If you fell off EUC and got injured in the last few years, how are you all doing now?

[dalewalker]

9 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

That's all great, but how are you going to train these reflexes? Mod your EUC so it randomly cuts out and you make the right movement once this happens? It's very hard to override your own reflexes, especially when it goes extremely fast (cut out at vmax for instance).

You train them by practicing in a controled invironment at lower speeds.

You can run on grass and practice dive rolls tucking your head so you dont break your neck.

I recommend attending a few lessons of gymnastics in an adult learners class. Its fun and you learn good skills that can save you from getting hurt when falling in a similar way from an euc

[Sidestreet Reny]

On 8/26/2017 at 10:40 AM, dalewalker said:

I have to disagree on this one. When you put your hands out to stop your fall you dont want them to slide

Yo Dale the cup on the palm comes off! Those Demons are dope! 

[mhpr262]

I had a fall almost a year ago because I tried to ride my unicycle down a lowered curbstone and through the shallow gutter right after it. It got stuck and I rolled my ankle so badly that I can still feel a twinge now and then if I move a certain way. It hs made me very hesitant about getting back on my EUC, in fact I haven't ridden it since. You really DO need the full safety gear wheen out riding - heavy (motorcycle) boots most of all!

[Chris Westland]

18 hours ago, Rocky Romero said:

I had not thought of this thinking that a helmet would offer enough protection.

How fast would you be going usually?

➰

I've hit 30 mph on my ACM, but I'm really afraid to do more than 20mph, and at this point have limited all of my wheels to 20mph (built-in limit on the V8 and IPS Zero, but the ACM can go up to 35mph).  

Edited August 30, 2017 by Chris Westland

[Chris Westland]

17 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

What would that do that a good helmet with chin bar can't do?

It's the same, but I think the chin bar+helmet is more compact and convenient.  Just personal taste.

17 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

Wouldn't it make more sense to compare euc crashes to crashes experienced by downhill bikers or people doing motorcross?

It might, but my experience is on EUC's and motorbikes ... maybe someone else can chime in on this one ...

[Chris Westland]

17 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

That's all great, but how are you going to train these reflexes? Mod your EUC so it randomly cuts out and you make the right movement once this happens? It's very hard to override your own reflexes, especially when it goes extremely fast (cut out at vmax for instance).

I've tried this ... you run your EUC on grass and fairly slow speeds (<10mph) and jump or fall off ... the wheel doesn't get too banged up that way ...

[Chris Westland]

8 hours ago, dalewalker said:

Most of us ride every day and dont want to gear up for every ride. Yiu can avoid crashes almost completely if you chose the right brand. 

Euc crashes should be once in a while not every day. 

Light padding is good enough unless your riding like a fool

 

Or your a risk taker and are riding gotway lol

I agree; if you have too much gear, it will take the fun out of riding (as do injuries).  Motorcycle jacket, helmet and wristguards... I haven't run into problems with leg or ankle injuries (not for lack of trying) so I would be interested in hearing how people have managed to injure these extremities.   I'm not keen on the full motorcycle helmet ... I've worn these a lot and they are good protection, but they limit visibility... and you sound like Darth Vader inside that bubble

[dmethvin]

13 hours ago, Stan Onymous said:

Lastly, a condom can remain wrapped up in my pocket, since I have never seen a circumstance of sudden coitus while wiping out. I assume there will be plenty of time to get the job done.

Hmmm, now I'm imagining a completely diferent meaning for "faceplant".

[Pard]

1 hour ago, Chris Westland said:

I agree; if you have too much gear, it will take the fun out of riding (as do injuries).  Motorcycle jacket, helmet and wristguards... I haven't run into problems with leg or ankle injuries (not for lack of trying) so I would be interested in hearing how people have managed to injure these extremities.   I'm not keen on the full motorcycle helmet ... I've worn these a lot and they are good protection, but they limit visibility... and you sound like Darth Vader inside that bubble

Downhill mountain bike helmet does not block your view much at all, and has plenty of airflow.  Not the in a bubble feeling of a motorcycle helmet at all.  I ride motorcycles as well.

