Obama - debutante darling of detroit?

From BBC News:

It looks like something out of a James Bond film.

But the presidential seal on the side marks this hulking limo out as something not even the superspy will be able to get his hands on.

These are the first pictures of the new armoured limousine which will be used to ferry Barack Obama around.

Nicknamed "The Beast", the Cadillac will make its debut on 20 January, as part of the inaugural parade.

It is traditional to show presidential cars off for the first time in this way.

'State of the art'

The Secret Service said the 2009 limo would provide it with a "valuable asset" in providing its occupant with the highest level of protection.

As expected, they are not giving too much away about the car, but Nicholas Trotta, their Assistant Director for the Office of Protective Operations is quoted in their news release:

"Although many of the vehicle's security enhancements cannot be discussed, it is safe to say that this car's security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world."

Observers say the car is likely to include bullet proof glass, an armoured body, a separate oxygen supply, and a completely sealed interior to protect against a chemical attack.

Some joke the car is so tough it could withstand a rocket-propelled grenade. Its tyres are said to work flat, so the vehicle will keep going even if shot at.

While the car's interior is a closely guarded secret, there is no doubt "The Beast" has been kitted out with the best and most up-to-date equipment.

David Caldwell, a spokesman for General Motors which makes Cadillac, told the BBC that the car is made to specifications that the company is given by the federal government.

"One of the specifications is that we don't talk about the specifications," he said.

But Mr Caldwell did reveal that the car has been made in keeping with the design of a contemporary Cadillac, and would include a hand-crafted interior.

When asked if it included such extras as an iPod dock, he said he could not comment specifically, but added that the limo would have "state of the art electronics".


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Back Off!

Yesterday's post was just a link - I left you with the task of clicking and reading :)

Today, I'll reveal what you missed if you didn't click and read.



The idea is a new graphic to be applied to the back of buses or lorries, but the clever bit is that at a certain viewing distance the text fades away!

Click on the image to increase its size, then move away from your screen and see the result.

So: a high-tech version of the old sticker "If you can read this you're too close".

But I think a more 'visual' graphic would be better. So combine another well-known image with a less well-known optical phenomenom.

I'll have to leave the final result to your imagination.

But remember what this achieves: someone concentrating hard on the back of the bus, and adjusting their distance to 'see what happens'. Then wait for the bus to brake hard - then see what happens!



As before, click to enlarge, then move close to the screen and back away - watch for the result!



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Bumper Sticker goes High Tech

Remember the old bumper stickers "If you can read this you're following too close"?

A fascinating idea for a more 'technical version is here:

http://www.tailguardian.com/

Tomorrow I'll post my preferred alternative.


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Ladder Vs Bikes - Which is Safest?

According to NHS Direct, DIY ladder and stepladder accidents currently send 41,000 people to hospital each year in the UK, while there are about 1,000 further accidents involving professionals. There are approximately 50 deaths and 4,000 serious injuries. At the same time, the total number of domestic and industrial accidents involving ladders across Europe is believed to be around half a million.

Which is why an inventor has come up with an 'improved' ladder, with better feet and outrigger supports.

More here: Eureka magazine


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Standard Fireworks?

# "Light up the sky, with . . . "

Went the old ad.

Now there's a hi-tech method:

Glow-Safe

"Lovely idea" you might think, especially since they'll tell you how much further away you can be seen . . . but as with any 'conscpicuity aid', what message will the person seeing it 'get'?

If they see a glowing panel a few inches long, will it tell them "Person in the road - I must slow down!"? Especially when they'll need to be almost on top of you (not literally, I'd hope) to read the 'sign'.

However, their range of items includes hats and badges, and one of the road users who may benefit from hi-viz gear are pedestrians - if only to get a driver's attention early. But having a message on it is probably pointless. In my humble opinion. :)


My 200th post, by the way!

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Harry Potter's Daytime Lights

I'm not a fan of daytime lights - another subject I've posted about before - perhaps why this quote caught my attention:

"Daytime running lights are a sort of Harry Potter cloak in reverse - many people assume they will provide a cloak of 'visibility'. Consequently many drivers feel they can be seen by everyone and so subconsciously take less care than they normally would."

