Defensive Riding Tips

[mattSV]

No apologies if this has been posted before as I think it is good to be reminded every now & again - have copied the following from one of the Bikesafe pages

http://www.bikesafe.co.uk/Bikesafe/Bikesafe2000/ridingtips.htm

Defensive Riding Tips For Motorcyclists



These tips resulted from a detailed analysis of all accidents involving a motorcycle, which occurred in Buckinghamshire within the 3 year period 1.5.94 to 30.4.97.



JUNCTIONS

The most common accident type was another vehicle crossing the motorcyclist's path to enter or leave a side road or private drive.

At roundabouts, the most common accident type was another vehicle entering the roundabout in the path of a motorcyclist already on the roundabout.

Over 1 in 5 of all motorcycle accidents were of this type, where the motorcyclist had right of way.



TIPS

Plan ahead on approaching junctions:

-Be aware of vehicles waiting to enter the main road, or approaching it along a side road, and be prepared to stop and take evasive action.

- In urban areas look out for vehicles emerging from driveways.

- Anticipate the presence of drives/side roads concealed from view by bends, vegetation, or vehicles ahead.



Ensure that you are visible as possible to other drivers:

- As narrow vehicles, motorcyclists can easily be overlooked, and can be completely hidden from view by intervening lamp columns, telegraph poles etc. along the other drives line of sight.



Choose appropriate speeds on approaches to junction. A driver emerging from a side road, cannot give way to a motorcyclist who cannot yet be seen, but which appears at high speed before the manoeuvre is completed. This is particularly applicable to slow moving goods vehicles or farm vehicles.


OVERTAKING


About 1 in 5 of motorcyclist accidents involve overtaking.
Almost 1 in 3 of the overtaking accidents involved motorcyclists passing stationary or slow moving vehicles e.g. in traffic queues, where the most common accident type was another vehicle turning right (either into or out of a side road or private drive) or U turning, across the motorcyclists path.


In other overtaking accidents, the commonest accident type was when the overtaken vehicle turned right as he motorcyclist was overtaking.

TIPS


Be as visible as possible to other drivers.


Anticipate that other drivers may not have seen you and be prepared for their actions.


Do not overtake near side roads or where cars may emerge from private drives/accesses; or do so with caution.


Be aware of oncoming vehicles which may turn right across your path.


BENDS


About 1 in 4 of motorcycle accidents occurred on bends.

TIPS


Ensure speed is appropriate to negotiate bend without losing control, taking account of road surface condition.


Anticipate hazards which may be concealed by the bend and be able to stop in time to avoid them.


GENERAL


Many of the riders involved in accidents were not driving appropriately for the conditions, especially with regard to speed (in 1 in 4 of the accidents excess speed was a contributory factor).


Drivers of vehicles are often unaware of a motorcyclists presence. It is necessary for motorcyclists to become 'defensive' drivers in order to avoid becoming casualties

[Jabba]

Yeah - this was drummed into us on the course.

The other thing which made an impression on me (no pun intended) was that you'll never see a police motorcyclist overtaking/undertaking on a roundabout unless in persuit of another vehicle under blue-light conditions.

If you think about it for a while, and think all the stupid things that one's seen with regard to behaviour and lane discipline on a roundabout, it makes perfect sense.

[chutz]

good point Jabba. I have observed all manner of lane changing antics from cars on roundabout but i leave them room for stupidity as a matter of course. My idea is that it don't matter if it was my right of way if I'm the one who got creamed!!! Presume the worst and don't hope for the best. :oops:

[Carsick]

My idea is that it don't matter if it was my right of way if I'm the one who got creamed!!!
That's how I try to ride as well.

[rictus01]

these things are all well and good, however knowing them and using them are two very different things.

I've always worked on the principle of learning all I can, be it ROSPA, Roadcraft, off roading or track based riding skills, then It's up to you to interpret the road and traffic conditions and use whichever of the tools at your disposal at the appropriate time.

But above all, never, never every ride beyond your observational skills.

if you can't see it, you can't judge how to react.

the balance between enjoying a ride and being as safe as possible, is one of those things we all manipulate on occasions (yes even police riders, you should see some of them off duty on their bikes), and I have been known to take the odd chance or two, but I always try to weight the odds in my favor or give myself that little extra margin. I don't (unlike in my youth) have any "banzai" rides or get pressured into overextending my skills on the bike.

I do enjoy "pushing it" to my limits at times (track days spring to mind), but as I get older this is becoming more infrequent.

Just another quick thought,
you get faster with experience, not just a throttle!


Cheers Mark.