Perception Skills

I have driven motor cars for more than ten years and recently got my motorcycle licence. The experience of driving a car has over this short time of riding a bike has saved my life on many occasions. Specifically because I can anticipate car driver error from my own car driving habits, and have an understanding of blind spots I'm able to think like a car driver.

One such example is that when driving down quiet streets, I have a habit of slowing down at crossroads to give myself extra braking distance for other drivers who fail to stop at stop signs. I have brought this habit to riding a bike as well. The advantage on a bike is that you can see the crossroads and down side streets from your bike position better than car drivers.

I have seen many cars before they have seen me on my bike, and because of my slowing down habit on approach, have avoided collisions when vehicles have failed to stop or stop completely at the side street stop sign to give way to traffic...me! Think like a driver and anticipate their errors.

Often accidents between motorcycles and other vehicles are the result of the other driver simply not seeing the motorcyclist. Usually the comment "he came out of nowhere" is heard. However we do come from somewhere and it may have been from beyond that driver's line of sight.

To minimise risk I always ask myself: Am I within the other driver's line of sight?

When approaching intersections I look for the vehicle which is the greatest threat to myself. This will be the vehicle which is able to enter the intersection into my path.

I think of his position and what would or could obstruct his view of myself. A common obstruction is vehicles in front of you, particularly if they are executing a turn. To counter this, decrease your speed to create a much larger gap between yourself and the vehicle in front. This will keep the other driver's line of sight clearer. If you follow too closely you will be hidden from other vehicles' lines of sight by the vehicle you’re effectively tailgating. If other vehicles enter the intersection you will have very little time to react.

Another common obstruction is parked cars. Another vehicle waiting to enter an intersection may have their view impaired by parked cars, which you are hidden behind. Because motorcyclists only make up a small percentage of road users, other drivers will most likely be watching out for another car or truck (usually drivers look for something similar in size or bigger than their own vehicle).

So never assume that this vehicle will have seen you as motorcyclists are not as easily seen. Once again reduce speed on approaching the intersection and change your road position to either the left hand wheel track or the right hand wheel track (whichever is furthest away from the parked cars) this will position you better within the driver's line of sight and can prevent the other vehicle from entering the intersection into your path.

Those are just a couple of examples. The important thing to remember is to always ask yourself while riding: am I within other drivers' lines of sight? It will open your eyes to a number of risk factors that you may not have otherwise been conscious of. Happy Riding Everyone.

The idea that your motorcycle will go where you're looking is merely a shorthand way of thinking about a phenomenon that virtually all drivers (of any kind of vehicle) have experienced before: that if you turn your head you tend to steer in the direction you're looking.

In fact, it might be clearer to simply acknowledge that it is hard to steer in any direction other than the one you are looking at. All of your prior experience has taught you how to steer your vehicle where you want it to go. So, if you look where you want to go, you kick in all that prior experience and automatically steer in that direction.

There is no magic here nor is there a hidden law of physics involved. Your bike (or automobile) tends to go in the direction you are looking because, via experience, you have taught yourself to steer, more or less subconsciously.

To take advantage of that phenomenon you merely need to actively look in the direction you want to go - away from danger. The rest is virtually subconscious reaction. Of course it takes more than a turn of your eyes or even your head. You still need to steer away from danger. Since it is hard to steer away from what you're looking at, and easy (almost automatic) to steer in the direction you are looking, surely it makes sense to look where you want to go.

All riders feel the urge to go fast at one stage or another and some may have the skills to go fast but no one has the ability to see around the corner or control another driver actions.

So beware: it will hurt you a lot more than them!

My tip is very simple and applies to all people using the road. If you have time to hesitate about doing something then you don't have enough time to do it.

We have all been in that position where we think "can I...". If you have to make a call like that, then you already know it's going to be close. So don't do it.

Watch out for tar seals over road cracks in the wet. These tar seals look like shiny black snakes and some roads are littered with them.

In the wet these tar seals are extremely slippery, and even on a straight road can cause your bike to slide all over the place.

The only solution is to slow down and try and miss as many as possible by gently weaving between them - they are so slippery in the wet.

I had an interesting experience while out on a recent ride. Travelling along a road with no traffic, the only thing happening ahead was a man with a lawn mower cutting his nature strip. As I passed him a rock was thrown out and hit me right in the goggles.

This highlights two things, the importance of safety gear, and the fact that something so mundane can still be a threat to a motorcycle rider.

stay safe, David.

Drive like a CAT -
C - Concentration
A - Anticipation
T - Toleration

I believe this to be the key to safe riding/driving encapsulated in an easy to remember acronym.

CONCENTRATION means keeping your mind wholly on the riding/driving activity, vehicle attitude, road conditions, other vehicle behaviour, etc.

ANTICIPATION means being alert for the effects of such as gravel on the road, a stick lying on the road, the possibility of a truck coming around a blind corner, etc.

TOLERATION means being calm in the face of aggressive behaviour by other road users.

