Bicycle Safety - Rider Profile - Chief Master Sgt. Devery Andrews

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Russ Scalf
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  

Rider: Chief Master Sgt. Devery Andrews

Type of riding: USA Cycling Cat 4 Road Cyclist, Current Racing Age 47

Team: Arkansas Cycling & Fitness

Experience: Six years

Number of races: 40+

Bragging rights: 2013 Bronze Medal, Arkansas State Time Trial Championship (Masters 45-49) 2012 Silver Medal, Arkansas State Time Trial Championship (Masters 45-49) 2011 Deployed, 2010 Bronze Medal, Arkansas State Time Trial Championship (Masters 40-44) 2009 Silver Medal, Hawaii State Team Time Trial Championship 2009 Bronze Medal, Hawaii State Time Trial Championship (Senior Cat 4-5) 2009 Bronze Medal, Hawaii State Criterium Championship (Senior Cat 4-5)

Favorite local ride: The Big Dam Bridge 100

Dream ride: The "Passo dello Stelvio" which is situated in Trentino-Alto Adige and in the Alps. The ascent is 24.3 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1,808 meters with an average gradient of 7.4 percent.

Safety tips:

Always wear a properly fitted helmet with the straps buckled.

Always wear eye protection to guard against flying insects, rocks, and wind. Use sunscreen to protect bare skin from sunburn and stay well hydrated.

Follow the rules of the road; i.e., stop at stop signs and red lights, and use hand signals for turns and to communicate with other drivers. This will help gain respect for cyclists.

Don't confront or make obscene gestures towards hostile drivers. The best response is no response at all, be professional. If necessary, note the license plate number and report it to local law enforcement.

Know the roads in your area and incorporate training routes that are cyclist friendly. Think wider with less traffic and slow corners with good visibility. Avoid heavy traffic and roads with little to no shoulders and blind curves.

Ride defensively and be on the lookout for road hazards such as potholes, debris and unleashed pets.

When riding with other cyclists, never overlap wheels. Touching wheels can easily lead to a serious crash.

Be extremely careful of painted lines, railroad tracks and steel grates on wet roads. These can become deadly when wet.

Beware of sun-glare early or late in the day. The low sun makes it difficult for motorists to see a road cyclist.

Wear a Road I.D. bracelet with your medical/emergency
contact information in case of an accident. (www.roadid.com)