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Wednesday 22 June 2016

What The...?

How often does this happen to you? You're behind a vehicle on the highway and they're going 10 under the speed limit You're waiting to pass but there's no breaks, then you come to a passing lane and the opportunity to get by without concerns for oncoming traffic. But, just as you begin to ready yourself to cruise by the slower vehicle begins to speed up and is now going 10 over the speed limit and preventing you from passing. Not only that but once they get back to single lane they slow down again and resume the slower pace! Like...what the...!!

It happens to me about twice a trip when I head up to our camp along Hwy 22 North, where there are long stretches of road with no passing and just a few passing lanes built on some of the hills along the route. I used to think this sort of behaviour by other drivers was induced by some sort of malice on the part of the other driver, a sort of "I don't want you to pass me" attitude or something. However, after sharing stories with someone else who had a similar experience, I was prompted to look into it a bit further and do research which produced some very interesting results.

First of all, it is a very, very common issue, and not just in this country. A worldwide phenomena and the cause of much chagrin for all drivers. And, since it is such a common issue perhaps that is what prompted research into the cause, with several studies being performed in Europe.

Basically, the study found that drivers perceive that the road is safer when it is wider, plus generally, passing lanes are newer, less travelled upon and thereby smoother and quieter, also adding to the idea that there is less danger. One study in Europe found that by increasing the width of a road from 6 m to 8 m, the speed of traffic increased from 80 kmph to between 90 kmph and 100 kmph.
Not that this concept is something new either, and many a road designer and engineer use what is called the 'gateway treatment' to slow traffic down as it enters urban areas and the suburbs. Sometimes narrowing a roadway with 'traffic bulbs', or signage and line painting, can encourage drivers to reduce speed as they get squeezed into the smaller lanes.

Consider some of the physical factors that influence this. One is risk homeostasis, as explained in a hypothesis posited by Gerald J.S. White, professor of psychology at Queen;s University in Kingston Ontario. It deals with the notion that every person has an acceptable amount of risk that they are find tolerable. The environmental factors that create the perception that there is less danger, i.e wider, quieter and smoother roads, raises that risk level and results in a willingness to drive faster. Consider the similar effect when elderly people drive and tend to be a lot slower. The average person loses about 3% of their peripheral vision with each decade they live and that loss of field of vision gives the perception of more danger, resulting in lower risk tolerance and the slower driving speeds
The reality is that passing lanes are built with the perfect formula for deterring passing by giving all the stimulus that encourages the slower vehicle to speed up, thereby preventing the vehicle following from getting past. To paraphrase Hanlon's Law into a kinder, more gentle version "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by human frailty"


Tuesday 21 June 2016

Ride To Work Day

Monday June 20th was Annual Ride To Work Day, so I did, along with both of my fellow workers Fred and Ang. Actually, we all ride to work quite often, but made a point of it on this date for sure. I also took a cruise through downtown Calgary to check out the official 'site' for Ride To Work Day', which was located at the Trans Canada Tower. There were about 60 motorcycles there and lots of variety, so that was good to see. It all helps raise awareness of motorcycles and getting other drivers to consider that they are sharing the road.
The Trans Canada building gave up their plaza for bike parking


Quite a few bikes here.
Ang, Fred and I rode to work too.
The Blue Circle 'Tower' in the back ground.

Monday 20 June 2016

Ride For Dad

The Motorcycle Ride For Dad is a nationwide event that raises funds for the research into a cure for Prostate Cancer and the related awareness campaign, which in Calgary and surrounding area includes the Man-Van. The latter is a mobile blood testing clinic that does a free check for the prostate specific antigen, an early indicator of potential health issues.

The Calgary Ride for dad took place this past Saturday, June 18th, and had 456 riders show up, on a wide array of motorcycles and 3 wheelers. Though the forecast originally called for rain in the afternoon, it changed the day of the event and held off until that evening, so good fortune there.
here's some photos from the day, including one of yours truly handing over a $10,000.00 cheque from Blue Circle, as part of our sponsorship for this important fund raiser.


Telus provided a whole lotta volunteers, including those that gave out the poker cards.
This year's flag, proudly displayed on the back of a bike
The start of what will eventually be a lot of bikes

Ang, of Blue Circle and Ride Stop n Go, and myself, kicking back before the event gets rolling. 

The Man-Van was there, but testing was done at the wrap up BBQ, with 33 men put through the clinic.

troy, from Ride Stop n Go, was doing some minor repairs to keep the licence plate from rattling

Ride Stop n Go Blue Circle!! Awesome

These Motorcycle and side car units showed up, with an offer to take a passenger for the ride.

And, the Rocky Mountain Side Car Adventures crew are coveted clients of Blue Circle. A great bunch!!

This family all ride together!

Lou and Keely J, two of our VIP guests who won their spot in our Facebook contest.

Yep, a big cheque! haha! 


