"MYTH" - You will eventually get hurt or killed on a motorcycle.

"MYTH" - You will eventually get hurt or killed on a motorcycle.

If you don't come from a motorcycle family and decide that you want to learn to ride a motorcycle, usually you get lots of advice from your family. They will tell you, "Motorcycles are dangerous." They'll call them murder-cycles or donor-cycles. They'll remind you that, "Uncle Ed got killed on a motorcycle. You stay away from motorcycles. You'll get killed too."

Now a certain amount of caution is OK so long as it's constructive. They fail to mention that there are many old riders on the road who have been riding 35-60 years and are still alive.

They don't know about all the advances in safety in the last 20 years. Bikes now have disc brakes. Some even have ABS brakes. Most riders are getting trained to ride safely through the programs of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF).

If you come from a motorcycle family, you're still not home free. They will encourage you to ride but they may give you bad advice or worse yet, try to teach you to ride. Don't ever let a loved one teach you to ride. Worst of all is learning totally on your own.

Take my advice. Level the odds by learning all you can about the proper way to ride a motorcycle. Let the MSF teach you. Then get an experienced trusted friend who is also MSF trained to go out with you as you practice. Wear protective apparel and a helmet. You CAN learn to be a safe rider and manage the risks of riding. So to every one out there "ENJOY THE RIDE"
                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 ..... TINY.....
                         

                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                              

 

Travel Tip #15: CHUCKLE!

A day without laughter is a day wasted! - Charlie Chaplain

I sat down at the computer this morning with the intention of planning out my next trip to the Chicago/ Milwaukee area. But as usual an hour latter I had achieved no planning and found my self cruising facebook.

What do you say was the cause of this great distraction?

MY EMPLOYEES!

At Long Ride Shields - (A company I started in college) my staff have been using humor to their advantage and have gotten us from 500 all the way to 19k Likes - Just by using funny pictures. 

I spent the last hour laughing at all the funny pictures my employees had been posting over the last few months.

Here is the FB page for those interested enough to read the comments and pictures.

LONG RIDE SHIELDS FACE BOOK PAGE

I had forgotten how healthy a little laughter can be, and then I started to think about how a simple chuckle or finding the funny in an otherwise serious moment can help us relax, regroup and re-think.

When traveling as a road warrior I think a little laughter can go a long way.... So next time you are out and about exploring the world - Find Something to laugh at- you might just enjoy yourself!

MY BOSS CRASHED HIS BIKE!

LRS BIKER DOWN!

You all know Matt Gardner, the owner of Long Ride Shields. Well, his Dad, Guy Gardner had been wanting to come out and join us on our rides, so last summer he went out and got his motorcycle license. He passed the class quite easily, but hadn’t had much practice from then until now.

LRS had an upcoming motorcycle event coming up called Ride for the Tatas, and we were all going to be there. As the date came closer and closer, I knew Guy needed a lot more practice before he was going to ride with a large group. So, we all set out one Saturday for a nice long ride into California to some great scenic, winding roads near Markleeville.

All was going great. Guy was doing really well with us. The first half of our ride was pretty strait foreword with limited bends in the road. After lunch, we set out to some more winding roads into Markleeville. My wife and I were riding up the rear. We had 2 other riders in front of us, then Guy, and then Matt in the lead.

As I approached the top of a hill, and started curving downward to the left, I noticed 2 of our riders pulled off to the shoulder and I knew it right then...... Guy was down. There they were, struggling with Guys Sportster, trying to pick it up out of the ditch. And there was Guy, sitting on the hill on the side of the road. I was scared for him. I stopped as fast as I can, jumped off and immediately went to help the other two riders with the Sportster. My wife, Kim went straight to Guy and began checking him over.

Chunk my bosses skin 

Guy was lucky. In the end, he had some bad road rash on his forearm, a broken wrist and quite a few thorns from the bush he went straight into, stuck into him pretty deep. All in all, he was okay and in fine spirits.
Matt who had been in front noticed that we weren't behind him and soon rolled up to see his dad laying in a ditch, Luckily he had a first aid kit on his bike, and Kim began cleaning him up best she could. The bike was an unrideable mess. Forks are bent pretty bad. Fender bent. Turn signal shattered. Oil all over. The oil cap had come off during the crash and was nowhere to be found.

A person who lived in a nearby town was driving by and we flagged him down. We needed a phone and had no cell phone reception where we were. He was kind enough to take Guy into town so he could call his wife to come get him. My wife road with, and they were off. We all followed and ended up in town at the local fire department. There, he took an ambulance to the hospital toget properly patched up. A decision that haunts him now as this experience cost him over 4 thousand dollars. Kim and I decided to ride back to the crash site to be sure the bike got picked up by the tow company. Once getting there, I was determined to find that oil cap and began searching again. Just when I was about to give up, there is was, buried deep, in the ground behind the thorn bush that had left many thorns in Guy’s arms and legs.

