The Bicyclist's Survival Guide

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) just released a pretty great guide for bike commuters. Though it specifically deals with Oregon road law, the suggestions are basic enough they could apply elsewhere in the U.S. as well.

The Bicyclist's Survival Guide (see the full PDF here) is nicely organized with four main sections and great safety tips in each. For instance, in the first section, "Abide When You Ride," the guide reads, "Pedal by the book. When on the road, your bike is a vehicle. That means you have the same rights—and responsibilities—as motorists. So obey all traffic signs, signals, lane markings and other rules of the road."

There's also a really neat spread cleverly called, "Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself":

Download the full PDF here.

[Via BikePortland.org]

Tips for Cyclists on Reducing Risk to Skin Cancer

Guest Blog article by Stephen Dupont, Pocket Hercules

MINNEAPOLIS (July 2011) -- You wear a helmet to protect your head. You wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from dust and dirt. You ride defensively to avoid careless drivers, kids, and dogs.

But more often than not, you, like many who enjoy bicycling, forget to put on your sunblock before you hit the roads and trails.

If you love cycling and want to enjoy it well into your senior years then protect yourself from the sun. That’s the advice for America’s 57 million bicyclists from a leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon who has treated thousands of patients over the course of his 15-year career for skin cancer and melanoma.

As the days grow longer and warmer, and the sun intensifies in it’s strength, cyclists need to take precautions against the sun’s harmful rays, says Dr. Sam Economou, who leads Plastic Surgery Consultants Ltd., a practice located in Edina, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis.

The reason is simple: skin cancer is on the rise. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, more than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed each year. In addition, about 68,000 cases of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, are diagnosed yearly. While more people are detecting cancer earlier, increasing their chances of survival, cancer rates are actually rising, especially among young people who use tanning booths and those who do not use sunblock when working and playing outside.

Cycling is about spending time outdoors. And more often than not, most cyclists enjoy riding their bikes when the weather is nice and sunny. That puts many of America’s 57 million cyclists at risk for skin cancer, says Dr. Economou. The more time you spend outdoors cycling, the greater risk of exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation and sunburns.

People who bicycle a lot have several strikes against them when it comes to skin cancer, notes Dr. Economou. Because many cyclists ride near their homes, they think they’re not at risk if they don’t put on sunblock -- even for a short ride. The problem is that cyclists tend to expose more skin than other athletes because of the clothes they wear (shorts and short-sleeve shirts). In addition, many cyclists may not realize that water, sand, and asphalt streets reflect dangerous UV rays.

To help cyclists lower their risk of developing skin cancer, Dr. Economou offers these tips:

Apply sunblock. Always apply sunblock lotion at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, before you start to perspire, to allow the sunblock to be absorbed into your skin. If you think you may remove some cycling clothes during your ride, consider applying sunblock before you get into your cycling clothes. Even if you’re riding at 6 a.m., apply sunblock and reapply it after every two hours you’re outside. Use a sunblock with a SPF rating of at least 30 an arms, legs, face and neck and a water-resistant SPF of 50+ on your nose and the top of your ears. Make sure that your sunblock is effective against both UVA and UVB rays.

Wear a hat. The most susceptible place on your body for skin cancer is your head -- the top of your head, your face, nose and ears. Believe Dr. Economou, reconstructive surgery on the nose and ears is challenging. Cyclists should wear a thin cycling cap underneath their helmets to prevent from being sunburned on the top of their head. Always apply sunscreen to the face, especially the nose and ears, and to the back of the neck.

Polarized UV-blocking sunglasses. Cyclists should always wear sunglasses to protect their retinas from harmful UV rays, as well as dust particles on a windy day. Sunglasses that wrap around your face offer the best protection. Polarized lenses help cut the glare (from nearby water, sand, asphalt and snow) to help you see better during your ride. A really good pair of polarized sunglasses is one piece of equipment in which every rider should invest. They’re just as important as buying a bike.

