No Explosions: An Advantage of Bikes for Less-Abled Riders: Hand Cranker Bicycling is not for everyone! However, it's important to note, an organization in Berkeley, California, (BORP.org) is building hand-operated bicycles for paraplegics. The freedom these vehicles represent to an individual who's lost the use of their legs cannot be overstated. The ability to transport oneself without electricity, +/or filthy, terribly hazardous, polluting and ultra-heavy lead/acid batteries that wear out quickly and can strand, immobilize, and endanger a disabled individual, is to cherish and express the concept of personal freedom and independence. These recumbent style bicycles, like wheelchairs, should always be outfitted with tall bright triangle orange safety flags when there's any risk of collisions with other traffic. Auto- and Wheelchair-Battery Pitfall. It is important to recognize the horrible impacts of lead mining and battery manufacturing. The batteries can cause horrible burns when acid is spilled or leaks. The hydrogen gas that bubbles out of this dangerous and polluting technology is wildly hazardous and can and does explode routinely. It's a leading cause of blindness and burn injuries in the US today. Usually on a wheelchair, the charging is done indoors, and, with energy conservation driving home insulation projects to where indoor air pollution is extreme, hydrogen gas can accumulate to a dangerous degree in an enclosed space. Typically, it's the auto owner who's put a battery on a charge in a near-air tight auto garage, who ends up causing an acid explosion when the spark of disconnecting the charger ignites an accumulation of hydrogen gas. There can be a certain joy to noticing how bicycles can work to escape myriad problems of deadly technologies. See www.Borp.org; and www.Baystep.org. Bicycles can represent the ultimate expression of personal freedom as well as a near-perfect rendition of the concept of appropriate technology.
|
By James DMake-it-home-safe MANTRA: When dealing with traffic, it's better to be patient than to become a patient; AND - A Sailboat is to a Polluting Cruise Ship what a bicycle is to a smokin' Hummer. I know bikes are beautiful but I’M not backing off until bikes are bountiful and bikers have greater strength in numbers. CategoriesArchives
February 2016
|