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Jan 5, 2024


Motorcycle safety isn't just putting on a helmet and leather jacket.  It's much more than that!  You the Motorcycle driver must take an offensive position if you wish to avoid accident, injury or often death while riding your bike.  Please accept Streetglo's invitation to research all the safety information available on this site.  Here are stories that may have the information necessary to help you save your life.  I know that for myself,  The story that saved me was to memorize push right hard to turn right hard.   In a panic your brain goes all out of control for a moment, and this can be deadly.  In my case, I did a right turn onto a busy highway but the bike was crossing over into the double yellow lines and straight into a huge Ford commercial welding truck.  Had I hit it, you wouldn't be reading anything.   In a panic, and without thinking I pushed hard right and the bike dug deep into a right turn and pulled my wheels back onto my side.  I missed the body of that truck by maybe a foot.  I heard it wiz past my left ear it was so close.   Read these stories!  They may save your life!

Bill Aggie, Streetglo


 
How Was Harry Hurt?

by Robert Vaughan
Perhaps the most renowned study of motorcycle accident causes and countermeasures was done for the University of Southern California by researcher Harry Hurt. He investigated 900 motorcycle accidents and analyzed another 3600 motorcycle traffic accident reports. The Motorcycle Safety Courses developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation are designed largely to build the skills that the Hurt Study found to be missing in the accident-involved rider. Looking at just a few of the Hurt findings allows us to see the essential things we can do to avoid an accident.

Who hits us? Most accidents involve a car violating our right-of-way. Most frequently, the car turns left in front of the motorcycle.

Where do we get hit? Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with the car not only violating our right-of-way, but often traffic controls as well. Most accidents are on short trips such as shopping, errands, visiting friends, entertainment or recreation. Most accidents happen close to the trip origin. More than three-fourths of the hazards are within 45° of straight ahead.

Why do we get hit? The main reason is that the driver of the other vehicle does not see us in time to avoid the collision. Alcohol is involved in almost half of the fatal accidents. Most motorcyclists are smart enough to separate riding and drinking. Unfortunately, too many car drivers on the road are more mentally challenged.

Why aren't we seen? Conspicuity of the motorcycle is the most critical factor. Conspicuity is most critical from the front.
 
Conspicuity

by Robert Vaughan

Conspicuity means more than just making yourself seen--it means making yourself easy to recognize. Placing a strobe on your helmet will make you visible at night, but it certainly doesn't make you recognizable. Seeing the two headlights of an oncoming truck doesn't help if you think it is two motorcycles and try to go between them. Even if you could make yourself look the size of a tractor trailer truck, it wouldn't be enough. Several studies have proven that reflective markings make even trailers safer.

To be conspicuous, an object must be recognized without confusion or ambiguity. Every second counts in avoiding a crash. A few tenths of a second spent deciding the meaning of what is seen can mean the difference between a close call and a hospital call.

Drivers go through four stages in responding to an object they see:

They detect it.

They identify it.

They make a decision to react.

They act.

Good conspicuity acts to shorten the reaction time in the first three stages.

White reflects five times more light than red but red means danger. It says stop. Red and white are used for stop signs and railroad crossings. Red also appears brighter to the human eye than it really is.

Drivers are used to interpreting these colors as something to avoid. Using the same colors at night on retroreflective tape on helmets or vests when riding a motorcycle will undoubtedly reduce our chances of being hit by making us both visible and recognizable as a motorcycle.

 

 
Failing Grade

by Collen Campbell
There's an old riddle that goes "Railroad crossing, look out for cars. Can you spell that without any Rs?" It's funny to see how people try to spell the whole sentence without using the letter R. When it comes to railroad crossings though, it's no laughing matter. Texas has the largest number of rails in the nation, which means it also has the most railroad crossings. Unfortunately, it also means that the state has the dubious distinction of having more deaths due to trains colliding with road vehicles (cars, etc.) than any other state. The kicker is, none of these deaths had to occur. So, why did they?

The primary reason is the misjudging of a train's speed. A train that appears to be stopped could easily be traveling at 30 to 70 mph. That gives the operator of a motor vehicle the false sense that he can get across the tracks before the train does. If the operator is lucky, he'll make it. If not, the consequences are devastating. A motor vehicle, whether it is a motorcycle, a car, or a tractor-trailer never stands a chance against a 60-ton locomotive. To make matters worse, a train traveling at 70 mph may take up to one mile before it comes to a complete stop once the emergency brake is applied.

