I can't stress enough the importance of riding safety. Sure, I remember the days when I though I was invincible or thought, "Hey, that can't happen to me." Unfortunately, as you get a little older, you either experience a crash or know people who have and it ain't pretty! PLEASE!! Take a few minutes to read the info below! It just might save your life!

Jump To:
Proper Distance
Lane Position
Good Working Equipment
Blind spots, Yours & Theirs
Riding In Groups
Time To Ride
The Pace
Assume You're Invisible
Proper Riding Gear
Prediction
Avoiding Road Dibris
Emercency Stopping

Proper Distance

Maintaining proper distance with the vehicle in front of you is extremely important. Now you might say, "no duh" it's just like driving a car. There are a few important differences. In general, most bikes can stop quicker than a car. So if the car in front of you stops short, you have no problem, right? Wrong! The car behind you can't stop as fast and before you can say "peanut butter and jelly" Wham!! Remember, bikes don't have fender benders! (Ok, rarely).

Lane Position

Another tip for the new biker is lane position. Try to ride on one side or the other, but not the middle. The middle has lots of oil, grease, anti-freeze and all kinds of other lubricants that can make tires dangerously slick. This is especially important when coming to a stop. That's where the oil slick is at its thickest. As far as which portion of the lane is better, I typically choose the left. If a car decides to dart into the next lane to avoid a slower car, I have a few extra moments to make my escape. If I'm in the far right lane, keeping toward the left side again has the same effect of providing when the nose of a car comes poking out of a side street.

Good Working Equipment

I can't stress enough the importance of proper working equipment. On a car, it may mean the difference between getting there on time or getting there late. On a bike, however, it may be the difference between life and death! Tires are probably the most important item to be checked before EVERY ride. Check tire pressure with an accurate gauge. A buddy of mine got scraped up pretty good when he wiped out while riding with a low front tire. He went around a tight corner causing the rubber to move out from under the rim. The rim hit the ground and a lowside crash resulted. Totally could have been avoided. Luckily it was a relatively low speed crash. Also checking the condition of the tires before each ride is important. The tires may be starting to dry rot and crack. You may have run over some glass or a nail the last time you were out compromising the integrity of the tire. This type of damage is often more serious on a sport bike due to the greater extremes that sport bike riders push their tires. But no matter what you ride, it must be taken care of NO MATTER WHAT. Don't assume it will hold one more ride. A blowout on a bike quite often results in disaster. The condition of the chain should also be checked. Make sure the chain is properly lubricated and not rusting. Taking care of the chain extends its life and minimizes the risk of breakage. Breaking a chain at high speed is extremely dangerous since it is very likely that it will wrap around the rear sprocket and lock up the tire. I don't know about you, but sudden rear tire lock up at 70 MPH is something I never want to experience. And one of the last serious safety related items is proper brake condition. Make sure they are adjusted properly and have a solid feel. A spongy feel may mean that there is air in the lines and they need to be bled.

Blind Spots, Yours and Theirs

Another great survival technique is blind spot avoidance. In other words, constantly make sure you are not in some one's blind spot. Typically, this is anywhere equal to or back behind the driver. Now you may say, "hey that's not true, I drive a car and the blind spot isn't that big". I agree, but allowing that much space is always the safest. There is no way of knowing exactly how much the driver can see in his side mirror if he even does decide to use it. Riding on the right side of a car or truck is especially precarious. Of course, you can't always avoid these areas especially during heavy traffic. When stuck there, remain extremely alert with the foot and hand ready to apply the brakes, the throttle hand ready for action, and the horn thumb ready for vindication! Remember, recognize the situation and decide what you're going to do BEFORE you're in trouble. Knowing the locations of the vehicles around you AT ALL TIMES will offer the best chance of survival when the escape path must be chosen.

