So, this is beyond ironic, and really quite sad.   At a helmet law protest rally in Central NY State, a motorcyclist riding with a group of like minded protestors (helmet-less), hit his brakes, fishtailed and flipped over the handle bars.  Pronounced dead at the hospital, this avoidable death reminds us that defending our civil liberties is one thing, protecting our skulls is quite another.  The police say that had he been wearing a helmet, he most likely would have survived.

I think through the pages of NYC Scootering we have been clear about our preference for quality, protective gear.  But a story like this bears repeating.  Stay safe, and always wear the best protective equipment available.  Senseless death is avoidable.  We deal with enough mayhem on the streets already, no need to make matters worse, by not adhering to a strict policy of safety.

The full story can be found here.

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Minimal Damage

Well, it finally happened.  Yesterday afternoon, while on my way to, of all things, use my vintage Vespa in a photo shoot (where my scooter needed to look perfect), I got into my first accident.  Luckily, it was only a fender bender, and the actual damage was minimal.  But the fright was real, and it’s something that will stick with me, each time I head out on the road.

I was heading south on a main avenue that runs through Williamsburg, in a steady line of slow traffic, caused by a truck parked perpendicular in the road.  Because of the slow speed, at some point, the driver felt he could cross against the flow, from where he had stopped at a stop sign.  I was traveling in the proper direction, with the right of way, when he darted out in front of me.  I slammed on the brakes, both front and rear, and immediately started to skid.  The bike was traveling so slow to begin with, that I was able to just about come to a full stop, before tapping into the side of his car.  At no time did he hit the brakes.  He really didn’t even see me.  Seems that once he noticed that there was not a large, two ton vehicle coming his way, he decided to gas it, crossing  the road while it was my turn to pass his intersecting street. In hindsight, it seems that he considered the lack of car coming, an opening.  In reality, the lack of car coming was a scooter coming.  But I was invisible to him.

The damage to the scooter is barely visible.  The front wheel hit the car, but lightly, and left some scrapes along the cover on the shock.  Also, I had pulled up on the steering, jerking it left at the last minute, so the front end was turned on it’s axis.  The result was that when the handlebars were straight, the front tire pointed off to the left.  I was able to straighten that out right there on the side of the road, and was on my way.

Ironically, I had posted a piece recently, about the functionality of the brakes on these old Vespas (and older bikes in general), and wondered if downshifting would be able to aid in this type of situation.  Turns out, there was absolutely no time for me to downshift, rendering that debate moot.  The fact that I got both brakes locked up in time surprises me, but in a good way.  I’m glad my reflexes handled the challenge. But obviously, there was a deficiency in my riding.  I was not at fault in this situation, but I have to accept a certain amount of responsibility.  We all know that these cars are NEVER going to be looking out for us, so it is up to us to be prepared for inconsideration, in even the most obvious of circumstances, when we should have the right of way.

For me, this experience brings up a new question.  Perhaps the my focus should not be on how well my brakes work in an insulated setting, but at what speed and distance  brakes, no matter the type, can bring us to a safe stop.  Knowing that I have older drum brakes, and the older cable mechanism that comes with it, makes me aware that it will take me longer to stop.  But maybe I need to head out to an empty parking lot, and test out the exact distance it will take for this old beauty to fully stop. The 2 and 4 second rule is helpful when judging your traveling distance, but the other factor involved is your specific brakes.  I may need 3 and 5 seconds, because of the specifics of my bike.  I really have no idea, without a bit of testing.

I realize now that knowing my actual braking time would effect my traveling distance, my overall speed, and the way I approach traffic in general.

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I was very reluctant to purchase a helmet from an online retailer, without trying on the model in a local store first.  I had decided, after much research, that I would opt for a modular, or flip-up style for this next one.  The fact that they seem to cater a bit more toward people who wear eye glasses (I lost my glasses after riding away with them somewhere on the seat, after removing them to put on my helmet!) made this an appealing choice.  Also, I wanted to make sure that whichever model I chose had a built in sun visor, so that at a moments notice I could shade my eyes from summer sun.

I read a ton of reviews, from a variety of sources.  The website Web Bike World has a very extensive collection of real world reviews, and they in no small part aided in my decision.  I finally settled on the EGV Miglia II, an Italian made modular helmet, which scored very high on comfort, weight, noise and price factors.  The problem is, there are no local shops that carry it, so I would be basing the purchase solely off reviews, and the hope that comfort would be adequate, based on what I read.  I can now say emphatically, I should have listened to my gut, and insisted on buying something I had tried on.  I know, I know,  but it’s hard to pass up the online discount of about 25%.  I ordered it from Motorcycle Superstore, a company I had dealt with before.  They got it to me quick, and it arrived safely packed away in protective double boxes.