I like the chin protector idea, but your teeth and nose are still at risk.

This helmet works best for me.

My kids wear them as well.

 

Gear is really annoying to put on, but once it becomes habit it is absolutely worth the effort.  No joy lost in riding once it is habit.  All you lose is the life changing injuries and life lasting regret.

 

ATGATT

https://www.bellhelmets.com/cycling/helmets/dirt/sanction-18

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2017 by Pard

[Pard]

10 hours ago, dalewalker said:

Most of us ride every day and dont want to gear up for every ride. Yiu can avoid crashes almost completely if you chose the right brand. 

Euc crashes should be once in a while not every day. 

Light padding is good enough unless your riding like a fool

 

Or your a risk taker and are riding gotway lol

Alternatively, you could just look at it as a personal risk/reward ratio that you are comfortable with.

Riding a perfect EUC that never has electronic or mechanical failure, there are still situations that everyone riding WILL experience at some point that lead to a fall. If you hit an undetected rock or rut or pothole and leave the EUC at 20mph, almost all people will be injured without gear.

Take the risk if you want, but there is really no way to claim a fall off an EUC at 20mph is not dangerous. It will happen.

Edited August 30, 2017 by Pard

[Chris Westland]

35 minutes ago, Pard said:

Downhill mountain bike helmet does not block your view much at all, and has plenty of airflow.  Not the in a bubble feeling of a motorcycle helmet at all.  I ride motorcycles as well.

I like the chin protector idea, but your teeth and nose are still at risk.

This helmet works best for me.

My kids wear them as well.

 

Gear is really annoying to put on, but once it becomes habit it is absolutely worth the effort.  No joy lost in riding once it is habit.  All you lose is the life changing injuries and life lasting regret.

 

ATGATT

https://www.bellhelmets.com/cycling/helmets/dirt/sanction-18

Good idea.  I just ordered one of these and will give it a try (versus the chin protector).  Looking at the specs, it is quite light, with a good FOV ... and as you say protects the entire face.  Seems worthwhile and I'll report after I receive this.  

[radial]

9 hours ago, Sidestreet Reny said:

Yo Dale the cup on the palm comes off! Those Demons are dope! 

True, the skid plates are attached with velcro, so easy to remove.  Just pull them off if you feel like experimenting with whether 'tis better to slide on plastic or rip all the skin off your palms.  

[Scatcat]

6 hours ago, mhpr262 said:

I had a fall almost a year ago because I tried to ride my unicycle down a lowered curbstone and through the shallow gutter right after it. It got stuck and I rolled my ankle so badly that I can still feel a twinge now and then if I move a certain way. It hs made me very hesitant about getting back on my EUC, in fact I haven't ridden it since. You really DO need the full safety gear wheen out riding - heavy (motorcycle) boots most of all!

I had a close call today. I had to swerve at a green light, just before a curb, to avoid an idiot bicyclist that came swooshing outside the others and bloody fast in the wrong lane. So instead of hitting the curb where it was lowest, I hit it where it was quite a bit higher, and while recovering. I got stuck for a few tenths of a second and felt the pedals start forward. Then just as I was on the verge of doing the run off, the engine got me over the curb and I got back in control.

Let me say I was very happy having a 2kW motor that could do that trick. I almost turned around to hunt down that bloody bicycle marauder, that one should do the gene pool a favour an have no kids ever...

I don't use MC-boots, but I use ankle padding sometimes in the form of socks. Mainly to protect my achilles and ankle from the pedals if I run off and the thing comes up from behind. It depends a bit on what shoes I wear. If I use the light summer shoes, the socks goes on. If I use my trekking-boots, they don't.

The gear I use are:

• A Kali City helmet with a visor, will probably get a Bell Super Mips with detachable chin guard eventually.
• A simple MC-jacket with stiff CE2 certified pads for elbows and shoulders and a CE2 3DO back insert.
• Flexmeter wrist-guards
• No name military knee-pads with soft inside and hard plastic outside.
• Padded half-socks for the ankles.

