11/02/2011
From MSF:
Preventing Single-Vehicle and Two-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes
Most single-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur when a motorcyclist runs off the road in a curve. Most two-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur when a car driver violates the motorcyclist’s right-of-way, usually in an intersection.
Therefore, we’ll boil it down to two over-arching pieces of advice, above and beyond the great strategies you may already be using:
1.To avoid solo crashes, focus on the task at hand and don’t speed in curves. No further explanation should be necessary.
2.To avoid being hit by a car, pretend you’re invisible the moment you leave your driveway. This puts you in a hyper-aware frame of mind in which you take responsibility for avoiding even the most distracted, careless driver. Even good drivers will sometimes miss seeing a motorcyclist approaching them at an intersection, because drivers only see what they expect to see: cars and trucks, not narrow motorcycles that often blend into a visually “busy” background. As an “invisible” road user, you’ll make your own mental map of your immediate surroundings and know what all the other vehicles are doing. In heavy traffic, you’ll be ever-ready to swerve or brake; you’ll cover your front brake lever to shorten your reaction time when the oblivious driver inevitably tries to occupy your space. At a stoplight, you’ll stay in first gear, check your mirrors frequently, and be ready to move out if you notice that the car approaching from behind doesn’t appear to be stopping. Though the task may seem overwhelming, it becomes second-nature with practice.