This brings up the issue of dealing with your blind spot. Now the blind spot on a bike is obviously much smaller than a car or truck. The type of helmet you wear can also be a factor. Although full face helmets offer greater protection, they also restrict your peripheral vision making your blind spot bigger. To overcome this, I have come to love those little blind spot mirrors you can purchase at your neighborhood car parts store. I have one on each mirror on my bike as well as one on the driver side of each car in the house. These little devices make keeping track of the vehicles around you a breeze. Once proficient at using them, it can eliminate the dangerously time consuming movement of turning your head half way around to check traffic. As most of us have experienced, while turning and checking the lane we'd like to use, the moron in front of us has decided to slam the brakes for no apparent reason. If your using these mirrors and you get in trouble, no problem. You already know exactly where everyone is and a quick glimpse can lead to a clean get-a-way.

Riding in Groups

Riding with friends is a great way to have fun and ride a little safer. The reason it's safer is because you're far more visible. You've probably even noticed it while driving the car. You see one bike and it's not very noticeable or really doesn't even catch your eye. You see two or more bikes riding along and you're usually likely to take a look. Even non-bikers tend to notice groups of bikes more. I'm not sure if it's the extra noise, the bright colors, or the fear that it might be a "hoodlum gang" (cool, eh?), but they usually take notice. So the next time you're about to go for a ride, give your buddy a call. You'll have a great time and stay safer in the process!

Time to Ride

Riding certain times of the day can be much riskier than others. If you're a commuter, you're pretty much forced to ride during, rush hour, the most dangerous time on the road. One way to mitigate the risk is try shifting your work schedule. I realize that not everyone has this luxury, but usually shifting your work schedule an hour or so later makes a huge difference. The biggest rush around here is for the people trying to make the 8-4:30 shift. Therefore, if you can delay your trip an hour or so and come home a little after rush hour, the difference in traffic is drastic. If you only ride the bike for fun, stay out of rush hour! I prefer to ride in the evenings when it's much cooler. I also try to avoid riding on Friday or Saturday nights when the drunks are out. If I'm really dying for a ride on one of those nights, I'll call a buddy to come along.

The Pace

The pace is a riding style. It means don't sit in the same spot, especially someone's blind spot. Slowly make your way through traffic with a smooth yet deliberate motion. Now, I'm not condoning speeding (I would never do that! :-)). Just cruise along slightly faster so you always know where the traffic is and there is no chance for you to get stuck or forgotten in someone's blind spot. Riding like this means does not mean hot dogging through traffic like a video game or always making sure you're the fastest. It's simply a style of riding where one stays extremely alert, never becoming complacent or comfortable just tooling along. This riding fosters self awareness and a higher level of conscious riding. You can usually notice this style of riding from the "erratic" type or the "sit back and hope nothing happens to me" type.

Assume You're Invisible

You just bought that brand new big, lightening fast awesome machine. You hop on that bike and think to your self, "I'm bad, and definitely all that! Watch out, here I come!” Then a few minutes into your ride, some idiot almost makes a speed bump out of you. You think to yourself, "This guy didn't even see me.” You're probably right. He was too busy on the phone or just plain day dreaming. The moral of this story: Assume you are invisible. Basically you're a pretty insignificant part of their daily drive. They figure you can't hurt them and whoever is in their way will just have to move over. The end result is that they're not focused on you so they usually can't even see you. There are a couple of things you can do to make yourself more "visible". One trick is called keeping The Pace. Another good idea is loud pipes. Some might say that you just have the loud pipes because you think they sound good. You can tell them that they also let the day dreamer in the car next to you know you're there. For me, I'm torn between loud pipes and running stealth so I still have the stockers on. There are also some other bike modifications that work well such as a high beam blinking kit. Basically it blinks the headlight making the bike more noticable during the day. It's not to be used at night. Another good idea is bright clothing and helmet. I know, the black stuff looks much cooler to wear but makes you very "invisible". If you're wearing black clothes and black helmet, the car flying up to a light won't see you and will probably have a very tough time seeing that little tail light. One tip here: keep your foot or hand on the brake lever at a light and even blink them when a car is coming up on you. Numerous times I've seen cars coming up pretty fast and then noticeably hit the brakes when I flickered my brake light a few times.

