Situational awareness

[Mom]

This topic came up in another thread, but I thought it deserved a thread of its own.

Situational awareness is your safety. I see it all the time, or to be really honest, I see lack of it all the time. This lack is more prevalent to car drivers in my experience, but to be fair it is a non learned skill for many road users.

I am not a "fast" rider. I enjoy being out and about on my bike. I ride with a seriously mixed bunch of riders from time to time. Some cruise along, some fair fang it, some simply pootle, and some, heaven help them are an absolute danger to all road users they ride so slowly. So...

I am riding along, at my own pace having a blast. I am with a group of bikers that can, and sometimes do ride a shit load faster than I want to. I leave first, it suits me. I know they are around, so I am constantly scanning for them, I see them approach, and watch them pass. Easy as.

Interestingly though, I dont just use these awareness skills on group rides, I use them all the time.

The only time I have ever been surprised by a bike overtaking me was as a pillion. Pillions dont have mirrors.

[fireball]

was up your way yesterday coming through the dome and ill tell you what i watched as 2 bikes almost got taken out by crazy double yellow passing cage driver that got abused by me as he passed....:angry::2guns:

another reminder to keep on your toes i guess hope its not crazy when i head north again on friday.... i want to live lol

[Mom]

was up your way yesterday coming through the dome and ill tell you what i watched as 2 bikes almost got taken out by crazy double yellow passing cage driver that got abused by me as he passed....:angry::2guns:

another reminder to keep on your toes i guess hope its not crazy when i head north again on friday.... i want to live lol


That Dome Valley road is the most revolting bit of tarmac. I have driven/ridden it for the last 30 years and never come to grief. So much money has been spent on "safety improvements" over the years and still it claims life after life.

They are just installing northbound overtaking lanes in there, ending at a blind left hand corner. Now I have money that says as soon as that "improvement" is completed there will be another life or lives lost there. This is 80kpm area that is heavily policed, makes no difference, people drive/ride like idiots in there. For a local, it is easy to pick the places things go wrong there. In a stretch of about 8 kms there are 3 helicopter landing points, you think that would tell something eh?

Be aware in there at all times, if it is not the road, the deisel spills, the off camber corners that change shape halfway through them, it will be other road users hell bent on killing you. Travel safe eh?

PS: give me a ring next time you are coming through, stop in for a coffee or something.

[Little Miss Trouble]

was up your way yesterday coming through the dome and ill tell you what i watched as 2 bikes almost got taken out by crazy double yellow passing cage driver that got abused by me as he passed....:angry::2guns:


What time were you going through? I went through around 3:30, lol tucked in behind a police car doing 130k/h the whole way

[Swoop]

Quite right Mom. SA is a vital skill that has to be learnt and constantly practiced.

If you find that you are riding along and you are not concentrating or perhaps simply looking just at the road ahead of you (a fixed distance ahead, perhaps) stop and have a break. Wake your brain up.

Also, listen to that "little voice" inside...


"Let's be careful out there".

[Hans]

Agreed. Situational awareness is one of the two most important skills we use two stay alive. The other one has to be the ability to predict the actions of other road users, also known as the Bastards that are trying to kill us all. This second skill has to be learnt over time, and is probably thd biggest part of the "experienced" in an experienced rider. Sorry for the horrible syntax, i'm trying to make sense with a hangover.

[Gareth51]

I'm with you on that one Mom,gotta know whats going on around you at all times expressly on two wheels

[GaZBur]

...Situational awareness is your safety. I see it all the time, or to be really honest, I see lack of it all the time. This lack is more prevalent to car drivers in my experience, but to be fair it is a non learned skill for many road users.....

This is a critical life skill not just motorcycling.
In boats, on the mountain not monitoring all that goes on around you can be lethal. Even with walking the street and social situations, if you don't like the feel of a situation get out of it even if you are unsure why, as your subconsious is trying to warn you of something. I havent liked the feel of situations a couple of times for some reason and left to find out later there was violence/accident/mayhem shortly after I left.
Always know what and who are behind you, who is approching the same intersection as you, what is going on on the road ahead etc etc.
Help keep youself safe - always keep monitoring your situation like Mom says.

[fireball]

What time were you going through? I went through around 3:30, lol tucked in behind a police car doing 130k/h the whole way

i went through about 230 3ish i think just as the weather started to think about raining....

and Mom it would help if i had your number.... i know where you live though :whistle:

[Maha]

What time were you going through? I went through around 3:30, lol tucked in behind a police car doing 130k/h the whole way

Not quite true really is it?
Unless said police car was onto something it wouldn't be doing that kind of speed, and for someone who has just been handed a speeding ticket, doing (50 over the posted limit at times around here) that wouldn't be the most intelligent decision you have made this year?

80 kmph is the posted speed limit in the Dome valley, rated in the top 10 black spots in NZ.

[Swoop]

Just having a read of the "most interesting posts' thread..." and I can see where this came from. The best part was one of the KB "intelligensia" dismissing the importance of SA.

