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Alcohol and Motorcycle Operation
Alcohol has extremely harmful effects upon the processes involved in motorcycle
operation. These effects begin long before a rider becomes intoxicated. Let's look at each of the processes involved
in riding a motorcycle safely.
Scan
The speed with which highway and traffic conditions
can change necessitates an active process of "searching" or "scanning" the environment around the motorcycle constantly.
Alcohol
does not have much effect upon the search process itself, at least not until large amounts of alcohol are consumed.
However, research has shown conclusively that alcohol has a very harmful effect upon the ability of riders to divide their
attention between searching the environment and operating the motorcycle. They can do either alone, but not both together.
What typically happens is that riders become preoccupied with the bike and the path immediately in front of it. They
just don't notice what's going on around them. This happens at BACs of .05%, that is, with a couple of drinks in the
bloodstream. The rider's tendency to stop searching the environment can have terrible consequences. Failing to
notice what is going on around the motorcycle is one of the major causes of motorcycle accidents.
Identify
Visual
search of scanning can only direct the operator's vision toward potential hazards and the highway traffic environment.
To cope with hazards, riders must be able to identify them. And to do this, they must be able to see clearly.
Ordinary visual acuity (the ability to see clearly) doesn't begin to show the effects of alcohol until one is almost intoxicated.
However, there are two aspects of visual acuity that are extremely sensitive to alcohol.
One aspect of visual acuity
that is affected by small amounts of alcohol is the ability to see moving objects. Of course, for the motorcycle in
motion, all objects around it are essentially moving objects. The ability to detect small moving objects, such as a
car in the distance or a small child on the sidewalk, is affected by as little as one drink in the bloodstream.
Another
aspect is night vision. The ability to see clearly under nighttime conditions is affected by as little as one drink.
So, too, is the ability to handle glare from the headlights of oncoming vehicles. With two to three drinks in the system,
the ability to see clearly at night is diminished by as much as one-third.
Predict and Decide
The ability
to exercise good judgment in making decisions is one of the first things to be impaired by alcohol. Alcohol affects
decisions about such things as how fast to drive, whether to pass the vehicle ahead, whether to give way to another vehicle,
as well as many other decisions that are truly life-and-death matters. One of the very first things alcohol does is
lessen that sense of self-preservation that helps people use good judgment in dealing with risky situations. At the
same time it also affects the judgment of how well or how poorly they're riding. The result of these double-barreled
effects is that while the drinking riders get worse and worse, they think they are getting better and better; therefore, they
take greater and greater risks.
Unfortunately, the loss of judgment and sound decision-making starts with the first
drink and can itself result in more and more drinking. That is what makes it so dangerous.
Execute
Whatever
decisions riders reach - good or bad - are executed in the handling of the motorcycle. Those aspects of execution most
strongly affected by alcohol are:
Reaction Time - Alcohol produces slower reaction. Actually, simple reactions
to things like brake signals or traffic lights are not much affected. What suffers particularly is the ability to react
quickly when there is a choice of things to do, e.g., swerve right or left, turn or brake. Alcohol can leave people
so confused that they don't do anything at all.
Coordination - The ability to control a motorcycle demands a
high degree of eye, hand, and foot coordination. Alcohol can severely interfere with this coordination. The effects
of alcohol will show up in errors such as clashing gears during a shift or lurching to a stop; slowness - taking longer to
complete a maneuver because of difficulty carrying out the coordination quickly; and corrections - having to jockey the handlebars
or throttle back and forth to maintain a fixed course or speed.
Balance - A sense of balance is obviously important
in operating a two-wheel vehicle. It is also one of the senses affected by alcohol (which is why it is frequently used
as a test of sobriety).
While anyone's execution is affected by alcohol, the effect is most severe among inexperienced
riders. People who have been riding for many years may not be visibly affected until they are almost intoxicated.
However, those with only a few years experience, and those who don't ride a great deal during the course of a year, will show
effects with as few as one or two drinks in their systems.
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How To Survive on a Motorcycle |
Welcome to my "How To Survive on a Motorcycle" page.
The old saying goes... there are two kinds of riders... those who have already crashed... and those who will. Unfortunately,
it seems to be true. Let me say up front that the tips you are about to read are NOT the end-all or be-all of safety information,
but rather an accumulation of proven tips contributed by a vast group of experienced and seasoned riders from all over the
globe. Some of the tips you'll already know... some not. In this sport... knowledge and a sharp mind are prerequisites to
staying alive. My hope is that after perusing these tips, at the very least, you'll be a safer... more informed rider. When
all's said and done, we all know that deep down the hobby that brings us together is godawful dangerous no matter how good
we are... or how lucky we are. Thanks to all my riding brethren for the wonderful and even insightful contributions...With
that said.... enjoy. Lastly.. if you want to contribute something new, send your tip to pirate@acelink.net
Please.. Feel free to print this list out and share with as many people as you wish... |
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| 1. Always wear a helmet even if you are just going around the block. |
| 2. Never cross railroad tracks at an angle. They are slick! If possible,
cross straight on. |
| 3. When you are following semi-trailers (or cars) on the interstate...
always follow directly behind their wheels. Reason: If they straddle the dead animal, brick o block, etc.. in the road, you
will not have enough reaction time to change directions if you are following directly "centered" behind them. I usually do
the same with cars. |
| 4. Fast food places. Be careful when you pull up to the drive
through window!! This area is always covered with oil from idling cars. Watch your footing. Be forewarned. also...Toll Booths!
Oil drippings mixed with AC condensation makes it impossibly slippery exactly where you want to put your foot down to pay
the toll. Contributed by Sir Mike in Shakopee, MN |
| 5. DO NOT RIDE IN FORMATION!! (Side by Side) To many things can go wrong
and in formation.. if you screw up, you can take your partner down with you. |
| 6. Always... always... always... expect the car, truck, van etc.. to
pull out in front of you. Always believe that they DO NOT SEE YOU. Even if they are looking directly into your eyes. *Watch
the tires of the vehicle not the eyes of the driver. The drivers eyes might be looking one way and telling you he is stopped
but if that car moves you will see it while looking at the tires. *Contributed by Michael S. Vecchione / Virginia |
| 7. Car phones!! If you see someone talking on a car phone... be afraid.
He is your enemy!! He is not paying attention to you or the road. Statistically causes as many accidents as a drunk. |
| 8. Braking!!! Until integrated braking is released on our beloved K12's
our front brake is 80% of your braking power. Get used to braking with ONLY your front brake. Go to a large parking lot and
practice until it's first nature. |
| 9. Counter Steering. Learning this technique will save your life! All
racers use this method. In a nutshell... pull on the right handlebar and you go left or pull on the left handlebar and you
go right or..the method I use is the exact reverse.... push lightly on your left handlebar and you'll go left.. or push right...
go right. Learn the physics..Learn it until it's second nature because many times in an emergency situation, you have only
reaction time... not thinking time. |
| 10. One simple rule for me has been eliminating the blind spot to zero.
Knowing whose around you at all times without having to turn your head all the time is one way to stay alive. Adding little
blind spot mirrors on the bike can do that. |
| 11. Braking Part 2. Always complete your braking BEFORE you enter a
curve. Example: On any approaching curve.. do all your braking before you start to lean into the curve. In the curve you have
the choice of either coasting through it or accelerating through it. |
| 12. Always wear gloves. In the summer..at the very LEAST.. wear fingerless
gloves. WHEN you do go down.. your hands will take most of the impact. We're talking serious road-rash here. |
| 13. Check the tire pressure often. Proper air pressure is more important
than they are on a car. |
| 14. Stay focused! This is not the time or place to be worrying about
your upcoming divorce, your dead-end job, or your receding hairline. Relax, take in the sights, sounds, and smells. |
| 15. If you ever hydro-plane... do not hit your brakes. Ride it out and
keep it straight. Sometimes it helps to tighten the anal muscles during this maneuver. |
| 16. Always wear some eye protection. A gnat in the eye at 55mph feels
like a 22 caliber hollow-point! Lets not even talk about locust season. Geez. |
| 17. Re-read # 6 |
| 18. Proper lane positioning. I'm always letting other people know I'm
there by how I position myself in various circumstances..Stay out of blind spots. Tim S./ Ohio |
| 19. If it's early morning, or late evening, and the sun is positioned
such that you can see YOUR OWN SHADOW in front of you, that means your pretty invisible to oncoming traffic...kinda like a
Japanese Zero diving out of the sun, eh ?? |
| 20. Never drive your big road bike (street tires) on wet grass, muddy
roads, roads covered with fall leaves, or anything wet with a rut in it. |
| 21. Don't allow yourself to get cold on a bike. Hypothermia can impair
your judgement /abilities as much as alcohol or drugs. |
| 22. In hot weather, stay hydrated, you dessicate quickly on a bike.
