Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival thread

fantastic advice..
I ride like every vehicle is targeting me and is unpredictable
I am always looking for an out.. even if it is the ditch
riding has made me a far better car driver..
it is amazing what some people just don't see when
they are not looking for it
I think starting off a year on a midsize scooter and then
moving up to an Xj650 was a great decision
I eventually want a bigger bike
but am plagued with the fact that I just love the crap
out of my bike

 

Great thread. Just want to mention watch the rocket launcher, the gap between a big rigs rear tires. You do not want to be behind one when whatever is lodged in there gets shot out. On the subject of protective gear, I never ride without my helmet, armored jacket & gloves. I also wear my armored jeans or leather riding pants. My Dad used to race dirt track in the early 50's. He would never let us ride our dirt bikes without all of the available safety gear. A neighbor of mine in the early 80's used to tease me about wearing full leathers on the street. Until a dog ran out in front of him causing him to go down wearing a helmet, tank top, shorts and sandals. When I saw him after he got out of the hospital, wrapped up like a mummy, ha asked " How much did those leathers cost?" My answer, " Cheaper than skin!"
Wear your gear!!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I believe I first read about this 'trick' in this thread.
Just want to reaffirm the effectiveness.

When an approaching vehicle is in the left turn lane I will do a little swerve/ shimmy. I have actually saw the drivers of vehicles 'perk up' as they recognize my presence.

 

Swerve/shimmy? WHat 's that? I think I'm not bilingual enough to get that one...would you please explain?

 

He means "wobble" the handlebar to get the attention of the oncoming driver. Headlight modulators work well for that.

 

All right, thanks Fitz!

 

Yes, wobble.
Sorry about the kerfuffle; didn't mean to act like a hoser. :wink:

 

My very first day out, ever, I had a canadian goose fly straight across a field....across the road....and straight into the clutch perch. I had saw her coming, and slowed down to a crawl, gotten off to the side of the road, into the dirt/gravel, and was almost stopped so she could go in front of me, but nooooooooo.......had to turn right into me. I didn't go down or drop the bike.. Finger hurt a bit, but she went to the ground, scrabbled around a bit then got her bearings and took off back across the field. I got my wits about me and headed up to the stop sign. I turned north to head back home a few miles away, and wouldn't you know...here comes that stupid bird across the rest of the field........I stopped this time, blew the horn and waved my other arm. She swerved that time.

I had a deer just miss me.....she ran out, but pulled up short, then ran behind me.

Worst one was an idiot driver who stopped in the middle of a 55mph road, to do a U-turn. I stopped with less than a finger's width between my front tire and the rear bumper.......pucker.........the tractor/trailer behind me stopped with about two feet between me and his bumper......more pucker. She did her u-turn....I shouted a few things (don't know if she heard through the helmet), and the trucker shouted a lot of things out his window and also showed her a number of different fingers that he has.

Keep the swivel/bobble head thing going, keep alert at ALL times......you'll be ok.

Two years ago we had a fellow go down on a ride-for-kids. He locked up his rear brake on some gravel. Ended up just scratched up and hurt pride.
BUT.....this year, while no one got hurt---- the clown behind me was an accident waiting to happen....... We ride in staggered formation on close stuff, then when it gets more open, people will spread apart more. THIS guy, would be waaay behind me, then suddenly pull up into my blind spot and hang there.....suddenly drop the throttle and end up way back, then roar up to the blind spot....pull up next to me, almost pass, but not quite....then take off in front, almost pass the next bike up, then drop way behind me....etc....... the whole ride long!!!!! AARGH.

If you're gonna ride in a formation, STAY IN ONE SPOT and KEEP STEADY SPEED. If you're unpredicatable, YOU can be the cause of an accident.

Moral--while it's a good thing to be constantly alert for stuff that's out to get you, always be alert about your own riding so that you aren't the cause of someone else's accident.


Dave F

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I saw this on pintrest. thought it very appropriate.

https://sites.google.com/site/looserock ... edirects=0

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

My advice... Make sure everything on your bike is properly attached. And... Story time.

I had to do a motor swap earlier this season. After getting the engine running ('twas siezed) I took it for a test drive. I was accelerating rapidly as I curved onto the highway when my rear wheel started to slip out. I corrected and chalked it up to a little oil from one of the many changes. I proceeded to race with great enthusiasm. As I pulled off the exit and came to a stop my engine died. Looking underneath me I saw a pool of oil. Turns out I had failed to bolt my oil pressure sensor on and it blew out leaving a three mile trail of oil.

