can provide more details if required!
A sideswipe collision will cause road rash unless good gear is worn. Orthopedic injuries are likely. Someone mentioned REAL skid marks.
Low side events will take out an ankle and collar bone. There is a possibility of a head injury and friction burns INSIDE the leathers are likely.
A slide was shown of an unprotected rider flying over the top of a car. If he survived, he would have orthopedic injuries and severe bleeding. Good grade leather will disperse force, but not if you don’t wear it. The tennis shoes had already come off the feet. Later, a slide was shown to those who were willing to keep their eyes open, of a shoe with a foot inside it. No leg attached.
Remember to look for a passenger at the scene of an accident. If the bike has a basket, or side car, there may be a dog. When scared, animals can get nasty. Keep your leathers on, for protection against a frightened dog.
Contacting the Emergency Medical Services
1. Make a quick assessment before calling 911, especially if sending someone to a remote phone. They will need to provide basic information to assist the dispatcher.
2. Use a land line if possible. The call goes straight to the local EMS and can be tracked back to the phone. Even if you don’t know where you’re calling from, they do.
3. When sending someone to make a 911 call, ask them to report back to you and confirm that the call was made.
4. If sending someone to a private phone, send ‘Lovely Lisa’ rather than ‘Scary Hairy’. She will get access to the phone faster and more easily.
5. Statistically, aid rendered during that first hour after injury, aka the Golden Hour has the best chance of saving life.
6. When calling 911, have as much information as possible to hand. They will want to know: Your name and #. Location and identifiable landmarks. What happened? How many vehicles, and of what type? How many are injured? Possible types of injury? Traffic? Weather conditions at site? Anyone trapped? Don’t hang up until dismissed by the dispatcher. Report back to the scene, to confirm that help is on the way.
7. When the EMS arrive, flag them down and direct them to the injured.
Assessing the injured.
Use the acronym SAMPLE
S Symptoms. Where does it hurt?
A Allergies.
M Medications. What does the victim usually take?
P Physician. Who is the victim’s doctor?
L Last food or drink. Important information should the victim need surgery.
E Events. What happened?
Keep talking to the victim. Learn his name, and use it over and over again. Keep him conscious if possible.
Treat the injured
Use the mnemonic ABCSS
A Airway
B Breathing
C Circulation
S Shock
S Spinal immobilization
To open/maintain a patent airway, use the jaw thrust technique rather than the usual head tilt/chin lift. Jaw thrust is safer when the spine may be injured. Opening the airway may be all that is needed for the victim to breathe on his own. If not, rescue breathing may be delivered using one of many commercially available barrier devices. Mouth-to-mouth may also be given without a barrier. I choose to carry a $7 mask that folds into a small key chain. When giving rescue breaths, look for chest rise.
Circulation is concerned with loss of blood. Remove rings and watches, and give back to the victim before swelling makes them hard to remove. Bleeding is controlled with direct pressure, elevation (if no fracture present) and the use of pressure points. Tourniquets are no longer routinely used. If blood seeps through a dressing, add another. More bleeding? Add another dressing. Don’t remove sodden dressings.
There are three types of shock that might be seen at the scene of an accident.
Neurogenic shock involves injury to the brain or spinal column.
Hypovolemic shock is caused by bleeding. Note that you will not see internal bleeding from the outside, but it can be just as lethal as external bleeding.
Psychogenic shock is the psychological response to trauma. Hearing is the last thing to fade, so be careful how you talk about a victim. Remember that YOU may also be affected by psychogenic shock, especially if you witnessed the crash.
Shock will be manifested by most or all of the following:
Restlessness or irritability
Confusion, or drifting in and out of consciousness
Pale, cool, moist skin
Rapid breathing
Rapid heart rate
Thirst
What you do to help:
1. Keep yourself and the victim calm.
2. Control bleeding
3. Lie the victim down and raise his legs (if safe to do so)
4. Don’t give him anything to eat or drink.
5. Watch his breathing
6. Gather info while he remains conscious
7. Keep him warm and dry
8. Keep notes of changes in his condition. This will help the EMS when they arrive.
Spinal injury.
Symptoms of spinal injury include tenderness, tingling and numbness, incontinence and/or an inability to move the legs. Depending on the level of the injury, the victim may not be able to breathe.
Reassure him, remembering that the hearing is the last thing to go. Keep the spine as stable as possible.