Nick Brownrigg, chief exec. of the Masterlease Group, quoted in Roadsafe.

Roadsafe


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The Never-Ending Surge of In-Car 'Safety' Technology

Which I may have mentioned in one or two previous posts . . .

. . . May have reached a new level (depth?) in the newly-released Vauxhall Insignia, which features:

Select the Front Camera System and new Insignia will read the speed limit signs and display a reminder on the facia, helping you keep safe and legal. Leave your lane without a signal, and it can also warn you - just in case you're tired or simply not paying attention.

Oh, that's OK then, you don't need to be awake or paying attention any longer!

Or do they mean you can sleep through speed limit signs but stay awake for everything else . . . ? And doesn't that suggest that you're likely to be ignoring the speed limts while you sleep? Or perhaps they wan't you to wake up enough to speed up if you're below the limit?


More here


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It's 'Armless . . .

Sorry :)

There have been several major innovations in motorcycling during the time I've been riding.

Brakes that stop a bike quickly and smoothly (although there was a 'minor' hiccup in that early disk brakes didn't work when wet).

Tyres that give phenomenal grip (but wear out much sooner).

And clothing.

Bike clothing now is significantly better than when I started riding (in the mid 1970s), you can stay warm and dry - even feet and hands (and gloves tend not to leech blue dye when wet . . . ).

Another innovation in clothing has been the oncorporation of body armour. Early versions of this were little more than thin foam padding - and you may still find this in place of 'proper' (ie CE certified) armour in some gear - particularly as a back 'pad'.

The first - as far as I know - manufacturer to use 'decent' armour was Arostich in their Roadcrafter suit. In the UK, it was Pro-Tek (who later - I think - became T-Pro) in their Elite suit.

The Elite was something of a miracle: it was completely waterproof (a welded, mesh-reinforced, 'PVC'-type outer), incredibly warm (foil/Thinsulate/foam) and had the best, easiest to use, 'storm' cuffs ever, with a 'drawstring' type adjuster.

There were a few problems, particularly that the collar material wasn't very durable, but a home replacement with corduroy fixed that!

But the biggest problem they faced was the British weather - couple of hot summers and mild winters didn't do their sales much good.

Although I can tell you that their suit made a good 'sleeping bag' when I arrived very early in mid-Feb. for a meeting and had to wait outside - I found somewhere to hide and had a kip! The back protector made a good 'kip mat' - in fact it was made of very similar material: a thin hard layer, lined with softer dense foam. The other armour in the jacket was dual-density foam.

Another couple of features - almost unique even now, 30 years later - were a cocyx pad below waist height in the jacket, and an adjustable hem that only tightened the back of the jacket so it shaped the jacket around as you leant forward.

It was a suit that had been 'thought about'.

Which leads me to the picture above. As you can see, it's 'arm' armour. But slightly different from the 'usual' - where the aim is typically to 'pad' a bone or joint.

As they explain:

Snowshell: intelligent snowboard protection

The Snowshell arm guard has been designed from first principles, based around a thorough understanding of how the arm behaves during a fall. There are an estimated 450,000 serious injuries globally as a result of snowboarding accidents. Over 45% of these are injuries to the arms. Although there are a large number of wrist and arm guards on the market, users complain that they are unappealing, uncomfortable and do not provide real protection in a major fall. The Snowshell arm guard aims to address all of these concerns, providing a carefully engineered solution that prevents the arm 'locking-out' during a fall, as well as providing wrist support and impact protection.

I'm guessing that 'locking out' is intended to reduce collar bone injuries (sometimes descibed as the 'horse rider and motorcyclist's injury').

It may also give a more 'judo fall' type curve to the arm - but if anyone reading is a martial arts expert, please comment!


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Bikes in Bus Lanes

After years of 'trials' with delays and reviews, Transport for London have finally opened up many of London's bus lanes for motorcycle use.

However, this doesn't allow a 'free for all', 'get out of jail free card' approach to riding a bike in buslanes.

You're still at risk from pedestrians and cars at junctions - and you'll need to watch out for diesel spills too.

Kevin Williams of Survival Skills posted the following on The Rev Counter forum:

London Bus Lane Etiquette

As bus lanes operated by TfL have been opened to bikers in London, it seems a good time to discuss safety issues when using bus lanes.