Drink plenty of fluids. |
| 23. Ride like your invisible. Assume that nobody sees you (except the
highway patrol). |
| 24. There's gravel/sand lurking on every unknown curve, and it is waiting
for you. |
| 25. Power-Wheelies happen easily with a passenger. Additionally, don't
accelerate unexpectedly with a passenger or you'll lose her/him. |
| 26. Never get confrontational (or angry) on a bike. The car is bigger,
and you will lose. |
| 27. There's no such thing as a "fender·bender" on a bike. |
| 28. If your face shield gets too bug splattered, stop and clean it. |
| 29. Only ride in the rain if there's no other way. When in the rain,
on multilane highways, don't let a passing semi get too close, it will suck you in (and terminally mess you up). |
| 30. If you do go down, try to ride out the slide; DO NOT try to get
up while you are sliding. K-Man |
| 31. I am also a firm believer in being highly conspicuous: lights, reflective
wear, horns, and body language should always be a part of your repertoire. C.D. Perry/ N.Y. |
| 32. Avoid deer like Ebola. They will hurt you and make your beautiful
bike real ugly real fast. Be particularly aware of them when the light is changing; Dusk and Dawn |
| 33. When it just starts to rain·· Stop ·· have a cup of coffee or a
soda and wait for the rain to clean the slime from the road. David F. |
| 34. Don't drive in slow lane while on the interstate...ever...especially
by off ramps.. there's always the idiot who almost missed his exit and sweeps 4 lanes to get to it. |
| 35. Don't pass on the right. You'll be between the car on your left
and the sacred parking spot or obscure turn·off on your right that its looking for. |
| 36. Never drive at the same speed as traffic... i.e. never be static
in anyone's peripheral view. |
| 37. Where possible, enter intersections with a vehicle on your right,
otherwise down the middle. |
| 38. Wear bright colors and reflect from all angles... lest you become
a no·see'um. |
| 39. Traffic control devices won't save you. Scan all compass points
prior to entering all intersections. Green can also mean go directly to the morgue. |
| 40. The safest place in traffic is in front of it. |
| 41.If you're an all year rider read up on weather riding and practice!
I can't stress practice enough. Remember that cone course exercise you did back in MSF school? Go to an open (vacant) parking
lot and practice those things on your bike. Yes the almighty undisputed heavyweight champion K. Try practicing when the lot
is wet and practice easy riding on the street before pressuring yourself to ride to work in the rain. You might drop it, you
say? Hmmm... maybe you should sell your K and go down and get the latest sedan w/ the aqua-treds. Remember, you don't have
to ride. You don't have to subject yourself to these critical life situations that riding puts you in. I'm just saying, be
prepared for whatever kind of riding you want to do. |
| 42. Learn from your past experiences/mistakes and hopefully others as
well. |
| 43.Keep your mount clean. If not for vanity's sake It'll be easier to
maintain because you'll be able to i.e.spot the source of that fluid leak more readily or see that bolt missing from the front
of you're otherwise road grime encrusted engine case. Isn't it interesting how the bike seems to have more power after a good
detailing :) |
| 44. If you find yourself rushing to get out the door for work it might
not be a good idea to take the bike. Don't ride when you're mind is racing in a mad dash to get to wherever. It's not good
for your health. |
| 45. Pre·ride inspection. I hope everyone does this before every·ride.
It's just one of those cursory things that only takes a minute (once you get the process down) to perform and can literally
make the difference between life and death. You wouldn't want a tire to fail in mid sweeper at 100 on Hwy 1 would you? Or
the engine seizing up because it happened to drink an excessive amount of oil since last you checked? It's awfully hard to
eyeball rear tire pressure when she's on the center stand Of course the list goes on and on. It's just the little things folks.
Did you ever see that Billy Bob Thornton movie Sling Blade? Remember the part where that man is forever trying to start his
lawnmower and finally decides to take it down to the shop because he's had it? Remember what the first thing the mechanic
did upon hearing the owners report, he checked the gas tank. Basic, basic, basic ;) |
| 46. Know where you're BMW motorcycle shops are located in the areas
you'll be riding . It's a time/headache saver especially on long trips. 'Nuff said. |
| 47. Learn how to maintain and service you're own bike. I can't stress
how much of a plus and a lifesaver this skill is to possess. Common sense has it that if you know how you're bike is put together
and how things are supposed to operate you'll be more articulate in performing your pre·ride inspections and if break·downs
ever occur on the road or you drop the bike(for some godforsaken reason) you'll be better prepared to handle the situation.
|
| 48. Leathers are great but it's a blessing either to have a rainsuit
handy or a set of some sort of synthetic riding suit available for riding when the weather is uncertain. This applies especially
if you're a 365day/year rider like me whom commutes everyday. I believe the top quality synthetic suite offer comparable protection
from road rash if not better weather protection for sure in a touring riding situation. |
| 49. If you tend to breathe heavy (like me) or if it's going to be cool/cold
on your ride applying some sort of anti fog coating to your glasses and/or face shield will work wonders in letting your eyeballs
do their job unhindered. I find that the Fog City Fog Shield is an ingenious product which is basically a condensation proof
sheet of plastic which is applied inside the face shield. All that stuff they teach you in MSF school like covering the brakes
to lessen your braking response time and therefore stopping distance... well, it helps to be able to see every little nuance
of detail of the road you're about to ride over and a few seconds of faceshield clouding when you're canyon scratching or
riding in traffic can make all the difference when self preservation becomes a factor. Figure out what method works for you
and use it! |
| 50. Nutrition: If you're going to go on that epic sporty ride or starting
that epic trip the next day make sure you get a proper meal and appropriate amount of shut·eye the night before. You'll feel
much more stoked for the ride when you get up in the morning because you're body/mind will be ready for whatever. Also, don't
eat heavy meals during break stops on the ride. Try to eat a snack or light meal such as a salad w/ a bit of chicken or soup
and a roll or half that sandwich. You want as much blood as possible to stay in your brain and not be digesting food(because
that doesn't involve CPU time ;)Besides, did you ever notice that after a grand meal you feel like taking a grand nap? |
| 51. If you do end up taking your mount to get dealer serviced you'll
want to go over it thoroughly before riding off. Hey, are you willing to bet your life that that young kid mechanic or even
old salt mechanic didn't overlook the fact that the break fluid reservoir cap was not properly tightened or that the bike
was even properly filled w/oil before putting the fairing back on or that the tires are appropriately inflated after having
been renewed? Don't laugh, it happens more than you know. |
| 52. Look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go. I think
it is a reasonable argument to say that everything else we do to control a bike is secondary to this. Some situations can
be avoided by slowing down (no way!), driving defensively, being more visible and so forth. But these only help prevent a
bad situation, they don't fix it after it has occurred. And once in a bad situation, while there are many different ways to
move a bike to help get out of that situation (weight transfer, sliding tires, handlebar control, throttle control, etc),
the bike does not know instinctively where it should go · it has to be told. Before it can be told, however, the driver must
make the decision of where he/she wants it to go. That means looking to that spot. Target fixation is real! G.D. Ball,
PHD / Mn. |
| 53. When riding in mountains you really need to understand how your
direction of travel is linked with the Sun; you'll be comin' round the mnt. rubbernecking or whatever and then BLAMMM sun
in face. Wind, the wind generally follows the Sun. The thermals cause wind to "rise" with the Sun and set with the Sun".Ridge
lines are usually swept clean with high winds cutting a right angle to the road. Moisture, Sun and wind play a great role
on surface moisture. There are places in the mnts. that after summer will not be hit by Mr. Sun until next year. Combine this
with natural springs, condensation, or people pissing in the road and there can be a big puddle right around the bend. Brian
S./ Va. |
| 54. Whenever stopped in traffic, NEVER put the bike in neutral. Keep
the tranny in 1st gear and get used to holding in the clutch lever. As much as most of us hate to do this, it allows the rider
to simply release the clutch and go if you need to move out of the way of danger. A motor officer in South Florida was killed
because it took him too long for him to clutch, engage 1st gear, release the clutch and begin to roll_even though he had enough
time and space to escape the approaching car. Remember..."Neutral Kills!" Mark P/ Florida Atlantic University Police Department |
| 55.As you approach a stoplight or stop sign, angle the bike slightly
so the mirror of choice has a clear view directly behind you. It’s no secret that you can’t realistically glance
in the mirror and see what’s approaching from directly behind you without contorting your body. So just before rolling
to stop turn the bike slightly until the view to the rear is clear. Now you’ll be able to see the 103 year old blue-hair
in the Dodge Dart that still hasn’t seen you between her and the school bus. Mark P / Florida Atlantic University
Police Department. |
| 56. A second reason for #55… Now that you are aware that the approaching
car isn’t going to stop, the angle of the bike points it between the two cars in front of you allowing rule #1 to come
into play and allow you to quickly roll forward to the “safer” place between the cars up ahead. Mark P / Florida
Atlantic University Police Department. |
| 57. Emergency gear to carry in your pockets at all times: A cell phone
(but don't be surprised if it doesn't work from rural roadside locations); a whistle, so you can attract the attention of
a rescuer from the bottom of the canyon after you're too weak to yell; a pencil and piece of paper to take phone numbers,
street or trail names, or instructions from an emergency operator. If you carry a cell phone while you ride, make sure you
have it on your person, not in your tank or saddle bag. If you crash, and your bike ends up on the other side of the road
from you, and you can't crawl or otherwise get to it, you'll be unable to call for help. You should also have the number of
your phone taped to the phone somewhere it can be easily read, since someone may be using the phone on your behalf, and therefor
won't know the number, and the emergency operator would really like to be able to call them back. Scot M./ Dublin, Ca. |
| 58. ALWAYS be extremely paranoid when riding alongside parallel parked
cars, or even worse, stopped traffic lines. When the idiot who's in a parallel spot, or in line, pulls out, or even worse,
does a U TURN (!!) out of their parking spot, you'll be flying over their car onto the pavement. C Santos / Ann Arbor,
MI |
59. On the highway, if you're on the leftmost lane, and cars abruptly
stop ahead of you, PULL OFF QUICKLY AND CAREFULLY ONTO THE SHOULDER. Let the moron behind you who isn't paying attention rear-end
the car in front, not sandwich you between his car and the car ahead. C Santos / Ann Arbor, MI
Appendage from
Pirate: While # 59 has actually saved MY life.. Here is a slightly different perspective of this same tip.. and a valid
one.