Removal of a full face helmet
Unless you have to, DON’T take the helmet off. If you have to remove it, to open the airway or give rescue breathing, here is the technique.
1. Rescuer 1 stabilizes the helmet with hands on each side of the helmet, fingers on the jaw. This prevents movement as Rescuer 2 loosens, or cuts the strap.
2. Rescuer 2 hand the ends of the strap to Rescuer 1.
3. Rescuer 2 places one hand under the neck near the helmet and the other hand on the jaw with the thumb on one side of the jaw and the index and middle finger on the other side. Note: Be sure that your grasp is on the jaw not the neck.
4. Rescuer 1 pulls the helmet off straight back, pulling out on the helmet at the straps, to clear the ears. Rescuer 2 moves the hand at the back of the neck along with the helmet as it is removed, in order to accept the weight of the head. Note: support your forearm on the ground to help support the weight of the head.
5. Rescuer 1 returns to place hands on either side of the head once the helmet has been removed. Rescuer 2 assists with head to lower to the round before removing hands.
Suggestions for a First Aid Kit
Joy does not provide a list for stocking your kit, since it’s an individual thing. You might start with a commercial kit then add your own stuff to it. Here are some basic items that you might add:
Non-Latex gloves (even if you’re not latex-sensitive, your patient might be).
Bandages and band aids
Anti-biotic cream
Tylenol – Motrin – Benadryl- Zantac
Scissors / trauma shears. Note: when cutting leathers, try to cut close to a seam
Tape
Own prescriptions
Hand sanitizer
Aloe
Ice pack (in a strong cover to prevent inadvertent activation)
Emergency blanket
Tweezers
Triangular bandage
Masks
Flushable wipes
Eye wash
Protein bars
As for carrying ‘little blue pills’, that is a personal decision. Only you can anticipate what kind of emergency you may encounter. When I stated that I administer them frequently at work, please understand that the Happy Pill can also be used for its original purpose which is the control of Pulmonary Hypertension in critically ill patients. I crush up half a pill and inject it into the feeding tube of a sick baby. (And no, it doesn’t do that to the baby boys).
The following is some general information, shared by retired police officer Fred Lebhardt. His extensive experience includes being a helicopter pilot, army flight instructor, air traffic controller, patrol officer and investigator, traffic school instructor.
Fred shared a lot of information and anecdotes, just a portion of which is included here.
When an officer ‘lights you up’, here are his suggestions for minimizing the trauma of a traffic stop.
1. Stop when you feel safe. If you’re in a bad neighborhood, indicate to the officer that you’re aware of him, then proceed to a safer area before stopping. (Leaving the county/state is not cool though).
2. Hands up, or on the bars in full view. Feet down (if they reach the floor)
3. Only remove your helmet if and when invited to do so.
4. Raise your visor when asked.
5. You must carry your license/registration/ insurance card. When asked to produce them, tell the officer where you are going to reach.
6. As you hand over the papers, remember that some nervousness is expected. If you’re completely confident, and not a fellow officer, that will raise a red flag.
7. If the stop is for DUI, the way you find your documents is part of the assessment.
8. If asked why you think you were stopped, don’t incriminate yourself. Ask politely why the officer stopped you.
9. As the officer returns to his vehicle to process your information, he is making the decision about the ticket. A citation is actually a PIA for him, requiring a lot of paperwork. He may feel that his job was done by educating you, then let you off with a warning. However, you can also talk yourself INTO a citation.
10. Attitude check. Remember – the audio/video is probably rolling.
11. If you DO get a ticket, the officer will set the court date for his day off work, to ensure that he will be available. You are entitled to one continuance, no questions asked. That second date may be on his scheduled work day. He will attempt to fit the court appearance into his day, but may not be able to. No show by the office = case dismissed.
12. If you DO get a ticket, it will represent approximately 2000 occasions upon which you could have been awarded one, and didn’t get one.
The above represents notes takes while a retired officer chatted to us. Please don’t even THINK that this constitutes legal advice. Use your common sense during any traffic stop.
Posted 29 Jan 2007 @ 1.14 PM
FJRForum fundraiser 5 t-shirt and apparel from Zazzle.com
That's me in the foreground. Carole got it for me for Christmas!
