Roadster Renovations
04-18-2015, 09:56 PM
Here are some that we came up with last year that I thought I would post again. Use what you like, discard what you don't. I personally use some of these, but not all! I think the important thing is, "Pick a strategy that works for you!" Feel free to add to the list if you wish! Safe Ryding!
When traveling at night I will use the vehicle ahead of me as a blocker. I will follow a car at the correct distance so that I can use his lights to see ahead and his lights make us both more visible and have less chance of someone pulling out on us. I think of the car in front of me as a linebacker. I always pick a good driver (no weaving, daredevils, etc)
2. When traffic suddenly slows of stops in front of me, especially on the interstate or at a high rate of speed as I am braking I will briefly (3 or 4 second) hit my 4 way flashers to let motorists behind me know of the problem ahead.
3.Using the 4-ways to indicate a problem is always a good idea - day ornight. Flashing headlights or tapping the brakes for a warning,usually isn't.
4.Whereever you ride, look as far ahead as possible. In town, you should beaware of the color of the NEXT traffic light down the road, as wellas the one coming up.
5. Ifyou can't see the driver in the bus or 18 wheeler in their mirror,they can't see you...
6. When you see stopped cars to your front waiting to turn or enter traffic, always glance at their front wheels. If the wheels aren't turning, the car isn't moving. NEVER rely on making eye contact with a driver: you can't trust anydriver (if you can even *see* them in the car!), but the wheels won't lie.
7. While on a highway, if you're in the far right lane and approaching an exit, be mindful of the traffic to your left-- forgetful drivers often try to cut across the right lane in order to make their exit, you don't want to be in their way.
8. If the sun is at your back, drivers coming the other way might not see you-- be cautious.
9. In heavy traffic, ride a gear lower than usual, you never know when you might need to throttle out of a jam.
10. Don't ride in people's blind spots. If you're stuck in a blind spot, be ready with the horn to give a little beep if necessary.
11. Hi-viz gear is great. A little lateral movement within your lane is even better-- the human eye is drawn to movement, even moreso than color.
11. Buy a brake light modulator. Every bike I own, it's the first thing I install, even before I ever ride the bike.
12.if you have the brake light modulator you don't need to hit theflashers. The only time I turn my bright lights off is in the darkwith approaching traffic.
13. Using a car to run interference for you, try to pick one who'srunning the speed limit or at last five under and stick with themuntil you get until you get where you're going.:thumbup: I'vealso found that wearing heated clothing is as much of a safety issueas it is a comfy issue. At night when you are comfortable you will bemore aware and alert than if you are uncomfortable. Your peripheralvision will decrease immensely if you are cold.
14.At any stop light or stop sign I always leave room between me and thevehicle in front of me in order to have a escape route in casevehicle behind me does not stop in time. I always watch in my rearview mirror until the vehicle behind me comes to a full stop.
15.#1 cause of motorcycle crashes is left-turning cages, #2 is gettingrear-ended at a stop.
As previously mentioned, eye contactmeans nothing. I've seen several crashes (I don't call them"accidents") where a motorcyclist made direct eye contactwith an automobile driver and the auto driver pulled out and struckthe cyclist. Every one of the auto drivers stated they didn't see thecyclist.
16. My top 10 cycling rules:
#1 - You areinvisible
#2 - Everyone is out to kill you
#3 - ALWAYS have aplan. Whatever you think another vehicle might do, anticipate otherpossibilities.
#4 - Keep your eyes moving (left, right, andmirrors)
#5 - NEVER trust another vehicles turn signal
#6 -Complacency kills
#7 - Animals are totally unpredictable
#8 -Plans are subject to change. If you are toohot/cold/wet/tired/whatever, STOP. It's better to be late than notarrive!
#9 - Know your limits. This is especially important whenriding in a group. If you're not comfortable with the pace, ride yourown pace!
#10 - Have fun! Remember, this is supposed to bean enjoyable thing. Yes, you need to be really careful and alwaysthinking, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun! With experience,#1-9 become automatic, and you will do them without even realizingyou're doing them. You WILL, however, remember the FUN you haveriding!
17.When riding in the rain or poor visibility, turn on you flashers.Flashing lights will be noticed easier than steady lights.
18.When riding through multiple lane intersections, try to cross throughwith a vehicle beside you. Cars are easier to spot than a Spyder.There are too many motorcycle accidents at intersections where thedriver "didn't see" the rider.
19.Obviously, speed limits are always a touchy subject; while I don'twant to derail the thread TOO much, I think people may be able toagree on the following:
1. In general, speed limits in theU.S. *are* set lower than the road designs can accommodate,especially on the federal highway system.
2. As aresult, most drivers/riders speed a little faster than the limits.And once one person does it, two people do it, i.e. there are manyroads (particularly highways in urban areas) where going "only"the speed limit actually becomes dangerous given the flow oftraffic.
