Safety - take control of your ride - and Be careful out there!!

[Pony Ruiz]

I used to read a lot of stuff on riding safety - riding. Throttle control, braking, delayed apex, counter steering etc. etc.

I hadn't been doing that lately so when I got the chance to brush up I decided it was time...

I went to one of the local BMW shops for a 2hr talk by the man: David Hough. He wrote "Proficient Motorcycling" among others.

If you haven't read it - recommended.

The man knows what he is talking about backwards and forwards. He still rides too. Lives on the Olympic Peninsula here in WA state. You can tell he is passionate about motos and safety.

I was reminded of a couple things. Cover the brake all the times... Practice smooth throttle and brake on and off transitions.. Brake before the curve. Countersteer, countersteer, countersteer.

Practice so it becomes muscle memory i.e. subconscious so you have the conscious brain power available to look for stuff - Cars, trucks, road hazards, deer etc. Then if something does/is about to happen you don't have to think about reacting - its automatic.

It was a really good reminder and refresher.

I get really irritated by tailgaters - I asked what I should do about it - " get away from the situation" was his comment.

I get a google alert every day on 'motorcycle accidents'. It never ceases to amaze me the frequency of the same type of accidents. The two that seem to be in every post - Too fast for the conditions(rider error), left turners that didn't see the motorcycle - most likely car/truck driver error.. Very sad outcomes most of the time.

He started out the talk showing a video of a ride/rider with a camera on his bike. He is moving along following a car in traffic. Then another bike passes him really quick and the rider with the cam cranks it up trying to catch the "offending" passer. I hate to admit it but I've done this ( at much slower speeds). He sees the bike in front pass another car after waiting to do so safely. Then the rider with cam decides to pass but does it on a curve at about 60mph seconds later he collides with an oncoming biker. Sobering.

In my case I got to a corner tryin to catch up and realized I was going too fast. I had it drilled into my head - countersteer into the corner. I did and the bike just dropped right in. Had I not I'd have gone into a ditch. I wasnt going fast, but the lesson was learned..

I really don't care now if someone passes me. I'm slow I guess. Tailgaiters - that I have to work on.....

 

[clintackerman]

ONE THING THAT HELPS.......PIEZO BUZZERS ON THE TURN SIGNAL AND MAYBE THE BRAKES GOOGLE CHET'S BUZZER AVAILABLE AT RADIO SHACK

 

[joedrum]

hi pony...countersteer...yes ..lets all be safe

 

[mwbill37841]

i have read proficient motorcycling one and two. ye the are good reading,and he is very much safety minded. i even found out i was doing things he was telling us. to do just never knew it until reading his books.but you still have to practice on every ride.always look for the unexpected.and be alert. even in your cages. my wife thinks when i'm looking around i'm just sight seeing but i'm look for some where to go and what might be coming off a side road or driveway. more so on the bike than the car becouse less protection. if you don't want to buy the books ask your local librairy to order it or them but yes be safe safe safe.don't heal as fast as i used to.

 

[slabghost]

The very best safety device we have is between our ears. Prepare for everything that can happen.

 

[dan filipi]

Here, here!

 

[backlander]

:shock: I ride like there's a target painted on all four sides of my helmet and there's a contract out on me. :ahem:

 

[joedrum]

i walk that way too mike .... :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :ahem:

 

[backlander]

:smilie_happy: Me too, but I mostly stagger. :shock: :Egyptian:

 

[Joep]

slabghost » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:42 pm[/url]":21vzcv4a]
The very best safety device we have is between our ears.

You mean my head is not just for keeping my ears apart? Lol... you are right.. need to be more in the ride then lost in it...
Surroundings, slight movement at edge of vision.. caution when in cross streets areas.. parking lots are crazy places with exiting cars.. shoppers trying to get home or to the next sale....
When I learned to ride one thing I heard was you address invisible... bicycles are seen more then motorcycles.. we move faster then the brain registers....

 

[Trindon]

If there's a car sitting at a side road I always plan for it to pull out in front of me. When I'm going around a blind corner I'm planning for some idiot going wide from other direction. I ride slightly faster than average vehicle so I'm passing them on my terms instead of the reverse. So far It's worked I'm Alive.

 

[OldWrench]

I have the Proficient Motorcycling book and I personally think everyone could benefit from reading it. Lets face it, riding has an element of risk, actually a lot. Any thing we can learn to lessen that risk is a good thing.
In the aviation community they have a saying, "there are old pilots, and bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots" I think that can apply to us riders as well.

 

[Omega Man]

When riding in the city I often get surrounded by cagers, and every once in a while I get a nervous feeling. When this happens and I get a chance to remove myself from the group I bolt, to hell with the speed limit I get the Hell outa there.

A little more on topic I watched a short NHP video on TV once and learned the front wheel does 70% of the braking on MCs...I never knew that and my rear brakes last a lot longer now. oh2: :hihihi:

~O~

 

[ekvh]

Two things I'll add, one is the smigsby, google it. I have used it to stop cars who are in a rolling stop. I also stay in an outside lane. If there are three lanes, I'll be in first or third lane. If four lanes, first or fourth. When in middle you have two potential blind spots. I also ride in the lane closest to the car next to me so I am in his rear view. When I pass, I move away to get to his peripheral vision fastest. I hate driving in the city with cages. If you keep a safe following distance, the hurriers will weave back and forth causing you to continually slow down. People don't understand why we hug the lane lines, but it's your only way to see the road in front of the car ahead of you.

 

[Earl43P]

"Smigsby" nets nothing motorcycle related in Google or bing.

Elaborate, please?

 

[ekvh]

Sorry,Earl and others. I thought I had it right, but I can't find it right now. It was a British and Australian study showing that a little weave is much easier for others to see you vs staying in a straight line. The bike is too narrow a profile to be seen head on. I'll try and cone up with tge source and a video explaining it.

 

[Ansimp]

When I was riding in the US with my brother Kim we definitely have different riding techniques when in a group. We ride staggered formation when in a group and close formation but we try to utilise road craft at the same time. When we approach oncoming traffic we move to the shoulder side of the lane/road to allow as much separation between you and the oncoming traffic. We are also not as regimented on where the lead motorcycle is positioned. Normally if there were 3 riders and one had limited experience then we would place that rider in the middle and form in such a way that they have the most separation from other traffic. Eg we would travel in the shoulder lane with the rider in the middle closer to the shoulder and the more experienced riders nearer to the other traffic. When we were in a group I was always getting in trouble with Kim for moving my formation position to what I have been taught is a more prudent/safer position while there is a potential threat.

 

[joedrum]

well riding in groups is no safety thing ...after recent events here where rich land rover people flat out run over innocent bikers in hit and run ... then eventually run over a biker standing doing nothing but trying to help ...gets a broken neck ... and the land rover diving scumbag dosnt even get charged ....but the guy with the broken neck dose sheesh....

be carful always ...there are plenty ..flat to many people in the above law people out there to worry about