Posted 9 Dec 2006 @ 11.17 AM
From Montgomery Bikers:
As motorcycle riders we are all aware of the inherent dangers and risks that we take when we mount our bikes and head out to enjoy a good ride. Yes, it is that part of our shared passion that many of us don't want to think about. However, these dangers and risks become all too apparent when we are faced with situations when a fellow rider is involved in an accident. Whether you are riding alone or in a group and you find yourself in a situation where a rider has gone down, ask yourself honestly, do you know what to do? Well, I asked myself this very question recently and realized that no, I do not. Aside from being able to contact 911 or flag down someone who could, I realized beyond that there is little I know how to do to assist a fallen rider. So, I have gathered some information that helped point me in the right direction and felt it was information that could help a lot of people who may not know what to do if such a situation were to arise.
Show all...
I would like to share some tips on how to avoid being a part of an accident and what to do should you happening upon one.
DO NOT BECOME A PART OF THE ACCIDENT:
If an accident does happen, DO NOT STOP!!!! , continue to ride past until everyone has gone through. Do not target fixate and add to the scene. This is very important for everyone to accomplish if there is one.
This basically applies to group rides when there is a train of riders behind you. Suddenly stopping to assist in an accident can cause riders behind you that are unaware of the accident to slam on there brakes or swerve to avoid you and possibly add to the accident.
If you are riding alone be aware of your surroundings and the traffic around you before pulling off to assist. You do not want get hit from behind because you slowed too quickly and the car behind you did not have time to react.
REMAIN CALM... THINK!
The first thing you need to do when arriving on an accident scene is to stop, take two deep breaths to help you remain calm.
The idea of psychological management is that all the other people who are pumped and want to help will do whatever they are told to do by a calm person who seems to be in control and knows what he or she is doing. If you're excited and out of control as well, everyone will run around wasting precious time in an unorganized fashion.
- Get to victim, reassure, establish communication.
After a person has gone down, they will be in a confused and scared state. They probably don't know what happened when they went down. They may be confused, frantic, etc., and often the only thing on their mind will be their bike. It is important to reassure them and to make sure they will not try to move or get to their bike. Something on the order of, "You've been in a motorcycle accident. It is important that you do not try to move. My name is (whatever your name is). "Tell them the ambulance is coming (assuming someone has been sent to get one or has called for one!) If your name is something like "Chainsaw" or "Mega-death", tell them your name is John or Bob or Mike.
Be careful what you say around the victim, even if they are unconscious. Hearing works in the unconscious state and if you say something like, "Boy, is this dude messed up bad! Maybe we shouldn't call an ambulance after all!'', it's going to register at some level with the person and can do nothing but harm. How you say things will be as important as what you say; keep (or at least sound) calm and it will reduce the panic of everyone else present.
- Safety factors
An accident scene can be a hectic place with a lot of things going on at once. It is important to keep safety in mind; if you are helping someone lying in the middle of the road and a semi comes barrelling down on both of you, you aren't going to do that person much good.
- Traffic
If people are available, get someone uproad and downroad to wave down traffic. This is especially important in tight twisties where they may not have time to stop after seeing the accident site.
- Hazardous material spills (gas, oil, brake fluid)
People and vehicles will slip on this stuff. If ambulance personnel slip on oil while carrying the victim, it is bad. Either clean it off the road or indicate to everyone where it is.
- Power lines
If power lines are down around or near the victim, ambulance crews may not be able to get near the person until they are shut off. It is important to call the local utility company to get these live wires turned off at the same time an ambulance is called. If the ambulance arrives and they are still live, they will have to call the utility company and wait for them to come out, wasting a lot of precious time in the Golden Hour.
- Fire
People who smoke tend to light up under stress. Ask these people to either extinguish their smokes or move away from the flammable materials and/or bikes. It is easy to forget something obvious like this in a stressful situation like an accident scene.
- Safety circle
Establish a few people around the immediate accident scene to help direct traffic, to point out fluid spills, and to warn people who may want to light up
- Best-trained individual (medically-wise) attends to victim (U-ABCC)
The person with the most training (first aid, CPR, etc.) attends directly to the victim. Assuming the victim is lying on the ground, this person should sit behind their head and should stabilize his or her head to avoid unnecessary movement (i.e. hold their head still). Assume the person has a back/neck injury and any unnecessary movement could risk paralysis.
