Tips on Safer Motorcycling

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Tips on Safer Motorcycling

This article submitted by Lawrence Grodsky was gleaned from Rider Magazine (February 1996).




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  • Use good judgement to time your actions. A good pass on a two lane road takes no more than 6 seconds. You need to know how long it takes to cross a busy intersection, or get up to freeway speeds to avoid trouble.
  • Estimate approaching situations before you meet them. How far away is that oncoming car or the blind corner or hill crest?
  • Don't TAILGATE! Keep a safe distance (at least 3 seconds) behind the vehicle in front of you for a given speed. If the pavement is wet, DOUBLE the following distance, to give yourself more reaction time.
  • ANTICIPATE the threats' path of travel. If you see a car poking out of the driveway, move your bike to where you know it won't reach you. Always leave yourself an OUT!
  • Don't ride STAGGERED in the twisties. And anywhere else where more maneuvering room will be required.
  • Set yourself a LATE APEX on curves. By starting on the outside of the curve and delaying your turn, you will not only be able to SEE FARTHER AHEAD, but you will increase your space cushion in left hand turns.
  • Watch for cars "STACKING UP". On two lane roads, there is always a danger of a car pulling out to pass a line of cars. If you think you see one making a move to pass, pull over to the right hand side of the pavement to allow the passing vehicle to get by without harming you,
  • Don't follow behind OBSTRUCTING VEHICLES. Trucks, Vans make a nice billboard for you to hide behind, but there lies the danger, because if you are following these very close, the cars in the approaching lane cannot see you. Stay well back, and let a car fill that void, rather than you.
  • AVOID RUSH HOUR (if at all possible) Don't tackle busy roads when you may not be sure where you are going, while everyone on the freeway is pressed for time. If you make an error that the rush hour drivers are not expecting, they will not be in any position to avoid you.
  • DO HEAD CHECKS FREQUENTLY (every 5 seconds preferred). Don't rely on mirrors (blind spots) or peripheral vision. Get into the habit of making head checks BEFORE changing lanes!
  • ALWAYS SIGNAL YOUR INTENTIONS. Two full secconds before lane changes, and at least 4 seconds for turns to give yourself as much protection as possible. The last thing you want is some cager smacking into your rear, because you didn't provide ample warning!
  • KEEP TO THE RIGHT UNLESS PASSING. Let faster traffic jockey for position in the fast lane, stay out of their way and enjoy your ride.
  • Give way to faster traffic. Don't let some impatient driver start tailgating you. It's a dangerous game to play and could get you into trouble if road rage is exhibited.
  • Follow the speed limits through town. There are just to many things to jump in your way, never mind police and speed traps.
  • AVOID BAD DRIVERS at all costs. If you see someone wandering in lanes without signalling, or speeding up/slowing down....give these bad drivers WIDE berth.
  • Look at least 12 seconds up the road. GET THE BIG PICTURE!
  • Cover your brake lever in areas of high risk. Dogs/kids running around the streets. Cars pulling over to park, or ready to pull out from a parking spot into your path.
  • Cover with a least 2 or 3 fingers. Once your fingers are locked, you will not be able to add any more to pull in the brake lever.
  • Always check your mirrors before slowing down. The guy behind you may not be alert to see your brake light. Make sure you have an out at all times.
  • Follow the left wheel track of vehicles, but be ready to change your position if you have to. Guard your lane at turns.
  • Always be on the lookout for cars turning LEFT in front of your path. Slow down and wait to see what the driver will do. Check your right mirror and move over to the right as much as possible. If the car starts to turn early on you...BRAKE! IF the car turns late on you....ACCELERATE! (TO GET OUT OF THE WAY)
  • Always wear the best protective gear you can afford. Dress as though you might crash, to be adequately protected at all times.
  • Use REFLECTIVE MATERIAL (on the helmet) and across your back, if you need to travel at night.
  • Use eye protection at all times. An insect flying into your eye at speed will be very painful, and could blind you causing you to lose control.
  • Choose handlebars that allow you to relax, yet maintain control.
  • Make sure that your pegs and seat feel comfortable to avoid fatigue.
  • 28. Before starting out, check all controls for proper operation.
  • Lubricate all cables. You don't want to lose control due to a stuck throttle or clutch cable.
  • Check tires periodically for cuts and objects that may be stuck into the treads. Check the air pressure religiously.
  • Tire replacement. If the treads are cupped badly or the wear bars are showing, replace the tires with the type of tire that fits your riding style.
  • Suspension tuning. Learn what the various adjustments are for and change fork oil at least once every two years.
  • Roadside tire repairs. Carry approved tire plugs and CO2 cartridges to facilitate a roadside flat. After temporary repairs are completed, ride cautiously to the nearest motorcycle dealer to have the tire replaced, as a precaution to unexpected deflation and loss of control.
  • Choose the size and style of bike carefully. Don't get too enthusiastic in the first year or two of riding, by purchasing a large displacement heavy bike, until your skills are up to par. An inexperienced rider on a powerful and heavy bike could be a recipe for serious injury or even death!
  • Maintain a good posture, don't slouch as this will make you tired much faster on long rides.
  • Preserve your hearing. Wear earplugs, the soft foam ones are not uncomfortable, and you can still hear traffic.
  • Flex your arms to reduce fatigue and stiffness. If you have a throttle lock setup, it will help to exercise your fingers and keep them from falling asleep.
  • Avoid fatty foods (french fries etc). Fat molecules deprive your red blood cells of oxygen that your brain requires to stay alert.
  • Avoid caffeine (coffee) when your're tired. If you are that tired you need a rest, not caffeine!
