FIRSTBIKE MAGAZINE
T O P T IP S ON...
STAYING SAFE Riding a bike is exhilarating, but comes with real dangers. Here’s how to enjoy riding while staying safe IT’S A SOBERING statistic, but motorcyclists make up just 0.8% of the total traffic on the UK’s roads, but account for around 20% of the total numbers killed or seriously injured each year. Despite the millions of pounds spent developing safer systems on motorcycles such as anti-lock brakes and traction control, motorcycle riders do not have the luxury of side impact bars or crumple zones and only one motorcycle – Honda’s Gold Wing – has ever
been fitted with an airbag system. That’s why the best way to stay intact on a motorcycle or scooter is not get into a dangerous situation in the first place. This is why motorcyclists need even greater awareness on the road of their own actions, their surroundings, the road surface and the behaviour of others around them. But don’t worry – you can cope with it all. Here are some golden rules to help you stay safe.
1 STAY SEEN, STAY SAFE Visibility isn’t just about how well you can see the road ahead, but it’s also how easily other road users can see you. The Police Rider’s Handbook (Roadcraft) says that a third of drivers involved in a daylight collision with a motorcyclist claim to have not seen the bike or scooter before the crash. At night that figure rises to half. Part of the reason
is that bikes can be hard to see from head-on as they are relatively small compared to most other road traffic, making it difficult for the driver to assess their speed and distance.
Also, if the road is very busy, then motorbike and rider can all too easily get lost against a cluttered background, often with disastrous results. This is why you need to make yourself as conspicuous as possible when you are out on the open road.
Statistically, junctions can be a big hazard. Make eye contact with the driver and watch their wheels as they creep out from the junction
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