Advice for a cyclist having trouble healing

Hi Gary,
I'm admittedly quite a mediocre cyclist who has only ridden MB, and only now have I decided, 16 years after severe head injuries to take on road-riding. Unfortunately I seem to have a predisposition to minor accidents, the last a fortnight ago when a Taxi-driver 'T-boned' me on my motorcycle. I've managed to get away with only deep bruising in my left hip, but not only does it prevent me from cycling it also prevents me from working! Diet-wise I've always eaten wallaby (v.low fat, great stuff), vegetables, plenty of fruit, non-processed dairy food (cheese too but I don't think I can call it non-processed!). Unfortunately last year I had a bad reaction to liberal quantities of fish oil, which is particularly disappointing since I've never heard of anyone else who has that problem!
... help?!!!
____________________________________________
Gary:
First of all, I wonder a little about the wisdom of your choice of cycling on the road.  Cycling on the road, even for a highly experienced cyclist, is hazardous and further head injuries are near the top of the list of potential injuries - death is another.  You just do not want to risk another hard whack to the head.

Tour Operators defend New Zealand Cycle Touring

If you really want to experience crazy drivers, try cycling
from Samoa's Apia Airport into town.  We did - Once -
and lived. Never again.

Cycle Tour Operators New Zealand (CTONZ) are concerned at recent misleading publicity regarding the safety of New Zealand roads for touring cyclists. CTONZ, representing 19 New Zealand based cycle tour companies, believes that recent comments from Tim Pawson, editor of Cyclingnz.com, that “New Zealand drivers have an arsehole attitude” are incorrect. News reports that the German Embassy are considering issuing a Travel Advisory, warning its nationals of the dangers of cycling on New Zealand roads, also do not represent a true picture of cycle touring in New Zealand. While acknowledging that there is a very small sector of NZ drivers who are inconsiderate, CTONZ members believes that the vast majority of motorists are courteous and respectful towards cycle tourists.

More about risking your neck cycling New Zealand roads

"A young German cyclist killed in a collision with a truck in New Zealand this week described aggressive truck drivers as "beasts" just days before her death.

Mia Susanne Pusch, 19, arrived in New Zealand in early October and had been cycling around the country until her death last Tuesday.

Photo: Adventure South

She died when she and a truck and trailer travelling the same direction collided in a passing zone about four kilometres north of Bulls, in Manawatu.

Pusch had written her last blog a few days earlier, lamenting the perils of cycling on New Zealand roads,..." More....

Please also refer to my earlier article here about cycle safety.

________________________________

Gary comments:

I would not personally ride the route from Bulls to Whanganui. Nice road, scenic but hairy to say the least because of all the trucks and cars that hurtle along that stretch of highway. It is a road that is exposed to strong and gusty cross winds. In her defense, how could a German tourist have known just how dangerous that piece of road is? Or how crazy the traffic is?

The cycling photo above, used to promote New Zealand as a safe cycle touring destination, is misleading. Gosh - they are even riding two abreast! I am sure that many cycle tourists get a shock once a day or two into their tour of New Zealand. My, how things have changed!

In 1973 I cycled from Putaruru to Dunedin. The only thing the trip killed was my backside. In 1974, I was back on my bike, pedaling the entire circumference of the South Island, stopping in Christchurch along the way to watch my sister, Lorraine, compete in the Commonwealth Games 800m. In those days I could sit on the center line of the South's highways, only having to pull to the left every now and then to let a car go by. It was a safe and relaxing way to see New Zealand. I have done several other epic tours, here and overseas. I am reluctant nowadays to tour most New Zealand highways.

Back in those early days there were few cars and barely ever a truck. Everything large went by rail. With deregulation during the 1980's everything changed: Most goods, large and small, are delivered by trucks nowadays - large and small.

The trouble with trucks

Most of our roads are unsuitable for heavy trucks and certainly not for sharing the same spaces with vulnerable cyclists. Trucks produce sudden pressure waves and suction as they pass, depending on the strength and direction of any cross winds. If a truck passes a cyclist at high speed and too close, the cyclist risks either being blown off the road or sucked under the wheels of the truck. The latter is obviously more of a risk when being passed by a long truck and trailer unit.

So what's the solution?

