NW Rideouts & accidents

Originally Posted by stewie

Oh I might join you on that if my shift patterns dictate, cheers mate

I'll drop you an email in a minute with the booking forms and an outdated availability list attached.

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

Ok fair enough, just want peeps to enjoy it, I know we live in age where health and safety are taking over, fitting scaffolding to crags etc., must be the old man in me, but I suppose its up to the individual to take ultimate responsibility for there own safety in the end, trouble is the NW,s are becoming bigger all the time, at what point do we say enoughs enough, 40 riders? 50 ? 60 + ?

Originally Posted by stewie

Oh I might join you on that if my shift patterns dictate, cheers mate

Tis only free if you live in Wales Stewie. Try looking on the bikesafe website and see if there`s any dedicated FBOS courses in our area.

To be perfectly honest and in my opinion the only "Bike Related" first aid you need to know is how to remove a helmet correctly. Other than that any first aid training will suffice ie. how to stem bleeding, treat breaks and fractures and obv your CPR.

Any casualty from a bike accident should be treated as a suspected broken neck and should never be moved or have their helmet removed unless they are not breathing.

I provide training to NHS staff in first aid and am more than happy to show anyone some basic first aid if they want. Also I`ll add don`t always assume that because there is a nurse on the rideout that they will know first aid. Most nurses don`t do any first aid apart from during their initial nurse training as a student nurse. It`s not a compulsory part of the job.

My only suggestion re the rideouts would be to ensure that you have at least one trained first aider and first aid kit if possible with each group. That way there`s somebody experienced to hand if required.

Originally Posted by stewie

at what point do we say enoughs enough, 40 riders? 50 ? 60 + ?

Never. There can never be too many!! So long as it's managed well (as they have in the past), then it's all good.

Are we allowed to start calling NW ride-outs AR's when they get big enough. JOKE, it was a joke!!!! Jeez, take a breath!!

[yorkie_chris]

Slight problem with that is we tend to be quite strung out, should be at the back.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Slight problem with that is we tend to be quite strung out, should be at the back.

Make the slower riders go at the front, no pressure then

[Luckypants]

I think it is a case of 'accidents happen'. You get a big enough group of riders together, statistically one of them will come off. Doesn't mean we don't take steps to minimise the risk, but we have to accept that these things can happen.

I agree whole heartedly with Claire, it is up to individual riders to ride within their limits and recognise that their ability is not quite the same as others. Every rider has a responsibility to themselves to ride according to their abilities and the road conditions. As to policing this, as suggested above, I have had a quiet word with a few to suggest they back off a bit as have others. Some when told all was not well have not liked it. It's a minefield, but something we need to do. Those who police themselves and ride within their limits still enjoy themselves and I can think of several individuals who are often at the back with huge grins. It's the huge grin factor that is important here.

Of the four crashes, only I really know (or admit to knowing) exactly what happened, everyone else seems to feel 'it just went' - i.e. was an accident, one of those things that cannot be legislated for.

One group, two groups or ten groups will not stop an 'accident'. Nor will it prevent folks overrating their ability and riding beyond themselves. In fact, if they opt for the 'fast group' (and that is a danger in itself!) and find they are struggling, would they have the humility to go into the less progressive group? Or will they (as I suspect) push until they have an off?

IMHO Accidents happen. They are inevitable and while we emphasise the risks and riding sensibly, accidents will happen. If I thought it was the ride outs causing the crashes I would never organise another one.

Thanks Claire, its something I want to look into actaually, that an spell checker

[yorkie_chris]

Yeah but then I would't bother going, as I'd be incredibly bored riding in a procession. We appear to mostly ride quite sporty bikes, I ain't going to any HOG chapter wannabe rides.

Edit: this was in response to stewies post 26

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

I provide training to NHS staff in first aid and am more than happy to show anyone some basic first aid if they want.

Claire, I think you've just volunteered yourself as the BP Medical trainer. I'll certainly take you up on that over the course of the summer at some point.

If there's a group, I may be able to blag use of one of the large rooms at work too, either free or at a discount (obviously attendees pay any fees needed not you Claire, as you'd be teaching). If you're up for something like that, that is.