59: Part 2 / The natural reaction to suddenly seeing the car in front of you stopped is to swerve & tromp on the
brakes. The only place to swerve in this situation is to the left onto the shoulders. I've seen more people go onto &
sometimes over the shoulder avoiding the car in front than ever rear end the car in front. I would suggest that when you find
yourself in this situation, either go to the right, between the cars stopped in front of you or drive down the shoulder 3
or 4 car lengths. My Brother-in-law went to the left & stopped next to the drivers door of the car in front of him &
the following car ran him over as he avoided the stopped car by driving down the same shoulder. Contributed by J.D. in
Mariposa, California |
| 60. When its wet, watch out for man-hole covers in turns and intersections.
They're always in the worst spot for motorcycles. Also, painted lines at crosswalks and those great big painted arrows at
intersections are really slippery when they're wet. Kevin Harvey / Idaho |
| 61. Always carry a camera, even a disposable camera works great. As
they say, a picture says a thousand words. And in the case of an accident, you might need photos of skid marks, highway signs
and markings, where vehicles ended up, initial damage to any and all vehicles, (damage might mysteriously increase after leaving
the scene...hummm.) injuries, dead animals, witnesses, road and weather conditions. Ken Bowen / Dallas Texas |
| 62. When trying to rack up lots of miles on a bike, you can help keep
your body on even keel by eating small, mini-meals at each gas stop - as opposed to one or two heavy fast food meals during
the day. Fruit slices, unsalted nuts, and water works great for me at each gas stop. These mini-meals help keep blood sugar
at normal levels although I am neither hypoglycemic nor diabetic. Tosh Konya / Troy OH. |
| 63. Contrary to the view taken in tip# 3, riding behind the wheels of
an eighteen wheeler can also be hazardous to your health. The retread tire is a way of life for truckers. We all know what
happens when a tread separates from a tire. The shock and noise numb your brain just long enough to get you killed. The tread
usually "bangs" against some part of the under side of the truck, then it comes off (Hopefully in small pieces). The failing
tire can also cause a vehicle to swerve into you or your path. Flying tire treads can be deadly. The tread can be very heavy
and take on very unusual flight characteristics. The impact from a tread (especially a large section) can kill you. My advice,
if you are given a choice, don't ride behind any large, heavy, vehicle un-less you are going slower than twenty five! Wade
Davis / Ocala,Fl. |
| 64. Bikes can slow down awfully quick without using brakes, so when
decelerating by engine compression alone tap on the brakes to warn the driver behind you and let them know you are slowing
down. John Ahearne / San Francisco, CA |
| 65. Heavy rain: It’s begun to rain so torrentially that you need
shelter fast. There’s a bridge underpass up ahead. If you stop, stop at the far end of the underpass. If you stop at
the near end, or even the middle, you may be run over by a car or truck that decides it needs to stop beneath the underpass,
too. It may be raining so hard that the driver doesn’t see you until it’s too late. Mark Hammond / San Francisco
CA |
| 66. Strong wind: If you find yourself struggling against a strong crosswind
on the open road, focus on muscling your knee and thigh against the fuel tank for counterbalance. With a little practice,
it’s remarkable how effective the knee/thigh pressure on the bike can be in riding safely and comfortably in a strong
crosswind. Mark Hammond / San Francisco CA |
| 67. Quitting time! Be incredibly alert around quitting time, people
are tired and hot to get home and come sailing right straight out of those parking lots straight for the left lane. Friday
afternoon ahead of 4th of July, they're also towing a trailer and coming at you twice as fast! Jack Connolly / Post Falls
K12GT 04 |
| 68. Late Apex! I just keep repeating that as I ride the twisties and
it keeps my line where it should be. As any rider with experience knows if you ride early apex's it's just a matter of time
before you hit something in the road or hit a curve that is a reducing radius and you find yourself in the wrong lane ! Joe
McCarthy / Andover, Ma |
| 69. An appendage to Tip # 3.. another reason to always follow directly
behind car or truck wheels... The center of the road has all the grease and drippings from cars and trucks. Riding behind
the tire lane of a car gives you a more traction area of the road. MW / San Jose, CA |
| 70. Start fresh, Stay fresh. Save that nice refreshing shower or bath
for the last thing you do before starting your trip. Get the scoot loaded and pre-flighted, etc. ( I have found it much easier
to check the tire PSI's before you load your 300 lb grill! ). Take a few ( 2 or 3 ) extra minutes at each fuel stop and wash
up a tad. Hands, face and neck, underarms, and crotch. Back before the PC days us Army dudes called this a "Whore's Bath".
Drew Bland /Evansville, IN |
| 71. A quick check of all the potential anchors and UFO's you have bunjied
and tied on to your scoot before you leave each fuel and rest-area stop might be appreciated by your fellow travelers too.
Shit flying off your scoot at 80 mph is "UFO's to your fellow travelers ! Bet you can figure out what the "anchors" are ..
Drew Bland / Evansville, IN |
| 72. Go on extra HIGH Alert anywhere in the vicinity of Farm equipment
and related vehicles, most especially those big Drop Deck heavy haulers with the Big Cats, etc on board. All kinds of shit
can come flying off the trailer deck, from between the dualies, etc.. right at YOU with little or no warning !! This will
occur more often when something makes the vehicle Bounce. ex: RR Tracks, bridges, chuck-holes,etc. Also strong gust of winds
will cause more UFO activity too from both these vehicles as well as terra firma. A tumbleweed blowing cross-ways of you when
your running 80 mph or more will give you a pucker check ! Drew Bland /Evansville, IN |
| 73. Here’s a trick I’ve figured out to help with tailgaters.
One good trick is to increase your following distance, sure, but that doesn’t help if something else (see UFOs in tips
71 and 72) makes you brake quickly. I’ve found a little gentle swerving in my lane helps keep the cell-phone wielding
commuters off my tail. I think it just reminds some people I’m there, and makes others think I’m just a bit crazy,
but after a few weaves, I usually get at least two seconds’ distance behind me. Jeff Pettiross / Seattle, Wa |
| 74. As a New England alternative to tip # 69...in the spring, the potholes
on the freeway always appear in the tire tracks. Particularly on the edges of overpasses. Some of these are big enough to
eat your front tire. At night, you may not see them until it's too late. The second place they appear is between the driving
lanes, and though generally not deep, they can be long, and they can trap your front tire. On New England freeways, in spite
of the oil on the road, it's often safer to ride in the center of the lane. Rick Ramsey / MA. |
| 75. A clean bike is a safe bike. Wash Wax and detail your bike on a
weekly basis. Not only does it attract dollies :-), but it gives you "Face time" to see loose fasteners, bulged rubber, cracked
hardware etc etc. Danno Campbell / New York, NY |
| 76. When appraoching a cross road at high speed on a highway-------------try
to stay behind something large (like a car or truck)---------and then the idiot who is attempting to get on the highway (in
rush hour traffic)-----will see the big vehicle------and NOT---- pull out in front of YOU! At least if he does-----he'll get
T-boned by the car or truck-----and not you! (Giving you time to slow down, turn, or stop-------before the T-bone event!)
