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Beacher's Corner: Sep 8th, 2010, 6:54am | Note: You must be registered and logged in to post or reply. |
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| 1 | Corners / Looking for, wanted, etc. / Re: Lost Diamond Tennis Bracelet on: Aug 27th, 2010, 4:49pm |
| Started by Shannon Lee | Post by merle | |
| oh, Sharon, I'm so sorry! Wish I'd seen this sooner. I'll have a good look around next time I'm down with my dogs. | |
  
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| 2 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Bike Trailers for Children on Roads on: Aug 26th, 2010, 4:28pm |
| Started by bowling | Post by bowling | |
| Quote from beachbum on Aug 25th, 2010, 8:37pm: Quote from marzi on Aug 9th, 2010, 2:03pm: Bowling - I do think it is up to a parent to decide what is appropriate safety for their child in the absence of legislation. I understand that you have had a bad personal experience with child bike trailers, but I really don't think this gives you the right to approach others to chastise them for doing so. If you want to lobby politicians and public interest groups about this issue, that certainly seems more appropriate. Hey Marzi I agree with your general sentiments. BUT i think there should be an Omnibus bill called Use your G#$#@# common sense, or if anything happens to your kid because you didn't you will be strung up. Having those things ANYWHERE where other people are moving vehicles - is reckless, ignorant, and downright unhuman!! So many adult people still walk around without pondering consequences. ... / sorry I had to sugar coat my opinion on this. I don't want to ruffle any feathers.  Beachbum I am glad I am not alone in my opinion re the above. Thanks for your input and your frankness. Too bad we all don't feel the same way but then that would be too good to be true. I will try to mind my own business but it will be difficult. |
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| 3 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Bike Trailers for Children on Roads on: Aug 25th, 2010, 8:37pm |
| Started by bowling | Post by beachbum | |
| Quote from marzi on Aug 9th, 2010, 2:03pm: Bowling - I do think it is up to a parent to decide what is appropriate safety for their child in the absence of legislation. I understand that you have had a bad personal experience with child bike trailers, but I really don't think this gives you the right to approach others to chastise them for doing so. If you want to lobby politicians and public interest groups about this issue, that certainly seems more appropriate. Hey Marzi I agree with your general sentiments. BUT i think there should be an Omnibus bill called Use your G#$#@# common sense, or if anything happens to your kid because you didn't you will be strung up. Having those things ANYWHERE where other people are moving vehicles - is reckless, ignorant, and downright unhuman!! So many adult people still walk around without pondering consequences. ... / sorry I had to sugar coat my opinion on this. I don't want to ruffle any feathers. |
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| 4 | Corners / Looking for, wanted, etc. / Lost Diamond Tennis Bracelet on: Aug 25th, 2010, 8:09am |
| Started by Shannon Lee | Post by Shannon Lee | |
| Lost bracelet on boardwalk near dog area of beach on August 14, 2010. If found please email sllee@comcast.net. Very sentimental - from mother when passing.  |
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| 5 | Corners / Looking for, wanted, etc. / Lost Diamond Tennis Bracelet on: Aug 25th, 2010, 7:52am |
| Started by Shannon Lee | Post by Shannon Lee | |
| lost bracelet on boardwalk on Saturday morning August 14, 2010. Please if found email sllee@comcast.net. sentimental - from mother who passed away a couple of years ago. |
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| 6 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Bike Trailers for Children on Roads on: Aug 24th, 2010, 8:24am |
| Started by bowling | Post by bowling | |
| P.S. re above Marzi - you are right - I probably should have not stuck my nose into someone else's business re speaking to the man in the park about the carrier. I just could't contain myself. That is the nature of this beast. I have always been an advocate for children's safety. Bowling |
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| 7 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Bike Trailers for Children on Roads on: Aug 24th, 2010, 8:22am |
| Started by bowling | Post by bowling | |
