Even for the skilled rider visibility is always a concern, as riders we are constantly faced with being seen by drivers. It is however, our responsibility to make our presence known by doing a few things to ensure our own safety. As many a street riders knows, riding on the street can be dangerous if you go in with the mentality that drivers are aware of you, big surprise, they don’t. You must be able to make yourself visible, predict scenarios and keep yourself away from potential danger and deal with hazards if and when they occur. Riding on the street was once described to me as being in a real life video game and I do have to admit, it truly is. This is even more important as the weather changes and the daylight hours decrease, having the knowledge in making your presence known is paramount to your safety.

Being visible is the most important part of your riding strategy, from the moment that helmet goes on, it should be your main mission. “See and be seen” is the common phrase most schools will use and is the most important part of any riding strategy. The most common comment by motorists about motorcycle accidents is that they didn’t see the motorcyclist until it was too late. Motorcyclists being smaller than cars can make it harder for drivers to judge their speed and truth be told we are small enough that the brain (when looking in the mirrors) may just see us as part of the background and not as a potential hazard. This coupled with technology and drivers being distracted by their smartphones can lead to disaster, so ride aggressively by letting your presence be known…(i.e. not riding in blind spots, with high beams on, signaling when changing lanes, lane positioning, using a horn should the driver drift in your lane, flashing your brake light before stops, etc.).

Always wear protective gear, whether it is bright, light, whatever…just wear proper gear. That gear will save you in the event of an accident, so don’t think that just because you are going around the corner for a quick ride nothing can happen, it can and probably will so just be prepared. Riding with your headlight on high beams during the daytime can help, but remember to turn it off in the evening hours so as not to blind drivers. Also, use your flasher at night if need be to let your presence be known, drivers may not see you and the brief flicker will get their attention pretty quickly. Communicate your intentions clearly, don’t be wishy washy, know what you are planning to do and execute it precisely so there is no confusion to the actions you are about to take. If you are changing lanes or turning always remember to signal and cancel them after (talking to those of you who leave those blinkers on). If you are stopping, a quick little squeeze of your brake before you fully brake will let drivers know you will be stopping. Use your horn if necessary, but honestly most drivers can’t hear our horns over their stereos so avoidance is a better strategy.

Scanning is our best line of defense when it comes to safety. Seeing the things that might affect you is key to your best defense and that requires scanning, not just the things ahead of you but surrounding you as well. Never let your attention be fixed on any one object for more than a split second and the general rule is to scan a 12-15 second path of travel, meaning that you need to see ahead to an area it will take you approximately that time to reach. If you are traveling at a higher rate of speed, you will cover a lot of ground and you must be able to maneuver your way around hazards that much more quickly. Gathering information about road conditions, traffic ahead, behind and beside you as well as vehicles that can cross your path of travel are especially critical, not to mention pedestrians and animals. Checking your rearview mirrors and physically turning to check blind spots are all essential when changing lanes, turning or stopping. Determining what is important during a scan involves practice and experience, but the basics are the same. Focus on your intended path while maintaining a nice cushion around you (we have the benefit of speed so use it), if you feel squeezed in then get around the obstacles and provide yourself a safe cushion around you so your attention can be used on road hazards vs. cars surrounding you. Check your rearview mirrors often and what is beside you, as they will not always be aware of you being there and make sure to stay out of drivers blind spots (moving within the lane, lane positioning, helps drivers know you are there). Keep your eyes up, don’t look down or your response time will be cut dramatically. Getting good visual information is very important for riders because everything that follows involves decisions is based on that information.

Riding a motorcycle is complex and involves perception which uses our senses (the reason we all love to ride). From the information we receive in our brain we have to quickly weed out and determine what is important and what isn’t in seconds. Bad decisions are made when we are impaired and unable to correctly process this information, which is why you shouldn’t ride when you are under the influence, emotionally impaired or are sleep deprived, as your reaction time is greatly reduced or you just end up making inappropriate responses that can lead to a harmful event. Always look where you want to go, yeah we’ve all heard this a million times, but it is true. Always look where you intend to go and your bike will magically follow where your eyes take you, ok it’s not magical but it does. That is why you don’t want to target fixate, where you focus on an object for longer than your should, your body tenses as it sees it as a potential danger and before you realize it, you are headed for the object you had ever intention to avoid. Look past it and be aware of it, but focus on where you want to be and you will end up on the path you are focused on. It takes practice and confidence in your abilities and if you are riding with the hair on the back of your neck standing on end, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat or even a death grip on your bars, you may be riding well above your means. Riding involves all of your senses, use them to your advantage, but stay relaxed and with smooth steady movements (your hands should be nice and slow). If your arms or hands are tired after every ride, you are too tense, learn to relax and give less input to your bike, it will thank you for it and you will enjoy the rides that much more. Seat time is the only way to feel more comfortable on your bike so get out there often and practice. Be safe and see you Vixens out there!