  • Pack a first aid kit somewhere on your bike. Wal-Mart and other stores have a mini kit that is better than nothing.
  • Sign up for a first aid course with St. John's Ambulance or some organization that can teach you the basics of first aid.
  • Listen to your body for signs of hypothermia. If you catch a chill, get off an push your bike (not running). Exercise will help to offset hypothermia.
  • Windproof yourself with a good riding suit and gloves/boots.
  • Take a motorcycle rider course. Call Ottawa-Carleton Safety Council for more information. If you have the basics already, consider the Advanced rider course for improving your skills.
  • Never ride in a hurry! Haste causes judgement errors.
  • Warm up the bike's engine before riding off. A stalled engine can cause serious consequences at the wrong time.
  • Pack lightly on long trips. An overload bike can be a safety hazard.
  • Limit group sizes to 4 riders. Fewer delays, fewer bad habits and less chance of an accident.
  • Develop a set of simple rules for group riding.
  • Choose your passengers carefully, and instruct them on what they should and should not do before heading off.
  • Imagine yourself "down in" rather than sitting "on top" of the bike. This helps you actually lower your center of gravity.
  • Organize emergency information for yourself. Phone numbers to contact medical insurance, motorcycle insurance,
  • Respect unfamilar bikes. No matter how experienced you may be, your risk is always higher riding unfamiliar bikes.
  • Avoid causes of speed wobbles. Worn tires or axle bearings, loose or defective steering head bearings. Windshields that may be too high, all of these could lead to high speed wobbles.
  • Read the road surface ahead of you. Check for oil, loose gravel, tar snakes, pot holes and cracks. All of these can cause unexpected front end instability.
  • Devise a test course in a parking lot. Use pieces of wood or even yogurt containers to mark out a brake box, left turn/right turn and an "obstacle" for trying out your swerving skills. A bit of practice in the parking lot can save you from serious injury on the street.
  • Limit night riding as much as you can. Bouncing headlights are not a good thing on challenging roads.
  • Learn by observing good riders. Ask them questions, if you are not sure why they do some particular action at a specific time.
  • BE ABLE TO STOP ON A LINE in a controlled manner.
  • Practice controlled EMERGENCY STOPS.
  • Learn all there is to know about COUNTERSTEERING a bike.
  • Learn all there is to know about COUNTERBALANCING a bike.
  • Learn the fine art of SWERVING around obstacles.
  • Learn how to weave on a bike.
  • Practice tight turns by exaggerating head movement.
  • Practice 140 degree curbside pullouts. Back your bike to the curb at a 40 degree angle. Lean and turn the handlebars as far as your comfortable. Plant your inside foot on the peg, look back over your shoulder and pull away without hesitating or dabbing your foot.
  • Practice "swooping" on a curvy hilly stretch of road, by setting your entry speed using only your throttle, without using your brakes.
  • Practice riding SLOWLY to maintain balance through the use of clutch, throttle and steering, while shifting your weight to maintain your balance.
  • Use THROTTLE STEERING to straighten out your bike and guide it to the proper exit position on the outside of the turn.
  • Use the REAR BRAKE to control the CHASSIS IN TURNS. Instead of closing the throttle on turns, try holding it partially open and let the engine work against a partially applied rear brake.
  • MID TURN CORRECTIONS. If you are too hot on the throttle, turn your head MORE, push HARDER on the handlebar and apply a little rear brake, but DON'T CLOSE the throttle!
  • FEATHER THE CLUTCH (if need be). This is a dirt riders trick for controlling power surges and driveline lash. The key is steady pressure, not a rapid motion.
  • Brake/throttle transitions. To keep your chassis stable, smoothly begin one control as you are easing off the other control. Grip the throttle lightly and glide your fingers around the brake lever in a camlike fashion, instead of squeezing the brake lever directly.
  • Upshifting. Don't squeeze the clutch lever so far. You only need to "blip" it to the friction point.
  • Downshifting. By "blipping" the throttle, and quickly raising the rpms to the correct engine speed for a lower gear, you eliminate the need for a lot of clutch action.
  • Braking and downshifting simultaneously. This is a bit tricky, but certainly can be achieved by proper application of the brake pedal and use of the clutch-throttle techniques. This method is much better than declutching the engine, and applying the rear brake by itself to slow down the bike for downshifting into first gear.
  • NEVER get on a bike if you feel tired, haven't had enough sleep or have some kind of injury that could impair proper operation such as a sprained ankle (or hand) or a sore neck.
  • Stop frequently on long rides for a rest, or a stretch and just walk around to get the blood circulating again.
  • Be very careful riding in heavy traffic looking into a setting sun. You could be blinded momentarily and that is all that is required to get into an accident. By the same token, a car driver driver blinded by the setting sun may not see you coming!
  • Never drink alcohol and operate a bike. Alcohol, even one beer, when your're tired, or at night, can result in serious injury or even death.
  • Always be on the alert and be a defensive rider. Even if you have the right of way...don't push it to prove that you are in the right...it's not worth the risk of injury.
  • On blind hills, always move to the right side of the road to allow yourself an out, should some careless driver decides to pass on the crest of a hill and come right at you. If you are in the left lane on a blind crest, you won't have enough time to do an evasive maneuver before the other driver is upon you!
<HR>RIDE SAFELY AND KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU AT ALL TIMES.
NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME COMPLACENT OR CARELESS.
IT JUST TAKES A SPLIT SECOND TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND THAT ERROR IN JUDGMENT...MAY NOT EVEN BE YOURS!
 

