The Wide World of Walking Equipment

Walking or hiking staff do you really need one?  Assuming for the moment that you’re not into Nordic walking or don’t require one because of an infirmary of some sort, the answer is, not usually.  Your daily walks are most likely in an urban environment with plenty of paving and has little in the way of strenuous climbing.  But if you’re lucky enough to be able to get out into a more rugged setting with a fair degree of frequency, a hiking/walking staff is something you might want to consider as part of your assortment of walking equipment.

A hiking sticks or staffs come in a wide array of configurations and a wide array of materials.  They can be as simple as a stick you pick up along your walk to a complex, hi tech piece of equipment.  If you find yourself selecting a stick from the first, improvisational, category here are a couple of tips to help you find a walking stick that will work well.

•   Find something that isn’t too heavy.  Of Couse you could throw it away if it got too much of a burden but if it works, you may want to keep it around if for nothing more than as a memento.

•  There is a bit of a debate about the height that a stick should be.  At a minimum, it should be 6 inches taller than your elbow.  At the most, a bit higher than your shoulder.  Your preference, however the taller version would be more helpful in rugged country.

•  Before you decided on a particular stick you need to be sure it can handle the job.  You don’t want to rely on something that is going to give way when you need it the most.  So put your full weight on the stick.  If there is excess bending or obviously it snaps then toss it and look for something else

•  Make sure the business end…where the stick meets the ground…is sturdy.  No splits, cracks, missing portions or uneven surface.  Nothing that is going to throw you off balance.

•  Make sure the hand grip area is smooth, free of knots or a potentially abrasive surface.  Insure that the grip area is not too big or too small.  You going to be carrying it for a while, so a comfortable grip is key.

• Finally, find a stick that’s already on the ground.  Don’t go tearing branches off a healthy tree.  Likely it will be too green to do you much good anyway.

A good walking stick can be of real benefit when walking on uneven or difficult terrain.  It can be that third leg that will help you maintain your balance and prevent a fall or twisted joint. In the right circumstances, a walking staff has its place among important pieces of your walking equipment assortment.

Technorati Tags: exercise walking, fitness walking, hiking staff, walking, Walking Equipment, Walking Gear, Walking Safety, walking stick

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Walking Safety is really three separate and somewhat diverse subjects. There is personal safety, how to stay out of or handle any security issues you may encounter on your walk. The second, injury prevention, how to avoid exercise related physical difficulties. Finally traffic safety, how to avert a potentially painful encounter with a motor vehicle. Each has it’s own rules and procedures as well as it’s own list of equipment requirements. I’ll cover the other two in the coming months but for today’s post I’ll focus on the traffic issue.

The Problem

What’s at stake here? Simply put, pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents are a significant problem . When a car and a pedestrian collide, there is high probability of serious injury and death. The United States alone has nearly 5,000 pedestrian/car related deaths (700 of them childern) and another 64,000 injuries each and every year.

Some other sobering statistics from the National Highway Traffic Association and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

- On average, a pedestrian is injured in a traffic accident every 8  minutes.
- On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident every 111 minutes.
- In 2005, the per capita pedestrian death rate was 1.6 per 100,000 people.

- 85.7 % of all non-fatal pedestrian accidents and 72 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred in urban settings

-The vast majority of fatal pedestrian/motor vehicle collisions occur on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in later evening or twilight hours.

Clearly this is an issue that requires a bit of a walker’s time and attention.

The Solution

When these accidents occur, the motorist is often at fault yet the walker too must bear some responsibility for doing his or her utmost in preventing a mishap. That responsibility is – to stay alert at all times and make yourself as visible, as conspicuous as possible. By that I mean paying attention to where we walk, when we walk, how we walk and how we dress.

Tips

The following are some walking tips and equipment guides to help insure that you have a high visibility quotient during your walking routine.

-Walk on sidewalks where ever available.

-Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. You’ll be in a better position to anticipate and react to oncoming vehicles. Especially important when you’re physically on a road rather than a sidewalk.

-Be alert at all times and be aware of factors that might impact motorist visibility or ability to stop. For example sun, ice, rain, snow or fog.

-Be exceptionally cautious when approaching blind curves where you may not be visible to oncoming traffic.

-Walk on roads with wide shoulders.

-Anticipate potentially dangerous situations and be ready to take action if necessary. Don’t assume that the car will avoid you.

-Cross a street only at an intersections and always yield the right-of-way to vehicles. Right on red rules can be a real problem for the walker. So stay alert and pay attention to cars in the curb lane.

-Obey all traffic rules and signals.

- If you’re using a radio or Ipod use only one ear bud. Use the open ear to listen to what’s going on around you.

- When crossing a street come to a complete stop and look left, right, and then left again

- Make eye contact with waiting drivers when crossing a busy street

- When walking at night chose a well lit route

From an walking equipment perspective:

- Wear reflective clothing or accessories at dawn, dusk, or nighttime and bright, visible clothing at other times.

- Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark. Swing it side to side when a car approaches. Front to back swinging may cause glare and create confusion with the driver.

Oh, and one final tip, there is one thing you should always assume…that the other guy isn’t paying attention.

Cars and walkers frequently share the same resource. Mutual respect and awareness is the key to a safe coexistence. The walker however is at a distinct disadvantage in any sort of “confrontation” and needs to take extra precautions to avoid them at all costs. Walking safety is visibility and awareness.

Follow the rules and stay safe and secure .

Technorati Tags: flashlight, pedestrian, safety. reflective clothing, traffic safety, walking, walking at night, walking safely, Walking Safety

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