Richard Craig / Napa, California |
| 77. I agree with all of these points, except for #36. Yes, you want
to stay out of anyone's blind spot. But what you want to maximize is your separation from other traffic. Usually traffic travels
in "packs", and the best way to do this is to spend as much time as possible between "packs", which means travelling mostly
at the same speed as the rest of the traffic. Every time you pass someone or someone passes you, the risks are increased.
Of course each of us is the best driver on the road, so the risk is increased mostly when we are being passed. Brian / Culpeper, VA |
78. Tailgaters part 1: To stop folks from tailgating me, I have placed
the following sign on the back fender of my ride: Tailgating
KILLS! Please don't!
Guess what? you get 3 seconds of in-trail spacing (most of the time)...
And I live in California! Jeff Frost /Sacramento, California |
| 79. Tailgaters part 2: If you are as sandwiched in as everyone else
around you (and they have not read your sign), but there is no where to go, follow this procedure: Downshift at least one
or two gears, let off the gas, and simultaneously turn around and point directly at the offending driver, making eye contact
if possible. Hold this for a drop of about 5 mph maximum, just enough to force the offending driver to take the smallest amount
of action and then take off. This will open the lane ahead of you for a momentary escape and will also bring the actions of
this idiot driver to the attention of everyone else. Do it in front of a cop (correctly) and you get a bonus: the guy gets
pulled over! Needless to say, you have to be totally aware of your surroundings. If you are not, only ride in the middle of
the night. Jeff Frost /Sacramento, California |
| 80. Tailgaters part 3 (the LAST resort): Upon further soulful
deliberation.. this tip has been deleted.. |
| 81. Many riders crash out when they are learning or are novice. One
of the main contributing factors to this is over confidence and peer pressure. If you are new to motorcycling and are riding
with a group of experienced riders don't feel you have to keep up, ride at your own pace and well with in your own ability.
For those experienced riders that have a novice rider with them be considerate, don't all blast off and leave him/her for
dead, some one hang back and offer helpful hints and constructive criticism. Laurie (Lozz) Burrows / Western Australia |
| 82. Road rule # 1 should be, never drive anything while intoxicated.
If you are going to participate in poker runs, or attend motorcycle rallies, drink only non- alcoholic beverages. I know too
many of my fellow motorcyclist friends who have been seriously hurt, some killed, from drinking and driving motorcycles. Tom
/ Albany, Ill. |
| 83. The safest place for idiot drivers is in front of you (you can keep
track of them if you can see them). Michael Lyman / Fremont, CA |
| 84. Park your ego and vanity at home. Both will get you dead (if your
wheels are still turning) in any confrontational situation. Better to let the idiots achieve a steady-state. Someone else
will judge them later. Michael Lyman / Fremont, CA |
| 85. When setting at light, as car approaches from rear, pump brake lever
couple of times quickly and then hold. This way you stick out. Don "Old Man" Smith / Co-founder VMOA #2 |
| 86. Keep other riders informed by pointing out if there is upcoming
debris on the road. Randall T. Maluy / Fullerton, CA |
| 87. Keep an eye out for loose gear or parts falling off another riders
bike. Randall T. Maluy / Fullerton, CA |
| 88. When approaching a stopped vehicle that is looking to turn into
my lane (typically the dreaded left turn without seeing you), I try to quickly determine if the driver has made eye contact
with me. At the same time, I am concentrating on the wheels of the vehicle. If they turn or move even the slightest amount,
I immediately execute my planned evasive maneuver (that I planned long before approaching the vehicle in question). Michael
Lyman / Fremont, CA |
| 89. If the rider or driver in front of you is slowing down, be damn
sure you know why before you pass them. They may have hit the brakes for (1) the squad car looking for speeders (2) the idiot
in front of them who is about to make a U-turn in front of you or (3) the steer in the ditch that is getting ready to cross
the road. Hank Barta / Beautiful Sunny Winfield, Illinois |
| 90. Be very careful behind open top dump trucks and other haulers. The
things they haul have a tendency to want to escape. I had to dodge an old tire at 60mph when it decided to fly out of the
top of a truck. Lt.Col John Reschar / Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| 91. When you are about to pull out to overtake the vehicle in front
of you, check your mirror again. The car in the lane you are moving into may be going much faster than you expect and you
cannot see this from a single mirror check. Saved me the other day
when the car was doing about 120mph Graham Dockrill / UK |
92. HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK ALONE! As many of us are over 40,
there is always the chance of having a heart attack while riding or driving.
Pay Attention: You are riding along
and suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make
it that far. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Pull over? or try to make it to the hospital? A tough call if on a motorcycle. Without help,
the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before
each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest, and a cough must
be repeated about every 2 seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing
pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. F. Daniel
Rochman MD / Contributed by Frank Ganger / Lake Bluff, IL
Note from Pirate: I have had a few dozen
doctors check in with me on this tip. Some say that this tip is not only wrong but could cause more harm than good.. then
the other 50% check in thanking me for listing the tip. I'll assume all these doctors learn similar knowledge at similar med
schools but this seems to be a polarizing issue so take it at face value and judge for yourself.. Also Snopes says it's not
true... Personally.. I chose to believe it works but I'm no doctor. I don't give a shit what Snopes says.. This was contributed
by a doctor/motorcyclist who said this method saved his life... and thats good enough for me.. |
| 93. What's the most unused button on your bike? Other than
the emergency flasher.. your horn. Many of us can ride for days or weeks without hitting the horn. This is NOT good in an
emergency situation as you could very easily find yourself fumbling for the horn button while that 28,000lb SUV is merging
on you. My suggestion is.. Before you leave your driveway after your bike is warmed up... Re-familiarize yourself with the
horn button. Hit the horn a few times. Feel the horn button while not looking. In an emergency situation one or 2 seconds
fumbling for the button can mean the difference of being safe and being in a pine box. Pirate / Asheville. NC |
| 94. If you do find yourself down, outside of the line of traffic,
don't move until you've checked out the function of all your parts by touch and minimovements. If you have ANY neck (or back)
pain or ANY numbness or weakness anywhere, stay down, stay still, and please don't let anyone take off your helmet until hospital
based professional evaluation is complete. .. and carry ID in or on your helmet and person, and the EMT's have all been trained
to look for an ICE (In Case of Emergency) # in your cell phone. Use it. Contributed by David Hunt .. Neurosurgeon / Hoboken, NJ |
| 95. When approaching an intersection, honk and wave at the
cross traffic. They'll think that you're crazy, but they'll be looking at you and less likely to run you over. Jim Clabby
/ Marietta, GA |
| 96. Always check rear view mirrors and tire position before
passing a car. Contributed by Nick Zarras, Captain, USAF / Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 97. In windy conditions up the revolutions per minute to maximum
torque of the engine. It stabilizes the motorcycle. Contributed by Nick Zarras, Captain, USAF / Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 98. Place body or high vis reflectors on the front and back
of the motorcycle. It makes a world of difference in a parking lot, or at the stop light at night. They stop 20 feet behind
me. Contributed by Nick Zarras, Captain, USAF / Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 99. Always look at driver patterns in front of you, and then
open up your spacing if anything looks out of the ordinary. It saved my life when a woman started to fall asleep, got scared
as she started to weave into a side support and over corrected going 90 degrees to the road and airborne in front of me. I
had plenty of room see her fly away into the ditch, then stop normally to call for help.Contributed by Nick Zarras, Captain,
USAF / Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 100. Don't be afraid to ride slow. Contributed by Pappy
Hoel, founder of the Sturgis motorcycle rally / Bismarck, ND |
| 101. When you have your cell phone (hopefully on your person)
& involved in a accident where you become disabled or hurt to the point you are unconscience, have your cell phone programmed
with at least 2 ICE ( In Case of Emergency) numbers. Ambulance drivers and attendants will usually ck the cell phone for emergency
numbers to contact someone who knows you to let them know where you are and how to get hold of you. Make these numbers family,
close friends, or someone who will know how to get hold of the necessary people for you. Make sure you inform the ICE people
you choose what will be necessary for them to do if contacted. Contributed by Butch Greene / Malvern, Arkansas |
| 102. If you're riding directly into the sun you might notice
it's hard to see vehicles in front of you, so imagine what a car driving behind you might not see. If stopping in this situation
split between any cars in front of you or least stop to the side if you're first in queue. Contributed by James van der
Moezel in Western Australia |
| 103. Use hand signals. No, not that one. ALL the fingers.