This person should be doing "U-ABCC" at the arrival on the scene and every 5 minutes thereafter:
U Urgency
Try to determine if the person's injuries are (a) minor or (b) major, i.e. urgent. If unsure, it is urgent. See (6) on trying to diagnose injuries.
A Airway
Is there something to impede their airway? Gravel in the helmet, something down the throat? This needs to be cleared immediately, without helmet removal if at all possible.
B Breathing
Is the person breathing? Determined by listening, watching their chest, feeling for breath, etc.
C Circulation
Check the pulse on the throat initially and subsequently on their wrist. This is the carotid artery, right next to the wind pipe/adam's apple on either side. If pulse is not present, remove helmet if necessary and begin CPR immediately. When checking pulse on their wrist, do not check with thumb; use the two fingers next to the thumb.
C Cervical Spine Immobilization
Support the victim's head and make sure they don't move it. CONSIDER EVERY MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT A HEAD INJURY, CONSIDER EVERY MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT A CERVICAL/BACK INJURY! This is important even if they feel they can move their head normally! When you talk to the victim initially, add on a short bit to reassure them;
"You've been in a motorcycle accident. It is important that you don't move. My name is (whatever your name is). Answer me without moving your head. We don't know if you have a neck injury or not. An ambulance is on the way.''
Again, make sure that the victim does not move at all, their head or any other part.
- The three questions
Ask the victim three questions and document their responses:
Who are you?
Where are you?
What time of day is it?
(Or asking what day of week it is would be fine also. Many people do not know what time of day it is without a watch even in a normal state.)
- If breathing is taking place normally, LEAVE HELMET ON!
It is very dangerous to remove someone's helmet if they have some type of cervical/back injury. The only time it should be removed is if the airway is blocked and cannot be cleared with the helmet on or if it is necessary to perform CPR.
Helmet removal procedure if airway blocked or no respiratory action.
This is the method recommended by the American College of Orthopedic Surgeons. It requires two people.
Remove glasses and unbuckle the chinstrap. One person should be to the side of the head of the victim and the other person should be directly behind the head of the victim, stabilizing the head to avoid excess movement (as seen in (3)).
The person on the side puts one hand behind the victim's head supporting at the base of the skull (not on helmet). They put their other hand on the jaw bone/chin (again, not on helmet). They will be supporting the head, so it is important to get a good solid grip. Keep some tension in the arms so that if the person pulling the helmet slips the victim's head won't drop.
The person sitting behind the head will then slowly pull the helmet directly back and off of the head. Watch out for catching the nose on the chin-guard on full-face helmets, as well as ears and earrings.
After the helmet is off, put a leather jacket or something under the head of the victim! If the person supporting their head lets go, their head will drop a good 4 inches or so. This would not be good. If possible, it would be best to have a third person ready with something to place under the victim's head once the helmet is off.
After the helmet is off, the person behind the head should again hold the victim's head to promote cervical immobilization.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY TO BE USED IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION! Leave the helmet on until the ambulance personnel arrive if at all possible!
- After initial evaluation of seriousness of injuries, call for ambulance
After there has been a quick evaluation of the number of injured people and just the most preliminary guess of seriousness, someone has to be sent to get an ambulance. Remember that an ambulance can only support one truly injured person.
It is important to remember that a lot of the injuries that don't look serious to us could very well be life-threatening and injuries that look fatal are relatively minor. Don't get fancy with the initial seriousness evaluation. If you can't tell, assume it's Urgent!
If a cell phone is not available, send one or two bikes to the nearest house. Send a woman if possible. The idea is that you don't have time to be turned away from someone's house and they are more likely to be receptive to a lady than some Scary Biker Dude. It may sound silly, but if you are turned away from a country home due to looking like a Scary Biker Dude, you may lose several minutes trying to find the next one. Selection of who goes to call is very important. He also says to have the person going to the door wearing light colors; if someone else has a white jacket trade jackets before heading out for the house. Chances are the person going to the door will look friendlier wearing a light-colored outfit than black leathers. In short, send a female to the door if at all possible.
When you go to the door, REMAIN CALM... THINK! Take a second and a couple of deep breaths. It will not help to have this biker person in a very excited state on the doorstep of some person's home. The people will be far more receptive to someone who looks like they have a grip on themselves.
Do not ask directly for entry into their house; something like "There has been an accident. Please call 911.'' There is no need to specify that it was a motorcycle accident to them (it is important to let the Emergency Medical Services dispatcher know that it was a motorcycle accident, however). It is less threatening to ask to call 911 than it is to ask to come in and use their phone.
