Hypothermia. What's the risk?

[doog]

Believe me you don't want to go there. The risk is premature death. You obviously did not wear appropriate clothing as had you done so you certainly wouldn't be shivering at only -2C. What winter jacket and layers were you wearing? Your story seems like a typical case of not reading the weather conditions properly and going out totally unprepared. Sorry. But people like you put the lives of others at risk when they have to go out to look for you when you don't return.

You dont do risk do you .

 

[ColinJ]

You dont do risk do you .

There are calculated risks with survivable outcomes, and then there are unnecessary risks that might result in you dying if you get a puncture!

I once got caught out in a freak storm on a hot sunny day in July on the hills near here. I was wearing summer cycling clothes and I went from dripping sweat to violent shivering in about 15 seconds - I was so cold that I could no longer control the bike! The storm blew over as quickly as it arrived and then I got really hot again.

I'm not suggesting that everybody should carry heavy duty rainwear on sunny days (it was a completely freak set of conditions that I had never seen before, nor suffered since) but going out unprepared in winter is not the kind of risk that I would recommend.

 

[doog]

There are calculated risks with survivable outcomes, and then there are unnecessary risks that might result in you dying if you get a puncture!

I once got caught out in a freak storm on a hot sunny day in July on the hills near here. I was wearing summer cycling clothes and I went from dripping sweat to violent shivering in about 15 seconds - I was so cold that I could no longer control the bike! The storm blew over as quickly as it arrived and then I got really hot again.

I'm not suggesting that everybody should carry heavy duty rainwear on sunny days (it was a completely freak set of conditions that I had never seen before, nor suffered since) but going out unprepared in winter is not the kind of risk that I would recommend.

Im sure the OP said he was walking 1/2 a mile to his corner shop in Somerset ? and well wrapped up. I am presuming he has no snow cover, so am wondering how exactly he can be accused of putting other peoples lives at risk ?

Has the world gone mad?

 

[Rob3rt]

Im sure the OP said he was walking 1/2 a mile to his corner shop in Somerset ? and well wrapped up. I am presuming he has no snow cover, so am wondering how exactly he can be accused of putting other peoples lives at risk ?

Has the world gone mad?

Yes.

 

[Ticktockmy]

You can wrap up all you want, but if you have just a little uncovered skin if its getting blasted with a low wind chill factor, Say minus 2 oC and a wind of of 10Km/h you have a wind chill of approx. Minus 10oC, what happens that cold patch kids your brain that you have whole body which is cold, the body is triggered into shivering to try and get you warm. hence the symptoms you showed.

 

[ColinJ]

Im sure the OP said he was walking 1/2 a mile to his corner shop in Somerset ? and well wrapped up. I am presuming he has no snow cover, so am wondering how exactly he can be accused of putting other peoples lives at risk ?

Has the world gone mad?

He also wrote ...

It set me wondering: What is the risk, in the sort of conditions we have at the moment, of anyone outside walking or on a bike suffering from mild or more serious hypothermia? Given that it reduces mental acuity and impairs co-ordination what extra risks does it pose when on a bike?

Given that 'the sort of conditions we have at the moment' can reasonably be interpreted as 'the severe wintry conditions in many parts of the UK' and that here, at least, we have had a Siberian wind reducing the already sub-zero temperatures to more like an effective -10 to -15 degrees, and that we have had a lot of snow and ice ... I'd say that a recommendation to prepare yourself properly for bad conditions is not 'mad'! Especially bearing in mind that a young man died near here the other night when such conditions overcame him ...

Here's a picture of what conditions are like here, as posted by Cubist a couple of days ago ...

 

[ColinJ]

I've just read Crankarm's post again ...

Yes, I agree that a walk to the shops probably wasn't going to require the emergency services to be called out but I was looking at the bigger picture of people going unprepared into the kind of conditions pictured above. Which might.

 

[slowmotion]

I got a puncture on a winter ride once and my fingers got extremely cold very quickly when I was trying to fix it. I was contemplating walking several miles down the hill into the shelter of the valley to have another go. I really wouldn't fancy being 10 miles out on the moors in a blizzard*** trying to deal with a mechanical problem, or crashing in slippery conditions.

