brayn Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Many posts about the relative merits of using a GPS suggest that people are resistant to the siren charms of a GPS, of whatever make. Comments about preferring maps, utilising the skills of a wife or partner's skills in map reading etc. abound. Last week my wife, who is resistant to technology to the extent of requiring help to get the radio on Freesat, went to a retirement do on the Wirral, she got to the house of an ex-colleague on the west of Chester using GPS. She then put the GPS in the 'hidey hole' in the boot and went to the do with her ex colleague. On coming back, said ex colleague gave her an easier, if slightly longer, route. He was right, except that the crucial turn leading to the A55 was closed. No diversion signs to be seen, two o'clock a.m. and pouring down! Eventually, after exploring much of Wales between Q'ferry and Chester, said wife remembered GPS in boot - navigate Home, success. Jury still out, not likely! Whilst on the subject of juries and out: where do you stand on cycle helmets? Many motorhomers ride bikes, do they wear helmets? Apparently the issue is still undecided, recent research suggested that motorists look upon helmets as a sign of competency on the part of the cyclist and drive closer to them, thus rendering them less safe. I had an accident whilst trying to avoid horse manure on a cycle track in N. Wales. I fractured six ribs and punctured a lung, I still have the scar where the surgeon inserted the tube to get the air from my pleura. The last bit of me to stop moving was my head and, fortunately, it was my helmet that was fractured rather than my head. Jury still out, I should think not! What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 If by GPS you mean what I call SatNav, then I am all for it. Makes life much easier trying to find an obscure Aire in France. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 As for wearing Cycle Helmets I wouldn’t be without one. A friends son had a front wheel jump out when he hit a pothole, spent the night in a coma the hospital said he would probably not survived without the helmet. Another friends daughter in-law was caught out by a motorist opening a car door and she received serious head injures and would defiantly not survived without a helmet. Whilst in the hospital they said the majority of head injuries are cyclists without helmets, very few motorcyclists with serious head injuries as they all wear very good helmets they tend to suffer from multiple injury to everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 gf has a reflector like one of these which sticks out to right of bike, cars noticably give her a wide berth. http://www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk/public/index.php/product/reflectors/RFSVH6.html?Fisherpublic=h8n7cqh0sc8jfes2l9cmceerc3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 When I first started riding a motorcycle 50 years ago we turned the peak of our caps backwards and enjoyed the freedom. Fanciful of course, the reality was that very young men, including some of my friends died uneccessarily. The same with seat belts. Anything which protects us has to be, not just a good idea but a necessity to preserve life or mobility. My wife, who was a nurse working in casualty agrees. It is not brave or sensible to shun protection. Bicycle helmets will not protect you from a lorry driving over your head, but they do minimise the damage. On the subject of Sat Nav, yes it is brilliant, yes it will suggest you go down a very narrow lane when common sense and reference to a map will tell you otherwise. Comon sense in all things will preserve us as much as it is possible to do. Roy Fuller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I have to agree that Sat Navs are a wonderful invention. However they are only a tool and must be treated with suspicion on occasions and the instructions ignored. [For instance in our rural neck of the woods the Sat Nav wants always to take one of several 'roads'. Being locals we have never in 40 years been down these roads as they are unsuitable for normal traffic. Another road favoured by the Sat Nav is single track with passing places, but it is a 'sunken road' by 10' or more in places - great for reversing uphill in a Fiat!]. When we ride our bikes we have helmets on - usual practice in UK. We had a holiday in the Netherlands this year and I was astounded to see not only that the cyclists did not wear helmets but moped riders also. We found only very small children wore helmets. The cyclists are a tourists nightmare in pedestrianised areas as they flash about everywhere and to pedestrians from the UK not used to them can be quite dangerous. Although I do admit envy of the facilities provided for them - cycleways, bike racks, etc. Joyce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Sat navs are great but i treat them with suspision. when i first had mine i went to the letter and a couple of times in rural areas got stuck down dead ends, now with more experience i plan my route with sat nav and google, and when i get anywhere near my destination if it is off the beaten track i aproach with caution. i was a number of years ago a competative mountain biker , i had just purchased a new 'specialised' helmet and was out in the forestry training on a wet sunday, i rode down a steep bank and as i reached the bottom my front wheel washed out and i exited the side door and went head first into a tree, my helmet split apart on my head and i was left with a compression injury, dont think i would have been here without my helmet. on a brighter note i sent my helmet back to specialised who replaced it free of charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Couldn't live without my sat nav now although do use my discretion.As for cycle helmets, well I ridea horse and would never dream ofdoingsowithout a helmet and chin strap so would dothe same on a bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brayn Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 So was it your horse's droppings that caused me to come off on a cycle track in N.Wales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Was it a cycle path or a bridleway, if the latter you should have expected it. Did your other half let you back in the van all covered in dung? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 How to totally confuse sat nav ... drive along the Gorges du Doub - down one side, cross over the river, then up the other, you go down and then climb back up quite steep roads 'clinging' to the sides, consequently as some levels virtually overlap the sat nav thinks you're 'jumping' from one bit of road to the other!!! Can be fun especially when you see the shape of the road squiggling on the screen, but don't rely on it to tell you where the next turn is otherwise you' might end up turning into a bit of road that isn't actually there!!!! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brayn Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 The N Wales cycle path actually has no status. It was built as a cycle path, but has dual use with walkers (which, in itself, leads to some interesting situations). Can horses use such a path? I don't know, the police plead ignorance ( not unusual for the police) and some horses are ridden on the path. Why is it an offence to have a dog crap on the road and not pick up but not a horse? I suppose because horses are veggies their waste is less offensive but I must say that the pain and upset I suffered because of that blasted horse does not make me take a benign view of them! I am, of course, fully aware of the law re. bridleways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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