Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 3, November 2014 | Page 39

go girl

MC

All together now girls...
keep it safe

By Charnelle Munitich

he infamous saying “it’s like riding a
bike” leaves much to be desired. It is
not so much the riding part that worries
me but rather the safety aspect when out
riding that is of grave concern. With this in mind
we need to follow a couple of fundamental
rules when participating in our country’s “new
golf”.
First and foremost is my cardinal rule being
“Safety in Numbers”. Not only because of the
obvious fact being the more there are of you
riding together, the more visible your group
is to motorists but more importantly because
in today’s times it is unsafe to ride alone. You
should always ride with at least one partner,
on a planned route and with family being
aware of your whereabouts as all of this
information will come in handy in the event of
an emergency. You can never be too cautious
I say, which is why I highly recommend you get
yourself an emergency bracelet. This simply
allows medical personnel to gain access to
important information such as medical aid
details, allergies etc. I am a proud “Sweat Safe”
subscriber and I can honestly say that I ride with
peace of mind now knowing that they have
“my back”.
Next up is the “mooi” cycling gear we are
forced to wear. If I have to be honest, it kind
of makes me miss golf. I know it is not a fashion
contest but what is up with those nappy pants
and weird caps? On a serious note, it is so

important to wear reflective and fluorescent

clothing so that other road users can see
you. Oh, and how is this for a scary statistic –
“78% of cycling fatalities are due to riders not
wearing a helmet”! Now I don’t know about
you but I sure as hell don’t want to risk injuring
my noggin. Also, this is very important, once
you have been in a collision please replace
your helmet even though the damage may
not be visible. The shock absorbing qualities
may be compromised so it is just not worth
taking any chances. I highly recommend
wearing a pair of shades as you can be riding
along merrily when a bug decides to commit
suicide and in the interim blinds you causing
a possible crash. On the upside as well, they
do kind of add some flair to a dismal outfit.

An accessory that you should NOT wear, in
my humble opinion, is an iPod or the like. I am
a total music lover but there is a time and a
place for everything and cycling is neither
of the two. Not only is your concentration
impaired but you will not be able to hear that
truck coming up behind you nor the choice
words of the angry motorist as he speeds past
you displaying his talent in sign language. It is
just not worth the risk.
So, are you one of those motorists who honk
your horn when a cyclist or cyclists are riding
three abreast or when they slow down at
an upcoming red light, half-heartedly look
both ways and then fly straight through?

Well, if you answered yes then I can assume

you will never follow suite? As a road user
it is imperative that you obey the road
rules just as you would if you were in your
motorcar and that includes watching out
for blind spots, pedestrians, animals, taxis
and the notorious “Safrican” potholes.
I have been so busy chatting about road
safety that I have not mentioned the
importance of making sure that your bike is
in good working condition. This can impact
a whole host of issues as nobody wants
to be 30 kilometres out fixing your seventh

puncture or trying to figure out what that

chain linky thingy is in your saddle bag?
Secondly, I would highly recommend
attending a skills clinic where you will be
taught how to repair punctures, replace
chain links and even temporarily repair a
side wall. Ok, now I am getting ahead of
my ͕