- Things to tell Emergency Medical Services dispatcher
- there has been a motorcycle accident
- need an ambulance
- the # of injured people (and how badly injured they are). A severely traumatized person will require an entire ambulance to themselves, so it is important to give the EMS dispatcher some idea of the scope of the accident. If they only send one ambulance and there are two people who need one immediately, it will be a problem.
- location of accident
(get help from the people whose phone you're using, they should know how to describe their location best)
- You (the caller) hangs up last!
The EMS dispatchers are well-trained and will get all the information they need from you before hanging up. Stay on the line until they do.
- Things that may be necessary for victim.
It is helpful if you know some special equipment is going to be necessary to tell the dispatcher:
- Helicopter
Most rural areas cannot handle severe trauma and they may need to get the victim to a trauma center via helicopter. If they know there may be a need, they can get the helicopter ready to leave for the rural hospital when a doctor establishes the extent of the injuries. Slider says that in Iowa at least, if the helicopter comes out and it turns out it wasn't necessary, there is no charge for the service.
- Fire - Should the fire department be called in?
- Jaws of life
- Utilities - See (2-C) about downed power lines above.
- Document personal information if possible (victim may pass out)
Before the ambulance arrives, if possible, document information about the victim. They may become unconscious and it will be helpful to have information like:
Full name
Next of kin (plus phone number)
Age, date of birth
Doctor
- AMPLE documentation
There is AMPLE time to document this before the ambulance arrives. Again, this will be very helpful to the paramedics if the victim passes out:
A Are you allergic to anything?
M Are you on any medications? Street drugs?
P What's your past medical history?
L Last meal - when did you eat last?
(will help anesthesiologist if one is necessary)
E What were the events leading up to the injury?
Document the mechanisms of injury. If the doctors and paramedics have some idea how the accident occurred, it will give them better ideas on what kind of injuries to look for. Did the person low-side and slide for a while on one of their sides? Did they go over the bars? Did they head-butt a solid object, such as a car? If they went over the bars, is there any obvious damage to the tank/handlebars which might indicate they hit the lower abdomen/groin area? This kind of stuff could help the doctors/paramedics.
- Wallets, purses, rings
Do not go rooting through personal effects of the person. There should be no need to go through their wallet or purse for insurance information; the hospital personnel will deal with all of that. If there is some important reason that you need something from their wallet or purse, make sure you have at the very least a witness! Preferably a law enforcement officer if possible. If the person is conscious, ask first and if they say "no'' then don't push it.
If the person has rings on, the fingers may swell up and it is important to get them off. Consent is paramount if the person is conscious. Make sure there is at least one witness when removing them.
- Vital signs
- Have person check pulse every 5 minutes & document it
Every 5 minutes the pulse should be checked at the wrist. If the pulse goes away at the wrist, check at the throat. This is a late sign of shock (see 10 +++++)
Write down the number of beats per minute and the time you took the measurement.
- Have person check breathing every 5 minutes & document it
Just like the pulse, check number of breaths per minute, the most reliable method being by placing your hand on the person's chest. Obviously if the victim is female it would be best to have another lady do this if at all possible.
Try to check their breathing rate without their knowing it. If they know you are counting their respirations, they may unconsciously alter their breathing rate.
Record this number along with the pulse every 5 minutes. Also note the type of breathing; fast, shallow, yodelling, gurgling, labored, easy, whatever. Even in layman's terms it may be useful to the paramedics.
- Watch for signs of person going into shock
People invariably die due to shock. "you don't die by the gunshot wound but by the shock of the gunshot wound."
Signs of shock:
- Inability to answer the 3 questions coherently (Who are you, etc.) (see 4)
- Pale, cool, clammy skin
- Delayed capillary refill press your fingernail so that it turns white. It should turn back to pink in less than 2 seconds. If it takes longer, that is not a good sign.
- Radial pulse (pulse at the wrist) goes away but there is still a pulse on the neck
There isn't much we can do once someone starts going into shock, but a few minor things that may help:
- Assure adequate breathing. This really comes with the AB of U-ABCC.
- Loosen restrictive clothing.
- Reassure victim.
- Keep the person warm (not too hot though).
- Elevate the feet ~6 in.
