NYCkayaker P.S. - Full Disclosure: (PRO ATHLETE'S WERR ALL SORTS OF SAFETY GEAR)

[Chalu Kim]

Helmet is completely different. Not wearing one, you might as well leave 
your brain behind.

I am alluding to the fact you can't rely on gears. You need to 
understand weather, wind, tides, current, physical fitness and above of 
all common sense.

Having unfit partners can be problems. You should read about Oscar 
Chalupsky's swim when his surf ski cracked mid-sea. Mind you he is a 
part fish not a real human.

Perhaps, we could think of PFD you can swim with, one of those that 
lifeguards carry?

Don Fracapane wrote:
> You're correct in saying industry is making a profit on PDFs and bicycle 
> helmets .... and seat belts and air bags and ABS and .... I don't care 
> about the profit as long as the result is safety. Although safety 
> equipment doesn't protect us for all types of accidents, they are 
> effective and offer more protection than not using them at all. There 
> are no perfect products.
> 
> I think that your arguments about bicycle helmets might have been 
> overstated. I have taken a couple of falls on my bicycle in the last few 
> years both of which would have resulted in hospitalization if I didn't 
> have my helmet on. Neither fall involved a car but 1 did involve another 
> bicycle and the other a pedestrian. If I had a mishap with a car I might 
> have been dead despite the use of the helmet, but again you can't have 
> complete protection. The cost of the helmet was also cheap if you 
> consider the cost of the hospitalization. It was cheap if you only 
> consider my co-pay.
> 
> On Nov 7, 2008, at 9:51 AM, Chalu Kim wrote:
> 
>> Here is a twist for you.
>>
>> Can you swim with PFD? Say you are a mile or two from the shore.
>>
>> Yes, I agree you should wear PFD especially in cold weather like here.
>>
>> mike wrote:
>>> Flat water and many sea kayak/surf ski racers do not wear pfd's 
>>> unless they
>>> want to, end of story. They never have. The people that say they have 
>>> them
>>> wear them in their races are dealing with the real new race group, 
>>> not the
>>> open class racers. None of the standard established races on the east 
>>> coast
>>> or in Hawaii require pfd to be worn. You people would not know that 
>>> because
>>> it is not your sport.
>>> The problem with the race was the barge not the PFD. As was said the 
>>> barges
>>> have previously taken kayakers with pfd's all the way under. It was also
>>> noted by the police that a jet skier was killed at this barge, pushed
>>> underneath by the current too, sure he had a pfd on too.
>>> Bicycle helmets are another piece of junk-alleged safety gear that 
>>> really
>>> IMO are nothing but a huge moneymaker for the companies that produce 
>>> them,
>>> with no monies spent in producing a better product, the CPSC  
>>> standards for
>>> bicycle helmets have not changed in years, these CPSC standards are
>>> extremely  weak and do not adequately test the helmet for real life
>>> conditions.  They make them for a penny and sell them for huge profit 
>>> and
>>> they work the same they did 20 years ago, but they are making a lot more
>>> money, so why do the research.
>>> This summer NYC had a coupe summer Saturdays where park avenue was 
>>> closed
>>> from the Brooklyn bridge to central park, it was nice to see all the 
>>> people
>>> without helmets. These people know without cars there is very little 
>>> danger.
>>> Cars are what kill are the pedestrians and bicyclist, helmets or no 
>>> helmets.
>>> The weekend of this mayors cup race there were two pedestrians 
>>> killed, mowed
>>> down on the sidewalk by out of control cars, About 10 fatalities in 
>>> the five
>>> boroughs in MVA crashes with numerous passengers serious injured, The 
>>> marathon had two deaths.
>>> I am just bringing this up to show how dangerous it is walking around 
>>> in NYC
>>> on a daily basic and yet the NYPD does not take steps to correct known
>>> danger to pedestrians seriously. NYPD will not even take a 911 call 
>>> on many
>>> of the above.
>>> However, on race day, an idiot NYPD chief or ass chief called off the 
>>> race
>>> when most of the international paddlers were passing the George 
>>> Washington
>>> Bridge
>>> **********************************************************************
>>> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is 
>>> a public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson 
>>> River Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
>>> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>>
>> **********************************************************************
>> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is 
>> a public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River 
>> Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>
>> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
>> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>