Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival thread

OK, since the "new outlook on riding" thread turned into a safety symposium and suggestions for a safe riding forum seem to have fallen on deaf ears, lets do it with a thread. I see a lot of "newbie" posters are not just new to XJ Yamahas but new to motorcycling altogether. Since a lot of these folks simply aren't going to start off with a MSF safe riding class, I think it falls to those among us with beaucoup riding experience (43 years on road bikes for me) to find a way pass along our lessons learned and even some basics oft overlooked by even the most grizzled veteran. Gentlemen, I know you're out there, sound off!

 

My biggest fear is the road itself. I ride a daily commute of about 85 miles. Very rural area, i can take interstate most of the way but that adds about 20 miles, so i take the trail through the woods, plus i love the country. So most of my route takes me though narrow roads with lots of potholes, no painted lines, lots of old dairy farms and rolling hills. Now the deer are plentiful, they can be tough if not impossible to predict,

But....

The thing that will nail you without question are the dirt roads that intersect the pavement, always lots of dirt and gravel. Also, even a clean stretch can be spoiled by a little weekend logging activity and some rain to push fresh mud on the road. For this reason, i never ride fast on unknown roads. I like to really know the ins and outs of these small country roads before i start squeezing the throttle and enjoying the country.

Just a little thought to pass along.

 

Every time I ride, I pretend that every cage on the road is my enemy. Sometimes I want to relax and just ride, but then I snap out of it and realize that I have no seat belt, no air bags, no crumple zones around me, and the only thing that keeps me from becoming mince meat is my ability to react to any situation. I hesitate at red lights, look left and right at every intersection, even when I have the right of way. I stay out of cars' blind spots. I try to always check my six when I'm stopped... You never know when some tard behind you quits paying attention while he's texting or changing the radio station.

I also try to look far ahead, and react when I see rough spots in the road. It helps to raise your butt off the seat when you go over bumps and let your legs and arms absorb the shock.

Last but not least... WEAR YOUR BRAIN BUCKET... and any other protective gear you can muster up. Today I was gently reminded about the beauty of a full-face helmet when I flattened a locust with my visor at about 70 mph.

Keep 'em coming, people!

 

Another thing that is most important :

Overdriving your headlights is when your stopping distance exceeds the range of illumination of your headlights typically the average distance vehicles headlight will light a 30 meter path infront of the vehicle.

This is true for motorcycles, snowmobiles as it is for cars and trucks. Increased speed lowers your field of vision at night.

Also: Wear a skull bucket guys/gals we are not supermen,

Drive safe

 

I'll add be visible! The all black look may be "cool" but hardly visible. I run a modulator and wear a red/black/silver padded riding jacket.

I also remember that cagers have difficulty judging a bikes speed. Steromind is right on - be defensive.

 

also found these web sites

http://www.msgroup.org/

http://www.msgroup.org/videos.aspx

http://safetycenter.navy.mil/ashore/mot ... otorcycle/ ( sorry I am ex navy)

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n ... 73&q=ABATE

http://www.abatewis.org/index.php

 

I am a "newbie" to motorcycles. But i did take the BRC course that is offered through the DDS here in Ga. And all i have to say is the you have to ride like every cage on the road's only purpose is to turn you into a pile of ground beef. I have had at least 20 drivers already (and i have only been riding a month) look straight at me and then pull out in front of me. And yes i agree with the "wear your brain bucket" comments. and may i suggest that you get a FULL FACE. may not be as comfy or "cool" as a halfsie but we learned in the class that in a high side throw you are going to land on your chin about 85% of the time. and i dont know about you but i dont want facial reconstruction surgery any time soon. peace to all. keem em upright!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Excellent!! For the new riders, I was going to discuss crossing railroad tracks, especially in the wet. Railroad tracks are UNGODLY slippery when wet. Even dry, tracks are often sitting in a veritable DITCH in whatever grade crossing material (wood, bad coldpatch, those rubber mats) was used. Quite often the tracks ARE NOT completely perpendicular to the road. There are some horribly oblique crossings around where I live. It is important, especially in the rain, to alter your "line" moving from one side of your lane to the other as necessary, to cross tracks at as CLOSE TO A 90% ANGLE as possible. You don't want to chance the slot the tracks are in grabbing your front wheel, or sliding along the wet rail. If you still have to cross obliquely, SLOW DOWN and be very careful. I learned this one the hard way at a young age. Next time: Countersteering--you probably don't realize you're doing it and it can save your life.

 

Here's a habit i picked up after a guy close to me got killed a few years back. He was a lifetime rider, wonderful guy, well respected by all in his riding group.

There was some road construction going on. Flagman had everyone at a complete stop. He was about third in line on the highway waiting to be flagged on. Lady came barrelling up behind him and never slowed down, crushing him between her and the car ahead of him.

So....

Now, when i have to stop on the highway for construction, wrecks, etc, i pull all the way to the right line, or even just off the road a foot. This happened to me just a couple of days ago as they are paving the road near my work. When you do this, your left mirror is focused clearly behind you, and if you need to, you can shoot forward if someone's coming on too fast. This may be common sense, may even be taught in those classes, i dont know, just something i picked up after that guy got killed.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Keep your eyes peeled and stay focused, that's at the top of my list. It is a challenge to not fixate on passing scenery, especially on a very scenic route. You simply must scan your path and look into your turns. If you must take in the view, pull over and get out your camera.

 

My dad taught me "plan your out" , plan your escape route. Imagine where are you going to go if somebody does something unexpected.
It applies to cars and bikes.

Recently I had to stop quickly and locked the back tire, twice, which caused me to automatically release both brakes, then re-apply favoring the front brake. That half second of no brakes really upped the ante on how hard I needed to hit the brakes. I would advise we all practice high level braking so our brains have the "raw data" available when it's needed.
Of course practice wearing your gear, and away from traffic.

 

I second that. I bought my bike from a guy in tennessee. He was telling me what parts he had replaced, including the front pads. He told me he was taught to never use the front brake, except at traffic lights! OMG! You only have two really small patches of rubber connecting you to the road. We all need to do like TimeToRide suggests and practice using them both in all weather conditions for maximum stopping and control, until the feel and handling is hardwired into the brain.

 

I have been riding for 23 years now..Started on a 73 Yamaha 250 enduro and was stupid. I rode all year in the winter in the snow ice etc. I jumped railroad tracks, did wheelies (when i could) and basically raced around.

Now and for about 15 years I drive as if I'm invisible. My eyes constantly scan every direction the mirrors and the gauges. I still have a pleasant experience as I'm used to driving like this even in my car or truck.

This won't stop a crazy idiot drunk or moron from ramming me somewhere so I also Pray before every trip out.

 

The Rule of Invisibilty as randall so wisely brought up has been the #1 rule in my book. My Max and I have been through a raft of near-misses and the latest one at the gas pumps (!) last Wednesday night really brought it home.

Stopped at a pump (at 10pm, fully lit gas bar) and came within 5 feet being hit by a car pulling to the same pump, facing me straight on. This guy was staring right at my headlight and unbelieveably, he jumped out and said that he was so sorry, but he just didn't see me!

And in addition to treybaxter's comments, at intersections around town where I have to stop, the place I choose is as far to the left as possible, but for similar reasons. Puts me in the mirror closest to the driver, keeps me out of the way of an oncoming car, gives me an 'out' if I need it, mirror for the traffic behind.

One thing I have to offer in addition to other's comments. The Course teaches that you NEVER put your foot down to save a fall. I have found that advice to be double-edged. However, I truly believe that if you have hard saddle bags, the advice is sound. The chance of catching your foot between the bag and the road is too great and can suck you off the bike besides giving your joints a stretch. Don't ask me how I know.

There are many times when I need to adjust these "rules" to fit the situation. I find myself planning everyone else's screw up and make an adjustment - but maybe that's what motorcycling is all about - reading and adjusting to the conditions. Maybe that's why "caging" is becoming boring and sleepy and riding is so exhilarating.

Ride on, ride safe.

 

There is an unorthodox solution to the bonehead that is LOOKING right at you but doesn't SEE you...POINT AT THEM. Yes, I said point at them. Swing your left hand up off the bar and POINT RIGHT AT the sleepy driver. If he's looking right at you but not "seeing" you he will suddenly see you! I have had people I swear peed themselves when they realized I was right there--I said it was unorthodox, but it works. I didn't invent it, a long-time Toronto messenger-bike rider passed it along. I was skeptical but have seen it work more times than not and it's downright spooky.

 

Good advice. Looking around is great, but also watch the mirrors when you are stopped at a light, or stop sign. I almost had a sandwich experience, similar to the construction fatality story, above.

This year seems to be bad for left hand cages cutting my off. I am going straight and they turn left right in front of me. I now assume they all are going to do it, and it has saved my bacon more than once.

 

keep your eyes open for a way out when you are surprised, avoid target fixation. when i first got my bike I ended up in a situation where i was cut off and i was going to rear end the guy who did it. i saw a gap that i could go through and i looked at it, not the back of the suv i was about to hit. it would have hurt a lot more if i concentrated on how shiny the bumper wasn't going to be.

keep at least 2 seconds to react, you don't have time for anything less.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I am like many of you guys on here. I am very scared at times about riding. My thing is I ride fast, so I pay more attention. I check my 6, I don't ride beside ppl or in their blind spot. At every intersection I am always checking around me, I look ahead...On intersections, and side streets I point at the ppl who pull up, or who are there in the intersection. when Im stopped I dont ever place myself dead center, I am always In the lane closest to the turning lane, on the left side....so Just in case some idiot does stop, I can spin out of the way. My biggest thing is Guys....Where a helmet! Where as much protective equipment that you care, regardless if you are on a long trip or just going to work 5 blocks away...Suit up. wear a EVS neck collar, and a EVS Ballistic vest under your jacket for max protection... Make your bike noticeable when your brake and turn....

Anyway....
if your going to ride....Ride Hard!

 

It may be a small point, but drive extra slow & ready to slam on the brakes when you are in a large parking lot !!! I have had more near-misses in mall & grocery store parking lots than I have ever had on the road. Think of them as infinite intersections... and more often than not, the driver of the cage is : (a) in a hurry (b) irritated (c) talking which leads to (d) about to run over you.

 

Another good rule is to "BE SEEN"

Picked up some nice t shirts short and long sleeve safety green from unifirst. my uniform guy at work told me about them

http://www.unifirst.com/shop/ws/action/ ... oduct=1172

http://www.unifirst.com/shop/ws/action/ ... roduct=165

I got 1 of each . the hard copy of the catalog has regular pocket Ts (safety green short sleeve ) for about 5 bucks each

 

Hmmm most good stuff covered.....

General braking, if no modulator, double or triple tap the brakes just enough to flash the light before fully braking will help get the attention of the person behind you that may not be focused,

Use your intuition as well, if something about a drivers behaviour doesn't feel right, watch them, give them room, whatever.... many telegraph they are about to do something stupid.

I'm a full gear guy as well.... feel naked if I skip a single piece. Yet, this is a hard one to do. Except for each areas legal minimum, we can't influence others choices. Keeping new riders informed is the best idea, but many get caught up in the image side of things, while not thinking of their own safety.

Funny thing is I see guys on a $20K shiny new cruiser wearing sneakers, shorts, t-shirt and a skid lid..... and me on mybike in full gear that cost me as much as my bike, well almost

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

i also see people riding dressed like that
also see the guys on crotch rockets with jackets that match the bikes a full helmet wearing khaki shorts and sandals

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Yeah, I have felt the same way before. Those guys on crotch rockets in flip-flops and shorts and t-shirts, but with a full face helmet, and the cruiser guys with the sneakers, etc. It's almost a uniform. My gear did cost me almost as much as my Seca, and I often did feel a little odd, but odd or not, at least I knew I was safer than those guys.

 

its better to be safe and alive than to be cool and dead.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

buy and read the "Proficient Motorcycling" books by David Hough

Great reads.

Lots of things to think about while riding and lots of skills to practice.

ken k

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Visit www.ride2die.com every couple of months. It will help make sure you stay focused and wear your gear.

ATGATT, baby!
Herb

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

OUCH!!!

 

most of those bikes were crotch rockets. maybe the bikes gave them feelings of super powers and super coolness.

Sad to see that stuff but it does make one think twice about getting on a bike without the gear needed to survive.

I for one will always be safe, but thats not to say that the cages around me give a damn.

2 near misses in the last month because of drivers in cars & trucks just don't pay attention when they are on cell phones.

Found Proficient motorcycling at webbikeworld.com


http://www.webbikeworld.com/books/more- ... ycling.htm

 

Found this website that has many PDF files for free to read online or download.

http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?sp ... me=Library

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Coming into work tonight I followed 2 guys on rockets.
These bikes had LED taillights and that was it.
One bike had a headlight, the other nothing.
Neither had any running lights on.
I thought there were no directionals on the bikes either.
Turns out at the light I could see that the directionals were just these 2"x.5" deals stuck up under the rear fender.

So basically from the front the one bike was invisible all he had was a taillight.
His buddy had a headlight but from behind just a singal thin strip of red, easily missed.
I couldn't believe they were riding like that.
As we left the light they both pulled the wheel up.
If I fart the cops are up my butt to see what I ate.
Tonight nowhere to be seen.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Tough, but dedicated cops in your town..........

 

I think one of the best peices of advice I have heard was make yourself seen and heard. Not just the bright colors and a fog horn for the bike, make it unusual like gluing a clown wig to your helmet. Things that are out of the ordianry and that attract attention. Once again may not fit with the cool look but you will be noticed. Things like flags and anything that tends to move arround work alot better than a stationary rider. As far as the sound aspect just think how many people go running to an ice cream truck even when they can's see it and parents notice because they hear their money going out the door with the kids. Just a couple of things I have heard of, I have not practiced yet other than brighter multicolored clothing and all the gear from head to toe.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

goodmorning all,one subject not covered(or maybe i missed it) is tying down. my friend died because he had tied a coat on the back and a sleave,yes only the sleave came loose and found the spokes of his rear tire. :cry: at 65mph ...well....you can figure out the rest. i've become rather "anal" about tying down now.so plssssss,don't let even a piece of cord you think will just break if it gets caught hang from the seat/rack. come home alive so we can talk!

 

Good point! I wanted to talk a bit about following distances. I keep seeing apparently otherwise conscientious motorcyclists following WAY TOO CLOSE behind cagers in rush hour traffic. OK, yes, your bike can stop quicker than the car ahead of you if he suddenly jams 'em on...BUT you also are stopping quicker than the car BEHIND you who is invariably following you too closely. Result=motorcycle sandwich and you're the meat. Leaving a good distance to the car ahead, especially in high-speed heavy traffic leaves you a "cushion." If the traffic ahead suddenly "whoas up" (NASCAR vernacular there) you have some room to slow without getting piled into from behind because you're not trapped too tightly behind the vehicle in front of you. Important to always remember the performance advantages provided by a motorcycle over a car are also DISadvantages if you're suddenly placed at the mercy of THEIR performance envelope. Be the bunny!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

That would be Bunny Meat. Stew.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

excellent follow up bigfitz, i drive for a living and see too many drivers on top of each other :evil: we need all the space we can get in order to have an "out" in case of trouble. check mirrors every few seconds and know who is "along side" so you can quickly choose a direction to manuever if nessasary. have fun all!

 

I follow the "diamond" approach............in this case, the diamond being the shape as shown on a deck of cards suit.......stretched to the front and rear, squater on the left and right sides.

Imagine a bird-eye view of you (on your bike, or in your car) travelling down a road. Place this "stretched" diamond over the top of you, centered on your vehicle.

The area outlined by the diamond are the areas you want to keep clear of other objects (cars, etc.) as those areas are your escape routes whenever an event happens. Besides proper driving style and techniques (don't tailgate, use your mirrors, keep a constant mental "map" of where everything else is around you, etc.), your constant attention to where your escape routes are is THE most important task of the driver.

Forward diamond point area: in case someone runs up behind you and can't won't stop.

Rear diamond point area: in case you have to come to a sudden stop, you have to create space behind you so that no one behind you runs you over.

Left diamond point area: in case someone on your right starts coming over, or in case you didn't leave enough forward space (or if something suddenly appears in the road in front of you, dead cow, muffler pipe, etc.).

Right diamond point area: in case someone on your left starts coming over, or in case you didn't leave enough forward space (or if something suddenly appears in the road in front of you, dead cow, muffler pipe, etc.).

Note that when you travel in the far left or far right lane---and assuming the road has some type of "shoulder lane"---then you automatically guarantee yourself that at least one of the "side exits" are almost always open and available to you.

You have to adjust your riding/driving to make sure that all four points of the diamond are open and available to you, all of the time, and the more area the merrier.

The biggest challenge, of course, is keeping the diamond point to your REAR open, as other people tend to tailgate. Many strategies are available to handle this situation, from moving out of the way and letting bozo pass, or if you're in a car, a couple of quick, BRIEF slams on the brake (where the guy behind you can see your vehicle diving forward, as in an emergency stop) usually send the right message.

Be sure to carry a sidearm in your vehicle at all times, that can be useful if you try the "jam on your brakes" manuever and get into a competitive match with Mr. Macho Bozo who doesn't take hints easily or kindly.

