10 Things Every Driver Should Know About Motorcyclists

[Soup]

10 Things Every Driver Should Know About Motorcyclists

May 8th, 2009 by Ross Edwards

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is dedicated to keeping riders safe on the roads. In addition to teaching safe riding techniques, that means keeping car & truck drivers educated on their responsibility for the safety of motorcyclists. The MSF launched For Car Drivers in 2007 with tons of information to help car drivers safely share the road with bikers.

The MSF has released ten things that all car, truck and bus drivers need to know about motorcycling and motorcyclists. So pay attention, you could save someone’s life just by knowing these things.

1. Over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist, is at fault. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don’t “recognize” a motorcycle – they ignore it (usually unintentionally).
2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment to look for motorcycles, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.
3. A motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks.
4. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say three or four seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.
5. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle’s signal is for real.
7. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don’t expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.
8. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop “on a dime.”
9. When a motorcycle is in motion, see more than the motorcycle - see the person under the helmet, who could be your friend, neighbor, or relative.
10. If a driver crashes into a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian and causes serious injury, the driver would likely never forgive himself/herself.

10 Things Every Driver Should Know About Motorcyclists | PriceWheels Blog

Just some things to keep in mind, I know several members here ride and I get ignored by ****face drivers every time I get on my bike.

[fat_kid]

thanks for the info, i try to be more careful and mindful when i drive near bikes except for the *******s who weave through traffic

[Soup]

yeah you can't do anything for those dopes except for try to stay out of their way. I really don't get the guys on 5 foot wide hogs who try to split lanes on the highway.

[Magnusen]

Trying to get out of the way is a bad idea, you never know which way they're gonna try to go around you, they usually have it figured out as if your vehicle is going to remain on its current course... ****ing idiots for riding like that around cars that weigh an average of 10x of the bike.

[Soup]

Yeah, that's why I said stay out of the way. I see dumbasses all the time who aren't paying attention and get frightened when a bike splits lanes next to them, then swerve.

[Magnusen]

Ahh... I thought you meant MOVE out of their way

[JoseCR7]

just lay some spike strips out, should take care of your problem ahahah
thanks for the info though, def. alot of bikers over here and a good percentage drive like psychos

[01mmmz28]

Here's my 10 things about motorcycles:

#1 Motorcycle drivers are notorious for riding your bumper, fuk'em I brake check those ass holes.

#2 They drive way to fuking fast...ALL the time

#3 They are traffic hazards because they weave in and out quickly.

#4 They don't use turn signals

#5 Some kids are to young for bikes, there needs to be a high age limit, like 25 yrs old to get a bike permit.

#6 Doing tricks while rolling down the highway is real safe, so it will be our fault when you get run over after trying to do a flying cross at 70 mph

#7 You are NOT the guys from bikers boyz or Torque, stop acting like it.

#8 They split between two cars riding side by side. ( had that happen to me three times now )

#9 Why is it that when you are at a stoplight, the motorcycle behind you get 3 inches off your bumper? If they get hit from behind are they just wanting to go flying through your back wind shield?

#10 * for the older guys w/ the huge ass honda goldwing bikes....STOP playing that shitty oldies or counrty music over your whack ass bike stereo for all of us to hear....also, you look really cool w/ that open face helmet w/ the microphone coming in from the side. Mr. Joe fuking cool.

[Jonnychadootz]

#10 should be followed by a mandatory law that the closest vehicle to the goldwing/large bike with stereo must immediately sacrifice their vehicle to take out said bike for the good of the all.

[Soup]

All bets are off if the bike has a cupholder.

[JoseCR7]

hhahahah at #10

[Ford88]

Originally Posted by Jonnychadootz

#10 should be followed by a mandatory law that the closest vehicle to the goldwing/large bike with stereo must immediately sacrifice their vehicle to take out said bike for the good of the all.

It kinda happened to my dad, lol. Took him 6 years to buy a different bike.

[UKunt]

#10 * for the older guys w/ the huge ass honda goldwing bikes....STOP playing that shitty oldies or counrty music over your whack ass bike stereo for all of us to hear....also, you look really cool w/ that open face helmet w/ the microphone coming in from the side. Mr. Joe fuking cool.

haha we have them stupid ****s here also...they also wear helmets like you would fly a f15 with.with mouth mics and huge tinted visers