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....

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....

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....

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

[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.