This is actually a judgement call since you shouldn't really do that with suspected spinal injuries.
- Control bleeding.
This is probably obvious but if you don't realize the victim is bleeding and they are rapidly going into shock, this should tell you something.
- Immobilize fractures - This helps relieve pain and control bleeding.
- Stop bleeding, using sterile bandages/dressings if available
Two important things here are to (a) stop any bleeding as soon as possible and (b) keep the wounds sanitary as much as possible. (a) is far more important than (b). Peripheral limbs are commonly lost to infection, but given the choice between stopping bleeding and using a non sanitary cover, using the non sanitary wrapping is preferred. Blood loss is bad. Wounds can be cleaned at a hospital.
If sterile dressings are not immediately available, women in the group may be carrying sanitary tampons, or Kotex napkins. Either can be used as a sterile dressing, although obviously the sanitary napkins would be superior.
Carry some sterile dressings with me in my tank bag, backpack or trunk space. They cost about $1 at your local drugstore. * Personally, I carry a Backpacker's First Aid kit. They are compact and don't take up too much space.
EXCEPTION: If there are cuts anywhere on the head, do NOT apply pressure. If there is a bone chip it is possible to push it into the brain. It is also possible that stopping the flow of blood or cerebral spinal fluid can lead to a buildup of pressure on the brain which is not good. You should still bandage the cuts loosely.
- In case of femur injuries (extremely common in moto accidents), check for blood loss
Femur (the "thigh bone'') injuries are very frequent. There are huge arteries that run along the inner thigh; if these are compromised the person can bleed to death in a very short amount of time. It is important to minimize bleeding in this region! Use a pressure point above the cut to control blood flow out of the femur artery.
- When ambulance arrives
Before the ambulance arrives, send people to the intersections in all directions to watch for/direct the ambulance.
When the ambulance arrives, it is important to stay out of their way as much as possible. Meet them and identify yourself as being "in charge'' and to be the person to contact if they need anything (bikes moved, people moved, whatever).
Make sure you:
- Provide accessible parking for ambulance
- Let EMT's know who's in charge
- Give factual account of accident ("And then the car comes along at 154 feet per second and hits our buddy here!'' is probably not going to help anything). At 40 MPH, there are 60,000 units of kinetic energy. At 50MPH, there are 120,000. It is IMPORTANT for medical personnel to have an HONEST estimate of the speed and circumstances at the time of the accident.
- Give them all of the information that has been written down (periodic vital signs and the three questions from U-ABCC at 5 minute intervals, personal information about the victim, etc.)
- Give EMT's an honest evaluation of patient's drug/alcohol consumption
- Stay back or leave if told
- give EMT's time to work
It is important to give the ambulance people the most accurate information possible! If the person just had 10 beers in the past hour, tell them! They are not the law enforcement officials and their only immediate concern is the safety of the patient. By underestimating, trying to cover up, or not telling the whole truth, you are only keeping important information away from them which may be necessary for the safety of the patient.
If the helmet was removed, send it along in the ambulance. The doctors may use the visible damage to the helmet to assist them in what to look for in terms of injuries.
If there were leaking fluids, let the medical personnel know. The fluids may have gotten on the patient and they need to know if there was oil, gas, brake fluid or something like that on an open wound.
- At the hospital
Only have one or two people in the Emergency Room at a time. If the doctors have questions and neither of the people in the ER know the answer, send one of them out to the other people to find out the answer. Crowding everyone into the ER will only make it more stressful and difficult for the ER staff to do their jobs.
- Dealing with law enforcement
As with the the ambulance, when law enforcement arrives identify yourself as being "in charge''. Let them know that if there is anything they need, such as bikes moved or people moved, you are the person to talk to.
For them, walking on to a scene of bikers who are all in a very excited state is intimidating and this will help calm them and give them some easy way to control the bike people. Again, this is the psychological management.
It is obviously important to do whatever the law enforcement officials ask.
Before the officers do arrive, try to not move motorcycle parts any more than necessary! They may need to take accident scene notes and by moving things around you may confuse the situation for them. Parts will need to be moved off the road to avoid further accidents, but move them directly to the side so the law enforcement officials can determine roughly where it stopped if necessary. Try not to distrub the bike any more than necessary. (Electrics turned off, bike propped up vertically, etc.)
- Thank yous
A good number of the ambulance people are volunteers. Officers often get little or no recognition for helping out on the scene. It will cheer all of them up to no end to receive some kind of thanks for their help.