So why do these people take such a big chance? In our hurry up and get there world, we tend to through caution to the wind. No one wants to wait for a 90-car train to go by, it takes too long. So we go around crossing gates that are warning us to stay put. Instead of waiting only 2-5 minutes for the train to pass, we risk are lives. Wait! Did you read that right? Only 2-5 minutes? That is the average time it takes for a train to clear a crossing. Is that really worth losing your life over?

Here's another factor involved in some of these fatalities. Just as the vehicle is starting to cross the tracks, it stalls out. Now, the vehicle and the operator are sitting ducks for the oncoming train. "Oh" you say to yourself, "but I ride a motorcycle and I can push it off the tracks". If you're lucky, maybe you can, but do you really want to bet your life on it? What if the tires get stuck in the rail groves? What if it has fallen over? What if the bike is loaded to maximum weight capacity? What if the train is moving faster than you thought it was?

How often have you seen, or perhaps done it yourself, a vehicle stopped on the tracks at a right light? There may not have been a train in sight when the operator stopped the vehicle there. The gamble here is that the light will change before a train ever shows up. It's a bad bet. The vehicle ahead could have mechanical problems. The traffic light could malfunction and fail to turn green. The may have been an accident at that intersection causing traffic in all direction to come to a complete stop. So that bet that the light would change before a train came, well take a look down the tracks now. See that white light? If that's you on those tracks, you gambled and you lost.

Why take the chance? Nobody wins when a train and a motor vehicle cross paths. Ask any train engineer. They'll tell you their biggest fear is seeing a vehicle either sitting on the tracks, trying to go around the crossing gates, or just totally disregarding the warning signals. And yes, they know if the signals are working or not.

There's one other thing to consider. Stopping on the tracks, as well as disregarding the warning signals is illegal. So, if you don't end up paying with your life, you may end up paying out of your wallet.

Treat trains with the respect they are due. Trains were here long before automobiles and motorcycles. Remember, the train always has the right-of-way. It is, after all, much bigger than you or your motorcycle.

 

 
Say What You Mean

by Jackie Vaughan
Sometimes our words and our actions are in direct contradiction to each other. This is especially true in many of the ways we ride.

When we fail to wear our helmets in parking lots, we're saying it's only possible to have an accident or a fall on the highway, probably at high speeds. Yet, parking lots are some of the most dangerous places we ride. They're often crowded, with limited visibility and uneven surfaces. The people in them are usually in a hurry and certainly not looking for motorcycles.

When we fail to put on full protective gear, we're telling ourselves and our co-riders we are so good we can't possibly have an accident, and all the other drivers out there are excellent, skillful, and always alert, too.

When we encourage our co-riders to wear shorts, sandals, and sleeveless shirts, we may speak the words, "I love you," but the unspoken message is "I don't care if a large area of your skin is scraped off and you must have endless plastic surgeries and are covered with deep, ugly scars." We may also be saying, "I don't care if you sunburn so badly your legs, arms, chest and back are covered with huge watery blisters."

When we wear clothing made of synthetic materials, we are saying we're tough enough not to cry when that melted material is peeled out of our road rash.

When we ride at excessive speeds, we may be convinced we're able to handle them. What we're not reminding ourselves is that we've used up our margin for error and the unexpected can happen at any moment.

When we do something we know to be dangerous "just this once" we're saying "it can't happen to me."

Do you believe that?

 
 
Stop the Machine!

by Robert Vaughan
Screeeeeeeeech!

Beeeeeeeeeeeep!

"Did you see that car? He came from behind that 18-wheeler and ran the red. I almost hit him."

Has this ever happened to you? Ever wonder just how fast you can stop your bike?

With a few good techniques and a little practice the answer is a lot faster than you think. The two main techniques are squeezing the front brake rapidly instead of grabbing it, and taking advantage of the weight shift to use even more front brake. The practice takes just a few minutes in a parking lot about three times a year.