Wear cycling gloves. Wear gloves specifically designed for cycling. Padded gloves not only make riding more comfortable, they’re essential to preventing nasty scrapes in the event of a fall. Gloves also are helpful in protecting the tops of your hands from sunburn, which is one of the most exposed parts of your body during a ride. Don’t forget to apply sunblock to your hands before putting on your gloves.

Wear protective clothing. If you have a high risk or history of skin cancer in your family you should look into protective clothing. Even on the hottest days, wear lightweight long-sleeve shirts, caps, socks and shorts. Equip yourself with cycling jerseys and shorts that are specially made to block the sun and wick away moisture to keep you cool while out on the road or trail -- apparel that offers a UPF rating of at least 30+, as recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, to protect against harmful UVA/UVB rays. Remember, UV rays are present even on cloudy days.

Cycling jerseys, such as the Pearl Izumi Annata White Elite Limited Cycling Jersey pictured here, feature Pearl Izumi's famous moisture-wicking polyester fabric, UPF 40+ protection from the sun's harmful rays, and a form flattering fit. This bold new design also offers Direct-Vent size panels to enhance syle, performance and comfort.

Move your cycling time. Here’s another excuse for getting yourself out of bed at the crack of dawn. It may be more pleasant to wait until the day has warmed up and the sun is shining, but that’s when the sun is at its strongest, and cruelest, in terms of skin cancer. And don’t fool yourself on cloudy or partly cloudy days. Harmful UVA and UVB rays still get through clouds. Instead, shift your riding time to early morning or early evening to avoid the affects of the sun. Just don’t forget to wear highly visible clothing (screaming yellow, orange or lime green) to make sure automobile drivers and other cyclers see you.

Avoid sunburns. Repeated sunburns over time can cause significant damage to your skin. Severe sunburns as a child are a leading risk factor in developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns happen though, despite our best intentions. If you do get a severe sunburn, stay hydrated, treat the sunburned area with an aloe-based lotion, take cool showers, and if you’re experiencing headaches, take a pain reliever.

	KEVIN SAYS: Give the Pearl Izumi Sun Sleeves a try! Having the fair-skinned complexion that comes as standard with red hair, I have to watch myself in the sun lest I should become lobster-man! I tried the Pearl Izumi Sun Sleeves out and found them to be great and much more convenient than applying and re-applying lotion. I guess there is less chance of 'missing a bit' also, and ending up with red patches that might have escaped the lotion. Any concerns about putting on what seem like armwarmers for a hot summer's day soon went away once I started out. These actually did feel cool to ride in and I had no problem leaving them on for my entire ride. I would recommend these highly for anyone looking for sun protection - which I guess should be everyone, right? Be safe out there! We finally got some good weather in Portland and the mercury was up there in the 90's - well that's hot for us ! Thing is - the hotter it got, the cooler these, and my arms, felt. To add to this - the last couple of days have started out chilly and these did the trick keeping the goosebumps away in the morning. Later on when the sun blazed throught the cloud cover I did not need to take them off and/or apply sunscreen. I am loving my sun sleeves!

Stay hydrated. To maintain healthy skin, don’t forget to stay hydrated while cycling by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic beverages before and during a ride. When your skin dries out or is not hydrated properly, it’s more susceptible to sunburn and long-term skin damage. Water remains the best liquid to drink while exercising. Sports drinks add empty calories.

Conduct skin cancer self-examinations. If you have a fair complexion, multiple freckles and moles, and experienced severe sunburns as a child, you have some of the leading risk factors for skin cancer. Take this seriously, especially if you spend a fair amount of time outside cycling. At least once a month, before you get into or just out of the shower, look at your
skin. Look at moles and freckles to see if you notice any changes in their shape, size, color or asymmetry. Make an appointment once a year with your doctor or a dermatologist to look at your skin as part of an annual exam. Especially watch moles and freckles on high-risk areas of your body, the face, nose, ears, the back of your hands and your calves.

What Makes a Community Bicycle-Friendly?

According to the League of American Bicyclists, it is one that "welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation." Judged on the Five E's (Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation & Planning) when it comes to integrating bicycling and walking as valid and important facets of multi-modal transportation, health and recreation, communities throughout the U.S. that apply to the Bicycle Friendly America Program are ranked not only on their current efforts, but provided valuable feedback on opportunties for future improvements and growth.

