Street Survival – On the Ride
50 Ways to Save Your Life
Assume you're invisible
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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.
Be considerate
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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
Dress for the crash, not the pool or the prom
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Sure, Joaquin's Fish Tacos is a five-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
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
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Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
Leave your ego at home
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The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
Pay attention
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Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. And the chrome needs a polish. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.
Mirrors only show you part of the picture
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Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.
Be patient
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Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or merge into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.
Watch your closing speed
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Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
Beware the verge and the merge
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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.
Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists
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Don't assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They're trying to beat the light, too.
Think before you act
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Careful whipping around that Camry going 7 mph in a 25-mph zone or you could end up with your head in the driver's side door when he turns in front of you.
Beware of cars running traffic lights
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The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.
Check your mirrors
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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
Mind the gap
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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.
Beware of tuner cars
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They're quick, and their drivers tend to be young and aggressive, therefore potentially hazardous
Excessive entrance speed hurts
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It's the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads-some cruisers can make unheard of amounts of power. Use it on the way out of a corner, not in.
Don't trust that deer whistle
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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.
Learn to use both brakes
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The front does most of your stopping, but for a lot of heavy cruisers a little extra rear brake can really help haul you up fast.
Keep the front brake covered-always
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Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.
Look where you want to go
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Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
Keep your eyes moving
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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
Come to a full stop at that next stop sign
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Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.
Raise your gaze
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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.
Get your mind right in the driveway
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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
Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic
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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.
Don't saddle up more than you can handle
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If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. Get something lighter and more manageable.
Watch for car doors opening into traffic
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And smacking a car that's swerving around some goofball's open door is just as painful.
Don't get in an intersection rut
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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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