This isn't a new idea, some London bus lanes have been open for some time as part of a trial, and of course in other parts of the country bus lanes have been available to PTW’s for some time.

But it's important to emphasise that this privilege could be withdrawn if we abuse it or if the accident rate turns out to be unacceptably high. So the onus is on us as riders to use them sensibly now to ensure we can continue to use them! Using an empty bus lane as an excuse to blast to the front of the queue at high speed is not likely to further that end.

Some riders have questioned the benefits, but many of the routes that are open are along main roads into London and a careful ride down the adjoining bus lane is definitely quicker than sitting in a four mile queue of standing traffic and rather less stressful than filtering down the outside of that queue.

Although the trials have been a bit indeterminate on whether there are fewer risks to riders, my gut feeling is that it’s probably safer, provided some simple precautions are taken by the rider.

A key consideration whether you are an experienced commuter or recreational rider who’s decided to try his hand at riding into town rather than drive or take the train, is that whilst bus lane access offers new opportunities to riders, it also means there are new dangers to think about, and some new wrinkles on hazards we should already all be aware of.

The first thing to remember is that we do not have exclusive access to bus lanes - we’ll be sharing them with other road users including pedestrians crossing the road, buses (obviously), taxis, bicycles, car and van drivers using the lane illegally and last but not least other bikers on a variety of machines from 50cc scooters to sports bikes.

The second important point is not to forget that other road users will not be used to bikes in them yet, so extra attention is needed whilst everyone gets used to the new system. Even bus drivers will have to get used to the speed that bikes appear compared with the average cyclist.

The third point is that most of the hazards that might catch us out are common to any multilane road, but there is one important difference - the traffic on the bus lane is more than likely to be moving relatively freely whilst the lane on our right is often slow moving or stationary. This difference in speed is known as lane shear and leads to most accidents in queuing traffic. The greatest danger is when the lane alongside us is stopped.

So what problems can we expect? I can foresee several areas:

vehicles stopping ahead of us
vehicles emerging from the left
vehicles encroaching on or entering the bus lane
vehicles, cycles or pedestrians crossing our path
problems when we try to leave the bus lane ourselves

Vehicles that will stop in the bus lane
We need to remember that the buses and taxis use bus lanes. They stop; regularly! Buses stop at bus stops, but taxis can and do stop anywhere, and rather suddenly at that! And we will also encounter other vehicles that are parked or unloading, perhaps legally in a bay or illegally outside the paper shop or at the cash point machine! If they stop just ahead of us or the bus we're following, they can bring the lane to a halt unexpectedly. Keep a good following distance - too close and we not only lose our own chance of seeing ahead, but no one can see us either.


Vehicles emerging from our left
One worry I have is that drivers emerging from our left will tend to glance down the bus lane and if they don't see a bus, will then focus on the main flow of traffic to look for a gap and pull out without a further check. Meanwhile the approaching biker thinks "they must have seen me" and carries on without any precautions.

Drivers see what they expect to see - and they are looking for a bus in a bus lane, and to a much lesser extent, a cycle. It'll take a while for drivers to get used to seeing bikes in the bus lane. So we need to react accordingly by slowing and covering the horn and brakes.

Also we need to beware of the driver who will just pull out anyway in the full knowledge we are there and will have to stop. Again, the greatest danger is when the lane beside us is stopped.


Vehicles that will encroach on or enter the bus lane from our right
Other hazards to watch out for are things that might make a vehicle encroach on or enter the bus lane temporarily:

Junctions on the RIGHT; if a car ahead stops to turn right, expect the car beside you to swing left into the bus lane to pass it; if an articulated lorry needs to turn right into a narrow road, it may swing left first into the bus lane to make the turn.
Traffic islands in the centre of the road, for example at traffic lights or on pedestrian crossings; trucks may need to move left to pass to pass them safely and encroach on the bus lane.
Roadworks or vehicles parked awkwardly in the other lane; drivers might enter the bus lane to make space for oncoming vehicles.
Left Hand Bends; if the road is narrow, expect the trailer of an articulated lorry to encroach on the bus lane.
We'll encounter a similar problem at the end of the bus lane, perhaps at a junction where traffic moves left legally before turning left. It'll be tempting to try to get past as many cars as possible, but far safer to slow down and let vehicles merge. Watch out for the driver who dives in before the bus lane actually ends too!