Scanning in front
Look way down the road rather than just immediately in front of your front, keep scanning around oncoming vehicles and always assume everybody in a vehicle is going to do the wrong thing.

Riding motorcycles in urban environments is hazardous to all riders, but particularly for first time motorcycle riders. Beginner motorcycle riders will often watch and copy the behaviour of other more experienced riders; however this is not always a wise thing to do.

In my view, the KEY to safe riding for all motorcyclists is to set your own riding safety boundaries, and to stick to them. Riding safety boundaries are safe riding rules/limitations that we set for ourselves, that will enable us to stay alive when riding motorcycles. All motorcycle riders have different riding skill levels. Be aware of your riding abilities and comfort zones, and integrate them with your riding safety boundaries.

Example 1. When riding at higher speeds in heavy traffic on freeways, I prefer to keep to one lane rather than moving in and out of lanes. Sure, it is always tempting to follow other motorcycle riders who may be more aggressively riding through the traffic. However, by sticking to my riding safety boundary/rules, I feel safer and it helps me to minimize the risk of placing myself in potentially dangerous situations.

Example 2. When moving between lanes in stationary traffic, ride at a speed that you are comfortable with, and that will enable you stop your motorcycle should a vehicle pull out in front of you. There are times when you may be running late. Don't be tempted to exceed the speed that you have determined that is within your riding safety boundary, even if other motorcycle riders may be doing so.

Example 3. When riding on freeways and other vehicles pass you, it is sometimes tempting to speed up or even pass the vehicles. OK, your bike is capable of going much faster than the other vehicles, but is speeding a safe thing to do? Remind yourself of your riding safety boundary, it will keep you alive.

By adopting your own motorcycle riding safety boundaries and sticking to them, you stand a much better chance of avoiding accidents and staying alive.

[Ed's note: Lane splitting is only legal when traffic is stationary, as described in Example 2. Another thought on speed... The faster you go, the harder it is to stop and the harder you hit.]

Another important part of riding is to practise your braking. Test your bike out to see what it will do on different surfaces and in different weather conditions.

Make sure the road (or track) is clear then apply your brakes, trying harder each time until you know what the bike will do.

Practise this most important part of riding and one day it may save your life, as it has done mine.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Nicole, I'm 24 and have rev-head syndrome. I never used to have an interest in motobikes until I was dinked on an R1 and immediately had to go and get my motorcycle learners. I've been riding for three years now and in that time I have improved my riding skills and also learned of additional hazards on the road, for example these new wire barriers (I feel I've already lost votes on this article).

[Ed's note: See, no editing!]

I normally wouldn't waste my time writing to a web site expressing myself however I had to say that it was an excellent idea to send out the Save Your Skin information. In the time that I've been riding this is the first time I've seen anything to remind motorcyclists to play safe.

There were good pointers mentioned which I also noticed the few simple things every motorcyclist should have learned getting their learners unless they have no respect for themselves on the road or no common sense.

Last year I did an intermediate riders' course with Honda where most of the exercises where not that much different to those I learned at Motorcycle Motion when I got my licence. I was surprised that only half the class managed to practise the exercises successfully which also made me wonder how most of them passed the riding test. I then went on to do the advanced course.

This year I went to Motorcycling Australia and got my race licence so I could passenger on a sidecar and I also drag race my bike at Heathcote. Each bike, helmet and protective gear is scrutinised for safety before anyone can go on the track. And yet there are may be more hazards on a 60km/h zoned road than there are on a track doing 200km/h plus.

I have hit the hard abrasive surface at 60km/h which took the skin off my left knee, I lost concentration by giving myself a guilt trip when my pedantic, paranoid mother came looking for me. Although she was worried about me I was more concerned for my motorbike. Before I left for that ride my grandmother told me I should put my leather pants on, but no.

I learned my lesson....never to ride around my obsessively caring family again! Okay, on a serious note, put on your cow even if it's 45 degrees C.

I understand the urge to go fast but you can lose your licence, pay fines and possibly go too quickly to be able to react to unexpected obstacles because you want to go so fast you can see through time to do nothing more than create your last time. Why do people do monos and other stunts on the road, to impress people so they can say "he was doing well until...impressive, never seen it happen like that before!"

Come on guys, get real, keep your license and your head, and spend your money on events where you can go and do these things where it is supervised with medical assistance instead of wasting yourself or your cash on fines.

There are refresher courses to refine your skills, ride days at different tracks, and I've heard a rumour that a stunt school will be opening. You can even tune in to 97.1FM on Mondays between 4 and 7pm and listen to Revheads Review for tips, events and interviews.

Use your head and enjoy safe riding or just hope you don't lose it and have to wait who knows how long for medical assistance (possibly becoming too late for it anyway) to scrape your remains off the road! It's a harsh reality!

There are no minor bike accidents. You always hit the ground.

Never trust any other person on the road.

Pretend that other people have not recognised that you are there and always analyse what different manouevres that person could do, to endanger you.

Remember: a smart rider is a safe rider.