I find that trying to fix a puncture at close to freezing is very hard indeed. You have to handle aluminium ( a truly excellent conductor of heat) and it just sucks the warmth out of your fingers in seconds. You won't die from it, but I would rather keep my gloves on and walk for a bit if I can.

 

[ColinJ]

I find that trying to fix a puncture at close to freezing is very hard indeed. You have to handle aluminium ( a truly excellent conductor of heat) and it just sucks the warmth out of your fingers in seconds. You won't die from it, but I would rather keep my gloves on and walk for a bit if I can.

But if you are 10 miles from civilisation and that unfixed puncture means that you are walking home in a blizzard then you could be in big trouble!

I've only been up 'on the tops' a few times when it started snowing heavily - each time, it didn't take long for things to get scary. I was okay being a 30 minute ride from shelter but a 2 hour walk would have been very nasty ...

 

[slowmotion]

But if you are 10 miles from civilisation and that unfixed puncture means that you are walking home in a blizzard then you could be in big trouble!

I've only been up 'on the tops' a few times when it started snowing heavily - each time, it didn't take long for things to get scary. I was okay being a 30 minute ride from shelter but a 2 hour walk would have been very nasty ...

Absolutely!

 

[montage]

I wouldn't scoff at anyone who carries a space blanket in these temperatures. I had a mechanical in the middle of the yorkshire dales - it was a couple of weeks ago when there was just a light dusting of snow falling - cold enough! Luckily it was an organised event and my friend cycled off to get signal and save the day by getting the event organizer to pick me up. I was at the roadside for a good 40 minutes, and things were starting to get dangerous. Another 30 minutes would have been serious trouble.

The other scare I have had - I was in a mexican bar in Idaho, and had a "margarita race". This involves drinking 6 margaritas as quick as possible before your opponent. Unfortunately, they were all with crushed ice, so kind of like a very cold slushi. The feeling of being chilled from the inside out is one of the most unpleasant feelings I have ever had... needless to say I ended up bailing on that night out, but I could literally feel my stomach as it it was a slab of sirloin thawing out after it had been long forgotten at the bottom of the freezer. Not sure a space blanket would have helped with that one.

 

[zacklaws]

I had two punctures a couple of years ago in the cold, the first was dreadfull trying it to fix it in the cold and my body temperature dropped till I was shivering, 20mins later I puntured again and it was even worse as I had not even warmed up from the first, I was almost crying trying to fix that one, I'm sure tyre's shrink 50% in the cold as their 50% harder to refit

A couple of weeks ago, it was freezing but my body temperature was high with riding, then my rear wheel went tits up a long way from home when the rim cracked and I had to limp home slowly at 10 - 13 mph into the wind and I could not generate enough body heat pedaling that slow, I thought I was a goner then as I was shaking like a good un from head to toe. By hell, was it good to home and get warmed up in the shower

When its cold now, I try to stay as local as possible. This week I'm giving it a miss.

 

[sddg7tfl]

I've been out in all weathers over the past few months, only 10% of my rides were essential (work commute) the rest purely recreational/training.

If its very cold and i have an unplanned stop during a fast session i will remove coat, pullover, teeshirt and vest (out in the open) then re-assemble without the sweaty vest. *

There's nothing more bone chilling than having a wet layer against your skin, while changing a tube out
in the windy fens below freezing.

*I dress for the worst case scenario when its cold, i do not dress for aero-efficiency!!

 

[VamP]

Im sure the OP said he was walking 1/2 a mile to his corner shop in Somerset ? and well wrapped up. I am presuming he has no snow cover, so am wondering how exactly he can be accused of putting other peoples lives at risk ?

Has the world gone mad?

So if he had snow cover, he would be putting other lives at risk?


Has the world gone mad?

 

[Trickedem]

I had a puncture on an Audax this Sunday. I'd just ridden up a hill so was quite warm, then reached an exposed area. I tried to shelter behind a hedge to do the repair, but by the time I got back on the bike I was shivering really badly. If it had been a more serious issue I reckon I would have had to consider bailing. I think the space blanket idea is a good one.