How about a saftey tip from each member?

After seeing and reading about Ken and his grandson's accident I was wondering if exchanging ideas and safe riding habits could/would help all of us in our constant battle with the cagers and eliments out there.

If each member provided even one safety tip -- we could assimilate quite a large amount of information.

If one menber has even one idea that one rider had not thought of and that rider avoids an accident - I think the idea has merit. I am willing to start as I have almost been in an accident many times in my fifty years of riding.

Green lights -- I never go through a green light that has just turned green (I call them "FRESH GREENS")without checking that some yahoo is not racing through the intersection trying to beat the yellow. This is particulayly dangerous if you are moving and up ahead your light changes to green. You feel lucky that you don't have to stop. Unfortunately you will arrive at the same time as the guy racing the yellow light. My good buddy and his fiancee were both killed this way so be aware. Another time a police officer was racing to help his partner and his light was yellow and he didn't think any car could enter the intersection before he got through so he "raced the yellow " but missed by about one second. Two girls in a Honda (car) got the green light so they continued at their approximate speed of 40 MPH. The Honda was knocked over 100 feet and both girls were killed on Christmas morning. Witnesses said the officer had the red light for about one or two seconds.

Here is my tidbit of USEFULL info.

Don't drive into stationary or (moving for that matter) objects :dribble:

Keep you bike in gear when you stop in traffic so you can get the hell out of the way if some dummy comes up behind you too fast.

Ride in the tire lines of the vehicle ahead of you so something doesn't appear in your path from under that car.

Never pee on an electric fence. :blink:

On highways try to avoid the far right lane until you need it for exiting. Likewise when entering, go for the far left lane as soon as its safe. Temporarily yield the lane to faster traffic before they get to you although there shouldn't be any if you're on your FJR !

Be aware of and stay out of other drivers blind spots. Don't hang alongside or directly behind 18 wheelers unless you like getting squeezed out or dodging thrown recaps with little or no warning.

And a hearty amen to the electric fence thing !

Look where you want/need to go and ride the bike.

If you think you can't stop, RIDE THE BIKE. If you think you're going too fast for the corner, RIDE THE BIKE. Get run off the road, RIDE THE BIKE. Never admit you're going to crash, RIDE THE BIKE.

No matter what happens, RIDE THE BIKE.

36 years of driving cars and about 6 (on and off) on bikes and (knock on wood....) never have been in an accident. And, while there are thousands of safety tips, the one that I concentrate on in all driving is having that "buffer area of space" around you as much as possible. I posistion myself to have maximum visibility and space from the other moronic cagers on the roads. That, and constant eye movement and anticipation of potential moves that could be harmful.

And, of course, that pee-thing on the electric fences...... :blink: Ride Safe All. Jay

Understand that target fixation is a real phenomena and use it to your advantage. Look where you want to go, rather than what you don't want to hit.

Target fixation is a killer. Look to where you want/need to go and you will go there.

Practice, Practice, Practice. This will allow you to make that hard 90 degree turn from a dead stop that will get you out of the way of the idiot who is about to rear end you at a light.

I speak from experience here. I was almost killed while on duty because of a woman fixing her eye make up. I always watch my mirrors when at a light and saw her coming. I shot hard left and escaped while she hit the car in front of me. If I hadn't trained for the move, I would be toast right now.

fjrchooser said:

On highways try to avoid the far right lane until you need it for exiting. Likewise when entering, go for the far left lane as soon as its safe. Temporarily yield the lane to faster traffic before they get to you although there shouldn't be any if you're on your FJR !
Be aware of and stay out of other drivers blind spots. Don't hang alongside or directly behind 18 wheelers unless you like getting squeezed out or dodging thrown recaps with little or no warning.

And a hearty amen to the electric fence thing !

Click to expand...

Sorry - but I completely disagree with this. You should use the outside lane (Left for the USA, right for the UK) only when overtaking and move back to the nearside afterwards.