Say you've got a tailgator. Hold your left hand held out downward, palm open. Notice the response? 99% of drivers will immediately
give you more space. Give 'em a big OK (thumb and forefinger together, fingers wide) and they STAY back! Much nicer. Hand
turn signals are just as effective. And people actually LET YOU IN to change lanes, or change lanes themselves if you're slowing
to turn. Use your blinkers too, of course. Just in case there's a cellphone involved. I have no idea why this works for bikes
but not cages, but it does. Try it. Contributed by Revill Dunn Austin (Center of the Universe) Texas |
| 104. While traveling behind another vehicle and when you see
an oncoming vehicle wanting to cross your lane from your left-like when they are making a left turn, get as far to the left
side of your lane as possible. When you see someone trying to enter your lane from the right- like from a driveway or side
street, get as far over to the right side of your lane as possible. This will make you more visible from behind the vehicle
you are following. Moving to the extreme left or right side of the lane makes you more visible to the drivers waiting for
a gap in traffic. If they can't see you, the space you are occupying looks like a gap they can pull out into. If you follow
too close, all they can see is a GAP between the vehicle you are following and the vehicle behind you. This may make them
think they have enough time/space to get across the line of traffic. Contributed by Ken Farley, SCRC Albany NY |
| 105. Carry a first aid kit in your saddle bags. Have such items
as advil, bandages, gauze, tape, benadryl (in case of bee stings), tums, antiseptic spray, pair of rubber gloves, CPR mouth
guard (hopefully you will never need it, but better to be safe than sorry). Most of these items come in individual packages
so your kit won't be too big. Contributed by Jen in Erie PA |
| 106. Watch out for cars with spinning hubcaps. I think those
things should be illegal. I once had to take evasive action when I thought a car was pulling out in front of me when it was
actually stopped. felt like a fool but at least I learned from it. Contributed by Ernest Kudron Lochbuie, Colorado |
| 107. Be
wary of the hiss of the Tar Ssssnake. When traveling over the tar poured into the cracks of the road, you will hear a Hissing
noise instead of the usual road noise. If you hear the hiss you maybe about to be bit, select a track that takes you as far
away from the Tar Snakes as your path safely allow you to. Contributed by John Burkhauser, Willow Grove Pa |
| 108. Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues
to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt:
ICE. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the
name and phone number of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time
and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do. Paramedics know what ICE means
and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW! Contributed by Sir Steve Carlton, San Ramon, Ca. |
| 109. When approaching a car waiting at a cross street, I flick
my bright lights on and off to get the driver's attention. I also use my bright lights in the day time for the same reason.
Contributed by Jim Homan, Richland, WA |
| 110. When riding in a hilly area (like Vermont) with a lot
of blind hills, always approach the crest of the hill in the rightmost part of your lane. You never know when some pickup
truck full of punks is going to come sailing over that hill mostly in your lane.Contributed by Reg Bowley, Essex Jct, VT |
| 111. I realize a P-EPIRB Personal-Emergency Position Indicating
Radio Beacon is not for everyone but I wanted to provide this 'tip' just in case. Maybe knowing they exist might save someone's
life. I do a lot of riding by myself and this normally means in very remote areas where cell phone service is totally unavailable.
To help in this situation I have purchased a P-EPRIB. If something happens and I'm still conscious and can push a button,
Emergency Rescue personal the will know my exact location, within 3 minutes and within 30 meters anywhere on the North American
continent. The units are small enough to carry on your person, not uncomfortable, and simple to operate and the batteries
last 10 years. Contributed by Robert Rehkopf / Bartlett, TN |
|
That's it, gang. Good luck and be safe. Remember ...try to project a
positive image.....you are representing ALL motorcyclists to the non-riding mortals who move among us. Enjoy! |
By James R. Davis
Taking curves is rather a personal choice in terms of selection of entry and exit points as well as speed,
it seems to me.
For example, the typical advice I have heard from others is to chose an entry point that allows you to make the curve
using the smoothest line thru it so that you always have the least lean demand. This, of course, gives you the most ability
to compensate your path through the curve should you find a need to do so. It also means that you hit the apex of the curve
at about its middle. That is, you enter from the outside edge of the curve, then move towards the inside until you reach its
apex, then continue from there outwards until you are once again at the outside of the curve just as you exit it.
I, on the other hand, do not normally do this. I prefer to delay my entry into the curve. That is, I stay to the outside
edge well past the normal entry point, then turn much more sharply into it and hit the inside much beyond the normal apex.
This gives me two significant (to me) advantages over the 'smoothest' course:
 |
I get the lean that I enjoy (read: crave!) in the
beginning of the curve where I have seen all that I need to see in terms of potential trouble.
|
|
When I exit the turn I am traveling at a much reduced
angle relative to the path of the road. That is, since I am closer to the end of the curve when I reach the inside than is
the normal apex, I have fewer degrees of the arc left to go before I am again going in a straight line. Said differently,
if the road changes directions by a matter of 90 degrees through a curve, no matter what path you select through it you will
have totaled 90 degrees when you are out of it. Since I turn more into the curve at my delayed entry point, I have less left
to go to complete the turn when I am near the exit. |
This last advantage is of profound importance, in my opinion. This gives me far more ability to handle unexpected problems
as I get closer to the end of the curve. For example, what if it turns out to be a decreasing radius curve after all, or if there is gravel in the road that was not visible at its entry?
By the way, when I said that 'I stay to the outside edge' above I in no way meant to imply that I get close to the line.
Far too many people seem to think that they have performed a safe maneuver thru a curve so long as their wheels do not touch
or cross the (center) line. WRONG! If any part of your motorcycle crosses that line, including just a grip,
you are in the path of oncoming traffic, and are in THEIR lane.
 In any event, I TRY to overshoot my entry to a curve. Then I aggressively push-steer into it, and delay reaching the inside
of the curve well past its apex. This also, incidentally, allows me to start an aggressive roll-on of my throttle sooner than
when I am at the inside of the curve which gives me a better handling bike through the majority of it. I should add that this
delayed entry approach requires that you get in the habit of not entering the curve too fast. Further, the right approach
speed is one which requires NO BRAKING at entry.
[You should use MODEST throttle roll-on all the way through any curve. The 'roll-on point' that is shown in the
graphic is where you can go after a higher exit speed if you happen to be aggressive with your bike.]
If you find that you cross the outside line, ever, then it is time to reassess what you are doing. Approaching
the curve too fast? Insufficient confidence to aggressively push-steer when you need to? Insufficient experience to pick a
good line? Lack of respect for the laws of chance (one of those times a 4-wheeler will have two of them across
the line)? Acting like riding with friends is a competitive sport? Whatever it is, if you ever cross that center line you
are riding above your abilities (and everyone around you will know it) and you need to change something soonest. Otherwise,
make sure your relatives know your intentions relative to the donation of your organs.
This method is just my preference, after all, and it seems to me is generally safer than the 'smoothest line' method
usually described. |
GUIDELINES
FOR GROUP
RIDING FOR STREET BIKES
Road Captain’s Job: Preparing for a Group Ride
When a number of motorcyclists are invited for a group ride, the
riders and their co-riders gather at the appointed time and place, often without knowing their specific destination or route
from that point on. The Road Captain for that ride will have a route in mind
and will usually have pre-ridden the route within the past week in order to look for construction and road surface problems
and other situations which might affect the safety of those who are to participate.
The Road Captain will appoint or volunteer experienced riders to serve as Lead Bike, depending on the total number
of bikes and the number of groups required. Each Lead Bike will then select a
person to ride as Drag Bike for that group. The other riders will determine which
group they are going to ride in, and if there is an inexperienced rider along, will usually ask the Lead Bike to make suggestions
on group positioning. The Lead Bide should determine roughly the experience level
of each rider in his or her group before departing, putting the rider with the least experience in group riding immediately
in front of the Drag Bike in the slot position. If the last open position before
the Drag Bike is not a slot, the least experienced rider should be in the last slot position available, away from oncoming
traffic.
The Road Captain usually provides a Route Memo or will have copies of maps or directions to give
the members of the group (this should be supplied to the Lead Bikes if not to all riders) and will have a rough idea of times
and distances to be traveled, suggestions for rest stops, food and gas, etc. The
Road Captain will have out emergency medical information forms and release of liability forms for sponsored rides, to be filled
in and signed. He or she will then conduct a short riders’ meeting to establish
that each group has a designated Lead and Drag Bike, to review group riding guidelines briefly, to alert the riders of potential
hazards, to discuss communications within and between the groups, to review hand signals if there are riders without CBs,
and to answer any questions about the ride. The Road Captain may or may not lead
a group himself, and in fact may not accompany the riders at all once the ride is underway.