As you start braking, about half your weight is on each wheel. If you apply both brakes hard without grabbing the front brake, your weight will shift forward and you can squeeze the front brake even harder, while you let up a little on the rear. It takes only about half a second for your weight to shift so you can add more front brake. It is because of this weight change that about 70% of your braking power is on the front. When all the extra weight shifts forward, the front tire gets harder to lock, while the rear gets easier to lock.

If you ever lock the front tire, release the front brake and come right back down on it. This is exactly the opposite of what you want to do with the rear if it locks. You can release a locked rear if you're perfectly straight, but if you've turned sideways and you unlock the rear wheel, you can do a highside--not something you do for fun!

A parking lot is the perfect place to practice-an empty parking lot that is. No need to terrorize the populace while they're trying to use the lot. Start out at 10-15 miles per hour. The techniques are the same for any speed, but you don't need as much room to practice in if your speed is lower.

When you go back to the streets, you need to add only one more technique--looking out for the other guy. If you're braking hard, this means checking your mirrors before you start to make sure you're not being tailgated. If you're in a situation where you might have to brake suddenly, cover both brakes to cut your reaction time to about half. This shaves a few feet off what by now is your already- impressive stopping distance.

Rain can affect your stopping distance more than it affects your technique. You can't stop as quickly in the rain. Because you can't brake as hard, not as much of your weight shifts forward. That means braking less hard overall and using a smaller percentage of front brake. Otherwise, techniques are the same.

Having some jerk with the brains of a carburetor pull out in front of you while you're turning around in a parking lot adds another factor--stopping in a curve. When this happens, straighten the handlebars and the bike. Then stop. Don't try to mix the two.

These few techniques and a little practice should get your stopping off to a good start.

 
 
"Rain" is a four-letter Word

by Robert Vaughan
One word that can raise the hackles on the neck of any rider is "rain." Though no one goes out riding just because it's raining, you do get stuck in the rain at times. What can you do to improve your riding in the rain?

The first things you can do are done well ahead of the first few drops of rain. Much as you hate to think about it, selecting and purchasing a rainsuit is something that must be done. A rainsuit should serve two purposes. First, it should keep you dry. Second, and equally important, it should increase your visibility. When your evasive maneuverability is reduced by lack of traction, you want to be sure other drivers see you.

Maintaining all your lights also helps you to be seen in the rain. Of course, you keep your lights clean, but have you checked all your lights lately to see if any have burned out? Do you carry any spares with you? Next time you take your bike in for service, why not restock any spare bulbs you might be missing? You should stock spare fuses as well.

The other important part that needs maintaining ahead of time is your tires. Have you looked at them lately? If any of the wear bands are showing, it's time to replace the tire. One of the major causes of hydroplaning is worn tires. It's too late to check them after the rain starts falling. The sole purpose of the tread design on a tire is to carry off the water, but it can't do its job if you don't allow it enough tread depth to work with.

Hydroplaning occurs when the tires are not in full contact with the road. They ride on a thin layer of water, and sometimes oil, on the road. Hydroplaning occurs frequently in light mist or drizzle. Proper tread depth and tire pressures, slowing down, and riding in the tracks of other vehicles all help reduce the chance of hydroplaning. The cessation of a slushing sound, or any decrease in steering or braking may indicate hydroplaning. If this happens, slow down without braking and avoid any sudden moves.

Plan alternate routes in case of rain. Scenic, twisty asphalt roads are a lot of fun when it's dry. When the rain starts to pour, the scenery turns gray, the turns aren't nearly as much fun, and the asphalt doesn't provide the traction you really need. It's time to look for an alternate route along a duller, but straighter, concrete road.

Once it starts raining, there are still things you can do to increase your safety, if not your comfort. Pull off the road as soon as you find a place to get out of the rain. This gives you a dry place to put on your high-visibility rainsuit, and more important, it puts you off the road during the most dangerous first fifteen minutes of rain. When the water first enters the pores of the road, it forces up the oil that has been collecting there. A few more minutes of rain will wash this oil off the road.

Though the main danger of rain is hydroplaning, increasing your following distance, taking curves more slowly, and increasing your scanning distance all help your rain riding.

Riding in the rain may never be pleasant, but it can be safer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright © 1996 by Robert Vaughan.
This article may be used if I'm given credit and a copy of the publication.
 
 
 


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