I anxiously removed the helmet from the packaging, to find a very space age looking design.  Very different from my current, typical full-faced helmet.  Not exactly my speed, but I hoped the advantages would outweigh the style.  I immediately read all the instructions, quickly attaching the included sun visor, which if preferred, remains on the helmet at all times instead of having to swap your clear visor for a tinted one on sunny days.  Install complete, I was ready for a test fit.  Man, it felt weird!  First, you need to open the chin bar (the part that raises to make this a “modular” unit) before putting the helmet on.  The part of the helmet below your ears curves in toward your neck tightly, which makes me feel as if it is a bit safer, but there is no way to put it on without opening the chin bar.  Once on, lowering the chin bar is a snap, and I sat in my apartment, full space suit vibe, trying to get a feel for the thing.  It felt a little strange, but I tried to keep in mind that my other helmet felt strange too, when I first donned it in the store.  I needed some real world tests, so off on the scooter I went…

The good: I really have to say that the modular helmet style is a blessing.  Although flip-ups are said to be heavier, due to the added mechanism that allows the movement of the front panel, this helmet doesn’t feels heavy to me.  Barely heavier than my cheaply constructed, full-faced helmet, it is completely manageable.  The ability to flip up the face, while waiting at a light or getting gas, is heaven.  So much more air flow.  The helmet feels very secure on my head, and I feel as if the fit, although still new, is going to be fine.

The sun visor is where this choice really shines.  I have been able to utilize it several times now, and being able to quickly pull the visor down to avoid “the sun’s harmful rays” is amazing.  This helmet offers the sun visor on the outside, which is not the type I preferred (many more expensive brands offer it internally inside the clear visor, with a switch mechanism that drops it), but this one works well.

The liner is removable, which my current helmet doesn’t have, hopefully improving the “freshness” level and longevity.  There is also an area outside the ear position that is hollow, which seems like it could make installing communication speakers or an earpiece very easy and comfortable.

The last feature I will point out is the chin strap.  It is a quick release buckle type, instead of the classic D ring attachment, which makes getting it off with one hand possible.  It also has a nice padding under the strap (supposedly) for comfort.

The bad: The first thing I need to mention is this quick release buckle.  Although considered a bonus, and many people pay more for it, it sits uncomfortably under my chin, hitting my adam’s apple.  It may be able to be moved around, but currently it bothers me tremendously (should have tried it on in a store!!!!).  Pulling the strap forward a little offers a fix to this – and it’s something I think I can monkey with and get used to.

It’s DOT approved, which is required to sell in the United States, but like all modular helmets, it is not Snell approved.  Currently no flip-up helmets have been submitted to Snell for testing, so it’s not that it failed, it’s just has never been tested.   There are independent organizations that have put quite a few of these style helmets through the Snell type testing, and they seem to pass with adequate safety numbers.

The instructions emphatically insist you not put any stickers on the helmet.  I would have liked to put a few reflective stickers on it for night riding.  The manufacturer claims this will compromise the integrity of the shell.

The most disappointing feature is that I have not figured out a way to put on or remove the helmet with my glasses on.  Not sure if this is common for all modular helmets, but for all the reviews I read mentioning glasses, I am REALLY disappointed.  Maybe I just haven’t figured out the trick?

The other thing that is quite annoying is the internal noise.  Although this helmet was rated as one of the most quiet, of all the modular type reviewed, this thing is LOUD!  I would hate to hear what the noisier ones sound like.

Lastly, did I mention I look like an alien?  Well, I do!  And although I always tout function over fashion, this may be taking it a little too far….

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Burnt Vespa. Photograph courtesy of Igor Clark, Flickr.

Back in October of last year, I wrote a review of a jacket I purchased, a nice leather job, found at a very affordable price.  It was high time I got a warmer, winter jacket, and the one I found has come in quite handy.  It handled the cold weather admirably, and at only $100, I feel it was one of the best purchases I have made for my scooter adventures.  With the weather the way it was this year, it seemed the winter would never end, and I kept wearing that winter jacket, right up until last week, when the weather suddenly decided to become Summer.  It took all of what seemed like 30 minutes for the season to change from Winter to Summer, and I was caught unawares, wearing my heavy, padded, sweat inducing leather, on a ride in the sweltering heat.

