From a post by hersey of VFR
1. Assume you’re invisible
Because to a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the
assumption that another driver sees you, even if you’ve just made eye contact.
Bikes don’t always register in the four-wheel mind.
2. Be considerate
The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off start out bad
and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and think again.
3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the pub
Sure, McDonalds is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern
mesh gear means 100-degree heat is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.
4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the
light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
5. Leave your ego at home
The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the
officer and the judge.
6. Pay attention
Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels
squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.
7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture
Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really
is clear.
8. Be patient
Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away
from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It’s what you don’t see
that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.
9. Watch your closing speed
Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of
stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
10. Beware the verge and the merge
A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonald’s
bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for potentially
troublesome debris on both sides of the road.
11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists
Don’t assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection.
They’re trying to beat the light, too.
12. Beware of cars running traffic lights
The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look
both ways before barging into an intersection.
13. Check your mirrors
Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if
another vehicle is about to occupy the space you’d planned to use.
14. Mind the gap
Remember Driver’s Ed? One second’s worth of distance per 10 mph is the old
rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
15. Beware of boy racers
They’re quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Don’t assume you’ve
beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes
without looking. You could end up as a Nissan hood ornament.
16. Excessive entrance speed hurts
It’s the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and
racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up
corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.
17. Don’t trust that deer whistle
Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big
yellow signs. If you’re riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and
watch the shoulders.
18. Learn to use both brakes
The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry
can calm a nervous chassis.
19. Keep the front brake covered—always
Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet
shorter. Think about that.
20. Look where you want to go
Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes
where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
21. Keep your eyes moving
Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don’t lock
your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you’re actually dealing with
trouble.
22. Think before you act
Careful whipping around that micra going 7 kph in a 30-kph zone or you could
end up with your head in the driver’s side door when he turns into the
driveway right in front of you.
23. Raise your gaze
It’s too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your
fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.
24. Get your mind right in the driveway
Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph,
near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.
25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign
Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time
to spot potential trouble.
26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic
Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until
it’s too late to do anything about it.
27. Don’t saddle up more than you can handle
If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If you’re 5-foot-5,
forget those towering adventure-tourers.
28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic
And smacking a car that’s swerving around some goofball’s open door is just as
painful.
29. Don’t get in an intersection rut
Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you
expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesn’t.
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Originally Posted by skidmark
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