Guy was fine. He did have to return to the hospital later that night to get more thorns removed that were so deep, he needed to be cut to get them out.

So, why did this crash happen? Obviously, Guy is a beginner, but was doing very well. Guy knew what he had done wrong. He was unable to make the bike turn in the corner because he was going too fast and was braking in the corner. In the end, he went straight into the embankment. He was lucky. The bike can be fixed. Things could have been a lot worse. A tough lesson to learn the hard way.
This got us to thinking. What are the most common causes of motorcycle accidents? I’m certain this is one of them. A friend of Guys is a Sheriff in Jefferson county and wrote an article regarding this information. I’d like to share this article with you all and to remind you to be safe out there!
Motorcycle's have limits. Know them.    - James F.   Manager at Long Ride Shields


By Sheriff Ted Mink
 
When you earn your motorcycle endorsement the letter "M" is stamped on your driver's license right next to height, as if 'motorcycle' was just another part of your physical characteristics, or maybe a mental condition. You see, cars deceive us into thinking we're safe, and in control. The air-conditioning fans murmur a sense of tranquility. Motorcycles tell us we are small and exposed, and probably moving too fast for our own good, but that's no reason not to enjoy every minute of the ride.

In Jeffco

Since January 2011, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has responded to 44 serious injury, or fatal, motorcycle crashes. Of those:

98% were rider error
75% occurred in the foothills
70% were caused by excessive speed or failing to negotiate a turn
40% of all fatal motorcycle accidents involved unendorsed riders
14% were DUI related

In 2013, Jefferson County has already had two fatalities; one on Hwy 74 between Morrison and Evergreen, and one on Hwy 72 in Coal Creek Canyon.  Hwy 74 was caused by the rider failing to negotiate a corner and the Hwy 72 accident was caused by excessive speed.

As a result, our motorcycle traffic unit is increasing their accident reduction efforts. Comprised of six highly trained deputies, the traffic unit is proactively exploring the issues and working towards solutions. They recognize that even a seasoned rider must know their limits.

Top Ten Motorcycle Safety Tips:

Eye contact. Never assume others see you. Always try to make eye contact with drivers who may be about to pull into your path.

Read 'vehicle language'. Even when drivers, cyclists and pedestrians see you approaching, they often misjudge your distance and speed. Don't rely on them.

Turning left. Getting hit by an oncoming vehicle while turning left is the most common type of motorcycle crash. Watch your mirrors.

Be cautious of hazardous road conditions. Wet roads, fluid spills, sand, gravel, highway sealant, railroad tracks, and potholes reduce traction and may cause falls.

Take it easy on curves. You could overshoot or cross the center line into oncoming traffic. Slow down and choose the correct lane position before entering a curve.

Wear a good helmet. Helmets prevent head injuries in 67% of crashes. Helmets must meet current CDOT safety standards. Avoid buying a used helmet, especially one that has been in a previous accident.

Be visible. Avoid blind spots and always use headlights day or night. Wear bright, reflective clothing.
Protective gear. Gear can provide some protection during a crash, as w
ell as shield you from weather and debris. Wear protective eye and face gear. Never ride in lightweight pants or shorts.

Keep your distance. No one likes a tailgater. Keep a safe distance between your bike and other vehicles.

Use both brakes. When braking use both brakes at the same time by applying them slowly and steadily.

Worlds largest double barrel shotgun!

I just returned home from my little trip down to the Bay area.

I Love california, but hate.... Hate..... HATE! Traffic.

I was stuck in traffic for no less than 8 hours today.


I didnt see Bigfoot as I had hopped, but I did manage to catch the worlds largest double barrel shotgun on camera.

It was good to see the city again, and visiting with my clients was very successful.

I was a little jealous of my co worker who slept while I drove.... HE ALSO SNORED!  I had half a mind to fall asleep at the wheel just to teach him a lesson..... My own lesson would have been counter-productivity 101. We were out the door at 4:30 am and got home about 8Pm

It seems like any little fender bender has the potential to ruin everyones day!

That's just life I guess.

WOW THERE'S SOME GUNS!

Heading over the beautiful bridge.... SF off to the right.

Stuck in traffic.... AWESOME!

MORE TRAFFIC


At-least the sierras were pretty!

Short Notice!

Well this is just the way life is ...... One moment I think I'm going to mow my lawn tomorrow, the next Im headed out on another trip.

Traveling isn't always as glorious as one might think. Tomorrow Ill be up at 4 headed for San Francisco.

