Motorcycling the highways, byways, city streets, and alleys
Motor Safety Foundation - May 20, 2009

 

When you ride, the surface conditions, traffic, and the weather can be changing. You have to be constantly aware of a lot of things. Daydreaming when you’re riding a motorcycle isn’t a good idea. Things happen fast out there on the road, and you have to be prepared for them. 

 

Here is a good reminder for riding safely in traffic. The SEE System.

 

S – Search around you for potential hazards

E – Evaluate any possible hazards, such as turning cars, railroad tracks, etc.

E – Execute the proper action to avoid the hazard

 

This SEE is a mental system for safe motorcycling. Use it effectively and you’ll cover many safer, happy miles on your motorcycle.

 

                                 

INCREASING YOUR VISIBILITY TO OTHERS

 

What’s the most usual explanation from the automobile driver who just turned in front of a motorcyclist? “Gee, officer, I didn’t see him.”

 

It’s a sad truth. We’re not as big as a Mack truck, but we are visible. However, too often motorists don’t see us because they aren’t looking for motorcycles.

 

 

You have to attract their attention.

 

All motorcycle headlamps in recent years are hard-wired, which means that the headlight goes on whenever the engine goes on. If you have an earlier model, turn that headlight on every time you go out. It helps – even on a bright, sunny day!

 

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: wear bright clothing and utilize retroreflective material (it shines when a beam of light hits it) whenever appropriate. The biggest thing that a following driver usually sees is your back. Make it stand out.

 

                                   

Always signal your intentions. Change lanes or make a turn using your turn signals. You want to be sure that the people around you know what you are about to do. And it helps to

assist your turn signals with hand signals at times.

 

Remember to cancel your signals when you’ve completed your maneuver, otherwise drivers are getting false information from you…and you could cause yourself trouble.

 

Don’t be shy about using your horn in some situations. If drivers are dozing, or about to pull an unthinking maneuver, give them a BEEP. You want to make them aware of what they are doing. And of your presence.

 

Position your motorcycle where it can be seen. Don’t put yourself behind a large truck or ride in the blink spot of a vehicle near you. Get out there, take up a whole lane, make yourself seen.

 

 HELPING YOU TO SEE OTHERS

 

The other half of the visibility battle is being alert and seeing everything around you. Use your eyes effectively. Keep them moving. Don’t get fascinated by the ’53 Corvette off to your right. Or go rubber-necking at an accident scene. If your eyes are locked on one thing, you may be ignoring some situation that could affect your ride.

 

                                    

Look ahead. Look to the side. Look in your mirrors. Look over your shoulders. Keep looking! Anticipate the oncoming, left-turning driver, the reckless fool coming up behind you, the car poking its nose out of the driveway, the guy beside and a little behind you who’s moving across the lane divider.

 

Never let your eyes fix on an object for more than two seconds. Keep looking around. It’s one thing to see, another to have the time to react. No tailgating.

 

When you’re riding in town, at speeds under 40 mph, always keep a two-second gap between you and the car in front. For example, when a vehicle goes by a phone pole, count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two” and then you should pass that pole.

 

Out on the open road, with higher speeds, you should adjust your gap to three or four seconds or more, depending on your speed. Use the same reference-point technique to determine how many seconds behind you are.

 

INTERSECTIONS

 

It probably surprises no one to know that the majority of accidents involving collisions between a motorcycle and a car happen at intersections – the most frequent situation being that of a vehicle turning left in front of a motorcycle.

 

Any intersection is potentially hazardous, whether it has stoplights, or stop signs, or is unmarked.

 

Always check for traffic coming from the side, left and/or right.

 

Check for traffic behind you, to make sure no one is about to run up your tailpipe.

 

NIGHT RIDING        

 

Quite often you’ll have to ride at night. After all, it is dark 50 percent of the time. Dusk is really the worst time, when people’s eyes are adjusting from daylight to headlights. Be especially careful just after sunset.

 

Usually it is advisable to slow down a little when riding at night, especially on any sort of winding road.

 

Use your own headlight and those of other traffic to keep an eye on the road surface. It is more difficult at night to see the patch of sand or something that fell out of a pickup.

 

The distance between you and the vehicle in front becomes even more important at night. Give yourself room to react.

 

Wear a clear faceshield without scratches. A scratched shield can create light refraction that might confuse you; two headlights can look like four, and you don’t know who is coming from where. One of your biggest hazards at night may be a “who” coming from a few hours of drinking. Be especially alert for drivers and vehicles doing odd things, like weaving in and out of traffic, and give them lots of room.

 

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