pooty

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Re: Aweome Article

great article. i would like to add something a motorcycle cop told me. if some one looks like they might pull out in fron of you watch the front tire. coming to an intersection or some one turning left in front of you.
 

agf

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What to do Until the EMTs Arrive | Street Savvy



This is a worthwhile read


You always wear a helmet, an armored jacket and pants, and gloves when you ride, so you’re ready if the worst happens. But if disaster strikes someone else, what do you do next? You could be miles from help, tending a badly injured buddy who needs medical attention, stat. Throw in traffic approaching the scene around a blind corner and you have the perfect recipe for a disaster two-fer. Knowing what to do next is the difference between a successful outcome and a day you’d like to forget.
Preparation is key, and the Red Cross website (www.redcross.org) lists community chapters where you can sign up for low-cost first-aid and CPR classes. If you usually ride with a group, take a class together. It’s no good if the one rider at the accident scene trained in CPR is the one flat on his back.
If the crash takes place ahead of you, slow down and motion to following traffic that there’s something wrong ahead. If your riding buddy vanishes in a cloud of dust in your mirror, don’t make an immediate U-turn to backtrack before you make sure it’s safe to do so. If more than one of you is still upright, send someone back up the road to warn oncoming traffic to slow down.
Your next task is to assess whether the downed rider needs help. If there’s the slightest doubt about the rider’s injuries, call for help immediately; make this decision as quickly as you can. The point of on-scene first aid is to stabilize the victim until professional help arrives. Every member of your riding group should carry a cell phone or SPOT device so you can connect with the 911 system and call for help. Then word of the accident can go up and down the road.

If the victim isn’t breathing, everything else is a secondary problem, because he (or she) will be dead in four minutes. Even if you suspect spinal injury, carefully take off the helmet. Ideally, one person supports the neck while another pulls the helmet straps apart and gently removes the helmet. Next, check the victim’s ABCs––airway, breathing, and circulation. Make sure the airway is clear. Then check for breathing by putting your hand or cheek near his or her mouth to feel for air going in or out. If there is no breathing, you can begin rescue breathing (mouth to mouth), though the American Heart Association has determined that rescue breathing is not nearly as important as chest compressions.
It can be difficult to determine if there is a pulse, so instead attempt to rouse your fellow rider. If he doesn’t respond, then start external compressions. (Use the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” as your rhythm.) Continue these until paramedics arrive. If the accident victim is awake, engage him in conversation to determine where the injuries are.
Bleeding calls for immediate action. Put direct pressure on the wound to stop the blood and get it coagulating. Broken bones are often best treated on the scene by leaving them alone, but in the case of a compound fracture where the bone pokes out through the skin, cut away the clothing and do what you can to stop the bleeding. Badly broken arms and legs are pretty easy to diagnose, but sometimes fractures can be difficult to identify. Immobilize any painful extremity and avoid unnecessary movement. A tight neck or a sore back might indicate a more severe injury. If you can get some ice, apply it to the suspected injury site to minimize the swelling and have the rider lie down until the ambulance shows up.
While road rash is the most common injury sustained in a crash, more serious injuries can result in shock. Symptoms include glazed eyes, ashen skin, and a clammy feeling, even on a hot day. Keep the victim calm and lying down if possible. Sitting up or standing will make the symptoms of shock more severe and could result in the rider passing out. Try to restore body temperature to normal, either by providing shade or creating warmth.
At least one rider should carry a basic first-aid kit that contains gauze bandages, a CPR mask for giving rescue breathing without skin contact, latex gloves, alcohol pads, and adhesive tape. Kits are available at drug stores, sporting-goods stores, and from motorcycle accessory companies. Upgrade a basic kit with a space blanket for shock victims, antimicrobial hand wipes, an assortment of adhesive bandages, large-area gauze pads, scissors, pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, and a flashlight that can be used to look in a victim’s mouth if you suspect an airway obstruction. Also, have water on hand to rinse wounds and treat dehydration.
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Quick Facts
The best way to avoid roadside emergencies is to not have an accident in the first place. In addition to learning first-aid and packing a first-aid kit, keep your riding skills sharp with MSF courses and track schools. Also, learn to recognize those days when you’re not feeling your best, and either slow down, or stay off the bike.
 
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