....................- Advanced Riding Tips -

Tip #1 - Mental Skills ....... Tip #2 - Braking ..... Tip #3 - Speed & Time Restraints ..... Tip #4 - Escape Route

Tip #5 - Mood ....... Tip #6 - Roads ..... Tip #7 - Have a Plan-Intersection ..... Tip #8 - Stop Lights-Intersection

Advanced Riding Tip #1 - Mental Skills

. . . When riding, you not only need to be aware of your actions and the actions of those around you, but also your state of mind and that of those around you.
It’s easy to become distracted or lost in thought while riding, especially on a routine ride, such as to or from work. Many times, your mind is either back at work thinking about what you did, or your mind is home already wondering what you will have for dinner. On longer rides, it’s also easy to let your mind wander and lapse into a comfortable state of being, unaware of your surroundings.
The afternoon rush hour is the worst time—a large number of crashes occur during the period between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Switching from work mode to home mode leaves a period in between where you are neither here nor there. How many times have you been halfway home from work, and not even realized how you got there? (Remember, too, that the other road users are probably in the same frame of mind!)
It is your job, to help ensure your safety, to monitor yourself and immediately recognize when you have stopped concentrating on riding and started thinking about something else. When you’re on the bike, ride the bike. If you can’t concentrate on the road, you need to park the bike and ride the bus.

Advanced Riding Tip #2 - Braking

. . . While the majority of hazards come at you from the 11:00 to 1:00 range, rear-end crashes are still possible, especially at stops. Dividing your attention between oncoming traffic and following traffic is a lot of work and inevitably involves compromise. You’re almost always better off focusing on what’s in front of you.
That said, keep this in mind: as you begin braking (such as for a stoplight), you can afford to pay slightly more attention to the vehicles behind you than you could during normal riding. The reason for this is because identifying and reacting to hazards takes time. Because you’ve reacted to the stoplight and began the braking maneuver, you have removed about a one-half to one second of reaction time to hazards that might appear from the front. (A half second at 60 mph equates to 44 feet!) Because you’ve partially dealt with any hazard from the front, it frees up your attention somewhat to focus more on the rear at the exact time you need it: when coming to a stop.

When you begin braking, check carefully behind you for traffic that may not stop.

Advanced Riding Tip #3 - Speed and Time Restraints

. . . Speed plays a large role in motorcycle crashes. Higher speeds usually mean more dramatic crashes and higher injury severity and fatality rates. Lower speeds are associated with lower injury severity and “fender benders.”

Freeways tend to have fewer crashes but more fatalities than urban streets. Controlled-access freeways are relatively predictable. Urban streets tend to have more crashes and fewer fatalities. Urban streets and intersections tend to be relatively unpredictable.

When deciding what route to take, consider the different risks involved with the roads you select. A freeway will get you there faster and with more predictability, but in the event of a crash you are more likely to be injured or killed. Smaller roads take longer and are less predictable, but the outcome of a crash is likely to be less severe.

Consider your time constraints, and take the “side roads” whenever you can. You’ll find less congestion, the slower speeds are somewhat safer, and the better scenery and friendlier people make for a much more enjoyable ride, especially on longer trips across the country. It might be a little more work because it’s less predictable, but taking the back roads and actively searching out hazards helps keep you alert and builds your mental strategy every time you use it.

Advanced Riding Tip #4 - Escape Route

... When you see something that puzzles you, you need to instinctively slow down until you know for sure what is going on. Do it, even if you think you don't need to. (Something like 40% of the fatalities in the Hurt Report were riders who made no defensive move at all. Complacency.) Do it automatically. Program yourself. You have to recognize that your mind is distracted, working on something that isn't about riding, and you need to adapt to it so as not to put yourself into a bad situation.

In an emergency, an "escape route" need only be slightly wider than the total width of bike and rider, but don’t put yourself in greater jeopardy by trying to squeeze between moving vehicles. Either driver could end your day in disaster with a simple reflex action. You must be able to gauge the speed of other vehicles and the amount of time available before a collision could occur. Ideally, your riding strategy will keep you out of these "emergency" situations, but you should always have an escape route ready as a backup.

Advanced Riding Tip #5 - Mood

. . . Be aware of your mood. It can severely affect your attention.

If you’re angry about something, the aftereffects of your mind racing and your blood pounding could affect your riding and attention span. Likewise, if you’re upset about something, your level of attention will be lower. The same goes for being happy, excited, depressed, or rowdy.

Pay close attention to your own mood and avoid riding when anything can interfere with your concentration. Take time to settle down and focus on the task at hand, or find another way to get where you want to go.

Advanced Riding Tip #6 - Roads

. . . Remember that if a surface is paved, it is a good surface for you to use in an emergency. Too many riders fall into the trap of trying to execute evasive maneuvers within their own lane. They are unconsciously afraid to “cross the line” because they’ve spent years staying between the lines.

If the shoulder is paved, it won’t be as good a surface as the road, but it is a better surface than gravel or grass and there to be used in an emergency. If the oncoming lane (and shoulder) is clear and traffic permits you to use it safely, that’s another whole lane for you to work with to avoid a collision.

The lines on the road are there for guidance. Don’t be afraid to cross them in an emergency to avoid a crash. Remember, they design the roads that wide for a reason.

Advanced Riding Tip #7 - Have a Plan-Intersections

. . . Have a plan while approaching an intersection where another vehicle is waiting to turn or cross. Talk yourself through it.

While approaching the intersection, talk to yourself: “Stop. Stop. Stop….” If the vehicle begins to pull out, your plan is to stop short of it. Make sure you know your braking abilities and that you have room to do so.

As you get too close to the vehicle to stop or swerve in time, slow down and continue the “Stop. Stop. Stop….” Slowing down allows you more time and space to stop.

When you get to the point of no return (the point at which you can no longer stop in time), talk to yourself: “Swerve. Swerve. Swerve….” Plan on swerving when you are at the point when the motorist could pull out, but you have only the space and time to swerve around them.

Once you have reached a point where you can neither stop nor swerve, talk to yourself: “Go. Go. Go….” Accelerate out of reach of the turning vehicle. You do this when you are so close that you can accelerate faster than they can pull out.

Having a definite plan in mind—having your plan literally on your lips—will save you time when you have to make a split-second critical decision if the other vehicle pulls out.

Advanced Riding Tip #8 - Stop Lights-Intersection

. . . One of the worst situations for a rider when approaching a light where oncoming cars are waiting to turn left in front of you and traffic behind you is heavy and moving fast—and the light turns yellow. Suddenly, you have two imminent hazards: the cars in front of you trying to clear the intersection and those behind you trying to run the yellow light.

There is no good way to deal with this. If you speed up, you’re putting yourself at more risk with the oncoming vehicles. If you slow suddenly, you are putting yourself at more risk with the vehicles coming up behind you.

Generally, you are safer stopping for the yellow and taking your chances with the cars behind you. But which type of crash is more likely if you do that? Probably a rear-end crash.

One way to minimize your risks in this situation is to maintain speed, cover your brakes, and use your rear brake lightly (enough to flash the brake light but not enough to begin slowing) to communicate to those behind you an intention to stop for the light, but with the ACTUAL intention of proceeding through the yellow light. By flashing your brake light, you are warning those behind you that you plan to stop, but by maintaining speed, you are communicating to those in front of you your intention is to clear the intersection. It’s still a dangerous situation, but one in which you use communication to reduce your risks slightly.

Special Thanks to the Motorcycle Safety Center of MN. for providing the above information. For more information, please visit www.motorcyclesafety.org

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