Alan

In addition to the note about staying in gear ... at stop lights, keep one foot on a peg and your hand on the throttle, leave a bike length space behind the cage in front of you & angle the bike in a fast-getaway posture. If some obliviot behind you doesn't stop you can get out of the way.

Alot of bike fatalaties are the result of rear-enders at lights.

LET IT GO!

No matter how badly someone pisses you off, just let it go...

alan sh said:

fjrchooser said:

On highways try to avoid the far right lane until you need it for exiting. Likewise when entering, go for the far left lane as soon as its safe. Temporarily yield the lane to faster traffic before they get to you although there shouldn't be any if you're on your FJR !

Be aware of and stay out of other drivers blind spots. Don't hang alongside or directly behind 18 wheelers unless you like getting squeezed out or dodging thrown recaps with little or no warning.

And a hearty amen to the electric fence thing !

Click to expand...

Sorry - but I completely disagree with this. You should use the outside lane (Left for the USA, right for the UK) only when overtaking and move back to the nearside afterwards.

Alan

Click to expand...

There may be cases when this is true, but it's extremely dangerous to sit between some idiot and the exit they didn't know was coming up. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people take an exit across 3 lanes of traffic without looking or signalling (wouldn't want to spill their Starbucks, I guess).

alan sh said:

fjrchooser said:

On highways try to avoid the far right lane until you need it for exiting. Likewise when entering, go for the far left lane as soon as its safe. Temporarily yield the lane to faster traffic before they get to you although there shouldn't be any if you're on your FJR !

Be aware of and stay out of other drivers blind spots. Don't hang alongside or directly behind 18 wheelers unless you like getting squeezed out or dodging thrown recaps with little or no warning.

And a hearty amen to the electric fence thing !

Click to expand...

Sorry - but I completely disagree with this. You should use the outside lane (Left for the USA, right for the UK) only when overtaking and move back to the nearside afterwards.

Alan

Click to expand...

In the UK, using the far lane for passing only is how most people obey the highway code, but in the US where undertaking on 6+ lane freeways is the norm for most drivers without even looking before the maneuver, the far lane is a much safer option.

Practice your panic stops. Learn what it's like to have your front wheel ABS kick in on dry pavement. There are of course plenty of considerations to review before you start practicing. Do your homework, and become competent.

jwit6 said:

Practice your panic stops. Learn what it's like to have your front wheel ABS kick in on dry pavement. There are of course plenty of considerations to review before you start practicing. Do your homework, and become competent.

Click to expand...

+1 on that -- you don't want the first time you try a panic stop is when you "HAVE" to do a panic stop

MINDSET

Set your brain in gear for a ride, and keep it in gear during the ride.

EXPDSGT said:

jwit6 said:

Practice your panic stops. Learn what it's like to have your front wheel ABS kick in on dry pavement. There are of course plenty of considerations to review before you start practicing. Do your homework, and become competent.

Click to expand...

+1 on that -- you don't want the first time you try a panic stop is when you "HAVE" to do a panic stop

Click to expand...

Speaking of practice.....While riding on desolate roads, find a spot in the road (tar patch, smashed can, asphalt patch, etc.) and practice avoidance swerves. When the time comes, you'll know how far to lean and stay within your lane and on the road. And that time WILL come when you will need to swerve.

When I see a car up ahead that looks like he might try to pull out, turn left, etc., in front of me, I do a pronounced little zig-zag in my lane to help get their attention and then proceed with caution, ready to brake, keeping an eye on their front wheels.

If he wants to pull out across my lane from my right but is looking up the road to HIS right, I hit the horn.

Ride in the pockets of space between traffic groupings. Don't meagerly pass a vehicle while riding alongside. Line it up and make your move. Get around the vehicle you are passing quickly and get into that next vacant space.

Safety tip:

Cutout a 1" diameter picture of the face of someone you love (like your child/children), put the picture in the center of your speedometer.