3. There are always speed-demon outliers who goSIGNIFICANTLY above the speed limit. These individuals are dangeroussimply because speed by itself doesn't kill, but *relative* speedincreases risk. Out by yourself on an empty road, this is less of arisk-- but the road around that blind corner isn't always empty. Inactual traffic, however, excessive speed relative to other trafficreduces your reaction and braking time, and creates more distractionsfor drivers around you, i.e. the safest way to ride your bike/Spyderin traffic is to be *visible and predictable* to other drivers, andrelative speed quickly spooks other drivers. If you find yourselfneeding to do that to enjoy yourself, get theeself to a track day,stat. :thumbup:
4.Bottom line: on bikes/Spyders, the best strategy is the beststrategy. Meaning, speed is always situational, and should beconstantly adjusted.
The primary distinction betweenbikes and cars, however, is that pacing traffic increases risk morefor bikers than for cars. Relative speed is less of a risk for bikersgiven our maneuverability/braking abilities, but being trapped inblind spots or between vehicles is deadly.
I admit-- havespent a lifetime living in cities, I've been conditioned to accept"flow of traffic" as the actual, practical speed limit.Since pacing cars & trucks means riding in blind spots, and goingslower than traffic risks being rear-ended, I tend to always go about5 mph more than the flow of traffic, which in reality often ends upbeing anywhere from 5 to 15 mph above the speed limit.
Imodify that according to weather and road conditions, and happilyslow down for "dodgy" drivers ahead of me, i.e. somebodyahead of me who looks like they're not paying attention/on thephone/tired/drunk (!), until I can safely pass and quickly get FARaway from them, I prefer having them in my front where I can see themand have time and space to react.
Anyway, a little relativespeed is often a safety technique for bikers. A lot of relativespeed? You start rolling dice.
P.S. I admit that I may one daysuffer a speeding ticket for going faster than the flow of traffic.That said, I try not to go any faster than I can logically defend,i.e. I may lose out in court to the letter of the law, but it won'tbe because I was a reckless and unsafe rider.
20.Occupy and control your driving lane. Not such I problem with theSpyder due to width but I have seen mc riders riding in the right(curb) side of the lane which can cause other vehicles to pass on theleft. A friend of mine on a mc was pushed into a guard rail...bikeexploded and burnt. Rider didn't survive.
21.I travel with my high beams on during the day. Lights, lights andmore lights. We have all heard "I didn't see them". I alsoinstalled an aftermarket horn for added safety. My wife rides with memost of the time and she is always keeping an eye on our surroundingsas well. We also wear the high visibility vests. I installed colormatching reflective stripes on our helmets as well
When traveling at night I will use the vehicle ahead of me as a blocker. I will follow a car at the correct distance so that I can use his lights to see ahead and his lights make us both more visible and have less chance of someone pulling out on us. I think of the car in front of me as a linebacker. I always pick a good driver (no weaving, daredevils, etc)
2. When traffic suddenly slows of stops in front of me, especially on the interstate or at a high rate of speed as I am braking I will briefly (3 or 4 second) hit my 4 way flashers to let motorists behind me know of the problem ahead.
3.Using the 4-ways to indicate a problem is always a good idea - day ornight. Flashing headlights or tapping the brakes for a warning,usually isn't.
4.Whereever you ride, look as far ahead as possible. In town, you should beaware of the color of the NEXT traffic light down the road, as wellas the one coming up.
5. Ifyou can't see the driver in the bus or 18 wheeler in their mirror,they can't see you...
6. When you see stopped cars to your front waiting to turn or enter traffic, always glance at their front wheels. If the wheels aren't turning, the car isn't moving. NEVER rely on making eye contact with a driver: you can't trust anydriver (if you can even *see* them in the car!), but the wheels won't lie.
7. While on a highway, if you're in the far right lane and approaching an exit, be mindful of the traffic to your left-- forgetful drivers often try to cut across the right lane in order to make their exit, you don't want to be in their way.
8. If the sun is at your back, drivers coming the other way might not see you-- be cautious.
9. In heavy traffic, ride a gear lower than usual, you never know when you might need to throttle out of a jam.
10. Don't ride in people's blind spots. If you're stuck in a blind spot, be ready with the horn to give a little beep if necessary.
11. Hi-viz gear is great. A little lateral movement within your lane is even better-- the human eye is drawn to movement, even moreso than color.
11. Buy a brake light modulator. Every bike I own, it's the first thing I install, even before I ever ride the bike.
12.if you have the brake light modulator you don't need to hit theflashers. The only time I turn my bright lights off is in the darkwith approaching traffic.
13. Using a car to run interference for you, try to pick one who'srunning the speed limit or at last five under and stick with themuntil you get until you get where you're going.:thumbup: I'vealso found that wearing heated clothing is as much of a safety issueas it is a comfy issue. At night when you are comfortable you will bemore aware and alert than if you are uncomfortable. Your peripheralvision will decrease immensely if you are cold.