Just in time to mark National Bike Month, the League announced the latest round of twenty-one new Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designations on April 30th, with Minneapolis, Boston, New York City and Washington, DC topping the list.

"This was one of the strongest groups of applicants we've seen with a lot of solid projects and programs from communities all across the country – from 1,200 people in Sisters, Ore. to more than 8 million in New York City," according to Megan Cahill, Communications Director.



From the Press Release:

“We are thrilled to see Minneapolis reach a gold‐level Bicycle Friendly
Community designation,” said Bill Nesper, director of the League’s Bicycle
Friendly America Program. “The city’s great investments in bike lanes, bicycling
safety education, and encouragement programs have paid off for its residents. In
fact, communities across the country are now looking at Minneapolis as a model.”

Under the leadership of Mayor R.T. Rybak, Minneapolis was first designated as silver‐level BFC in May 2008. 'We’ve made a deliberate effort to be one of the nation’s top bicycling cities, and those investments mean we have more and more ways for people to commute and experience the city on two wheels,” said Mayor Rybak. Thanks to the city’s efforts, Minneapolis has doubled its number of bicycle commuters over the last nine years, placing it behind only Portland, Ore. among the largest cities in the U.S.—no small feat for a city with a notoriously harsh winter.

East Coast Cities Earn Silver Designations and Race to Gold

To date, the Eastern United states has had very few silver‐level Bicycle Friendly Communities and no gold‐level BFCs. That’s beginning to change. Today, the League of American Bicyclists gave Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C. silver‐ BFC designations. The cities are now competing to be the first to earn gold. Since Mayor Thomas Menino launched Boston Bikes in 2007, the city has added 38 miles of facilities and has seen a spike in bicycle ridership. Bicycle commuting grew by 125 percent between 2005 and 2009 – and is at a level four times the national average. In 2010 alone, Boston installed 20 miles of bike lanes, incorporating numerous best‐practices like cycle‐tracks, bike boxes, colored bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, and special treatments over trolley tracks and at high‐crash intersections. With 29 pre‐existing miles of multi‐use paths, the network now totals nearly 67 miles. All this helped Boston earn silver in its very first BFC application.

New York City has long been known for innovation and it is now applying that spirit to promoting bicycling. Under the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, Janette Sadik‐Khan, the city has made great strides since their 2004 honorable mention and 2007 Bronze award.

“Moving the needle on bicycling in a city the size of New York City is nothing short of remarkable, and the city is one of the very few that has jumped two award levels,” said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. “With the imminent arrival of bike sharing and the continued expansion of the bikeway network, Gold is not far away.” New York City developed an in‐depth crash analysis, distributed 45,000 copies of the BikeSmart Guide to Cycling, and built an unprecedented amount of new and innovative bicycle facilities. In 2010, the NYCDOT installed more than 50 miles of bike infrastructure citywide, including protected on‐street bicycle paths on First and Second Avenues, Columbus Avenue and Prospect Park West. The city has a nation‐leading 500 miles of bike lanes.

Washington, D.C. first received a Bronze BFC award in 2004. Over the last seven years, it unveiled several signature projects including buffered bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue connecting the White House and the Capitol Building, a world‐class bike parking facility, Bikestation, and the largest public bike sharing system in the country. These major projects are supported by an extensive bicycling education and encouragement program for children and adults. Washington now has the highest share of bicycle commuters of any major city on the East Coast.

Recently awarded a Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly Business designation by the League, BicyclingHub.com wishes to congratulate these communities on their efforts and encourages bicyclists to keep working to make a difference in their communities where invididuals feel safe to work, ride and play.

To date, the League of American Bicyclists has received 452 applications and designated 179 Bicycle Friendly Communities in 44 states. For a full listing of all designated communities, visit the Bicycle Friendly America Program - Communities Master List. For more information on how to get started, consult the Blueprint.

All images courtesy of the League of American Bicyclists.