SAFETY TIPS |
By MIKE Phillips |
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LINE recent crashes in my
TWO town show why riders must be careful around slow-moving or stopped traffic . Both happened in about the same place on the same road . This is a four-lane road with a center right turn lane . Both crashes occurred between 5:00 and 5:30 in the evening during heavy stop-andgo traffic . The crashes were on different weekdays during rush hour . The speed limit is 40mph . The road comes to a stop light at a freeway intersection . There are businesses on both sides of the road with driveways for access . Traffic stopped at the red light can back up as much as half a mile during rush hours . The inside lane stops and backs up the most at this point . The outside lane allows freeway access , allowing this lane to move a little smoother . One incident was when a bike went to the outside lane to pass a line of stopped cars . The bike was going at the posted speed limit of 40mph . A vehicle that was stopped in the line of traffic pulled out in front of the motorcycle , causing a crash . The other incident involved a line of cars stopped in the inside lane near a driveway entrance . A
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bike was going the speed limit in the outside lane . A vehicle traveling in the other direction turned between the stopped cars and into the motorcycle , causing a crash .
In both incidents , the bike had the right-of-way . The crashes were the fault of the cars . The bikers could have prevented both crashes by slowing down to match the speed of the traffic . Stay out of the vehicle ' s blind spot . When a line of traffic is stopped , be especially careful of cars pulling in front of you . If you are passing all the cars or weaving in and out of traffic , other drivers may not see you . A vehicle in the inside lane often opens a hole in the traffic for cars to turn left through . The turning vehicle ' s driver will think the road is clear and may not see you .
Slow-moving traffic also happens when a crash or road construction is ahead of you . I try to ride to the right side of the road regardless of how the other lane is moving . The right side will usually offer a shoulder or a way to get completely off the road in case the need arises . I don ' t like to constantly change lanes in these situations because the other drivers may not see me . It seems that no matter what lane I
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am in , it is always the slowest lane , so I stay with it . Watch what lane the semi-trucks get into . This is a good indication of what lane you need to be in to pass the obstruction .
The best practice is to slow down . Cover the brakes and clutch with your hands and feet . Squeeze the front brake slightly . This will take out any play in the brakes . By doing this , you can cut your stopping distance by nearly half . Try to keep a safe distance from the car in front of you . This may be hard with other drivers changing lanes . Watch the vehicles behind you very closely . These may run up on your bumper before they see you . Remember , you can stop faster than most cars . You don ’ t want to get crushed between cars . Riders should be aware that in heavy traffic , most car drivers are in a hurry to get going , and they may not see you . Sometimes , they pull in front of you even when they see you . Ride in a position where other drivers can see you and where you can see the road the most clearly . Stay patient . You will get there eventually , even if it takes a little longer . CMA
Mike Phillips is a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation ( MSF ) instructor in Arkansas .
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