I enjoy the bay area about as much as the next guy...... If that guy Hates Traffic, Hates Driving next to obnoxious taxi drivers who don't obey the rules of the road..... then yes I would say I like it as much as he does.

San Fran is a beautiful place and fun to visit and hopefully I can get home tomorrow night at a reasonable time,   Its about three and a half hours down (with no traffic) and another 4 back ( there is always traffic on the way back!)

I hope I see something neat along the way... Maybe bigfoot has moved into the sierras and will be streaking across I-80 tomorrow.

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication can prevent crashes

Smarter cars that talk to one another are the next step in auto safety

 

Imagine that you’re approaching an intersection at about 30 mph, with a green traffic light beckoning you through. What you can’t see, however, is that another vehicle, coming in on the cross street, is about to run a red light. In a typical car, you would enter the intersection and most likely be slammed in the side by the other vehicle, which could seriously injure or even kill you. But in this car, a prominent red warning light flashes on the dash and an alarm blares, giving you time to hit the brakes before entering the danger zone.

That is one of several scenarios in which an ambitious new safety system being developed by the government, universities, and major automakers could help prevent an accident. The system allows cars in the same area to instantly communicate with one another over a wireless network, exchanging data about each vehicle’s speed, location, and direction of travel. With that information, the system can determine whether a crash is likely and warn drivers to brake. In more advanced designs, it can even brake the car if a driver doesn’t respond quickly enough.

In addition to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, systems are also being developed that allow cars to communicate with roadside infrastructure, such as traffic lights, and work and school zones. Taken together, the technology is now often referred to as V2X.

To some, this may seem like a Big Brother approach to monitoring driver behavior, but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, such a system has the potential to help drivers avoid or minimize up to 80 percent of crashes involving unimpaired drivers. NHTSA’s administrator, David Strickland, calls it “the next major safety breakthrough.”

Brian Lyons, Toyota’s manager of safety and quality communications, agrees, calling it a natural evolution in automotive safety development. “The first phase was about passive systems—air bags and so on,” he says. “The second was about active safety, including electronic stability control, collision-avoidance systems, etc. The third phase will be about car-to-car communication that can dramatically reduce the number of crashes on our roads.”

Gregory D. Winfree, acting administrator of the Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, sums it up this way: “The past 50 years have been about surviving vehicle crashes; the next 50 will be about preventing them.”

Implementing connected-vehicle technology on a mass scale is still several years away, and it will need to address concerns about privacy and cybersecurity to be accepted by the public. But we’re already seeing forms of connectivity on the road that can help drivers get where they’re going
safer, faster, and more efficiently.

How talking cars can protect you

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems, commonly called V2V or V2X, are designed to prevent crashes in a number of scenarios. Federal officials have conducted several driver clinics over the past year in which public volunteers have been able to experience the technology and see how these features can help them avoid accidents:

Intersection assist. When you approach an intersection, it alerts you if another vehicle is traveling at such a speed on a cross street that it could run a red light or stop sign and hit your car in the side. This helps prevent common and often fatal T-bone accidents.
Left-turn assist. When in an intersection, it alerts you if there's not enough time to make a left-hand turn because of oncoming vehicles. This can keep you from turning even when you can't see the oncoming car.
Do-not-pass warning. When driving on a two-lane road, the system warns you when a vehicle coming in the opposite direction makes it unsafe to pass a slower-moving vehicle.
Advance warning of a vehicle braking ahead. The system emits an alert when a vehicle that's two or more cars ahead in the same lane—and possibly out of sight—hits the brakes unexpectedly. This can help prevent a rear-end collision when you're caught by surprise.
Forward-collision warning. A warning will sound if the system detects that you're traveling at a speed that could cause you to hit a slower-moving vehicle in the rear. It will also give you advance warning of a stopped vehicle in your lane that you may not see because of a vehicle in front of you or because it's around a bend in the road.
Blind-spot/lane-change warning. When traveling on a multilane road, this illuminates a warning light when a car is positioned in your blind spot. It also emits a loud beep if you activate your turn signal when it's unsafe to change lanes. V2X is more accurate than current blind-spot monitoring systems that use cameras or radar and can even warn you of a car that's accelerating into your blind zone, which conventional systems can't do.

Customer Showcase

Myths, Legends, and Tales is run by the aftermarket Harley Davidson motorcycle company known as Long Ride Shields. We specialize in making windshields that greatly reduce the amount of wind buffeting, provide weather and bug protection, and remove the need to have a windscreen blocking your field of view. We wanted to take some time to showcase all of the awesome photos our customers have been submitting to us over the past few weeks.

If you have a picture of your own you'd like to submit e-mail us at LongRideShields@gmail.com or contact us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LongRideShields.