Motorcycle Awareness Month
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made May Motorcycle Awareness Month. In addition many governors, mayors and other legislators have reinforced this important declaration by doing their best to make the public aware that motorcycles are everywhere.
If you have not already taken a rider safety course, take one. The little time you spend taking the course may save your life or prevent an accident. If you have been riding for longer than you want to admit, take an experienced rider course. You have probably forgotten more than new riders even know. The course will help you remember all those good safety habits you forgot.
Here are just a few quick points that a rider education course will cover in detail.
- Do not totally rely on what you see in your mirrors. Before changing lanes give a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure no one is there. Also a good habit for cage drivers.
- Never change lanes in an intersection. Intersections are dangerous enough without that extra maneuver
- Pretend you are invisible. Never let your guard down and assume that cage driver that took their driving test in Albanian sees you. There are a lot of people on the road now a days that should not have a drivers license. When I got my drivers license back when tricky Dick was running the show a drivers license was a privilege, not a right. In our misguided quest to make sure everyone is treated fairly everyone gets a license regardless of whether they can read street signs in English or not.
- Always be prepared for left turns coming at you. Have an escape plan. After a while this becomes sub conscious.
- Make sure your bike is properly maintained. Take the time to do the proper servicing yourself or have some one qualified do it for you.
- Check the tire pressure. You would be amazed at how often this simple step is ignored. You only have two wheels on the ground and a small patch of rubber on those two wheels touching the ground, so make it count.
- Don't drink or drug and drive. I used to be guilty of this and am glad I lived through it. Many have not Don't do it. Half of motorcycle accidents are caused by some form of mind altering substance.
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