| Marzi - Sorry for the delay - having a busy summer. First of all I was not condemning bicycles and bicycle seats for children. It is the trailer being dragged by a bicycle on the busy streets of the Beach - particular at an intersection. I saw, one day, a father with a child on a seat behind him and another child in a trailer trying to , manouveri through the traffice at Queen and Lee on a busy summer weekend. I was appalled. I have been speaking to some of my friends, many of them retired police officers. i asked them how they felt about the trailers. All of them agreed that they are an accident waiting to happen if they are ridden on the STREETS of Toronto. I have been looking up a few articles on the trailers. The following points out some of the dangers to a child - not gettubg in an accident but their brains rattling around while they are riding in the seat. Marzi - have a read of the article and perhaps you can get some tips on how to make your child safer in the carrier. Bowling "Trailers Trailers may be the safest way to take a very young child along. They are lower to the ground, so when you crash the baby will fall a shorter distance, even when you turn the trailer over. One study reported in a medical journal article indicated after examining data based on very small numbers of crashes that trailers were safer. (You can purchase the article for $9 using the link above.) But an alert reader of this page notes: As a trained researcher, I found your conclusion that the AMA article "Tykes and Bikes" found that trailers are safer than carriers somewhat misleading. Carriers are indeed involved in substantially more accidents, but there was no weight given to the relative popularity of trailers and carriers, hence no conclusion can be made about relative safety (i.e. carriers may be far more popular). Safety also is a matter of severity of injury, and the article found that trailers have a much higher incidence (33% vs. 5%) of severe injuries (i.e. those requiring hospitalization). This is probably because trailer accidents are more likely to involve cars (33% vs. 9%), although it may also be because children in trailers are less likely to be wearing helmets. In any case, the article concluded that the same number of hospitalizations were required regardless of method of transportation. If carriers are used much more than trailers, then one could conclude that carriers actually are safer in terms of major injuries. Of course, as you say the sample size is too small (and biased) to draw any firm conclusions. We would recommend that you do two things before using a trailer: if you can find one that accommodates your weight and size, ride in a trailer yourself for at least 10 miles. Then ask your pediatrician if the child is ready. Most parents have no idea how rough a ride it can be in a trailer. The wheels are directly under the passenger, so bumps are transmitted more directly: one inch rise in wheel = one inch rise in trailer. The same analysis applies to a child carrier that is located directly over the rear wheel of a bicycle. We have no idea how hard can you jiggle a baby's brain without provoking injury. Trailer owners report good experience, but it seems difficult to know if a child is suffering harm back there. They normally cry if stressed, but can a baby whose brain is being bruised or neck is being overstressed communicate that? While asleep? We often pass trailers whose occupants are crying, and always wonder: wet diaper, or shaken brain? Another reader points out that lowering trailer tire pressure can reduce the small vibrations to the infant. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the lower end of the recommended tire pressure range. You could of course fit lower pressure tires if necessary as long as they are recommended for the trailer's rims and don't affect stability. Lower pressure usually means more rolling resistance. Trailer arrangements can be better if you support the child's head on both sides with padding so it cannot bobble around too much, particulary when they doze off and you are not aware of it. But seated upright or reclining in a trailer the baby also needs a pillow behind them to provide clearance for their helmet in the back. Without the pillow their chin is forced down toward the chest by the thickness of the back of the helmet. Even if you use a child carrier that keeps the baby perfectly stable, the child will be subjected to a rougher ride than you will be on your bicycle. Trailers with low-mounted hitches are generally more stable than the ones that attach to the seatpost, and most of them are made that way now. But they do turn over. Unless the wheels are shielded they can snag on obstacles as you pass. Some trailers can turn over with surprising ease if one wheel rides up on something like a curb, or if you unexpectedly have to take a turn too sharply, too fast. Any trailer can be turned over by hitting a bump too fast with one wheel. The better brands test that on new designs to make sure they meet the requirements of the ASTM standard described below. You might also want to make sure that the trailer is constructed to protect the child in a rollover, which some users report is a common occurrence for them. Does the trailer have protection for the child's bottom when a rock or obstacle passes between the two wheels? Parents do not always remember to avoid that and can be distracted by traffic or fail to see the obstacle in twilight. See below for a discussion of dirt and grit protection. Steve Grant asked six trailer users with three different brands how often they had tipped their trailer over. Half had tipped--one with cargo, not kids--half had not. An interview with one mom revealed that her Chariot Cheetah had tipped over three times. Two were due to turning too sharp, to the right, at very low speed. The rear tire caught the tow bar with sufficient force to tip