I can't see drivers changing in a hurry the way they scream up and down the highways. The number of trucks and cars on our roads will continue to increase as the population swells. While there are ongoing improvements to our highways, this is only in response to growing volume and mostly on the basis of cost/benefit. Bikes and pedestrians are of little importance when new highways are designed; even the most basic of safety measures are still ignored, such as ensuring drainage grills are right angled rather than parallel to the direction of travel.

I think the best solution for cycle touring is to get the tourists off the highways. I say this with a good deal of reluctance and sadness because I think more people should be using bikes to get around, including holiday touring their way about the country with their families. Cyclists have every right to be on the road and motorists should respect this and show due care for these most vulnerable road users. But I am not about to be a sacrificial hero for the "Cause" and I don't expect anybody else to be one either. We need to offer a safer option.

National Cycle Ways

I am excited about plans now under way to create a national network of cycle routes. If things keep going to plan, then New Zealand will have a network of off road routes that can be cycled and walked the length and breadth of the country.

There are already many trails that are suitable for cycle touring, including the immensely popular Otago Rail Trail. The Rail Trail is really easy to ride, while most of New Zealand is hard grunt! Undulating terrain and wind make sure of that. Bearing this in mind, we should be promoting New Zealand s the place to come for riding off road trails. We should also be giving clear guidelines about road safety for foreign cyclist who want to stick to the roads, including the safest routes to follow. We certainly should not be giving tourists the false impression that they can safely hop off the plane in Auckland and ride the length of State Highway One.

_______________________________________

Hi Gary,

Re your blog < http://blog.garymoller.com/2010/01/more-about-risking-your-neck-cycling.html >

My name is Tim de Jong, I am the person who took the photograph you have posted on your blog, as well as being the guide on the tour that the photo is from, the Operations Manager of Adventure South <www.advsouth.co.nz > & the chairman of Cycle Tour Operators New Zealand <www.ctonz.co.nz >

In all these roles I want to respond to your comment,...

“

The cycling photo above, used to promote New Zealand as a safe cycle touring destination, is misleading. Gosh - they are even riding two abreast!”

They are cycling two abreast because they are on the private Tekapo Canal road in November, when there is very little traffic. The photo is not misleading as New Zealand is still a reasonably safe place to cycle tour on the road ( I say reasonably as cycling on the road always has an element of risk), if you take the appropriate measures,...

• wear high visibility clothing (I would venture to guess that the poor German girl who died recently was not wearing high vis gear. If she was, she would be the exception as Germans are notorious for cycling in browns, grays & blacks.)
• plan your trip to avoid busy main roads, there are quiet back roads & if not, use public transport to avoid busy sections. One of our guides saw 5 people cycling on SH1 between Palmerston & Timaru yesterday, there are alternative side road options for most of this route.
• avoid popular scenic routes at peak seasons e.g. Coromandel & Northland in January, & unfortunately this may possibly extend in the future to SH6 on the West Coast in January as traffic volumes increase
• if you have to cycle on busy roads - cycle single file, keep well to the left & pull over if holding up traffic
  

One of the ways is to cycle on a tour with a reputable operator, CTONZ members have implemented several safety measures including protocols with Bus & Coach Association & the NZ Road Transport Forum (trucks) that outline behaviors for drivers of these vehicles as well as cycle tour groups (CTONZ fully recognise that Share the Road goes both ways). You can see details on these on the CTONZ website.

Here at Adventure South we are proud of our safety record (to date no vehicle/cyclist accidents), our bikes have collapsible side safety flags for busier roads & high vis 3D reflectors, we offer high vis clothing to clients, vehicles have “cyclist on the road” signs & we give clients a thorough safety briefing on cycle safety on the roads. We also ask for extensive feedback from clients & get almost zero comments about busy roads & the cycling being unsafe.

Tour operators also have local knowledge as to which routes are suitable and are continually refining routes as traffic volumes increase, e.g. in the last two years Adventure South have pulled out of the Fairlie to Tekapo Road & this year the Lindis Pass as the traffic volumes are just getting too much. To date we have been able to find alternative routes but there limited of options as New Zealand only has so many roads. Along with independent cyclists, cycle tour operators are very much looking forward to increased options for safe cycling routes with the implementation of the national cycle trail network.

