European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Aero bars not for the inexperienced by Karen Klinger United press International �1% cyclists Call them Quot Aero bars Quot and they be9ame hot items after american cycling Star Greg Lemond used them in two successive wins of the prestigious tour de France. Although the innovative. Aerodynamically shaped handlebars a which Are formed like an inverted Quot a Quot a can increase Speed they also pose potential dangers warn Ralph Yates and Michael Resnick doctors in Portland Ore. The bars allow even Novice riders to attain More Speed but they do so at the expense of changing a rider s weight distribution on the bicycle making Falls More Tikey Yates and Resnick noted in a recent letter to the journal of the american medical association. Quot Given the popularity of Aero bars we do to Bjk this is a potentially serious Issue Quot said Yates a sports Medicine specialist who knows about the problems the bars pose from personal experience Yates is a triathlete and experienced cyclist who rides up to 300 Miles per week. On a training ride earlier this year he was using his Aero bars and cruising downhill about 30 Mph when he rounded a Corner hit a Patch of Oil and went flying. Quot my head hit the ground hard and i readers action line fractured the whole Teft Side of my face. And the scary thing was i did t do anything wrong Quot Yates said. Although Quot i had done that turn hundreds and hundreds of times when i hit the Oil it was like being on ice. I no longer had Contact with the Road and there was no reaction time Quot he said. Still he believes he might have avoided the spill if his hands had been grasping the ends of his handlebars in the Normal position rather than clasped at the Center and top of the bars. When bicyclists grab the Aero bars at the Center they draw in their elbows which cuts Down on wind resistance but at the expense of balance. The Impact on balance is similar to a tight rope Walker drawing in his arms instead of the usual practice of spreading them out. Yates believes that if his hands had been spread out More rounding the turn better balance and weight distribution might have helped him avoid falling when he hit the Oil. Quot it was a bitter lesson Quot he said. Quot people need to understand that bicycling is an inherently dangerous sport no matter How experienced you Are my lesson was that when an Accident happens you have to be prepared because often there is no  with that in mind Yates and Resnick suggest that anyone using Aero bars take their hands ouf of the aerodynamic. Position whenever they do any mane vering. Not Only will spreading out their hands on the ends of the handlebars give bicyclists better balance while turning it will also give them quicker Access to the Brake levers they Point out. Quot we would recommend that use of these bars be approached cautiously. They should not be used in areas of heavy vehicular traffic Quot they said adding that cyclists also should avoid the aerodynamic pose when they Are on rough or unfamiliar roads especially going downhill. Yates said the bars May not be a Good idea at All for inexperienced riders. Quot for someone starting out i think it  big mistake to slap a pair of Aero bars on your bicycle Quot he said. Among All of the other potential problems inherent in the use of the bars Yates said they create a Gretter tendency for cyclists to keep their Heads Down. Because they have to lean farther Forward. Quot experienced cyclists know they have to keep looking up scanning the Road for hazards ahead. But those with less a experience Are less Likely to do that Quot he said. Quot there is no question that these bars work. You can go faster with them. But you have to be in Good shape to use them and you have to know what you re doing Quot Yates said. Canadian Steve Bauer races in this years tour de France on a bicycle equipped with an Aero  limited at Camp Darby it a no one knows belter the value of a getaway vacation than the people who live and work at Camp Darby year round. Plan to go to the Beach to travel to Pisa Florence and Rome and to eat at real italian restaurants. You la be seeing and doing things out of your Ordinary routine and you wont be shopping in our Small Exchange that we must share with every italian and his grandmothers. And you won t be renting the few decent movies or filling up the seats at the club movie  if you re coming from Germany you be probably already seen them please pack a cooler with All of your favorite barbeque meats foods and picnic Camp supplies purchased at your commissary. Our commissary has just five aisles few brands and must be shared with every italian and his grandmothers. Bring bags to haul your laundry Back with you to do in your laundry facility. We have Only one poorly equipped and expensive facility for families 95 percent of whom live on the Economy without laundry machines Post Quot hotels who cannot depend on quartermaster laundry for clean bedding and every italian and his grandmothers. Be healthy when you come. We have Only one clinic where Only a Small measure of health care is provided. Care at a local Hospital is a frightening experience when you Don t know the language. A and if there s something Quot missing Quot from your vacation or you re disappointed with something at Darby write it Down and Send it to the new Community commander. What s Quot missing Quot or Quot disappointing Quot for your Brief visit is what is lacking for us every Day of the length of our Tours Here. Karen Gambone Camp Darby Italy a . Burchinal services division Camp Darby Italy replies i m sorry this person has found life so uncomfortable at Camp Darby. Camp Darby is a Small installation and therefore does not have the extensive customer facilities found at Large communities our cafes and commissary facilities have grown considerably in the last year including the addition of a Baskin Robbins ice Cream shop. We do not share these stores with Quot every italian and his grandmothers Quot but a firm agreement signed in the 1950s allows the Carabiniero who guard our perimeter use. There Are occasional shortages at our award winning commissary due primarily to shipping and customs problems. Our laundry facility has 21 washers 75 cents per Load and 17 Industrial sized dryers 25-50 cents per double Load and yesterday when this count was made Only four washers were being used. A major overhaul is programmed in fiscal year 1992. Of the approximately 900 soldiers based at Camp Darby Over one third five in government leased quarters on the Economy and have Access to free laundry facilities. People renting from italians on the Economy May draw washers and dryers from dependent furnishings. All this does t mean we Don t need to improve. Do As the writer suggests write to the new Community commander if you Are disappointed. It is by listening to and acting upon such suggestions that we were named one of Usa eur s most improved communities in 1990. Recent improvements at camb Darby include a total renovation and enlargement of the quartermaster laundry the building of a children s room at the Post Library implementing a program at the clinic using local National employees As on Call translators for Community members taken to local emergency care and a Complete refurbishment of the Barracks buildings. Soon to be completed is a restoration of the Post Heater and planned for the near future a commissary renovation and total remake of the Campground Shower  Asia and promotion Points it sortie of my unit s soldiers Are in Southwest Asia and have been boarded for promotion to staff Sertean e-6. Y i have heard rumours that these soldiers As Well As others on the sergeant staff sergeant promotion standing lists Are earning promotion Points for every month they Are in Southwest Asia. Is this just a Rumor if it is a fact How Many Points do they earn and How Are they awarded on the 3355 form. Ken Loree Wiesbaden Germany _ Brig. Gen Robert s. Hardy jr., director for manpower personnel and Security he. Neucom replies per has department of the army Aqda message dated 151600z Zulu time nov. 1990, subject military education promotion Points for soldiers deployed in support of operation desert shield commanders Are authorized to Board specialists and sergeants for promotion and promote those sergeants corporals and specialists who meet or exceed a a established Cut off score. The policy also establishes a new category of Points to recognize the valuable experience gained by participation in the operation. This category is listed As operation desert shield storm provide  soldiers deployed to Southwest Asia  for at least three consecutive months will be awarded one Point per month of deployment up to a maximum of 12 Points. Points will not be awarded for partial months. Soldiers boarded prior to this policy May have Points added at their next recomputation or in accordance with rules in paragraph 7-13, a 600-200. These Points Are awarded under the military education Section of the a form 3355 promotion Point worksheet. To write us headers action line is the readers Quot court of last  striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you ave a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers