Motorcycle Safety
I was reading an article recently about motorcycle safety and it was mentioned that one of the biggest causes of accidents is when a driver in a car turns left in front of a bike. I imagine this is one of the most frequent causes of accidents even if it's only cars involved as well.
The author of the article who was a motorcycle cop pointed something out that I always felt was one of those no brainers. He was talking about how many riders feel that one of the ways to avoid an accident, whether it's with that left turning cager in front of you or any car for that matter, is to make eye contact with the driver.
This always struck me as strange and actually seemed an impossible thing to accomplish. Considering the fact that virtually every rider on a bike is wearing some type of eye gear, and that almost every time that eye gear is in the form of sunglasses or darkened goggles, there is no real way to make eye contact.
You may look that driver dead in the eye but the point of the theory is for THEM to look YOU in the eye and make that connection. With a pair of shades on one or both of you, it is almost impossible.
And let's say you were able to get that visual contact and recognition. How many times have you seen someone pull right out in front of you or heard of an accident where someone said, "I saw him, I just thought I had enough time to turn."?
The cop who authored the article and had been riding for over 20 years made the statement that I'm sure many of us already know: Watch for movement in the wheels of the vehicle. I know that personally, my focus is on those tires of any car that has the potential to jump out in front of me. It just seems a better bet to trust my own abilities if I get that split second jump on an movement.
Safe riding to everyone!
The author of the article who was a motorcycle cop pointed something out that I always felt was one of those no brainers. He was talking about how many riders feel that one of the ways to avoid an accident, whether it's with that left turning cager in front of you or any car for that matter, is to make eye contact with the driver.
This always struck me as strange and actually seemed an impossible thing to accomplish. Considering the fact that virtually every rider on a bike is wearing some type of eye gear, and that almost every time that eye gear is in the form of sunglasses or darkened goggles, there is no real way to make eye contact.
You may look that driver dead in the eye but the point of the theory is for THEM to look YOU in the eye and make that connection. With a pair of shades on one or both of you, it is almost impossible.
And let's say you were able to get that visual contact and recognition. How many times have you seen someone pull right out in front of you or heard of an accident where someone said, "I saw him, I just thought I had enough time to turn."?
The cop who authored the article and had been riding for over 20 years made the statement that I'm sure many of us already know: Watch for movement in the wheels of the vehicle. I know that personally, my focus is on those tires of any car that has the potential to jump out in front of me. It just seems a better bet to trust my own abilities if I get that split second jump on an movement.
Safe riding to everyone!
posted by Mike at 11:12 PM PERMALINK
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home