Our other two VIP guest pass winners, Sonia on the left and Kim on the right. 

RFD Co-chair Blair Nicholls is a 10 year prostate cancer survivor, thanks to this program

Co-chair Steve Adair is the link between the RFD and the Calgary Police Service, who marshal our parade. 

Another large cheque, handed over to Dr. Morley Hollenburg who is the brains behind the research campaign

Our Ride Captain, Jim Perry, and assistants John Couture and Perry Lewin, along with a CPS member

Our VIP guests, with Ang and myself.

It's hard to see but that line of bikes goes all the way around the corner and back another 2 km.

Sunday 19 June 2016

More Two Wheel Sunday

Two Wheel Sunday always has a Show n Shine, sponsored by our friends over at Cycle Works Calgary, as well as the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group, The Victory Riders Group, Indian Motorcycles of Calgary and, this year, Junk Yard Art. The latter made the trophies that were awarded to the winners in each of six categories. there were some great bikes and lots of ballots cast, so a successful day for all.

Just part of the line-up of great bikes.
These kids sure liked the trophies.
A close up of Junk Yard Art's hand built trophies
Ron, from The Victory Riders Group, and James, Of Indian Motorcycles Of Calgary, ran the show.

A very nicely restored and very rare DKW Hummel motorcycle
Detail on the Hummel

Some of the bikes in the "Custom" category
This old bike was originally tinkered together for a movie prop.

The smallest of the small

Friday 17 June 2016

Two Wheel Sunday

Yikes! I had a post set up about Two Wheel Sunday but never completed or published it, so here it is, better late than never.

Two Wheel Sunday is a really unique event, with the idea in mind of bringing all motorcycle groups, shops, riders and enthusiasts to one place at one time. And we mean all, be it scooter or sport bike, custom chopper or vintage bike and rider, this event has something for everyone.

 BlueCircle got involved when the idea was just that, an idea to put something together, though at the time no-one knew what that meant exactly. As it turns out, it meant that a whole lot of people were going to show up on their bikes and have a great day, meeting fellow motorcyclists and checking out some very cool bikes. I am not sure what this year's numbers were but it seemed busier than last year and they estimated an all day attendance of 7000 for that year! They also raised $4800.00 for the Veteran's Food Bank that year too, so let's hope for even more for our 2016 event.

Jack Burrows very kindly lent us his fantastic build, "Icarus", for our display booth
A closer shot of the bike, so you can see some details.






Lots of bikes
BlueCircle sponsors the Ride For Dad and the Man-Van
Blair and David were volunteering with the Motorcycle Ride For Dad, raising funds for the research of prostate cancer and the awareness campaign for this disease.

Wednesday 15 June 2016

June Weekend Camp Out

There's nothing like a 4 day weekend to give you some extra time at the camp, not to just to get some work done but to also have some down time between tasks. We wanted to run power to each of the 6 trailers and a line down to the shed and outhouse, so I rented a walk behind 'Ditch Witch' to plough in some trenches. 
What a cool little machine, with a digging blade capable of going as deep as 38" and cutting a 4" wide trench, with all the dirt augered off to the side. And though it's called a walk behind unit, you plough toward you so technically, it's a walk in front model! haha! I figured 20"-24" was plenty deep enough because we were laying direct buried, armoured wire. That wire could actually be laid right on top of the ground if you really wanted to do that, but part of the objective was to clean up the place and not have extension cords laying around, not just to have the convenience of a plug in right at the back of each trailer that was on its own 20 amp breaker.
It took two men a day and a half to trench 220 m and lay in that much wire, back fill it and do a bit of compaction, but we got 'er done. Only got rained on once, right at the beginning, other wise all good for weather. We set the posts and mounted receptacles at the back of each trailer, so all that needs to be done now is hook everything up at the panel. Can't wait to use it after that!
Otherwise, a great weekend of hanging out with friends and enjoying a few cool brews, by the river or the fire. We were dog-sitting Stevie, the crazy energetic pup that needed to get played out. And, play her out we did. A few small trips to the creek and some path way exploring, then a big afternoon at the river, swimming and chasing sticks, or was that logs!! haha! That pup is too strong and rambunctious but she was pretty pooched by the time we got back to the camp and was curled up in a blanket by dusk.

The were some wicked storm clouds rolling around us but we only had actual rain fall on us once


Really, I am not a pyromaniac!! haha

Every loves a big warm fire on a chilly night

Play time at the creek

Stones stacked on the fence by someone unknown

Our friends enjoying some river time in the heat of the afternoon.
Stevie was a pretty pumped up puppy at the river and took on some extra large sticks



This puppy was cold and tired after an entire afternoon of romping at the river

Back to that big fire

Heather brought this cool, blow up, solar powered LED light that will last for 8 hours



I felt like a farmer, plowing in the field!! Or maybe I just looked like one! haha

'Planting' some wire!! LOL