Proper Riding Gear

Proper riding gear must always be worn. You might say, "Come on, it's 100 degrees out there." That's really no excuse. However, maybe a lighter, cooler type of protection may be appropriate. If it's hot, I'll still wear my full face Shoei helmet, Timberland boots, denim jeans, and kevlar gloves. I usually don't wear a jacket because over heating can be a dangerous thing as well. That's just me and my choice. Everyone must decide what's comfortable for them, but the other items should always be worn at the very least.

The helmet is probably the single most important item. The passenger should have a good one also. When trying to decide if you need a new helmet or what price range to look in, remember this phrase from one of the helmet manufacturers, "If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet." The wife continually reminded me of that one until I broke down and bought her, the passenger, a decent helmet. There are many different makes and models out there but most are quite good. Here are some things to remember when selecting a helmet. First, it must be DOT approved. For the ultimate protection, a full face helmet is the only way to go. It protects the entire head and also the jaw and chin areas. The helmet also needs to have an adequate layer of thick Styrofoam. This is the shock absorber between your head and the outer shell of the helmet during impact. If the helmet has been in a crash, it's time to get a new one. Hidden micro-fractures to the outer shell and damage to the Styrofoam can compromise the effectiveness of the helmet in the event of another mishap. The fit needs to be snug also. With the chin strap on, you should not be able to rotate the helmet forward until it comes off. Also, push on the side of the helmet with your hand. You should only be able to get a finger between your face and the helmet. More than that and the helmet will probably rattle around on you at higher speeds. A little snug at the beginning is OK because most will contour to the shape of your head after using it a while. That's why it's good practice not to share your helmet. The foam (soft comfort foam, not the hard Styrofoam)will start to change shape causing the fit to change. Of course, on the flip side, don't get one that's too tight. Riding with a tight helmet will definitely detract from the riding experience. It's also good to remember that they're much like clothes, a medium from one manufacture is not the same as a medium from another.

Boots are the next piece of important clothing. There are a couple of things to consider when selecting the right boot. Ideally, they have to be a functional boot that provides crush protection like steel-toed boots. Mine are not steel-toed, but they are rugged boots with thick soles. Trendy swade boots that just "look" good are not acceptable. They also need to have good traction in both dry and wet conditions. This is primarily to give you traction when getting on, stopping at a light, or maneuvering the bike into a parking space. A slip here is usually not very dangerous but can be very expensive and definitely embarrassing.

Gloves are the next important item. I see so many people not using gloves. "Oh, my hands sweat too much." Poor baby! A buddy of mine recently went down in a low speed crash in a construction zone. His jeans got a little torn and his shoulder had a scratch through his tee shirt. His helmet absolutely protected his head by absorbing impact with the concrete. It had a huge scrape roughly the size of a baseball. He promptly bought a new one! His hands, however, did not fare so well. They were scratched up pretty bad. Even the cop writing up the incident added a little salt to the wound (pun intended!) by adding that a good set of gloves would have prevented those painful scrapes. If you fall, no matter whether you're going fast or slow, the first thing instinct tells you to do is put out your hands to break the fall. So even if you just tip over, you're very likely to tear up your hands.

The only thing I change depending on the weather or temperature is the jacket. I know that to get the best protection I should wear a leather jacket all the time, but heat exhaustion is not my idea of a good time either. Over heating your body because of a heavy jacket may actually cause you to have an accident! Again, this is just my opinion about my particular situation. Some of the riding gear manufacturers, however, have some nice thinner jackets that can provide a limited degree of protection. Some also offer thicker jackets that have inserts that can be removed or lots of zippers for ventilation. If it's comfortable enough to wear a jacket where you ride, then I would definitely recommend it.