I agree with you fully that it is not the same as it was back in the day, when cycling on NZ roads was a quiet experience,... population has increased as have traffic volumes and the roads have not improved to allow for this. The sad reality is that most of these roads will probably not improve (for the most part a good shoulder is all that is needed) due to lack of funding. As you say, the future growth of NZ cycling will in a large part be based around the new cycle trail network, but with careful planning & good timing there is still some great road cycling to be had in New Zealand, especially if traveling on a guided tour. The fact is that the tragic deaths of independent touring cyclists on main roads end up damaging the reputation of New Zealand as a cycling destination, there is no doubt that it is not as safe as it used to be on our roads but with careful planning & safe cycling procedures there is still plenty of safe cycling to be found on our roads.

Tim de Jong

.......__o

Operations Manager .......\<,
Adventure South Ltd ....( )/ ( )...
guide@advsouth.co.nz

www.advsouth.co.nz

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NZ Free-phone 0800 00 11 66 | Ph +64 3 942 1222 | Fax +64 3 942 4030 | Cell+64 21 753 865
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Think very carefully before getting yourself a bicycle

Image: Alama Moller lining up for NZ Mountain Bike Champs, Tokoroa

Okay, your knees and hips are getting creaky, all your mates have given up walking and jogging and taken to riding bikes, so why not join them? After all, your doctor has told you that you need to exercise more to get rid of that increasing belly fat and skyrocketing cholesterol. And riding a bike is easy on the joints and reminds you of the good old days when everybody rode bikes just about everywhere.

How to put your health at risk - Get a road racing bike

Before you rush down to the local bike shop and fork out ten grand on a carbon fibre Merida racing machine, I urge you to stop and think carefully about what you are doing. Far from improving your health, you could be seriously risking it.

The boom in Baby-Boomers taking up cycling later in life is great for the medical rehabilitation business.

So, what's the annualised serious injury rate among cyclists: 1:20? 1:50? Who cares - whatever it is, it has to be bad. There are just way too many injuries nowadays. Older bodies do not heal quite like they did in the good old days. Cycling injuries are often appalling. What we are talking about are broken legs, smashed hips and collarbones, broken necks, paralysed bodies, mashed brains - and death - of course! Hardly the healthy outcomes intended by the well-intentioned, health conscious cyclist.

Don't get me wrong: I love cycling and think everyone should be out of their cars and riding bikes. I have never been off a bike since childhood; I continue to race furiously and have only just retired (temporarily - of course!) from B-grade track racing. Bike riding gets me into the outdoors most days while sparing my tired joints, saving them for long hikes such as the Heaphy Track last year.

Riding a twitchy high performance carbon fibre racing bike on a busy street or truck clogged highway is just asking for trouble. Especially if it is with a bunch of mates heading along Tamaki Drive!

Sunday morning bunch rides: Informal races?

What we see on 'Sunday mornings is large bunches of inexperienced cyclists, astride high performance machines, wheel-to-wheel and often several abreast, riding at speed on busy streets, all the while trying to carry on loud conversations. At times these are nothing less than informal bike races. I wonder how many of these high speed wannabe racers can do a slow, tight figure eight manoevre without losing balance, let alone avoid a high speed pile up? Terrifying if you ask me.

If a cyclist wants to play bike racing, my advice to them is it get off the streets and join a cycling club and enter road races that have strict safety procedures, including traffic control.

And, while I am at it: What happens when this bunch of greying cyclists enters the roundabout intersection at precisely the same time as the car with the idiot behind the wheel who is trying to put tomato sauce on his meat pie while answering his cell phone? Ouch! Even if you are in the right and he ends up in prison (Yeah - right!), this is hardly any consolation for you as you begin your new career as daisy fertiliser.

Image: Gary with Son, Alama, negotiating steep track below Pencarrow lighthouse.

Save your life: Get off the road!

I avoid the road these days. As much as 90% of my riding is off road. Sure, I have lots of spills with grazes and bruises; but I would much rather hug a gorse bush than smash a bus. Off road cycling is the way to go; but hang on! Don't rush into that either. all forms of cycling can be hazardous to your health - Very healthy so long as you don't fall off. Staying on is the challenge. Some forms of cycling are safer. Road cycling is definitely the more hazardous to your health.

Even if you are going to ride mostly on the road, don't buy a twitchy road racing bike; get a good quality mountain bike. A mountain bike is more stable to ride, it has lazy boy suspension and fat tyres that love pot holes and even fatter brakes that will stop you on a dime. You will keep your face: You are less likely to go over the handle bars in face plant style.

