As the warm weather arrives, so does the chance to take out the
motorbike and enjoy the Cheshire countryside. Have fun but
keep alert, stick to the speed
limit, and come home safe.
Motorcycling is an increasingly popular form of transport.
However, motorcyclists are also one of the most vulnerable road
users. Despite forming only 1% of road traffic, motorcyclists
account for 20% (one in five) of road
deaths and serious injuries.
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Ride safe
Advice from the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Riding a motorbike safely requires both skill and judgement.
These are the reasons that many of us ride bikes. The successful
use of these abilities makes us feel good and we are keen to be the
best.
According to an in depth study, the 5 most
common motorcycle crashes are:
- failure to negotiate left hand bend on country A road
- failure to negotiate right hand bend on country A road
- collision at junctions
- collision while overtaking
- loss of control.
Bends on Country Roads
Most of us do our training on town not country roads. Country
roads are different so we need to apply our skills, knowledge and
ability in a different way. Some bends on country roads are smooth
and even, opening up once you are into them. Others tighten up
dramatically. If you have gone into a bend at too high a
speed you will find yourself with a major
problem. If the road gives you clues on how it bends then
use them. You may see:
- the line of trees
- the path of telegraph poles
- hedges at the side of the road copying the path of the
road.
Take care and remember to have something in reserve in case
things are not as they appear. If in any doubt, lose more
speed before the bend so you have greater room for
manoeuvring.
Collisions at Junctions
These can be down to a driver failing to
give way or stop and fall into the category of
"sorry mate, I didn’t see you". Many of them happen at
T-junctions but can happen at other junctions.
Some road users are desperate to take any opportunity to join the
flow of traffic.
They may not spot your bike in the traffic even
though you think you are easy to see. There is research showing
that drivers have difficulty judging the speed of a bike and
underestimate the bike's time of arrival.
Always remember that if there is a collision between a car and
your bike, you and the bike will come off worst whoever is at
fault.
Consider how you would deal with the
vehicle unexpectedly pulling out in front of
you.
Collisions while Overtaking
Overtaking not only requires the skill to judge speed and
distance, but a good knowledge of your bike's acceleration. With a
bike you are not used to riding, take time to learn how it reacts
to acceleration and braking in different gears, before doing any
overtaking.
Don’t overtake when approaching:
- bends
- junctions
- lay-bys
- pedestrian crossings
- hills or dips in the road
- where there are double white lines or other signs prohibiting
overtaking.
There could be a high speed vehicle
coming the other way, hidden from view. To overtake safely
you need a view of everything going on around you and none of us
have x-ray vision.
You have no idea how a driver or rider will react when they see
you overtaking them.
You can’t assume they will slow down to let you in. They may do
the opposite.
If you are filtering past stationary or slow moving traffic, do
it with care. The closely packed vehicles reduce your visibility,
manoeuvrability and reaction time to a minimum. A lot of drivers
will not know that you are there and may move across in front of
you or open a door.
If you are riding with others, plan everything for yourself.
Snap overtaking decisions are dangerous.
Loss of Control
The two main reasons for loss of control collisions are shunts
and road surface conditions.
Shunts
These are usually down to riding too close to
the vehicle in front, or the vehicle behind you being too close. To
protect yourself:
- leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front
- be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear
- if the vehicle behind is too close give yourself more room in
front.
Road Surface Conditions
Part of the challenge of using a motorbike is
adjusting our riding to deal with different road
conditions. There are all sorts of conditions we need to have the
skills to deal with but some examples that can lead to loss of
control of the bike are:
- poor weather conditions
- diesel spills
- mud
- manhole covers
- painted road markings.
Look out for these and for road signs warning you of hazards
ahead. Even new road surfaces can be slippery in certain
conditions. There may be other clues to the presence of some
hazards.
For example, where there are lorries there may be diesel spills,
where there are building sites, or farm and field entrances there
may be mud.
Make sure your tyres are in good
condition and at the correct pressure;
your life is dependent on two small patches of rubber.
Allow yourself the time and space to see what is ahead of you
and take avoiding action.
The safest response will depend on the circumstances around the
hazard such as road conditions, weather, the limitations of your
bike, and your skill as a rider.