KEEPING THESE DIAMOND AREAS OPEN and available to you at all times is your responsibility, not anyone else's!

 

Very good points brought up already. I always wear the full gear even on the hot days(not that we get many of them in Alberta). Another good point on the be seen motto is, Be able to see. Don't over run your headlight at night. I have upgraded my headlight to a brighter one and added extra driving lights to help luminate the sides of the road as well. My extra lights are not bright enough for my liking so I'm getting bigger ones soon. The reason you ask...We have Moose, Elk and Deer up here by the hundreds and I have been cut off by a few deer crossing the highway. Not fun dodging deer at higway speeds. Even had a wolf cross the road on me a few weeks back, all he did was look at me as he slauntered across the road. If you ride at night make sure you ae able to see whats in front of you And whats on the side of the road that might decide to become in front you.

 

Man, that Live 2 Ride site is almost enough to spook me out of riding. I love riding, but man that site reminds me there is a cost to count.

Chris KQ6UP

 

Amen I was shocked at some of those images. But oddly enough was suprised at the guy riding in jeans. I figured they would offer some good protection. But I do not know what speed he was going when the crash occured.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Pointing works!! I was driving my truck and a bicycle messenger I didn't see pointed at me. I can't figure out how I didn't see him before, but I sure did when he pointed! I'll use this method when My bike is done. Also I'm going to paint my helmet in police colours, that seemed to work in the past on my HD.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Forgot another tip. Assume the person turning left doesn't see you at all or is trying to hit you.

 

I don't follow anything that looks like something could fall-off it. SUV's with a pile of bikes on the back, RV's with stuff on the roof, trucks and pick-ups overloaded.

I don't want to be put in a position where I have to dodge something that got loose and flies-off the whatever's ahead of me.

New England is funny like that. You'll see stuff on the road that boggles your mind. Coolers, mattresses, ... I even saw an extension ladder across a couple lanes of highway once.

Around here, you have to play Defense all the time.
Especially during "Back to School" time.

 

same here with the back to school thing (UVA), i am a local and my bike is my main mode of trans port back and forth across town. student drivers are the worse, and then they start to drink and drive. i feel like i have learned to drive more saftely now that i ride a motorcycle., i see it as every car is out to hit me no one sees me except the people who ride and thoughs who used to ride motorcycels.

 

night time riding especially on non-lit roads, it's not a bad idea to have a car "punch a hole in the dark" for you.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

We where traveling through New Hampshire and came across thousands of Barbies in the road.
Multiple garbage bags full of them.
Scattered and mangled over the roadway.
:lol:
There were heads and limbs for miles.
we finally came to a full size station wagon, stuffed to the ceiling with the stuff.
Still spewing dolls out the rear window which was open.
:lol:

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I have seen some very valid points on this topic. I have asked on a couple of different posts that the Mods have a Safety and Skill-building forum. I still don't know why it can't be done. Til then this will have to do. One thing I noticed on one of the posts........

"My dad taught me "plan your out" , plan your escape route. Imagine where are you going to go if somebody does something unexpected.
It applies to cars and bikes.

Recently I had to stop quickly and locked the back tire, twice, which caused me to automatically release both brakes, then re-apply favoring the front brake. That half second of no brakes really upped the ante on how hard I needed to hit the brakes. I would advise we all practice high level braking so our brains have the "raw data" available when it's needed.
Of course practice wearing your gear, and away from traffic."