the trailer. (The back of the wheel is coming upward when it contacts the bar. Nubby mountain bike tires would increase the lift.) The third tip was due to going over a large rock with one of the trailer wheels. No harm done in any of the events. It is interesting that none of these turnovers was due to cornering too fast, but that can provoke a tipover too. One father who tows his kids to daycare every day says that when they turn over his kids laugh. He puts the trailer upright and they go on their way. ASTM has published a trailer standard that covers some of those points. If you buy a new trailer, be sure it has a label stating that it meets the ASTM F-1975 bicycle trailer standard. The standard addresses rollover tendencies with a static test and a dynamic one where one wheel of the trailer is towed over an obstacle. A well-designed trailer and hitch will at least minimize the tendency to crash from those causes. A reader who has a stable trailer and strongly disagrees with the above cautions on tipping and rough ride contributed this: "Unknown to riders sitting high above the ground, bike wheels throw up a surprising amount of dirt and grit, even on apparently dry pavement. On gravel, this becomes a veritable shower. Adding moisture makes it even worse. We've been amazed at the amount of crud plastered on the front and even the top of our trailer, despite having full fenders on the towing bicycle. All this debris will fly into the face of an infant in a [forward facing] trailer unless the front covers are in place. Infants may lack the communication skill to report this bombardment, and recognition of the problem may not come before the first eye injury. In addition, breathing swirling street dust cannot be healthy." We would only add dog manure to the list of materials commonly found on trails that can be thrown up by the towing bike's rear wheel. Your mileage will vary. Your trailer's design may be optimal, your riding style careful, the surfaces of the streets or trails may be very smooth, and your child may have a vibration-resistant brain. Nobody can judge any of that but you. Nobody has measured the risks scientifically, either. This page is just designed to give you an idea of the possible pitfalls. end of quote |
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| 8 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Your Ward News on: Aug 24th, 2010, 6:31am |
| Started by merle | Post by beach_pup | |
| Let me put it this way. You know that crazy rag that the homeless guys sell ?? Theirs is a far superior publication. ... this guy is on a mission. too bad he wouldn't discover rant's and raves on craigslist and get addicted. he would get all the negative attention he ever wanted |
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| 9 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Re: Your Ward News on: Aug 21st, 2010, 11:46am |
| Started by merle | Post by leuty_lurker | |
| THANK YOU! Why didn't I write something about this rag? Or perhaps it's because I was afraid the owner/editor is a bit nuts and would start attacking the people on this site. But we are all pretty much anonymous here. This is the same guy who does the Blues fest - but i think he loves a good fight. i also think he is a bit insane and I am astounded there are advertisers in this publication. Maybe they are afraid if they don't advertise that he will publish some rant about them. Well, who the heck would beleive it anyways. I know one thing for sure. PRINT MUST BE GETTING A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE |
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| 10 | Corners / Beachers' Corner / Your Ward News on: Aug 12th, 2010, 4:07pm |
| Started by merle | Post by merle | |
| Is anyone else sick of getting this drivel delivered to your door? Fine, the guy can't stand Sandra Bussin, and we're all entitled to free speech. I'm not much of a fan myself, to say the least. I scanned the first silly piece about the mayoral race, and thumbed through the rest. I normally just have a giggle at the appalling typos and one-sided "reporting", but when I landed on page 4, I think he crossed the line. He's trying to get support for the "birthers", those nuts that believe Barack Obama may not have been born on US soil, and therefore should not be President. These people are either Republicans or racists who are hiding behind this conspiracy theory in order to oust Obama. What the HECK does this have to do with the Beach or our Ward? It just solidified the fact that the editor/writer of this rag is an ignorant, racist idiot. I wanted to tell him as much, and tried to click on his website. He lists two different versions: www.yourwardnews.ca huh. Doesn't exist. Go figure. So I tried the second one. www.yourwardnews.com How ironic. That link brings you directly to Rob Ford's page. Now as much as I never wanted that loose cannon to be mayor, this was the clincher for me. Is Ford even aware such a maniac is giving his blessing to his campaign? I know there are a few members of this board who would side with that writer, but I also know the majority of you are decent, open-minded and intelligent people. There. Rant over. |
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