I find this is about the limit for what I can put on and take off every time I go out. Any more and I would probably skip on it out of annoyance. It helps a lot that the jacket is simple to put on and looks good.

[Rocky Romero]

4 hours ago, Scatcat said:

I had a close call today. I had to swerve at a green light, just before a curb, to avoid an idiot bicyclist that came swooshing outside the others and bloody fast in the wrong lane. So instead of hitting the curb where it was lowest, I hit it where it was quite a bit higher, and while recovering. I got stuck for a few tenths of a second and felt the pedals start forward. Then just as I was on the verge of doing the run off, the engine got me over the curb and I got back in control.

Let me say I was very happy having a 2kW motor that could do that trick. I almost turned around to hunt down that bloody bicycle marauder, that one should do the gene pool a favour an have no kids ever...

 

Sorry that happened and glad you recovered well.

That may have been me in a past adolescent life.

I learned.

➰

[Scatcat]

7 hours ago, Rocky Romero said:

Sorry that happened and glad you recovered well.

That may have been me in a past adolescent life.

I learned.

➰

Glad you learned

That idiot were in his thirties, so I suppose he's still a kid... 

Edited August 31, 2017 by Scatcat

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

For those night riders, being visible can possibly save you from something like this collision.  Bicyclists are zooming around really fast during the day.  It's easy to imagine this happening if they cross the marked line at night.  I had one guy zoom past me going in the opposite direction way too fast, and due to the curve he cut the corner so there was not a lot of room for error.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3703174/cyclist-suffers-serious-injuries-in-crash-with-longboard-rider-on-calgary-bike-path/

Edited August 31, 2017 by Hunka Hunka Burning Love

[Scatcat]

1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

For those night riders, being visible can possibly save you from something like this collision.  Bicyclists are zooming around really fast during the day.  It's easy to imagine this happening if they cross the marked line at night.  I had one guy zoom past me going in the opposite direction way too fast, and due to the curve he cut the corner so there was no a lot of room for error.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3703174/cyclist-suffers-serious-injuries-in-crash-with-longboard-rider-on-calgary-bike-path/

I've done a few stoopid things myself, but seldom the same mistake twice. Like yesterday when I almost got run over by a beamer in a roundabout, I realised that it's a mistake to assume cars go at legal speeds... 

But overall I feel that I have more situational awareness in traffic than the majority of cyclists and even most drivers. Probably because I am at the same time very vulnerable and stand on a machine that can severely hurt pedestrians, so I can't sleep-walk-style run around like quite a lot of commuters do.

[Rocky Romero]

4 hours ago, Scatcat said:

I've done a few stoopid things myself, but seldom the same mistake twice. Like yesterday when I almost got run over by a beamer in a roundabout, I realised that it's a mistake to assume cars go at legal speeds... 

But overall I feel that I have more situational awareness in traffic than the majority of cyclists and even most drivers. Probably because I am at the same time very vulnerable and stand on a machine that can severely hurt pedestrians, so I can't sleep-walk-style run around like quite a lot of commuters do.

Well said.

I have found that my peripheral vision is activated continuously.

Additionally, anticipating people's movements has become an art and skill.

➰

[Chris Westland]

19 hours ago, Scatcat said:

I don't use MC-boots, but I use ankle padding sometimes in the form of socks. Mainly to protect my achilles and ankle from the pedals if I run off and the thing comes up from behind. It depends a bit on what shoes I wear. If I use the light summer shoes, the socks goes on. If I use my trekking-boots, they don't.

The gear I use are:

• A Kali City helmet with a visor, will probably get a Bell Super Mips with detachable chin guard eventually.
• A simple MC-jacket with stiff CE2 certified pads for elbows and shoulders and a CE2 3DO back insert.
• Flexmeter wrist-guards
• No name military knee-pads with soft inside and hard plastic outside.
• Padded half-socks for the ankles.

I find this is about the limit for what I can put on and take off every time I go out. Any more and I would probably skip on it out of annoyance. It helps a lot that the jacket is simple to put on and looks good.