When you go out riding on the road on your flash new mountain bike, fitted out with road tyres, do not ride anything other than single file and save the chat for the cafe and latte later on. You are out for a ride and that is what you focus on. Gossip happens afterwards.

Sure, you won't go anywhere near as fast as the "roadies"; although the bunch of snobs will not wave as they glide effortlessly past you, wave to them anyway smug with the knowledge that you are still getting a damn good workout while being much less likely than "Speed Racer" to end up in the morgue. Be on the lookout for pothole gutter grates, opening car doors, left turning vehicles and pedestrians with head phones.

Walkers and Cyclist unite!

Regions like Wellington, Rotorua, Taupo and Central Otago, are mountain bike heaven. There is so much wild country within minutes ride of our home in central Wellington. Mountain bikers are proving to be effective lobbyists. There is an ever increasing network of trails all around the country that are dug and maintained by dedicated enthusiasts. The boom in mountain biking is seeing whole tracts of land being opened up for "non-motorised" users, including walkers.

Cyclists and walkers can generally coexist, although there are still a few growing pains being worked through. The onus is largely on the faster moving party to exercise due care and courtesy when navigating the trails with other users. This means the cyclist slowing right down when approaching walkers, calling out if coming from behind and even dismounting. The sudden appearance of of a mountainbiker hurtling straight for you at break neck speed can be frightening. It spoils the outdoors experience and should not happen.

Get some cycling lessons

If you are motivated to supplement your walking or running with some cycling of the mountain bike kind, I do have one last piece of advice: Get some lessons. When you purchase your shiny new mountain bike, arrange for some skills and safety lessons through the bike shop and even join a club. These lessons will add to the enjoyment of your riding experience, keep you from my rehab clinic door and maybe even save your life!

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Safety of racing-style road bicycles is questioned

Last weekend, we were out on the road doing our usual fun riding on our mountain bikes when we came across a young woman lying on the side of the road. She had clipped the back wheel of her boyfriend's bike and done a face plant into the asphalt, suffering serious facial injuries, including smashing all of her front teeth - upper and lower. It was off to hospital and the prospect of many months of expensive and painful repairs to her teeth. She told me that she was just learning to ride a bike. What a tough introduction!

Photos: Gentle Annie 80 km 2007. Go here for information about this fantastic fun event.

This accident reminded me of another one many years ago when a young female cyclist fell over her handle bars, shaving her face along the road like a piece of cheese across a grater. Her injuries were so horrific others first on the scene ran about like headless chickens. When I got home I rinsed her blood from my cycling jersey and found two of her teeth stuck to it. She faced years of plastic surgery to restore her face. It is one incident I still shudder to think of.

If ever there was a case for wearing helmets, it is accidents like these which would have been so much worse if they had not been worn.

While I have raced both road and track, I much prefer the security of a solid mountain bike. Although a mountain bike performs on the road more like a truck than a Ferrari, they are far safer to ride than a road bike. For a start, they have fat tyres, suspension and juicy disk brakes that keep you stuck to the ground, that soak up bone-jarring pot holes and stop you on a dime in emergency. Better still, a mountain bike has you sitting back more than a road bike. When you hang forward and low on the drops of a road bike you are going to pitch forward face first into the pavement, if you lose control for any reason. Wipe out on a mountain bike and you are more likely to fall on your side than your face.

When we ride on the road, it is only to get to our mountain biking destination. There are just too many crazies out there on the roads. We were riding down Happy Valley, here in Wellington, this morning when a large truck swept past at high speed almost brushing us. There was no need for this; it was a restricted speed zone, we were riding single file and there was no oncoming traffic. Some motorists do this just to frighten and piss us off. If we were learners on wobbly road bikes with pencil thin tyres, we could easily have been killed. Rather than be martyrs to the cause, we prefer to do most of our riding off road. While there are still wipe-outs, I would much prefer a gorse bush than a power pole or the front end of a truck!

Don't get sucked in by glamour and hype: If you are thinking of taking up cycling, think very carefully about your level of competency. If you are the equivalent of a Learner Driver, think twice before you fork out for that sexy, racy "Ferrari" of a road bike. You would be much better off getting onto a sturdy mountain bike that you can ride both on and off the road. Hone your skills and fitness on this stable machine and then consider the Ferrari next season. Chances are that you will be so hooked on the fun of riding a mountain bike that you will seek instead to upgrade your mountain bike.