Vehicles turning left across our path
When we are passing to the left of a stationary or slow moving queue, it's up to us to remember drivers are not likely to be aware we are coming up on the inside. According to a bus driving friend, drivers don't spot approaching double deckers before they turn left across the bus lane, so there's no reason to expect they'll spot us on two wheels. It's not always simple carelessness, the view out of most nearside door mirrors on cars is frequently poor.

So we'll need to apply top observation skills to spotting places where drivers can and will turn to the left and moderate our speed accordingly.

That’s not just junctions, but anywhere on the left where they can turn; petrol stations, carparks, driveways, delivery accesses. Anywhere there is a dropped kerb is where someone can turn!


Vehicles turning right across our path or crossing
The biggest danger is probably where vehicles can cross our path from the opposite direction. The result is a near head-on collision and the results are often serious for the rider of the bike. This kind of accident contributes significantly to PTW fatal accidents in London.

Where traffic is heavy but slow moving, vehicles turning across our path into side turnings from the opposite direction or from the opposite side of a cross roads won’t see us either even though they’re facing us - we are hidden by the traffic queue in the road to our right. Once again, the faster we ride, the less chance we have of reacting to such hazards.

In particular take care if traffic in the lane alongside comes to a halt - the chances of someone flashing a turning car through a gap and into your path is extremely high.

Cyclists turning right from our left
In particular be considerate of cyclists, don't blitz them, remember they'll be turning right themselves so pass carefully and give them plenty of room whilst passing..


Pedestrians crossing the road
Pedestrians can cross just about anywhere, and so to a lesser extent can cyclists, though any junction is a likely spot. Of course, watch out for pedestrian crossings - they will walk through stationary traffic straight out in front of you.


Other Tips
When the traffic is flowing, try not to sit alongside lorries, coaches or vans, all have restricted views from the driver’s seat, and even if the driver looks, he may well not be able to see you down in the blind spot on the left. The best option is to stagger adjacent to the gap in the other lane.

Watch out for foreign plated vehicles. Drivers from abroad won't be used to the system in the UK anyway, and will probably not be aware of motorcycles in bus lanes.

Know the route; read the signs, know the layout of the junction and where vehicles move.

Watch the road surface. Road works are likely to have left poorly filled trenches, manhole covers are often found right in the middle of the lane as is loose gravel, and of course, buses spill diesel and drip oil right down the middle of the lane. The wide white lane marking extremely slippery too.

Try to avoid swapping between the normal carriageway and the bus lane.
If we move into the main flow of traffic to pass a stationary bus, we need to watch out for the pedestrian who’s just got off.


Final Thoughts

Most importantly if someone does something silly and we can’t swerve or stop, we are going too fast! Don’t forget the bike's fitted with a horn, either - don’t be afraid to use it.

Finally, there are what one person described as the “more touchy feely considerations”. Most of what we do on a bike looks dangerous and aggressive, and initially at least, it's likely that quite a few drivers, pedestrians and cyclists won't realise we are actually not breaking the law, but using bus lanes perfectly legally. It is going to annoy car drivers even more than usual to see bikes swarming past whilst they are stuck listening to the traffic report on the radio, so try to pass considerately.

All this sounds horribly dangerous, but there are some simple rules for staying out of trouble. As someone else said to me when I was discussing the issues of riding in bus lanes, “think of it as filtering, rather than as a licence to blast along an empty road, and you should be OK”.

Good advice in my opinion.



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Signs, etc.

Traffic Signs And Meanings

Received an email from this site.

Haven't had a trawl through the info, but if you get time to have a look and decide what you reckon, let me know.


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"I was nearly involved in a nasty crash"

Honestly, I was.

Nearly.

And for me that becomes a major event: not being involved in a crash!

While for many people they might not have realised what was happening, or how it could have turned out.

And that's how peoples' riding (and driving - in this non-incident I was in the car) varies.

Someone summed it along the lines that " . . . Most people drive to avoid crashing, while 'advanced' drivers drive to avoid the situations where crashing might occur".