His Dad was smart to teach him to "plan your out".
Depending on road surface, it is not a good idea to release the rear brake if it locks and the tire begins to slide. If you are on a good surface with good traction and the tire begins to slide with the wheels out of alignment, should you release it you could possibly "High-Side" when the tire regains traction. The wheel when traction is regained would be forced into alignment and the bike would "whip" to straighten and throw you off, thus causing the high-side. If you are on a surface that has less than good traction such as dirt, you can release and then reapply. The important thing to remember if you lock the rear wheel is to keep your head and eyes up and LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. Even though the rear wheel breaks traction by keeping your head up and looking where you want to go, the bike will pretty much follow. You should keep the rear wheel locked until you stop. Should you inadvertently lock the front wheel, you should release it and reapply as necessary. Problem is that if the front wheel locks, you really have to be on top of it because everything happens at a split second and it is usually too late.
The important thing to remember is to ALWAYS use both brakes at the same time and apply the front brakes with all four fingers. You should practice until your automatic motor skills apply BOTH brakes at the same time without thinking about it.
It is VERY important to get your bike out where no one is around and practice MAXIMUM braking to get the feel of your bike and know what it will do. Get in a vacant parking lot and practice applying BOTH brakes at the same time. You should get a bit more aggressive with the braking pressure as you practice until you achieve MAXIMUM braking.
Ideally, Maximum braking is when you apply maximum braking to both wheels without losing traction with either wheel. For the most part, in a maximum braking situation, this isn't going to happen and you will brake traction. Losing traction when braking is not necessarily a bad thing. Preferably the wheels are not totally locked. The way I instruct my students is to apply both brakes (NOT GRAB or SLAM) quickly and apply steady and increasing brake pressure as needed while down shifting to get to first gear.
Once you stop at a maximum braking situation you should be prepared to take off immediately should someone behind you have their head up their butt. Two-IN, Two-Down. Two-IN is clutch and front brake, Two-Down is rear brake and downshift, all at the same time.
Another thing to remember, when downshifting to slow, it may be effective to slow you but it doesn't help the driver behind you if he doesn't see your brake lights.

Ride Safely,

Ed

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Lane position:

Every lane is broken into three positions. Left side, center and right side. There are no rules that say which part of the lane you should ride in. It is an individual judgment call, but normally you would want to position yourself within the lane that can help protect you from wind blast from other vehicles, help you see and avoid roadway hazards, and help you create and maintain a space cushion between yourself and other traffic. When following behind someone it is most desirable to ride in the far left hand side of the lane so that you can let the driver in front of you know that you are there. He will see you in his rear view mirror. If in the right side of the lane, the driver ahead can't see you.
One time that you could say that it is important to ride in the right side of the lane is if you are in a multi-lane road and you happen to be in the left lane. Picture if you will, that on the left side of your lane, there is a guard rail. In order to protect your lane, you might consider riding in the right side of your lane to help keep someone from entering into your lane and pushing you into the guard rail.
Another is if you happen to be group riding.

Ride safely,

Ed

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

FOLLOWING DISTANCE:

Two second following distance: The MINIMUM recommended distance (in ideal conditions) that you should follow the vehicle in front of you. Pick out a fixed object on the side of the road. When the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you passes the object, start counting One thousand-one, one thousand-two. You should not have passed the object before you finish the count.

FOUR SECOND IMMEDIATE PATH: Anything that is within 4 seconds of your path is considered immediate because a quick response is required. Four seconds provides you enough time and space to swerve or avoid hazards or for someone entering you path.

TWELVE SECOND ANTICIPATED PATH: Proper SEARCHING technique requires that you scan 12 seconds ahead. This means that you would scan the area ahead that would take you that long to reach. It provides you time to prepare for a situation before it becomes immediate.

One thing to remember.... The ONLY thing out there that you have absolute control over is your following distance. In the event of a tail-gating driver, by slowing and creating a safety margin in front of you, it gives you an out. You can speed up to get out of someone's way if necessary should they become aggressive and it make it dangerous to ride in front of them. You can flash your brake lights to get the tail-gating driver's attention, but the way things are now-a-days it might PO the tail-gating driver. By slowing down it may irritate the driver enough to go around you or you could just pull off the road or make a turn.

CONFRONTATION: NOT a good idea. A local biker was getting irritated that a tail-gating driver was following too close. He tried waving her off, braking in front of her and then they began shouting obscenities at one another. At the next red light he got off his bike and went to ask her what her problem was. When he arrived at her vehicle window she said "This is your lucky day". He asked why. She replied "Because you're gonna die" and shot him in the chest with a .38. Avoid confrontation. You just might run into someone that is crazier than you. :lol:

Ride Safely,

Ed

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

STOPPING DISTANCE:

There are three components of TOTAL STOPPING DISTANCE.

PERCEPTION DISTANCE: distance traveled from the time that something is present until you see it.

REACTION DISTANCE: distance traveled from the time you see a hazard to when you actually start applying the brakes.

BRAKING DISTANCE: distance traveled from the time the brakes have been applied until stopped.

Use both brakes every time. The front brake provides 70% of the braking power. When using a hypothetical speed, by using just the rear brake you might go about 120' before stopping. At the same speed using just the front brake you might stop in about 60-65'. Using BOTH brakes you could stop in as little as 35-40'.

Ride Safely,

Ed