Any of the following are appropriate:
- cards
- in newspaper
- in person
It will improve our image as bikers and rewards all those people who take time out of their own lives to help others. It is important!
Couple of miscellaneous notes
Leathers will have to be cut off by medical personnel. Be mentally prepared for it. If they do not cut off your clothes, they will not be able to do a proper assessment of the wounds and you are not being treated properly! If you are conscious and insist that they do not cut your leathers, they cannot by law. If you are unconscious, it is implied consent and they will remove them if in doubt.
Over 50% of fatalities are alcohol related. I know it's a cliche' but don't let friends drink and ride unless you're prepared to lose that friend.
Many accidents involve going over the handlebars. If your bladder is full, the extreme pressure can easily cause it to break. Make a pit stop by the bathroom before you leave.
In an emergency situation, psychological management is important. If a central person takes charge and is remaining calm, this will transfer to all of the other people on the scene and will help the victim far more than if everyone is overly excited and pumped with adrenaline. Take two deep breaths when you feel yourself losing it.
Take basic first aid and CPR courses! They are offered through he Red Cross and several other organizations periodically. Go with some riding buddies or get your club to have a class!
(Most of this information was taken from the following website: www.molenda.com/accident.html and from Shamus posts regarding group rides.)
Nothing beats proper training.
Here are some helpful links:
- Online CPR Basics: click here
- Red Cross offers CPR training courses. Visit their website at www.redcross.org You can locate a local Red Cross here and find information on class scheduling.
RIDE SAFE AND WEAR YOUR GEAR.
Posted 30 Nov 2006 @ 9.51 AM
One of my long-standing things to do with the FJR was testing the Amplirider with the new Powerlet power connection to the tank bag. I finally got around to it last night, and the news is not good. When connected to bike power, the sound coming from the Amplirider is filled with engine noise.
I ran some tests of the setup while I was at it, and the inescapable conclusion is that the V-1 is the culprit. When the XM is connected through the Amplirider by itself, the sound is good, if not great. When you power up the V-1, the sound goes to heck.
For now, I reconnected the 9v battery to the tank bag power strip, which has always worked well. This connection uses a switch on the outside of the tank bag to turn off the battery, but even if I forget to use it a battery will last for a long, long time.
Long term, I have some choices. I can invest in more goodies to try to clean-up the V-1's audio. I can set up a battery charger system in the tank bag and switch to rechargeable 9v batteries. Or, I can just continue to use normal alkaline 9v batteries. Since I only use the V-1 on longer rides, and the batteries last a long, long time, and 9v batteries are always available on the road, I'll probably stick with my current setup for a while.
Posted 20 Nov 2006 @ 3.25 PM
I'd collected quite a set of parts and accessories over the last few months, and spent the weekend getting everything installed. It took the better part of both days, but the final results were gratifying.
Powerlets
I wasn't happy with the SAE cable I got from Kieth Goudelack to power my tankbag. It always seemed kludgey, and having it hanging out of the upper right fairing offended my delicate sensibilities.
On the way home from the Central Coast Romp, Tim (twowheelnut) put on his Widder electric vest in Santa Maria, just before it started to rain. I zipped both the rain liner and the quilted liner into my jacket, but still shivered enviously all the way into Carpinteria, where Tim and I split up.
The solution to both of these problems was Powerlets — electrical plugs similar to cigarette lighter plugs in cars, but smaller and less prone to vibration problems. I ordered two — one for the front, to power my tank bag, and one for the back, to plug in my (future) electric vest.
Installing the rear powerlet requires that the front of the gas tank be lifted about 9", to make room to run the cable from the battery to the underseat area. I ran the bike 34 miles into reserve to make this a little easier. The instructions are complete, but do require careful reading and a little common sense.
The front powerlet needs an 18mm hole in panel D, the right rear dash panel. I coulda/shoulda gotten a hole saw as part of my Powerlet order, and paid the price (literally) at Sears when the alternative unibit came in a $39. It did make quick work in the plastic.
Valentine-1 hard-wire power plug
I don't use my V-1 for daily driving, but rely on it for longer trips. Before leaving for WFO-5, I hadn't used it for six weeks or so. When I plugged it in, I got nothing - no power. On closer examination, both the cords and the power unit had corroded contacts. Remember, this was my first modification to the bike back in August of '04, and the location I chose was not sufficiently protected from moisture.
