Warmer weather means more activity outdoors Published April 11, 2013 By Tech. Sgt. Chad Duprey 66th Air Base Group Safety Office HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Now that spring is here, people are going outside to jog and ride their bicycles, skateboards and motorcycles. The Safety Office would like to remind everyone to wear the proper protective equipment and perform these activities on base in accordance with Air Force and Department of Defense instructions. While jogging, use paths and sidewalks. If no sidewalks are available, personnel must run against the traffic flow. Walkers, joggers, scooters, skateboards, roller blades and roller skates are not authorized on roadways with high density traffic or during peak traffic periods. These include Barksdale Street, Vandenberg Drive and Marrett Street, but excludes the Marrett Street extension. Peak traffic hours are defined as 7 to 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Safety Office staff also reminds personnel to wear reflective apparel or a reflective belt or vest during low light conditions or during inclement weather. All bicyclists and their passengers, scooter riders, skateboarders, roller bladers and roller skaters must wear a properly fitted helmet with a secure head strap fastened. Approved helmets are those that meet the American National Standards Institute or Snell Memorial Foundation standards. The use of additional safety equipment is optional; however, everyone is encouraged to follow equipment manufacturer recommendations. It is also important to remember that besides hearing aids, the use of portable headphones, earphones, cellular phones, iPods or other listening and entertainment devices, including those with single ear-pieces or non-ear-bud external speakers, while walking, jogging, running, bicycling, skating or skateboarding on roadways is prohibited for the sake of ensuring good situational awareness. These devices can also impede the hearing of emergency signals, alarms, announcements, approaching vehicles and verbal warnings. These devices can be used freely on jogging paths, at the fitness center, and the outdoor track. However, keep in mind that if you are using them on a pedestrian area, such as a sidewalk, they need to be removed before you cross any roadway. With warmer weather also come motorcycle riders. The motorcycle riding season at Hanscom is seasonal and runs from April to October each year. All motorcycle operators and passengers who ride on the installation must wear a helmet, eye protection, over the ankle shoes or boots, pants and a long sleeved upper garment. The upper garment must be highly visible during the day and retro-reflective at night. Motorcycle training is required for all military and civilian personnel that are on-duty and motorcycle riding is part of their duty description. It is highly encouraged that military personnel carry a copy of their motorcycle training cards with them as proof of training during random motorcycle checks. For those living in base housing, there are more detailed requirements to be in accordance with Hanscom Family Housing residential guidelines. For more information, contact the Hanscom Safety Office at 781-225-5584.