If there are several groups of riders, the Road Captain expects all Lead Bikes to follow the route
which has been laid out and not to initiate changes in the route except in an emergency.
IN face of problems that require emergency personnel or re-tracing a route to find a disabled rider or part of group
which has gotten lost, it is much easier to locate the person(s) sought if all groups follow the same path to their common
destination. It is not unusual for groups of riders to be separated by several
miles and to find themselves out of CB range from other groups during a long trip or in heavy traffic. It is also not unusual for groups to break up briefly in traffic, requiring a station-keeping rider to
serve as Lead Bike or Drag Bike for a fragment of a group, for a short time.
Rider’s Job: Preparing for a Group Ride
Riders are expected to arrive on time at the departure point with a full tank of gas, in proper attire
for the conditions, and physically ready to ride (potty stop made, medications packed if needed, sober and alert). Motorcycle endorsements and insurance should be up to date, and the bike should be in street-legal condition. The Road Captain may ask a rider not to join a group ride if these basis conditions
are not met (for example, if a rider is drunk or a bike is mechanically unfit to ride).
If a rider brings a co-rider (a passenger) for a group ride, he or she is expected to manage and
attend to that passenger’s needs personally, before the riders’ meeting.
The following guidelines are suggested for preparing a co-rider for a group ride:
Do not permit a co-rider to mount the motorcycle until all riding gear is on and fastened securely
(beware of outside pockets!). The co-rider should not mount until the rider is
seated and holding the motorcycle, vertically, and then not until the rider nods that he or she is ready for the co-rider
to get on. The co-rider should avoid contact with the hot exhaust pipes, wiggling
out of position once seated, and shouting or making sudden movements of the upper body during the ride. The passenger’s feet should remain on the pegs or floorboards designed for them at all times, until
disembarking.
A co-rider needs to know generally what he or she should and should not expect in terms of comfort
and safety considerations. If the co-rider wishes to communicate with the rider,
the rider should explain how to do this: by thumping on the rider’s head? Intercom? Shouting in the rider’s
ear? Will the co-rider be responsible for copying hand signals given by the rider
to others in the group? Suggested jobs for the co-rider during the ride: Watch out in traffic for anything that may detract from a safe ride: two pairs of eyes are better than one. Do not assist the rider
by leaning in turns, but look over the rider’s inside shoulder on curves. Wave
at all other bikers, children, anyone who shows interest in the riders, and law enforcement officers on their feet. And – smile!
In group riding, if the rider (with or without a co-rider) wishes to slow down or stop during the
ride, for any reason whatsoever, he or she may drop out of the ride. If at any
time a co-rider becomes uncomfortable during the ride and wants the rider to slow down or stop, for any reason whatsoever,
the rider should be prepared to do so as quickly and as safely as possible. It
is courteous to notify or signal to the other riders in the group before doing this unless it is not convenient or possible
to do so. Unless the Drag Bike clearly understands the reason for a rider’s
decision to drop out, normally the Drag Bike will notify the Lead Bike of a problem and will stop with the rider who is stopping,
to render aid if needed, or to determine his intentions about rejoining the group ride.
Normal Group Riding Maneuvers
Entering Traffic
When the Lead Bike for each group sees that all riders are helmeted, sitting on their bikes, motors
running and ready to depart, he or she will check for traffic and enter the roadway.
Usually the Lead Bike will not attempt to exit a parking lot unless there is room for all or most of the group to follow
immediately. If the group is split, the Lead Bike will normally take the slow
lane and keep the speed relatively low until the group can form up in the positions the riders will keep for the duration
of the ride. This may mean traveling slower than surrounding traffic, to encourage
four-wheelers to pass and allow the group to form up. Occasionally this cannot
be accomplished until the group has made a lane change or entered a freeway, depending on where the entrance ramp may be.
Regardless of the Lead Bike’s signals, a rider is responsible for his or her own safety at all times.
Ride Your Own Ride!
Once all members of the group are together, the group will take up a staggered formation and will
stay in it most of the time during the ride, unless the Lead Bike signals for a change or the need for a change is obvious. Reasons for changing out of a staggered formation could be a passing situation or
poor road surface (single file), dog or other animal charging the group (split the group), or coming up to a traffic signal
(two a breast while waiting for a light).
Changing Lanes
When a group of motorcycles is changing lanes, many safety considerations come into play. Should every rider move into the adjacent lane at the same time?
If not, should the Lead Bike go first, or should the Drag Bike move first to “secure the lane”? When the Drag Bike radios to the group that the lane is secured, is it really? What if another vehicle sees a gap in traffic and tries to cut into the group? If part of the group gets separated from the other riders, should everyone change relative positions (tracks)
so that the new Lead Bike is now riding in the left tract? The recommended procedure
for a group lane change maneuver depends on how the surrounding traffic is moving at the time.
The goal for the bike which moves first is to create a gap into which the other bikes can fit.
Regardless of what other riders in the group are doing, each rider must personally check to see that the new lane
is clear of traffic before entering it.
Changing Lanes as a Group
There is virtually no time (absent an emergency) when a group or riders should all move at the same
time into a different lane, in regular traffic conditions. The wide gap required
for a whole group to move is difficult to find in heavy traffic, and if it exists, it will be an invitation for other drivers
to jump into it, perhaps while the group might be moving. Additionally, such
a maneuver could be interpreted as “parading”, which may arguably not be covered under some insurance policies.
Changing Lanes into Slower-Moving Traffic
In most jurisdictions traffic laws prescribe that, on a road in which there are two lanes of traffic
moving in the same direction, the lane on the right will be the slower lane. If
a group of motorcyclists is going to move into the slower lane from the faster one, the first bike in a group which moves
is responsible for creating a gap into which all the following bikes can fit. This
is accomplished by maintaining a constant speed in order to enlarge the gap after the first bike moves. Each bike moving in succession should also be aware of this dynamic.
Thus, the group moves from first to last. (An exception is the Drag Bike,
which may move on its own for reasons explained later.)
The first bike to move under these conditions will be the Lead Bike.
The maneuver is accomplished in this way: the Lead Bike signals for the
lane change and announces to the group via CB and/or hand signals that the group is moving to the right, front to back. Then, after checking by actually turning the
head to see that the new lane is cleared of traffic sufficient for one bike to safely enter it, the Lead Bike moves across
the tracks of the current lane, taking up a position in the left track of the new lane where the Lead Bike usually rides. By maintaining the maximum speed which the traffic in that lane will allow, the Lead
Bike creates a gap into which the next bike in the group can insert, moving into the right track there. Each succeeding bike follows this pattern: signal right, move right in your own lane, head-check, enter
new lane, maintain speed to create gap, and take up regular position (left or right track) in the new lane.
The Drag Bike in this pattern is normally the last to enter the new lane, unless “closing the
door” was possible. As the bikes move quickly and re-form their group,
it is rare that a four-wheeler will move up into the gap in the new lane. If
a cage moves into the gap, the next bike to move must truck in behind it and wait for the group to slow up, encouraging the
cage to pass. When the cage passes the slower forward group, the whole group
can re-form into a normal riding configuration.
Breaking Up is Hard To Do
If a lane change results in the group’s changing formation – the bike which was unable
to move into the new lane slows down and becomes for a time the Lead Bike for the left lane, while the rest of the group moves
ahead in the slower lane – or, the bike which was unable to move right is forced to PASS the slower group – should
the new Lead Bike take the left forward track?
Ordinarily, no. Only
if the group breaks into two obvious sub-groups and becomes separated for a substantial period of time should the “new
Lead Bike” move into a new track to the left, if that has not been that rider’s normal position. Otherwise, this will be only a temporary break in formation, and the riders will quickly enter the new
lane and re-form as usual behind the Lead Bike, in the positions they had originally.
Why doesn’t the “new Lead Bike” change tracks?
Because during the period in which the bikes are changing tracks, the spacing between them is cut in half, drastically
reducing the reaction time and space available to the rider in case the bike directly ahead of him becomes a problem. In a lane change, this period, is fairly short.
If the “new Lead Bike” shifts position and all the bikes following attempt to adapt to the new configuration
by changing to a different track, they will then have to change back when the original group re-forms. There is no real reason to put the riders in additional jeopardy this way in order to have the “correct”
formation, just for short periods.
Forcing all bikes in the rest of the group to change track position is especially hazardous in the
case of a new group rider who has become accustomed to riding in the protected “slot” as opposed to facing oncoming
traffic in the exposed left track position. In most cases, anyone who is riding
in a group will quickly adapt to this change of conditions and track positions, but there may be times when a new rider who
is trying to learn this whole concept will be very uncomfortable changing tracks. The
Drag Bike should pay special attention to inexperienced riders under these conditions.