He should go and have a chat with a few fighter pilots... they appreciate the truest understanding of the term.

[Grahameeboy]

I even watch the heads and body language of drivers in front of me..any hand movement could mean looking for indicator....if the pick their nose that confuses me..lol...but it is important to read the driver and not just the road.....

[Little Miss Trouble]

Not quite true really is it?
Unless said police car was onto something it wouldn't be doing that kind of speed, and for someone who has just been handed a speeding ticket, doing (50 over the posted limit at times around here) that wouldn't be the most intelligent decision you have made this year?

80 kmph is the posted speed limit in the Dome valley, rated in the top 10 black spots in NZ.

Slight exageration yes, he wasn't doing the entire way, he definitely wasn't sticking to 80k though.

I had no idea Dome Valley had such a bad reputation, compared to the roads I'd been riding the last couple of days the valley is in very good nick

[fireball]

Slight exageration yes, he wasn't doing the entire way, he definitely wasn't sticking to 80k though.

I had no idea Dome Valley had such a bad reputation, compared to the roads I'd been riding the last couple of days the valley is in very good nick

i have to agree its a hell of alot better than just south of waipu my god my ass was sore!
the dome is actually looking the best ive seen it in awhile, but i still hate it with a passion drivers that go in there are best described as junkies needing a fix, loose cannons..... very un-nerving and that mist rain that started falling... i couldnt get out of there quick enough

[racerhead]

I even watch the heads and body language of drivers in front of me..any hand movement could mean looking for indicator....if the pick their nose that confuses me..lol...but it is important to read the driver and not just the road.....

+1

Using this works very well and also I find when following them I use their mirrors to see were their eyes are looking as it gives you an idea of how observant they are.

[Mom]

The other one has to be the ability to predict the actions of other road users, also known as the Bastards that are trying to kill us all.

Commonly known as "Spidey Sense" and yes something that develops over time, if you allow it.



I had no idea Dome Valley had such a bad reputation, compared to the roads I'd been riding the last couple of days the valley is in very good nick

Isn't that the irony of it though. The road is in great condition at the moment.

Like I said I started riding that road in 1979, commuting 2 up on a dirt bike with knobbies on it. No pansy trails tyres for this girl, full blown racing knobbies with almost no road surface to speak of. Hit the odd patch of slippery stuff from time to time, learned how to control a full on tank slapper and many other survival skills. The road really has had millions of dollars spent on it and still people kill them selves (or worse kill innocents) on it.

Worst now is the 80kpm limit, people travel at 60-70 through there, others get frustrated and overtake in stupid places causing head on collisions. Go figure that.

[fireball]

+1

Using this works very well and also I find when following them I use their mirrors to see were their eyes are looking as it gives you an idea of how observant they are.


cage drivers observant?????:killingme:killingme:killingme

[FJRider]

Agreed. Situational awareness is one of the two most important skills we use two stay alive. The other one has to be the ability to predict the actions of other road users, also known as the Bastards that are trying to kill us all. This second skill has to be learnt over time, and is probably thd biggest part of the "experienced" in an experienced rider. Sorry for the horrible syntax, i'm trying to make sense with a hangover.

The ability to predict other road users can fun, often when coming up on a line of cages, with limited chance of safely passing (as per the law), I check out what cage in front... and behind me... will make the first move to pass any or all in front of them. This after backing off a bit and keeping to the left. There is usually one that seems to think they should go first. All to get to the next town 35 seconds before the rest... the logic in that escapes me. If time allows, I pick the order they will pass. The actions of some at the start of passing bays, are beyond belief.

[ManDownUnder]

cage drivers observant?????:killingme:killingme:killingme

As naff as it sounds - some are - especially those with a bike license...

[swbarnett]

If you find that you are riding along and you are not concentrating
I find that mostly I'm aware of what's around me without even trying. SA has become so much a part of the way I ride (or drive) that occasional glances sideways and in the mirrors have become subconscious.

[Mom]

Here is a classic example that I saw a couple of weeks ago. Woman reversing out of a driveway, my car was parked on the opposite side of the road a bit down from the exit of this driveway. She was going really slowly, creeping almost. She got out of the road and continued to back up. I thought, shit lady watch my car! Did she see it - NO! Backed right into the side of it. I was not able to stop her from where I was. She starts to drive away (yep was attempting to sneak off) when I appeared and banged her passengers door, she about shit!

She says to me, oh sorry I did not see your car. Its a car FFS, it is parked, no sudden appearances due to the speed it was travelling at as an excuse. This female just did not consider what was around her, did not look, and was about to simply drive off.

[jrandom]

Great thread Mom, ta.

As some of you might have noticed, some previous discussion of the situational awareness concept in relation to the recent fatal multi-bike crash in Canterbury resulted in comments along the line that encouraging SA equates to 'offloading responsibility onto others', presumably so that proponents of SA can then be free to ride like twats.

Some people are kinda twisted, eh? Scary.