I found myself out on a fairly long ride, heading down to south Brooklyn, from my home up in the north tip of the borough.  Caught in the heat, when the clouds finally parted that day, I found myself in a leather jacket, sweating and very uncomfortable.  The problem this created, was that I found myself thinking WAY too much about my discomfort, and WAY too little about the road.  At each light, I was concentrating on complaining to myself, instead of keeping an eye on the traffic around me.  I found myself thinking about being home, rid of this heavy layer, and not about the errant driving of the livery cars.

These choices are not to be taken lightly.  This overheated ride pointed out to me that our comfort level, on our scooters, is paramount.  We ride this type of bike for several reasons: cool factor, convenience, easy to park, great getting in and out of traffic, and last, but not least, because they are far more comfortable than riding the typical motorcycle.  The sitting position that we have on a scooter is a great advantage over the hunched stance of a sport bike or cafe racer, and what’s not to love about comfort.  But that day in the sun, I threw that advantage out the window, when I failed to recognize that what I was wearing was discounting all the advantages of comfort that a scooter can offer.

So, obviously it was time for the switch back to the lighter, vented jacket I had originally purchased, when I first got my scooter.  It’s not pretty, and it makes me look like I should be riding a crotch rocket, but the difference in comfort level, in the heat, is immense.  Function over fashion, right?  Upon returning home that day, I hung the leather in the closet, and retrieved the summer jacket from the basement storage.  Man, what a difference.  I hopped on the Vespa, and off for a ride, to feel the new found freedom of the lighter, more comfortable apparel.  What a difference!  I was back to concentrating on the road, on the traffic around me, and enjoying the ride.  I felt downright lighter!  Ready to take an adventure again, now that the discomfort was gone.

I know I have preached the function over fashion line before, but this time, once again, it really just comes down to safety.  Why risk the distraction?  Enjoy the sun!

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Not suprisingly – even the power of Google can't help me find a picture of Kenny on a Vespa.

I believe it was Kenny Rogers that said, “you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, and – central to my argument – know when to walk away.”

Last night, coming out of my weekly evening class I walked into the hail / snow storm that had hit the Big Apple to remind us that Spring is the season of tease – warm one day, cold the next. It was clear that while I had been scooting around happily earlier in the day I was not going to be able to safely drive the 30 blocks or so necessary to get me home.

What I did need to do however was get my bike to a safe spot where I could leave it parked until this morning. I was in an overnight tow-zone, and knowing the meter maids as I do, a hail storm is not going to stop them from ticketing or towing me. For a moment I considered walking the bike a couple of blocks, but the ground was so slushy I had zero traction with my shoes, any attempt to push the bike would have had me falling over with the bike on top of me. Sitting astride the bike I found I had more traction on the bikes tires than my own shoes. So much for Dr. Martens.

With this observation, I buttoned up, put the helmet on and proceeded to very slowly ride the bike the couple of blocks necessary to get to a residential parking area: staying in second gear and keeping to the side of the road, and heading in a straight line. For a block or two I kept my feet on the ground as makeshift human stabilizers but they were so slippy on the ground that frankly they would have never kept me upright had I lost traction on the tires. I therefore decided there was no way I was turning a corner, and instead kept a straight line to the first safe parking spot even though I have to say the bike had good traction.

Once in the residential zone I parked the bike, locked it up, hopped on the bus, headed home and had a beer. Point is, like Mr. Rogers I knew when to walk away. Had I not been convinced that had I left it where it was it would have been towed, I would have not gotten on it even for the three blocks I did. The weather was nasty. Riding would have been suicide.

This morning, with clear skies and clearer asphalt, I headed back on the bus to my scooter, retrieved it and rode it to work. Safe and smiling. Trust me, I learned when to walk away the hard way. Around this time last year I got caught in a nasty rain storm in the worst possible circumstances: at night heading over the Manhattan Bridge.  That evening I dropped the bike in heavy traffic. I hadn’t known when to walk away.

We’re lucky. We live in a city with great public transportation. If you’re ever out when the weather turns bad, park your bike – jump on the bus, jump on the train, jump in a cab – but whatever you do don’t believe you can fight the elements by jumping on your scooter.

Ride safe…

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Photo courtesy: cedarposts.blogspot.com

It has been discussed here several times, at least once by me, that some potholes in this city are nothing shy of craters.  I have seen massive holes in the roads during fair weather seasons, but nothing compares to the damage done by a violent winter.  This winter was more violent than most, and we are now seeing the effects of the DOTs harsh treatment of the roads, presumably, in order to make them drivable, after the snow melts.  The irony that the DOT’s actions create more dangerous conditions, in an effort to make us all safer, does not escape me.  Especially as I have approached a pothole at speed, barely escaping it’s depth.