This patter may occur not only during a lane change, but also during a passing maneuver or when a
group gets separated in traffic because of signal lights and traffic flow.
The Drag Bike will usually notify the Lead Bike and the Rest of the group after a brief separation
by one or more riders that the group has re-formed by saying, “We’re family.”
Changing Lanes into Faster-Moving Traffic
The same basic lane-changing principle for entering slow-moving lanes also applies when a group is
entering faster-moving traffic where at least two lanes of traffic are moving in the same direction; that is, moving from
the right lane to the left. The first bike to move creates a gap for the remaining
bikes. Since traffic is pulling away from the group as each member enters the
lane, this maneuver is done back to front.
The maneuver is accomplished in this manner. The Lead
Bike signals for a lane change and announces to the group via CB and turn signals that the group will moving to the left,
back to front. Then the Lead Bike asks the Drag Bike to “secure the lane”
to the left. All station-keeping bikes maintain their position while this occurs,
putting their own turn signals on to indicate the move to be made. The Drag Bike
then moves first when a space in the lane to the left opens up and radios to the Lead Bike and the group, “The lane
is secured.”
No one is to change lanes at this point, however! First,
each rider must make certain the lane is clear by actually turning his head to insure that there is no other vehicle still
approaching the group in the left lane. If a vehicle is still moving up beside
the group, the Drag Bike will usually say, “After the red truck,” or “After the station wagon,” etc. Whether or not a warning is given by the Drag Bike (who may have other concerns with
the traffic to his rear), each rider must do a head-check before entering a faster-moving lane.
The second bike to move will be the one in front of the Drag Bike.
That rider moves across the tracks of the current lane, does a head-check, changes lane and then takes up a position
in the track of the new lane where he was originally riding. By dropping to a
speed slightly slower than the rate at which traffic in that lane has been traveling, each bike creates a gap into which the
next bike forward can insert. Each rider follows this pattern: signal left, move left in your own lane, head-check, enter new lane, maintain (slower) speed to create
gap, and take up regular position (left or right track) in the new lane.
The Lead Bike in this pattern is normally the last to enter the new lane. As the bikes move quickly and re-form their group, it is rare that a four-wheeler will move up into the
gap in the new lane. If a cage moves into the gap, the next bike to move must
wait for the cage to pass, so that a gap appears again. Then the maneuver can
be completed and the group can re-form into a normal configuration.
Copyright 1996-2004 The Master Strategy Group
>This is good Info for any of us
that ride Interstates or other 4 lane
roads:
>
> NOT ALL INTERSTATES ARE CREATED EQUAL
>
> Some are pussycats - others are
sheer madness to the extent that you put a
> serious risk on your life just by traveling them, especially on a
>
motorcycle. For instance, here in the Richmond area, we have a long
> stretch of I-64 that runs from the Blue Ridges
to the western edges of the
> city that is relatively safe with very few trucks. The same cannot be said
> on
long haul transcontinental interstates such as I-40, or I-70, or
> north/south corridors served by I-95, I-85, etc..
I mention these
> interstates simply because of my recent experiences with them. . I am
> fully aware that there
are dozens of other killer interstates like I-10,
> etc.
>
> THE SWEET SPOT FOR SPEED
>
> The
existence of the sweet spot for us bikers is a fact, but this speed
> cannot be arbitrarily set as it is constantly
changing. However, if you
> can find it and adapt with it, you'll greatly reduce dangerous situations.
>
>
As all of you are well aware, virtually no one obeys the speed limits on
> high-speed, trans-continental interstates.
Many of the states have the
> speed limit set at 70 mph. Typically, most vehicles (cars and trucks) will
> average
around 80, or even higher, especially on the long downhill grades.
> If you are attempting to stay close to the speed
limit, you had better
> hang in the right hand lane and only rarely venture out into the hammer
> lane when
it becomes absolutely necessary to pass some really slow
> traffic. And when you "get left", do so ONLY by rapid acceleration,
as the
> cars that seem to be pretty far back are actually only seconds away from
> climbing up your butt. FAILING
TO DO THIS IS A COMMON MISTAKE WITH GROUP
> RIDERS. An opening appears and the group "looks left - moves left" and
> invariably maintains the same speed they were doing in the right hand
> lane, with maybe only a gradual increase.
In short order, they have now
> become an irritating obstruction for the high-rollers coming up quickly
> from
behind. To compound this mistake, the group will then hold fast until
> the drag bike has cleared the traffic being
passed, and then go on to what
> I call a "parade show" with the group moving to the right in unison. It is
>
not unusual for the vehicle directly behind the drag bike to become so
> impatient, that they will quickly dive to
the right at the first
> opportunity and this could coincide at the same moment the drag bike makes
> his move
--- not a good picture forming in your mind, right? The answer of
> course is quite obvious - once in the left-hand
lane, you do NOT move the
> group back over to the right as a unified group - you do so individually
> as each
bike passes the vehicle. This approach completely eliminates any
> confusion with the vehicles behind as to what your
intentions are - and
> that impatient guy will now wait for the last bike to clear.
>
> Unless your group
enjoys flirting with speeding tickets, you'll more than
> likely keep your average RIGHT HAND LANE speed to no more
than 5 mph over
> the posted limit. (Again - we are talking interstates here, not towns,
> where I think you
should stay AT the speed limit.) But, as I've already
> said, once you venture over into the passing lane, you AND
YOUR GROUP need
> to accelerate quickly to get around the slower vehicles. This may
> momentarily take you 10
or even 15 mph over the limit. But it'll be a much
> safer way to maneuver. Plus - if you are smart, you'll never hang
next to,
> or slightly behind a tractor-trailer. For obvious reasons (all of them
> spelling DANGER) you should
get around them PDQ - and if a group member in
> front of you is lingering, don't be timid about telling him/her to
"get on
> it". And at the next rest stop, you all should discuss this strategy, the
> reasons for it, and hopefully
make it second nature.
>
> So, as you can see - the "sweet spot" is a speed ABOVE the posted limit -
>
but not so high that it will get you a ticket. You can also see that it is
> constantly changing, all for one express
purpose - to keep you and your
> group in the safest possible position.
>
>
> GROUP RIDING ON LONG
HAULS ON DANGEROUS INTERSTATES
>
> Even with very experienced riders, I've noticed a few things that scares
>
the bejeezus out of me. On several occasions, when the lead bike would
> call for a secure passing lane, I as drag
would respond with something
> like "hold on, can't get over because of fast vehicles coming up". No
> sooner
said than one or both middle bikes would dive over anyway. No
> amount of scolding on my part would correct this situation
completely as
> it would happen at least once a day. Sure, everyone would agree that
> shouldn't happen, but
then once back on the highway, the bad habits would
> override common sense. This problem only gets compounded when
the groups
> get larger. Therefore, while the "gold standard" for group size may be set
> at 5 bikes - I think
it prudent that on these kinds of long distance
> rides, groups should be limited to no more than 3 bikes. If you have
a
> total of four bikes, they should be split into two groups of two when out
> on the long stretches of boring
prairie, but with dangerous traffic. In
> some respects, this kind of happens anyway, as everyone would rather
>
settle in and relax instead of trying to maintain a tight, staggered
> formation for hours and hours on end. Occasionally,
after a few hours of
> riding, we would find a split by as much as ¼ to ½ mile. And when this
> happens, it
made a whole lot more sense to have two separate lead and drag
> bikes. No sense for a drag to notify the lead that
a semi is coming up,
> when that vehicle is a half mile back. The smaller the group, the safer
> the situation
becomes because you can apply more concentration on your OWN
> ride, instead of worrying about maintaining proper group
formation for
> interminable periods of time.
>
> To carry this idea even further, we experimented for
a couple hour period
> by basically riding solo. The only rule, other than maintaining visual and
> CB contact,
was that we would call out important information such as real
> hazards, etc. At the end of this experiment, all agreed
that that segment
> of the ride was much less stressful.
>
> In summary, I expect that some of you will
recommend choosing different
> riding partners in the future. But that really is not practical, as we all
>
have different quirks that may only surface after days and days on end. No
> two riders ride exactly the same.
|
SNELL/DOT Helmet Standard Comparison
There are two organizations setting safety standards for motorcycle helmets in the United States, the
Federal Government’s Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Snell Memorial Foundation. DOT sets minimum standards
that all helmets sold for motorcycling on public streets must meet. The standard is Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
218 (FMVSS 218) and is known commonly as the DOT standard.
The Snell Memorial Foundation is a private not-for-profit organization that sets voluntary standards for
motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets and auto racing helmets, as well as other kinds of protective headgear. Snell standards
are the world’s toughest. We demand quite a bit more protective capability in helmets than anybody else on the planet.