Situational awareness is a prerequisite to survival, no two ways about it.

Something interesting I noticed on Monday - over an hour and a half of racing in the rain at Taupo, while hard work, was actually less complex and less dangerous than my daily 17km-each-way commute.

Riding on the road offers endless opportunities for Darwinism to work its magic. Let's do what we can to make natural selection work in our favour hey!

[Ocean1]

comments along the line that encouraging SA equates to 'offloading responsibility onto others'

And if you quote the fuckers again you're going on "ignore" as well. <_<

[FJRider]

Riding on the road offers endless opportunities for Darwinism to work its magic. Let's do what we can to make natural selection work in our favour hey!

And avoid being "in the wrong place at the wrong time"... and if it looks like you are almost there... get out. Those little voices...

[Little Miss Trouble]

They are just installing northbound overtaking lanes in there, ending at a blind left hand corner. Now I have money that says as soon as that "improvement" is completed there will be another life or lives lost there.

Who the hell comes up with these plans? Surely if joe public can see that thats a dumb place to end a passing lane the engineers whos job it is to study this sort of thing should be able to figure it out too?

[Mom]

Who the hell comes up with these plans? Surely if joe public can see that thats a dumb place to end a passing lane the engineers whos job it is to study this sort of thing should be able to figure it out too?

Yep, yep, yep... Out of interest the fire siren has just gone off here, engines heading north (Dome Valley) The traffic is pouring into town, SH 1 is choc-a-block.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Yep, yep, yep... Out of interest the fire siren has just gone off here, engines heading north (Dome Valley) The traffic is pouring into town, SH 1 is choc-a-block.

*shiver* the volunteer fire fighters siren always makes my stomach drop when I'm up home at my mums

[FJRider]

Yep, yep, yep... Out of interest the fire siren has just gone off here, engines heading north (Dome Valley) The traffic is pouring into town, SH 1 is choc-a-block.

Alex in chock-a-block too... New World car park is full. Had to park on the street. 40 meters to the door... life is tough...
Its only 27 deg. here might go for a "follow the campervans"...

[Maha]

Yep, yep, yep... Out of interest the fire siren has just gone off here, engines heading north (Dome Valley) The traffic is pouring into town, SH 1 is choc-a-block.

I Have just come from Cycletreads (New Pilot Road 2's all round) and came back via 16 and Woodcocks. There are signs before Silverdale saying ''Queues at Workworth use alternative route''....I went the alternative way cos I wanted to and, SH16 is not busy at all, I dont understand why the travelling public dont use that rd? do they not see the signs? do they not mind sitting in slow moving traffic in the heat with screaming kids?

All the better for us on bikes I guess?...:scooter:

[Ixion]

I hate those bloody signs and advertisements. That's our road they have no business allowing cages on it at all, let alone encouraging them.

Why shouldn't cages be required to stick to SH1? Serves them right.

[Mom]

Alex in chock-a-block too... New World car park is full. Had to park on the street. 40 meters to the door... life is tough...
Its only 27 deg. here might go for a "follow the campervans"...

We live in a lovely small town here. We also have some very nice beaches close by. Almost the entire population of Auckland (well half of them anyway) head this way in summer. Drives us nuts. You are taking your life in your own hands even driving down the main street.

Talk about lack of situational awareness today, car pulls left in the main street and stops blocking the driveway to Mitre 10. Car in front of me swings wide to get past the stopped vehicle just as it deceides to pull bak out into the traffic. Friggen mayhem! Wish I had gone to Auckland with Maha... :laugh:

[Forest]

I got a hell of a fright on a rally a few years ago.

I came up behind a cage on a two lane country road and decided to overtake it. I took a quick look and the mirrors and didn't see anything so I began pulling out to pass.

Right at that second another bike came flying past my right side at what must have been 180+km/h.

I know I checked my mirrors and I know that I didn't see the other rider coming up to me. I'm very lucky that I didn't get wiped out (it was only a question of 2-3 seconds).

So now whenever I overtake, I always doubly check my mirrors to see if anything is coming up behind me. I also assume that the vehicles I'm overtaking haven't seen me and might pull out at any time.

[fireball]

Alex in chock-a-block too... New World car park is full. Had to park on the street. 40 meters to the door... life is tough...
Its only 27 deg. here might go for a "follow the campervans"...

:shit: not parking on the street lol
although i am still waiting for someone to bring up the traffic light idea again for tarbert st to centennial ave last time the pitch forks and outrage was awesome!

[FJRider]

Talk about lack of situational awareness today, car pulls left in the main street and stops blocking the driveway to Mitre 10. Car in front of me swings wide to get past the stopped vehicle just as it deceides to pull bak out into the traffic. Friggen mayhem! Wish I had gone to Auckland with Maha... :laugh:

Same goings on down here... might sell tickets. All done by responsible (???) adults...

Just watched a guy in a 4WD, try to ANGLE park... with a boat on the trailer... realised he still had the boat hooked on... then jack-knifed trying to get back on the street...