May 16, 2007
Motorcycle Awareness
It's a little late in the month, but it's never too late to remind you that May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation gives us five rules for motorcyclists, and five rules for cagers:
Five rules for riders:Common sense, most of it, but you'd be surprised at how little it's used.* Get Trained and Licensed - Take an MSF RiderCourse and get licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
* Wear Protective Gear - Wear proper protective riding gear, most importantly a helmet made to Department of Transportation standards.
* Ride Unimpaired - Ride unimpaired, never drinking or using other drugs before getting on a motorcycle.
* Ride Within Your Limits - Stay within your personal limits, never riding faster or farther than your abilities can handle.
* Be a Lifelong Learner - Be lifelong learners, regularly returning for refresher riding courses.Five rules for car drivers:
* Look Out for Motorcyclists - Use your eyes and mirrors to see what’s around.
* Don't Be Distracted - Hang up and drive, put down the food, the pet, the personal grooming gear, the CD, and the reading material and save it for later.
* Give Two-Wheelers Some Room - Don't tailgate or get too close side-by-side.
* Use Your Turn Signals - Signal your intentions. It's also the law.
* Keep it in the Car - Don’t throw trash and cigarettes out the window, and securely lash down cargo that can fall out on the road and be a deadly hazard.
Don't forget there are bikes out there... sometimes all year 'round.
Posted by That 1 Guy at May 16, 2007 10:03 AM | TrackBackUm, yeah! PAINFUL reminder.
Posted by: Raging Mom at May 16, 2007 12:00 PMFirst and foremost, the cardinal rule of riding:
Always remember that every other vehicle on the road may contain someone trying to kill you with their vehicle!
Real plain and simple, you let your guard down, you go down!
I think they need to add to the Rules for rider.
Just because you can fit between two vehicles side by side on a two lane highway doesn't mean you should squeeze through there. Especially when the vehicles are doing 75 MPH.
OR
Since you are smaller then most of the vehicles on the road, you can stop faster. Remember that when you cut off the 3/4 ton pick up hauling a full load and slam on your brakes.
Posted by: Contagion at May 17, 2007 06:25 AMI have some "pearls" to add on MC safety from a recent biker mag:
1) Work to ride and ride to work.
2) There are drunk riders, there are old riders, there are no drunk, old riders.
3) The best bike modifications can not be seen from the outside.
4) Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.
5) Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.
6) If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride.
7) Never be afraid to slow down.
8) Riding faster than everyone else only means you will ride alone.
9) Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul.
10) Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 70 mph can double your vocabulary.
And I'll add a favorite, remember that every ten mile ride has twenty miles of ditches.
Take care
Posted by: Dick at May 17, 2007 01:16 PMAlso for bikers:
That guy in the car doesn't see you. Prepare for him to drive accordingly.
Posted by: Harvey at May 22, 2007 09:13 AM