14.At any stop light or stop sign I always leave room between me and thevehicle in front of me in order to have a escape route in casevehicle behind me does not stop in time. I always watch in my rearview mirror until the vehicle behind me comes to a full stop.
15.#1 cause of motorcycle crashes is left-turning cages, #2 is gettingrear-ended at a stop.
As previously mentioned, eye contactmeans nothing. I've seen several crashes (I don't call them"accidents") where a motorcyclist made direct eye contactwith an automobile driver and the auto driver pulled out and struckthe cyclist. Every one of the auto drivers stated they didn't see thecyclist.
16. My top 10 cycling rules:
#1 - You areinvisible
#2 - Everyone is out to kill you
#3 - ALWAYS have aplan. Whatever you think another vehicle might do, anticipate otherpossibilities.
#4 - Keep your eyes moving (left, right, andmirrors)
#5 - NEVER trust another vehicles turn signal
#6 -Complacency kills
#7 - Animals are totally unpredictable
#8 -Plans are subject to change. If you are toohot/cold/wet/tired/whatever, STOP. It's better to be late than notarrive!
#9 - Know your limits. This is especially important whenriding in a group. If you're not comfortable with the pace, ride yourown pace!
#10 - Have fun! Remember, this is supposed to bean enjoyable thing. Yes, you need to be really careful and alwaysthinking, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun! With experience,#1-9 become automatic, and you will do them without even realizingyou're doing them. You WILL, however, remember the FUN you haveriding!
17.When riding in the rain or poor visibility, turn on you flashers.Flashing lights will be noticed easier than steady lights.
18.When riding through multiple lane intersections, try to cross throughwith a vehicle beside you. Cars are easier to spot than a Spyder.There are too many motorcycle accidents at intersections where thedriver "didn't see" the rider.
19.Obviously, speed limits are always a touchy subject; while I don'twant to derail the thread TOO much, I think people may be able toagree on the following:
1. In general, speed limits in theU.S. *are* set lower than the road designs can accommodate,especially on the federal highway system.
2. As aresult, most drivers/riders speed a little faster than the limits.And once one person does it, two people do it, i.e. there are manyroads (particularly highways in urban areas) where going "only"the speed limit actually becomes dangerous given the flow oftraffic.
3. There are always speed-demon outliers who goSIGNIFICANTLY above the speed limit. These individuals are dangeroussimply because speed by itself doesn't kill, but *relative* speedincreases risk. Out by yourself on an empty road, this is less of arisk-- but the road around that blind corner isn't always empty. Inactual traffic, however, excessive speed relative to other trafficreduces your reaction and braking time, and creates more distractionsfor drivers around you, i.e. the safest way to ride your bike/Spyderin traffic is to be *visible and predictable* to other drivers, andrelative speed quickly spooks other drivers. If you find yourselfneeding to do that to enjoy yourself, get theeself to a track day,stat. :thumbup:
4.Bottom line: on bikes/Spyders, the best strategy is the beststrategy. Meaning, speed is always situational, and should beconstantly adjusted.
The primary distinction betweenbikes and cars, however, is that pacing traffic increases risk morefor bikers than for cars. Relative speed is less of a risk for bikersgiven our maneuverability/braking abilities, but being trapped inblind spots or between vehicles is deadly.
I admit-- havespent a lifetime living in cities, I've been conditioned to accept"flow of traffic" as the actual, practical speed limit.Since pacing cars & trucks means riding in blind spots, and goingslower than traffic risks being rear-ended, I tend to always go about5 mph more than the flow of traffic, which in reality often ends upbeing anywhere from 5 to 15 mph above the speed limit.
Imodify that according to weather and road conditions, and happilyslow down for "dodgy" drivers ahead of me, i.e. somebodyahead of me who looks like they're not paying attention/on thephone/tired/drunk (!), until I can safely pass and quickly get FARaway from them, I prefer having them in my front where I can see themand have time and space to react.
Anyway, a little relativespeed is often a safety technique for bikers. A lot of relativespeed? You start rolling dice.
P.S. I admit that I may one daysuffer a speeding ticket for going faster than the flow of traffic.That said, I try not to go any faster than I can logically defend,i.e. I may lose out in court to the letter of the law, but it won'tbe because I was a reckless and unsafe rider.
20.Occupy and control your driving lane. Not such I problem with theSpyder due to width but I have seen mc riders riding in the right(curb) side of the lane which can cause other vehicles to pass on theleft. A friend of mine on a mc was pushed into a guard rail...bikeexploded and burnt. Rider didn't survive.
21.I travel with my high beams on during the day. Lights, lights andmore lights. We have all heard "I didn't see them". I alsoinstalled an aftermarket horn for added safety. My wife rides with memost of the time and she is always keeping an eye on our surroundingsas well. We also wear the high visibility vests. I installed colormatching reflective stripes on our helmets as well