Most people enjoy riding a motorcycle; however, it can also be dangerous. Sometimes this is caused by inexperience, but it’s not all the time that inexperienced riders will meet accidents and end up in the hospital.
There are even riders who have been riding their bikes for a long time and still meet accidents on the road. The fact is accidents can’t be avoided. However, if you pay attention and keep your eyes on the road, it can help you in detecting dangers and make wise decisions regardless of what the situation is. If you are a rider, then try to focus on these risks to keep you safe on the road.
Vehicles Waiting to Turn
Be wary of intersections since they can be very dangerous. This is partly because of those careless drivers making left turns. Riders are always trying their best to avoid any collision with vehicles suddenly appearing in front of them. Unfortunately, most of these riders are being hit by those vehicles.
That is why drivers should put away their cell phones and pay more attention to what’s happening around them. But at the same time, riders must also pay attention when riding in intersections. By being vigilant all the time, you could save lives.
Oncoming Traffic
Perhaps the driver is daydreaming, eating a burger, or texting on his phone. Regardless of what causes it, once the driver swifts to the other lane, then it could cause a disastrous wreck.
Even if the driver does not hit the rider directly, having an oncoming vehicle can likely knock the rider from his motorcycle. The only way to avoid the risk of having a collision with an oncoming vehicle is to keep your eyes constantly on the road and ride as if everyone is out to get you.
Sudden Stops
When someone suddenly stepped on the brake, there’s always a possibility for a wreck. However, there is always more danger when you are riding a bike. This is because the front brake of the motorcycle provides most of the stopping power.
If you grab the brake extremely hard, then the front wheel will be locked up causing you to be thrown off the bike. To avoid this risk, you can purchase a motorcycle that uses anti-lock brakes.
However, if your bike does not have ABS, then it is important that you should learn how your bike behaves under extreme brakes. In this way, you are well prepared the next time you must hit on that brake to prevent hitting the vehicle in front of you.
Fast Speed Through a Corner
Undoubtedly, motorcycles are fast. If it’s the first time that you’ve experienced its raw, unrestrained speed, then you will find that it can be very intoxicating, but sadly, it can also be very dangerous.
Riding in a straight line wouldn’t give too much trouble for the riders, however, taking on a corner can be very difficult. Riding too fast while taking a corner can be dangerous, most especially for new riders, even experienced riders can sometimes commit mistakes.
Gravel on the Road
Motorcycles are the best when it comes to going around corners but only on regular roads and in regular situations. But when there are obstacles on the road, then it can be tricky. Debris, sticks, or roadkill can be hard to handle, however, the worst of them all is gravel.
This is because gravel can greatly affect your grip, as a result, your bike will become unpredictable and could cause a wreck. A low-side fall may not be too risky. However, after you’ve recovered from hitting the gravel, a high-side fall might occur which can be very dangerous.
Vehicles Changing Lanes
Obviously, drivers do not want to murder people. However, despite having a lot of riders on the road and vehicles that have blind spot monitoring systems, there are still some drivers who want to change lanes without paying attention.
But the truth is, no two objects can be in the same space, at the same time. Unfortunately, when the car changes lanes and hits a motorcycle, it is always the rider who loses. This can be very dangerous, most especially, at highway speeds, even though the rider is wearing safety gear.
It can even be more dangerous if the highway is crowded. Most often, some drivers do not make any signal if they intend to change lanes, although there are also others that do. That is why when riding your bike it is important to pay attention to those vehicles that are starting to drift over so you can quickly detect lane changes before it occurs.
Opening Car Doors
This is not a common problem when you’re out there on the open road since drivers do not usually open their doors while moving. However, if you are riding in the cities, then you should be very cautious of people opening their car doors. This has been a common problem for cyclists, however, it can be very dangerous for motorcycle riders, most especially if they are driving at faster speeds.
Motorcycle riders in California should also be cautious of jealous drivers who are not happy about the legality of lane splitting. Even if they are aware that they are putting other people’s life at risk, they still want to open their doors to deter riders from splitting lanes.
Drivers Behind You
As we’ve mentioned above, riding through an intersection can be very dangerous, but also when you are being stopped at an intersection. Unfortunately, drivers who do not pay attention, make it a habit to rear-end other cars, and in some cases, it is quite unfortunate, the good thing about cars is that they have seatbelts and crumple zones.
But once the driver gets distracted and rear-ends a motorcycle, the rider does not have enough protection even if it’s only a low-speed crash. Sadly, there are other drivers that can be a threat even if you’re not forced to stop at an intersection.
Stopped traffic is already dangerous but it is even more dangerous when there is slow-moving traffic. During this situation, vehicles are very close to each other. And when a driver suddenly gets distracted even for just a second, he can easily knock off a rider from his bike and into the traffic.
Avoid Drinking When Riding
In contrast with cars, most riders often have the illusion that can drive safely with their motorcycles even while drinking. Although they have self-stabilizing speed, and a lot of space in the lane, a bit of swerving might not be noticeable by law enforcement.
However, when combined with the drinking culture among riders, there could like be some trouble. Regardless of, if you feel safe during that time, being intoxicated can slow down your reaction time, affects your judgment, and could cause unnecessary wrecks.
Avoiding alcohol while riding can significantly reduce the risk of disastrous wrecks. Avoid being your worst enemy and only ride your bike when you are sober.
Harsh Weather
When it’s raining, it can be pretty miserable to ride your bike. Obviously, you’ll get soaked, some drivers will carelessly splash water on you, and you may have to drive through those large pools of water.
There will be minimal visibility, the road will get slippery, and some drivers do not adjust their speed, making it more dangerous for riders. Riding during the winter is not also advisable.
Although you have the proper gear that can keep you warm, however, ice and snow can be very dangerous. Even if the area that you are riding does not have snow, you will never know what’s down the road, especially on long rides.
Uride offers motorcycle training. We can teach you how to drive safely on the road, to prevent accidents and injuries. For more information about our training, you can call us at 714-425-7981 or send us an email at uridetraining@yahoo.com.