Prediction

I have found that prediction is my most valuable skill. I have been living in South Fla, for 20 years and have been riding for 18 of those. The last 15 years have been on the street. The traffic here is especially dangerous. South Fla is the "blue-head" mecca! Yes, I too will be old some day, but please don't let me drive if I have or am likely to perform the following actions:

a)Stop anywhere in the road for no apparent reason.

b)Don't use blinkers because I'm old and I don't have to!

c)Keep a blinker on indefinately (applies to anyone)

d)Always drive 20 miles below the speed limit.

e)Cross 3 lanes to make a turn

f)Drive a car too big to see anything but the hood ornament

g)Have to slam on the brakes at every intersection because I can't read the road signs.

You get the picture! It's terrible! Some congressman had the right idea by trying to pass a law making people older than 65 take a driving test every year. With a majority of the voters being in this age bracket, this was quickly squashed due to "discrimination". What a surprise! Older drivers by themselves aren't that bad. They do everything very slow. Expect that they will do something dangerous and they usually do. The problem here is the ever increasing population of young people (yes, I'm just as guilty). The young people drive extremely erratic and unpredictable trying to avoid the slower old people. It's a lethal combination that requires your undivided attention. Look at the drivers. Watching someone's head is also a great indication of what they may do next. If you see them looking over their left shoulder and into their left side mirror, they're about to come over. Are they calm or frantic? Are they riding the bumper in front of them waiting for the "hole" to open up and go around? This is the most common case and can usually be spotted. I saw this just the other day. A car was seriously riding the bumper in front of them. First they put on the left blinker and then the right. As I approach the drivers window, I see a woman check her watch, shout obscenities, and pound the steering wheel in obvious frustration. Also, is the driver pre-occupied with something else such as using a phone, applying makeup, shaving, etc? Is the car a piece of junk? A car in bad shape could indicate a careless or reckless driver or just a plain dangerous car.

Decide what you're going to do BEFORE you're in trouble. Don't rely on the horn. It can't stop a car. Check the traffic behind you (like you were doing all this time, right?). If they start coming over and you're next to their door, apply the brakes. They slip on by, and incident avoided. If your closer to the front of the car, it may make sense to squeeze the throttle and shoot past. Again, incident avoided.

Knowing or realizing that your lane is about to close BEFORE the idiot next to you starts to share your lane is the best preventive medicine that I can give. Try "predicting" next time your out and you'll be amazed how easy it can be.

Avoiding Road Debris

Road debris comes in many different forms. It could be a piece of sod from a lawn truck, piece of rubber tire, deep puddle, or large pot hole. Trying to avoid that debris usually gives rise to an interesting phenomenon. Remember how that little league baseball coach always said, "keep your eye on the ball"? The reason he said that was because when your eyes focus on an object that you want to hit, your muscles keep adjusting using the info your eyes are giving them. Applying this principle to avoiding road debris is very similar. The key, however, is focusing on the escape path. Focus on the path the bike needs to take and NOT on the object you're trying to avoid. You'll be amazed how well this works. This is another skill that requires parking lot or deserted road practice. While moving at a relatively slow speed, pick an object you're coming up on like a man hole cover. As soon as you pick the object, focus on the escape path and try not to think about or look at the object. The bike will easily avoid it. Again, the key is practice. Start out with slow speed passes. As your skills increase, increase your speed. Nothing crazy, but try to work your way up to normal speeds. The key to this maneuver is making sure that your escape path is clear and doesn't contain an even bigger object, like a car!

Panic Stop

Practice the emergency stop in a deserted area like a parking lot when the store or office is closed. Using both brakes is the best way to stop the bike. I've even caught myself just stomping the back brake when things got a little crazy. The rear brake skid will stop the bike, but bringing the front tire and the back tire to "near" skid is far superior and could mean the difference between a close call and the rear window of the car in front of you. As kids, most of us spent long hours trying to make the most impressive rear wheel skid on a bicycle as possible. That, of course, burned that specific behavior into our memories creating the instinctive response. Of course, using the front brake to stop is directly related to the cleanliness of the road. If there is a lot of sand and gravel, the front brake will be very dangerous. On a clean road, the front brake is all you need. Sport bike racers ONLY use the front brake! For every day riding and street survival, the best way is using both brakes. The only way to learn how to properly use the back brake AND the front is practice, practice, practice!