最近ウチの自転車チームのウェブ掲示板で「安全」に関するコメントが
非常に多い。というのもつい先日、早朝のオーチャード通りで、二人の
バイクライダー(レースにも出ていた35歳と36歳の男性)がトラックと接触事故を
起こして死亡したばかり。また別の日の平日朝練では、高速道路のランプウェイから
降りてきたトラックが、スピードを落とさずそのままウチのチームの前を走っていた
バイクライダーたちに激突し、救急車を呼ぶ大怪我になったそう(一命は取り留めた模様)。
全くもって他人事では済まされない。
日本でもそうだが、やはりクルマと自転車がどうやって共存していくか、
改めて考えさせられるとともに、自転車は交通弱者なんだということを
再認識した次第。結局正しい走行をしていても、相手の不注意や意地悪で
死亡してしまうことさえあるのだ。健康のための自転車なのに悲しすぎる。
「安全第一」と「自己防衛」そしてマナーを考えながら、走らなければいけない。
以下は、チームのメンバが「安全第一」というタイトルで送ってくれたモノ。
当たり前のことではあるが(英語だが)、読んで頂ければと思う。
1. Ride a straight line. The key here is to be predictable not only for the other folks in the pace-line, but also in traffic because it may prevent you from becoming a hood ornament. You can practice holding your line by trying to ride right alongside the white shoulder line when riding alone.
2. Look as far down the road as you can. Avoid focusing in on the rear wheel of the rider in front of you. Also, avoid riding directly behind the wheel in front. Try to ride a few inches to the right of if necessary (depending on wind direction) to the left of the rider in front of you without overlapping wheels. This allows you to view road conditions ahead and gives you extra tie to react should the rider in front suddenly slow down. Always plan to have a way out if anything happens up front, even if it means going off-road.
3. Communicate. Good communication is the key to safety when riding in a pace-line. Continuously let the lead rider knows that you are on his/her right or left so that he/she will not be turning across your front wheel at the worst possible time. You know better than the rider in front of you about what direction the wind is coming from.
4. Maintain a steady speed. Your goal is to leave a “clean” steady wheel that others behind you can follow easily and trust. Focus on maintaining a steady cadence and let your gears do the work. It’s natural to slow for hills and headwinds. It just takes practice and a quick glance at your electronics.
5. Move around gradually within the group. If you need to move to the left or right in order to avoid an obstacle in the road or to pass another rider, do it slowly and gradually, giving others time to reat.
6. When it’s your turn to pull through, maintain the same speed as the rider you replaced. If you want to pick up the speed, wait until the person who just pulled off has a chance to get back on, and then raise the speed gradually. You don’t want to get too tired and get dropped when you try to return to the rear of the pace-line, so get off before your legs blow. The only time you should use your aero bars when riding with a group is when you are pulling. If you come up from behind to join another pace-line, call out “on your wheel” so they know you are there. It is also considered polite to ask is you may draft in the back if the group is unknown to you.
7. Call out road hazards and signal your intentions to those around you. Call and point to potholes, road-kills, cracks in the road, and slower riders ahead. Turning around to look behind you also can disrupt the riders around you. Many riders have a tendency to swerve in the direction they are looking.
8. Be careful when standing up on the pedals. When standing up on the pedals, give it a couple hard stokes as you stand up. Most riders don’t realize that when you raise out of the saddle (on the hill, for example) you slow down a bit before you pick up your pace. When this happens, your rear wheel can go “backwards,” hitting the front wheel of the rider behind.
9. Signal when pulling off the front. Always pull off in the direction the wind is coming from. In a pure headwind, pull to the left. Signal your intent to give up the “pull” by wiggling either your hand and fingers or your elbow on the side you want the rider behind to come through on. Just before pulling off, give it three hard pedal strokes to insure the rider behind is not overlapped, and then don’t slow down until you have moved off the right or left. Then, move over gradually instead of swerving to the side quickly.
10. Move to the right or left and yell “slowing” before you brake for a slowing rider in front of you or a road hazard. Your following riders may not be able to react as fact as you. It goes without saying that you should have your ride in a pace-line. The rule is that if you hit a ride from behind, shame on you!
11. Be considerate of the riders behind. Never swerve quickly sideways in a pace-line (another rider’s front wheel may be overlapped with your rear wheel). Also, please wait until you are at the back of the group before drinking from your water bottle, blowing your nose, or spitting.