I sent away to Valentine for a new hard-wire connection, plus two 6' coiled cords (one for the main unit on the brake reservoir, and one for the remote audio unit on the clutch reservoir), and a 6" jumper cord (in case I decide someday to mount both units together). This time, I installed the connection completely under dash panel B, just left of the center line. Cable ties help route the cords out to the right, under panel C, then along the center frame rail. Each cord passes through the stock cable loom, and is tied to a hydraulic line.
Lower right fairing panel
Bouquet Canyon was not kind to my lower right fairing panel. I ordered a new panel a few weeks before WFO-5, but I sent confusing info to Gary McCoy and he sent a left-side panel. (In my e-mail request, I said "right-side panel", but gave the part number for the left-side panel. I take full responsibility.) I sent back the left-side panel, and Gary sent the right side, which arrived while I was away at WFO-5.
When the original shipment from Gary arrived, I took off the bad right side panel before opening the box, and had to put it back together when I discovered my error. This turned out to be a good learning experience — today's exchange went very smoothly.
Vista Cruise
Long trips can get uncomfortable without some type of throttle lock. I mounted a Vista Cruise according to the write-up on FJRTech.com, with only a few minor glitches.
I wound up butchering the stock grip to get enough clearance for smooth operation, but it will work fine until I can pick up a pair of replacment grips.
Summary
The final results: a front and a rear powerlet plug, both hard-wired to the battery (for possible battery charging duty); a new radar detector power connector, and the joy of hearing the POST sounds out of the V-1; a bright, new, unscratched lower right fairing panel; and a Vista Cruise. I even got both of the plastic screws for panels A and B installed correctly. The lower one has been sitting by my toolbox for about 9 months.
Posted 21 Aug 2006 @ 10.17 AM
TT Review 2006 DVD NTSC - Duke Video
Posted 8 Aug 2006 @ 10.22 AM
The lunch truck isn't coming this week, so after my lunchtime walk I went down to Von's to get a sandwich. The Cadillac is in the shop, so Justin is using my car, and I'm on the FJR. I put my helmet on the holder that's part of the license plate frame while I went into the deli.
When I got back to the parking lot, I put my bag into the side bag, and grabbed my helmet off the holder. Just as a fluke, I noticed what looked like some foxtails in the inside of the helmet. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a bee...
I stared at it for a half a minute, then decided to put on my glove and swat it out. It took a couple of tries, but I finally got it out.
I hate to think what might have happened if I had just blindly strapped the helmet on with a bee stuck to the inside lining.
Posted 10 Apr 2006 @ 3.41 PM
Here's a great picture of Valentino Rossi, in full-lean, puck on the asphalt, Sete Gibernau on his tail &mdash reaching up to pull a tear-off away from his shield with his left hand. Very cool.
Posted 26 Dec 2005 @ 6.55 PM
I took the V-star out to Bert's today to see if they'd take it on consignment. I waited a half-hour for Scott, the buyer, to finish up with something else, and went over the details once he was free. It seemed to please him that I had clear title and good paperwork - registration, service records, and all.
Scott asked me to ride the bike down to the service department for an 'evaluation', which he expected would take 30-45 minutes. I browsed the Parts department for a while, then spent more time looking at all the cool bikes on the sales floor. I found a cool little dual sport in the back - it would be fun on the trails up in Big Bear.
Sooner than expected Scott tracked me down, and we went back to his desk to review the evaluation. Service said it was rough at idle (it has been since I first got it...) and needed a valve adjustment and carb work. I showed Scott the service record for the carb work that Pasadena Yamaha did back in January, and we quickly agreed on a price - $3,500. I probably could have gotten a few hundred more if I tried to sell it myself, but decided long ago that it wouldn't be worth the hassle. (Considering the fantastic deal I got when I bought it, I think I did pretty well anyway.)
Scott wanted to buy it outright, so he cut me a check right then and there. Who's to argue?
The V-star got me back into motorcycling after a 25 year layoff, and served me well. I took it up the Coast Hwy many a time, and last year's trip to the Sierra was very cool. Without the V-star, I never would have been ready for the FJR, and for that I'll always have fond memories.
Posted 2 Mar 2005 @ 6.59 PM
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Posted 29 Sep 2004 @ 9.02 AM