Thanks for sharing.  I'm still thinking about the boots too ... I have all my motorcycle gear, with much to choose from, but still considering the annoyance as well ...

Edited August 31, 2017 by Chris Westland

[dbfrese]

On 8/26/2017 at 1:13 PM, litewave said:

Make that 9 pair or less in size large after my order.

Make that 8 pair or less for larges now....

Thanks, @radial, for pointing out the sale!

[caelus]

On 30.8.2017 at 2:38 PM, Pard said:

This helmet works best for me.

The safety benefits of helmets are greatly overestimated. In fact, in cycling, skiing, and even motorbiking the provision of helmets has never shown any positive effect in empirical studies.

Edited September 1, 2017 by caelus

[Stan Onymous]

20 minutes ago, caelus said:

The safety benefits of helmets are greatly overestimated. In fact, in cycling, skiing, and even motorbiking the provision of helmets has never shown any positive effect in empirical studies.

Your choice of the word "empiricle" means you are leaving semantic wiggle room to say that sure it may have prevented a concussion, but people without helmets ride safer, so it balances out. Maybe, maybe not. In empiricle studies of a crash test dummy hit with a bat without a helmet and hit with a helmet on, the dummy fitted with the helmet was more capable of returning to work. Nothing more pitiful than an out of work dummy.

it also depends on several other factors, but your statement is by all accounts false, since there is plenty of evidence on the benefits of wearing a helmet and other protective gear to prevent injury. Most of it is empiricle medical evidence done in ER extrapolations from 2000- 2010 regarding bicycle injuries. There is actually a dirth of empiricle evidence there. Facts are stubborn things and when you fight them you at least have job security.

[caelus]

28 minutes ago, Stan Onymous said:

... but people without helmets ride safer, so it balances out.
 

Probably people with helmets take more risk, might be true. But also helmets themselves seem to induces some additional risks, as the type of head injuries is different - but not reduced, due to some studies. Unfortunately, there aren't many studies that differenciate on the type of head injuries. So the precise coherencies are pretty much unknown. Only fact we know from empirical studies is, that helmets do not reduce the injuries in these sports. Not even head injuries. Surprisingly.

"...since there is plenty of evidence on the benefits of wearing a helmet ... to prevent injury. "
No!

Edited September 1, 2017 by caelus

[Stan Onymous]

I like how you quoted me out of context up there, so I can see you are selective about your idea of protection. But in ER extrapolations of cycle injuries, even motorcycle injuries, they have seen more spinal cord injuries now and fewer organ donors due to helmet usage. Spinal injuries are more expensive for the hospitals, because of course organ donors pass through rather quickly without using up so much space and technology for very long.

If you are saying that wearing a helmet is nihilistic because the crash will kill you anyways, that is very jaded, and not all that helpful to the discussion of helmet efficacy. Skaters that wear helmets have fewer concussions and they are less severe. Even protective eyewear has a safety bump, since when you are not blinded by sand or dust, seeing is much easier and makes avoiding an accident easier. Are there empiricle studdies on this? Probably in a trade magazine or two. ?

your helmets dont prevent injury in Football is one of those half truths. The way the helmets are designed are not suited for the way the game is being played or the surfaces they are being played on. Considering about a half dozen football players died or were paralysed per year before the helmets were introduced, and now we are down to less than one per year, due to immediate injury, says that helmets work and need to improve. Now we are finding out because of research in what ways they need or can be improved. We are always doing this. 

The safest thing is to lower your risks, and helmets and other gear do this. Maybe not to your satisfaction, but it is headed in the right direction.

[Keith]

You know, when seatbelts were made law in the UK we had all exactly the same arguments:- it's much safer to be thrown out of the car (also the argument in F1 at the time as well), people will drive more dangerously, etc, etc. When they were made law in Malta a cottage industry popped up selling T-shirts with a black stripe across them (so it looked to a police officer like you were wearing a seatbelt)

Now, who doesn't wear a seatbelt?

Edited September 1, 2017 by Keith