saw this article off another forum
might be good for all of us to read this
This has been taken off BikeNet http://www.bikenet-racing.com/
Most riders are pretty good at basic machine control its
normally hazards on the roads that catch us out, or to put it
another way, other drivers and road users. Most car drivers are
nice enough people but are just a bit thick. Oh and theyre all
nearly blind too at least when it comes to bikes. The only way to
keep safe around cars is to avoid them like the plague and assume
that the drivers are not going to see you. When you see them at
junctions expect them to pull out in front of you. When you pass
them in traffic, expect them to u-turn across your path. By
building up this level of expectation, you will naturally begin to
react to events that may never happen. When they do of course you
will have been a little more ready, slowing a little, giving a
wider berth perhaps and so more likely to survive.
Whenever possible try to safely overtake cars and other vehicles.
They can do a lot less harm 100 yards behind you than they can in
front, so the best bet is to get past them. Remember to hang back
from trucks and caravans etc, so that you have a clear view past
them. If you sit on their tail you wont be able to see round them
and they wont know you are there. If you approach a left hand
bend, you can move into the kerb to see round the lorry, you will
be able to see up the inside.
You also need to remember that riders can go so quickly that car
drivers simply have no concept of how fast you are moving. If you
are doing 150 mph dont be surprised if the car driver pulls across
in front of you as you overtake. When he checked his mirror you may
well have been a dot in the distance if youve never been at high
speeds you have no concept of them!
When pulling out to overtake always indicate and make sure you sit
in full view of the cars mirrors with your indicator on for a
second or two to be sure he sees you. This is a good time to
remember the passing light that most bikes are now fitted
with.
If youre overtaking a line of traffic watch out for gaps in it.
Theyve usually been left by someone for a car to pull out of a
side road or car park. You dont want to be there when they
do!
You need to be most vigilant if youre on the roads just before
dawn
(Most drivers are sleepy, in a hurry or both...Riders could also be
sleepy, in a hurry or both)
Birds are a real problem as the airflow round a bike will often not
be enough to divert them as it does with a car. Most birds will
crack a fairing if they hit it, but if they hit you at 70 mph they
hurt like hell. A large bird in the face is almost certainly going
to result in hospital care.
The last and often worst hazard is all the mates you go riding
with. There are a few simple rules for riding in groups:
DONT show off! It always leads to problems. If youre not
confident enough to ride without trying to impress your friends,
then either get new friends or stop riding.
If you are behind other riders keep your eye on the road ahead of
him. For some reason his back tyre will become fascinating but if
you are looking there youll hit him if he brakes hard. Look ahead
at the road. At night hang a bit further back and look at his
headlights to see the road ahead.
The safest place to be is at the back of a group so that you can
see all the mistakes they make (but of course they cannot see you
so you can be a riding god) and react to them well in advance. If
you cannot keep up then fall back dont try to keep up with
people who ride faster than you or the conditions allow. It really
is better to be last than dead.
Remember, you are more likely to have an accident in towns than
countryside so you need to be very wary in built up areas. Nearly
40 % of all bike accidents happen at T-junctions so watch out here
most of all.
One final word about 4 years ago a chap got off his bike doing
140 mph on the motorway. He was in a critical condition for several
weeks but finally recovered. When interviewed as to what caused the
accident he revealed that he had simply stepped off the bike. An
over use of Play Station games had led him to, whilst dozed by the
hypnotic monotony of the motorway, believe he was playing bike
racer 73 and decide to stop and go to the loo or something. If you
are a sad game player make sure you take a reality check before
jumping onto your bike.
------------------
************************************************
(C)copyright 2001.josean PTE LTD.All Rights Reserved.
************************************************