I am not here to b*%ch and moan about the potholes again (although I would love to vent, for the 4537th time).  These road condition have highlighted a safety measure that I am having a hard time adhering to.  When I took the MSS safety course, one of the lessons that stood out to me most, and which I have tried to practice regularly, is the ‘four and two second rule.’  The simple act of picking a stationary point in the distance (parked car, telephone pole), and counting the seconds between you and the car immediately in front of you.  This lesson has stuck with me, above all others, because it seems the easiest way to prevent unforeseen issues, which could lead to horrible, horrible things.  Ideally, you would have four seconds between you and the car ahead.  At worst, you should never get closer than two seconds.  I believe the goal of the MSS instructor was to prevent rear-ending someone. But an added benefit would be to have a clearer view of the road ahead.

So, in my daily riding, I make sure that I (of course) keep an eye on the car in front of me, but also to occasionally count off the distance, adjusting my speed and open space accordingly.  Therein lies the problem.  On the streets of New York, in the type of congested traffic we typically deal with, allowing even two seconds between us and the car ahead, is incredibly difficult.  I think that I give in to the pressure of angry horns, urging me to move before it’s safe, pressuring me to follow closer than I feel comfortable with.  The bottleneck of cars that I encounter, on almost every ride, offers very little in the way of safe space between me and ANY car.  Not behind, parked or at crossings, let alone the one ahead of me.  Often, I find myself instinctively beginning to count…”one Mississippi, two….”  That’s it.  That’s all I get.  Maybe I need to use a different state?

This brings up our old nemesis, the pothole.  I have found that there is very little chance of me spotting these craters, when I am tailing so close behind.  The reaction time is now limited, and I have merely split seconds to react.  Thus far I have avoided these disasters-in-waiting, but I feel my time is coming.  The other day, on an entrance ramp (when most of us would be concentrating on the merging traffic ahead, I realized I had entered a gauntlet of holes, no less than 10″ deep, about the size of a basketball.  There is no way, and I mean NO WAY, my bike would have remained upright, had I hit one of these chasms.  They were spaced perfectly to eat scooter tires, allowing only the slightest room for error.  Fortunately, I barely avoided the tragedy that awaited me, but felt the sting of nerves, for the remainder of the trip home.

Although there is now an easier way to report road condition problems through the 311 service, the rate at which these issues are solved is never going to prevent us having to deal with them.  So, best to take safety measures into our own hands.  The solution: well, I’m not sure there really is one.  If, like me, you cave to the pressure of the traffic surrounding you, there is a very good chance that you will encounter one of these holes.  If, unlike me, you can resist the honking and pressure, you will be safer for it, and have a fighting chance at safely getting through this season of splits in the road.  Keep an eye out, and a safe distance between….it’s about the only thing we can do.

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A new DOT blog showcases the department's daily pothole repairs.

With the unseasonably warm weather yesterday, the good news is that for the most part the fallout of New York City’s “Snowopolis 2011″ is (we hope) coming to a close as the snow disappears in all but the most resilient piles that appear to be made of 1 part ice to 2 parts trash.

The bad news? It’s pothole season again. Potholes are a pain in the butt to anyone on the streets of New York, but as scooterists can attest, they can be downright dangerous easily swallowing ten inch wheels with a sickening cracking sound and in the worst cases downing bikes and their riders entirely. Not a good prospect in any situation, let alone in busy traffic.

This past winter and the snow that ensued has been particularly tough on the streets and the DOT know it. The department announced this week that they are extending working hours and working weekends through April in an effort to get on top of this perennial problem.

In the first six weeks of the year, January 1st through February 14th, the DOT reports to have repaired 83,850 potholes, up considerably from 54,426 in 2010. While the improvement is commendable, you have to wonder if better road re-surfacing in the first place could prevent this year-on-year issue. Over eighty three thousand potholes in six weeks?

An NYC DOT map shows potholes repaired between January 15th 2011 and February 16th 2011.

Last year we wrote a post on what you can do to contact the DOT about potholes of concern in your area or on your daily commute, this year the DOT have opened up the process of hole filling to the public in the form of a new blog “The Daily Pothole” in an effort to be transparent about their efforts to get on top of the problem. The blog also allows readers to quickly report a pothole by filling in an online form.

Among road resurfacing photos the blog also includes statistical updates that would suggest that the DOT is currently filling holes at the pace of around three to four thousand a day.

I guess in a world where we have blogs of nothing but sad Keanu Reeves pictures, a blog about potholes doesn’t sound so strange. Ride safe out there.