The table on the following page compares the most significant parts of the Snell and DOT standards, the
impact testing. There are other tests in the standards but a helmet’s impact performance determines what will happen
when a motorcyclist goes headlong into the pavement.
Both Snell and DOT position the helmet on a test headform and then drop that helmeted headform through
a two guided falls onto a fixed steel anvil. The test is repeated so that each helmet is impacted on at least four different
sites on its surface against either a flat or hemispherically shaped anvil. The differences are in impact severity and impact
criteria. How big an impact must the helmet withstand and how do the testers determine that the helmet actually withstood
the impact.
Impact severity is a matter of head mass and drop height, the higher the fall or the heavier the headform,
the more severe the impact. Since there is always some frictional loss in the test equipment, both Snell and DOT require that
the headform velocity be measured just before the helmet touches the anvil. Snell measures impact severity in terms of energy,
the mass of the headform times the square of the impact velocity divided by two. The table shows the impact energy in joules
for anvil type and headform size for each standard. As you can see, Snell requires that helmets withstand substantially larger
impacts than DOT.
Impact criteria tell the testers how to interpret test results. Ancient wisdom has it that it’s
not the fall that does the damage, it’s the sudden stop. Both Snell and DOT measure the suddenness of the stop with
an accelerometer fixed inside the headform. When the helmet smacks into the anvil, the accelerometer measures the headform
deceleration throughout the duration of the impact event. This acceleration pulse is generally plotted as G’s versus
milliseconds where one G is just the acceleration due to gravity here on the surface of the earth. The testers analyze the
acceleration pulse to determine whether the helmet passed or failed the test.
Snell and DOT use different methods to analyze these pulses. Snell limits the peak value to no more than
300 G’s. Dr. George Snively, one of Snell’s founders, had determined on the basis of his own research that young
adult men could survive head crash impact accelerations at levels between 400 to 600 G’s. He selected test criteria
on the order of 300 G’s for the Snell standards as acceleration levels that would be safe for almost all healthy people.
The DOT Standard requires that the peak acceleration not exceed 400 G’s but they also put duration limits on the acceleration
pulse. The period of time for which the pulse exceeds 200 G’s must not be longer than 2 milliseconds. The period of
time for which the pulse exceeds 150 G’s must not be longer than 4 milliseconds.
Snell, among others, questions the validity of these duration criteria. They were taken directly from
a ANSI motorcycle helmet standard in 1972. The ANSI standard committee had developed the criteria for testing on an altogether
different test device that was already being superseded at the time. After the DOT standard was drafted, the ANSI committee
modified their duration criteria for compatibility with current impact test equipment. DOT never accepted the modification.
Of course, when the DOT draft was first prepared, DOT expected to make extensive changes in the criteria after its first eighteen
months of operation. The 400 G peak and the duration criteria were to have been discarded in favor of the head injury criterion
(HIC) as described in another DOT standard, FMVSS 208. However this never came to pass, instead a measure intended to serve
only a year and a half has remained in place for twenty-six years.
There are also administrative differences between Snell and DOT. Snell Certification means that Snell
technicians in Snell labs tested samples of the helmet to Snell standards before the helmet was certified. Furthermore, as
a condition of certification, Snell regularly buys samples of all Snell certified products and brings them into our labs for
follow-on testing.
DOT certification is done on the honor system. The helmet’s manufacturer determines whether his
helmets satisfy DOT and then claims the qualification for himself. There is not even a reporting requirement. The government
does contract for some spot check testing at commercial and private labs but not very much. In recent years much of their
effort has been spent against so-called beanie helmets that are obviously substandard and are worn only by helmet law protesters.
Around 1990 a few magazine articles appeared questioning whether Snell certified helmets met the DOT standard.
Some went as far as claiming that it was impossible to meet both standards with the same helmet but others were more cautious
and said only that meeting both was very difficult. In fact, Snell certified helmets do meet DOT. If you want to be sure that
your helmet meets the DOT standard, get a Snell certified helmet. Manufacturers apply for an earn Snell certification because
they care about quality. These are the very manufacturers for whom the honor system works. A Snell sticker is your best assurance
that the helmet meets both Snell and DOT. Without our sticker, it’s purely a gamble that the helmet meets any standard
at all. |
|
WWW.MMSP.ORG
©2000 Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program
|
Loading your cargo trailer for motorcycle use:
A Question of Balance
By Larry Alger
A small
cargo trailer behind a motorcycle can improve the riding so much it
is hard to imagine. Riders always have had to make
do with what they could
strap to the bike and their bodies as the traveled in their motorcycles.
With the right cargo
trailer, however, all that changes while the feel of
riding the motorcycle remains, essentially, stays the same. There
are just a
few considerations when packing up your trailer.
When loading your trailer for a long trip, or the trip
home from the grocery
store, remember to keep enough of the weight forward of the axle center
point to maintain a
positive hitch load. If you put too much in the rear of
the trailer, the coupler will be pulling up on the hitch point
all the time.
That is not a good thing. Most hitches for motorcycles I've seen have a
state a hitch load of about
20 to 30 pounds. Try to balance the load so
you've got a 5 to 10 pound hitch load at the coupler. Try to pack so the
load
will not all shift to the rear under acceleration and back to the front
during breaking.
Packing items like blankets
and sleeping bags at the back of the trailer to
help support the front to rear stability is a good idea. If you use the
trailer for around town errands, you may want to keep a few blankets in it
all times to help you position the load
as needed. You never know when the
quick stop at the supermarket or hardware store will come up.
If you are carrying
a heavy Item like a large ice chest, be sure to position
it in the center of the trailer just forward of the wheels or
the center
balance point so it helps maintain the positive hitch load without over
loading the hitch plate. Be sure
to pack around it to keep it from moving
side to side or front to rear.
The one of the worst things you can do
is to overload a trailer for the
motorcycle. In my experience a load limit of 300 pounds gross including the
trailer
is the outside weigh a rider should consider for even a large
touring bike. I met riders who have had large trailers with
loads of 800
pounds behind their bikes before. I believe those riders are asking for
trouble. The more weight, the
more control you surrender in critical
maneuvering and panic braking situations.
Another worst case motorcycle
cargo trailer scenario is to forget the
trailer is behind the bike. This is easy to do with some small trailers as
they
handle so well and are small enough to be out of sight of the
motorcycle rear view mirrors. If the trailer is hard to
see in your mirrors,
mounting a small flag or SOMETHING on the trailer that you can see in either
mirror is a good
idea. This will give you a gauge for moving into traffic
lines, as well as being a reminder that the trailer is back there.
Finally
my last warning on loading a cargo trailer behind your motorcycle is to
ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK to be sure the
coupler is LATCHED and LOCKED! Safety
chains properly attached to the motorcycle should ALWAYS be used too. If you
ride
in a group, no one will take kindly to your trailer coming loose in
front of THEM, believe me. And if you have a receiver
type hitch on your
motorcycle, be sure the lock pin is in place THROUGH THE HOLE IN and not
BEHIND the draw bar. Been
there, done that, felt real stupid. Fortunately I
personally never had a BAD PROBLEM with the trailer not being solidly
attached to the bike because of my use of safety chains.
Well, I hope you all find some wisdom in this little piece.
Enjoy your
motorcycles, your trailers and....
....Ride Safe
Larry Alger
Webmaster
www.motorcycletrailer.com
I’m Safe
by Jackie Vaughan
Many people use a checklist to prepare for a trip. It might include gas, tire pressure, first aid kit, et cetera. One item
often missing is the condition of the rider himself. Yet the rider’s condition is at least as important as the condition
of the bike.
There is a checklist which allows the rider to check out himself before every trip. Easy to remember, the list is called
I’m Safe. It stands for illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue and emotion. Let’s take a look at
how each of these factors affects us.
Illness:
Many illnesses such as diarrhea, headache or fever can blunt our senses and affect our ability to scan aggressively for
hazards or our ability to react to these hazards quickly. Recovering from an illness can do the same.
Medication:
Medication such as sleeping pills, even taken the night before, or antihistamines can make us drowsy. Antibiotics do a
good job of fighting infections but also leave us fatigued for several days.
Stress:
Just before a trip is not the best time to air our problems. We will be in a much better mood after a good trip. Take time
to relax before starting. Another thing to remember: don’t bring the kids.
Alcohol:
Alcohol can be summed up in a single phrase-one drink per hour. Make sure there is no alcohol in your system before you
ride.
Fatigue:
Working long hours at physical labor before a trip is a sure way to start the trip with fatigue.
Emotion:
We are all aware that being angry or sad at can keep our mind off our riding, but we should know that being very happy
can do the same. We need to take time to think things out before we start.
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