How to not die on your bike

luke

luke

Joined Aug 2012
152 Posts | 57+
Newport Beach, CA
The following stats are off the top of my head, but I did recently research each.

On average, motorcyclist deaths occur about 35X more (per mile ridden) than do automobile motorist deaths.

1. # involving alcohol: about 50%
2. # involving a single vehicle (that is, losing control): about 50%
3. Reduction seen in ABS-equipped bikes: 37% claimed.
4. Most common deadly accident: car driver fails to notice motorcyclist.

Accordingly,

1. abstaining from drinking and riding, while also keeping vigilant watch for others who lack such integrity; plus
2. riding only within personal skill limits; plus
3. ticking the "ABS" option; plus
4. watching for left-turn bandits, and/or flashing your high beams as you approach one at an intersection; and/or wearing the brightest colors you can find;

. . . all which should, in theory, make you only about 4X times more likely to wish you'd stayed home on That Day.

Food for thought.

PS - 1199 riders get life-saving loud pipes for free. Such a deal!
 
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One more thing: yes, these are merely "statistics", which have been highly suspect since at least Mark Twain's time. But the principles surely apply, regardless of their magnitude.
 
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Excellent post. You may have a beer or two and drive your car home and think you're okay to drive, but riding a bike is more intricate and requires a lot more use of your senses, which suffer under the influence.
 
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In the UK if you flash your lights at junctions I guarantee you will have an accident as its regarded here as "I see you and i'm letting you pull out in front of me"
 
Daveiggy said:
In the UK if you flash your lights at junctions I guarantee you will have an accident as its regarded here as "I see you and i'm letting you pull out in front of me"
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Will happen here too. It's a bad idea. Last thing you want to do is to put the wrong idea in the mind of that person waiting to turn across your lane.
And you never know what other driver around you may see it and, not understanding that it's not directed at him, decide to act on it.
It's good to raise your visibility. But flashing your headlight at someone runs the risk of conveying the wrong message.
 
Daveiggy said:
In the UK if you flash your lights at junctions I guarantee you will have an accident as its regarded here as "I see you and i'm letting you pull out in front of me"
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+1

that was what i was about to write. could easily be misunderstood.

i noticed, that here in the US, you better not care what signals motorists use, blinkers, lights, whatever. the only thing you may respond to is their physical action (motion).
i've seen too many turn signals on when people go straight and the other way round even more often.
 
Rulle number 1 - "You don't have the right of way, anywhere". I watch the face of drivers at intersections, I only dismiss them once our eyes meet, or I pass through the intersection. Until then, they are a threat. Plus, watch the tires distance from the center line to determine faster when they are chantging lanes.
 
George Villar said:
I was told at California Superbike School that the majority of accidents happen when a rider is in a corner.
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I sorta agree, the last 2 accidents reported in St Louis were losing control. Typically taking a corner faster than you can.
 
Good post, wish some of these bikers would do us and their families a favor and get off the road before someone gets hurt. One of my best friends died on his bike this past Tuesday from losing control....Damn shame
 
Charliem90 said:
Will happen here too. It's a bad idea. Last thing you want to do is to put the wrong idea in the mind of that person waiting to turn across your lane.
And you never know what other driver around you may see it and, not understanding that it's not directed at him, decide to act on it.
It's good to raise your visibility. But flashing your headlight at someone runs the risk of conveying the wrong message.
Click to expand...

Some one told me to be extra careful close to junctions here in the UK. Since we have bumpy roads, approaching those junctions over a bumpy surface with lights on can give an impression to the drivers that they are being flashed at since the lights move up and down ever so slightly. I have had various drivers pull out in front of me last minute as a result.

It is a nervous moment every time I see a driver waiting for me at a junction, you never know what they are going to do. Some of them look so confused and cant decide what to do and have seen them pulling out in front of various bikers last minute - some people are just idiots and you have to be extra vigilant.
 
mali said:
Some one told me to be extra careful close to junctions here in the UK. Since we have bumpy roads, approaching those junctions over a bumpy surface with lights on can give an impression to the drivers that they are being flashed at since the lights move up and down ever so slightly. I have had various drivers pull out in front of me last minute as a result.

It is a nervous moment every time I see a driver waiting for me at a junction, you never know what they are going to do. Some of them look so confused and cant decide what to do and have seen them pulling out in front of various bikers last minute - some people are just idiots and you have to be extra vigilant.
Click to expand...

With all your Land Rovers, you have it worse than us ( :) ), but beware stopping at an intersection because of oil drippings!! Especially after a very light rain.
 
Yes, the left hand turn of a car, either next to you or in front of you, I beleive is the most common. I wouldn't flash lights, but I be sure to adjust my lane position to make sure the car can see me, and of couse be ready for them to miss you rather than blazing through with confidence. Another stat is helments. I don't see a lot of that with people here, but I am always amazed at the non-helmet wearers. You put full gear in the mix and I'd argue that you are as statistically safe as a car (assuming you are also on your game attention wise). Also why cruisers and squids account for so many deaths. There area always things out of your controld (as in any vehicle), but certainly all the gear, equipment, training and just full paying attention that ARE in your control and seems way too many (generally young and harley guys) just don't take advantage of them. I always hate it when a non-rider friend tells me what a death machine I'm on. I have to inform them that such a statement is ........ and those stats are not me and my wife. Not that we're immune, but I'd say not taking much more risks than we would be driving a car with the gear and rules we impose on ourselves.

As for alcohol, that is just amazing. How anyboyd can have even one drop and think it's ok to get on their bike is beyond me. Might as well try to text and eat a hamburger while you're at it. Or maybe put WD-40 on your brake rotors.
 
most of these stats and topics is covered in MSF. I try and take the MSF/ERC course every 3 or 4 years just to hear someone say these things. It's a bit boring, but since I don't have to actually pass the tests, its not that bad. It is pretty cool to try and tool around the cones and do the low speed drills that you never do every once in awhile - albeit I try and challenge myself in different ways. The instructors usually know if you are an experienced rider and just back for some remedial or not.
 
[invisibility]

The best piece of street riding advice I ever heard: "Ride as if you're invisible." Believe that you are invisible, approach each potential encounter accordingly, and you will greatly increase your odds of survival. Wouldn't you rather grouse about it later on forums like this than have someone else tell your sad story ...
 
Two other road tips some may find useful :

1) When safe, always look physically over your shoulder just before you make a turn, either left or right - In california they call it the "life saver".

2) When judging the motion of a car (when the car is stopped and about to move) judge it by the wheels/alloys rather than the body of the vehicle, as many motorist slowly move forward before they pump the gas pedal to join traffic.

Trust this helps.
 
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Charliem90 said:
Will happen here too. It's a bad idea. Last thing you want to do is to put the wrong idea in the mind of that person waiting to turn across your lane.
And you never know what other driver around you may see it and, not understanding that it's not directed at him, decide to act on it.
It's good to raise your visibility. But flashing your headlight at someone runs the risk of conveying the wrong message.
Click to expand...

There's a school of thought that it helps to gently weave back and forth, left and right, across your lane as you approch a junction. Its based on the theory that some motorists have difficulty accurately assessing the range to an oncoming motorcycle because of the small frontal area of a bike. To a motorist bikes look small and unthreatening until they're up close and then grow in perceived size rapidly, unlike cars. By weaving you look bigger and the movement helps to distinguished you from the background.

Failing this the motorist will think "what's wrong with the nutter on that bike" which has much the same effect.

This cheesy video demonstrates the concept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQBubilSXU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
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