It's variation of 'application' - how situations are identified, planned, and encountered, against 'awareness' - recognising the potential outcomes, and being honest and realistic about how they are influenced.

See my previous post: http://the-ride-info.blogspot.com/2008/10/superstitions-can-kill-you.html

So what was my not-very-near miss?

Sat in a queue, around a blind right hand bend, approached by a downhill exit slip from a motorway.

I'd left a gap between me and the car in front, and another couple of cars had stopped behind me.

But I was aware that where we were was 'blind' to approaching drivers, and despite and advisory 40 limit, it was usual to find drivers doing 60 ish.

So I was keeping a watch on the mirrors - if nothing more than to 'brace for impact' ;)

What hove in to view was a horsebox, going quite quickly.

However, the driver had it fully under control, and brought it smoothly to a halt.

Luckily, there was a hard shoulder alongside the left of the lane, and that's where the lorry stopped . . . alongside the last car in the queue.

So no real 'frights' for me (and the driver and her friend - neither of whom were belted in - didn't seem concerned either), apart from being grateful that there was 'spare' tarmac.

And to muse on the optimism displayed by many motorcyclists while cornering, without a care for obstructions around blind corners, or thought of how they'd stop, or how much distance they'd need if they had to.

A Taxing Question (well, two)

Just re-taxed the bike.

I don't like doing it, but I accept the Goverment has to get its money from somewhere.

However . . .

Question One:
Presumably post offices are funded by the Govt. for any transaction they do on behalf of, for example, DVLA . . . so why do I have to pay the same fee - but also a supplement for using a credit card?

Question Two:
While, in principle, I welcome the 'banding' scheme which 'rewards' drivers of low-emission vehicles . . . why does a Band B car warrant a tax rate half that of my bike? My bike has a small engine, has a cat., and doesn't get stuck in so many traffic jams, where 0mpg isn't particularly wonderful.



Grrrrr . . .


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Big Car Little Car

Ever visit a car museum, or watch a classic & vintage car display? (I recommend Coventry Motor Museum, by the way)?

It never ceases to amaze me how small 'normal' cars like the old Austin 7 were.

And that thought was brought to mind when I saw an 'old Mini' parked.

No wonder parking is so difficult in the lorry-sized cars we have now ;)



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Steel Spike

After lunch today, sat having a coffee, switched on the goggle box for the last few minutes of 'Police Interceptors'.

"We're getting too airy-fairy, we need to replace airbags with steel spikes"

Indeed!

I've posted before about 'safety technology' in cars, but I doubt steering wheel-mounted steel spikes will catch on with the legislators.



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Keeping Warm

I'm a wimp, a wuss, don't mind admitting it.

And I like to be warm while motorcycling. Over the years I've tried many ways of staying warm on motorcycles, and used a variety of thermals and fleeces, neck warmers, gloves and liners.

But I'm also a fan of electricity :)

And as a result, for many years I suffered verbal abuse as a result of my heated gloves, through looking like a child with his gloves on elastic down their sleeves - while I had my heated liners thread through my bike jacket.

But I coud afford to be smug, as several miles later I'd be the only one who's fingers were working well-enough to undo a helmet strap (no 'seatbelt' fixings back then).

After a few years I graduated to heated grips. Not so effective, but much easier.

But even then, with the heated grips, thermals and fleeces, and thick Goretex-lined suit . . . I'd still get cold eventually.

So a couple of years ago I bought a heated waistcoat, and never looked back. Actually, without so much bulky clothing - particularly high collars etc. - it's easier to look back!

The one I have is an EXO2, and I bought the optional battery pack which keeps the 'kidney' area warm for up to 2 hours.

The EXO2 is 'smart' in that it only provides heat when you need it, and then switches off just as you start to think "That's hot!" (which in itself is a novelty for winter biking!). It has three separate panel 'areas': chest, shoulders, and kidney/lower back, and each switch independantly - giving the wonderful effect of a 'heat massage'. Luvverly :)

The jacket is washable, and I know from a friend's experience that the company's back-up service is quick and helpful too.

I have no connection apart from being a very satisfied (and warm) customer.

More info, 'how it works', and prices


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