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As the snow begins to thaw in New York City and we each begin to either commence or at least consider the 2011 scooter riding season, it’s worth a moment’s pause for some sobering statistics released today by NYC’s Department of Transportation.

While traffic fatalities have steadily declined since records began in 1910 making New York one of the safest large cities to live in on the planet – last year fatalities rose to a total of 269, up 11 people from 258 deaths in 2009.

The cause? Motorcycle (including scooter) deaths which rose 34% last year over 2009 accounting for almost all of those 11 additional deaths. In total, 39 two-wheeled riders were killed in the five boroughs in 2010, up 10 from 29 motorcycle deaths in 2009.

The DOT has further sobering news revealing using its data from 2005 to 2009, that motorcyclists are 18 times more likely to be killed in an accident than vehicle occupants. On a related note to the dangers of exposed riding in the Big Apple, bicycle traffic deaths, which had decreased by more than 50 percent in 2009, increased last year to 18.

Remember folks, through all of this we are only talking about fatalities and not crippling injuries which account for an additional undisclosed number.

Finally, one last thought pulled from the 2005-2009 DOT data. Nearly half (46%) of all fatal motorcycle deaths were related to speeding, so keep your speed down – a risk that scooterists presumably don’t suffer as much as some of our crotch-rocket brothers and sisters. That said, the figure does not reveal whether it was the rider, or other vehicle drivers who were speeding in these incidents nor how much over the speed limit the rider was going. Even a scooter can push way over the speed limit on urban streets if the rider is so inclined.

Click here to read the full 2010 DOT press release and ride safe out there.

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Photograph by Francesca Tronchin, Flickr

I have written in the past about the impending weather, and how that might change the way I ride my scooter.  Paul has recently posted about some of the dangers on the road that we face with the increasingly cold temperatures, but today I find myself thinking about the fun of riding, and whether that will continue now that the real winter is upon us.

When the weather first started to change, I was excited to notice how little I changed my riding habits.  Sure, I put on more clothing, but I still had a blast hopping on the scooter and getting to those places I need to go, in style and with a bit of excitement.  But that was through November, and now, as we approach the new year, the temps have been sitting near 35 degrees for a couple weeks, and those same clothes don’t offer the same kind of protection.  As I feared, my mind tends to drift toward “just getting there” instead of really enjoying the route I take, and the places I see along the way.

I wasn’t happy with this change in my attitude, so I decided to see if I could stretch out this ‘comfortable’ riding season, to wring a bit more fun out of the vintage Vespa, and limit the amount of time she sits lonely under the tarp.

My first step was to figure out how many layers I could don without hindering my ability to ride safely.  I knew controlling the cold was a priority, but unlike getting bundled up and walking the streets, I need to be able to have mobility, to twist around and check traffic.  Also, I don’t want to be thinking about my clothes, or the discomfort they might cause.  I need to keep all my attention on the road and the surrounding traffic.  The challenge is to be warm AND safe.

This means thin layers, which should keep me warm while eliminating the bulk.  I knew I wasn’t going to sacrifice my padded, protective leather jacket, so all the attention is focused on the layers beneath.  First step was to purchase a set of under garments.  Around these parts, we call these Long John’s.  I ran to the local ‘workman’s clothing shop’ (Pop’s Popular Clothing on Franklin Street in Greenpoint) and grabbed a pair of thermal pants, which only set me back $8.  Feels like a good bargain for the warmth I will gain.  Also at Pop’s, I grabbed a pair of Carhartt flannel lined dungarees.  I have always ridden wearing blue jeans, in hopes that the thick material would help protect me in the event of a crash.  But these seem even thicker, if not a tad stiff, but the added lining is comfortable and just what the weatherman ordered!  The rest of the gear I have already, and I think I have a winning combination of clothes to protect me from the elements.

Here is how it all panned out…

Upper body: T-Shirt, thin wool sweater, thermal shirt, thermal lined sweatshirt (with hood for when the helmet comes off at my destination!), leather jacket which has a lining that I haven’t even had to use yet.

Lower Body: Long John’s, Flannel Lined Dungarees.

Feet: I was in need a new pair of Doc Martens (13 years of hard service finally took it’s toll), so I went ahead and bought a pair of the “lumberjack” type which has both a lining and steel toe.  Warm socks.

This combination has given me the peace of mind for safety, as well as the warmth I need for temperatures in the 30′s.  I know that the wind will get more severe, and the temperatures will drop, but for now I am scooting along in relative comfort.  This has given me more time with my baby, and I hope that I can stretch the riding season at least a couple more months….

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The video covers proper visor cleaning, keeping your helmet ventilated, cleaning the lining, and “chucking it” after a drop:

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