 

Surviving a Saturday when everyone seems to want you dead: or how I got home last weekend.

I had to take a trip to a college town in order to diagonse a problem with a bike that I recently got back on the road. The trip there went well. The trip back, however, was a living demonstration of the two most common ways that motorcyclists die (aside from single vehicle accidents).

The setting: Rural Kansas. Long, fairly straight roads, through rolling hills. It is easy to see thinks well in advance for the vast majority of the ride. There are maybe four blind turns. Towns are spaced well apart, with very few homes in-between. This is about the safest place to ride in terms of being able to see what's coming.


The Gear: A bright-orange Seca 750 (came to me that way, and I've come to like it). Full fall riding gear; insulated riding jacket and pants with CE approved armor, cold weather gloves (it was 40ºF when I set out that morning), above-the-ankle riding boots with ankle armor, and my helmet which has been covered with yellow, retro-refelective, DOT marker tape. During the day I ride with my highbeams AND the fog light on. I am sparkly in the sun. I am a riding Disco Ball. I can be SEEN (but I never forget that I am still invisible). I also weave in my lane when approaching intersections to hopefully catch the cager's eyes.

The Ride: I head out from the formentioned small college town, headed toward home (a 1 1/2 hour ride). I have had lunch, and rested myself before starting back. My head is clear, and all I'm thinking about is what is within my field of vision. I am the bunny.

Within ten miles I encounter my first brush with danger: The intersection without a town. These are DANGEROUS. I have a clear sightline from a mile away (no exaggeration) and am on the downhill side of a gentle hill. AS I approach the intersection there are four vehicles lined up to pull onto the highway. The highway traffic does not have a stop sign; the intersecting road does. There is no oncoming traffic on the highway at this time. One truck pulls out. The second truck pulls out. I am now around 200 feet from the intersection and there is a late-model sedan waiting for it's turn. I cover the brakes and clutch.

The sedan pulls out just as I get to the 100ft mark. I brake hard, and give a huge WTF wave to the older gentleman as he rolls on, oblivious to the accident that he nearly caused. At this point I figure that I've encountered my usual weekly quota of asshattery. I am wrong.

The next 45 minutes are uneventful. Traffic is very light, and I'm having a relaxing ride throught the countryside. Even turning onto the usually busy US 50 goes smoothly. Very smoothly. Too smoothly. There is oncoming traffic, mostly heavy trucks, and I don't see people using the passing lanes. This concerns me. Nobody likes to be behind a semi.

Around ten minutes later the asshattery resumes. This section of highway has a few more curves, and no passing lanes. I am on the lookout for oncoming traffic in my lane, and am about to get my fill of it.

The first passing vehicle did everything right. Got up to passing speed well ebhind the truck, signaled, passed on a straight stretch, got back over quickly. The next three did not. Over the next 25 miles oncoming drivers passed in turns, attempted to pass several (widely spaced) vehicles without getting back into their lane, and (my favorite, the one that nearly made me go splat)...

...The Jeep that gave no f***s.

This individual not only passed in a no-passing zone, he passed in a no-passing zone on a curve. He passed in a no-passing zone on a curve and did not complete that pass until he was even with my rear tire. This begs the question: why did I not die?

I failed to die for three reasons:

1. I did not particlarly want to die that day. This is the great motivator. Do not underestimate its power.

2. I stayed aware of my surroundings as they changed. I did not become complacient and drift off into thoughts of vacations abroad, or loose women. I'm thinking about is what is within my field of vision. I am the bunny.

3. I slowed quickly, but not aggressively, and utilized the paved shoulder. When traveling in multiple dimensions do not hesitate to use all of the availble directions of travel, and be not afraid of a tire puncture. You can ride down a flat; an oncoming vehicle will ride you flat.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

The Dude Survives!

In all seriousness, it is good that you share this and I am glad they didn't kill you. Even in the most unassuming areas, danger lurks.

After reading your adventure.
Question that gets raised:
What do you do to stop your inner rage that wants to boil over from asshatteristic behavior of others?

The reason I asked is that my rage spewed out the other day. . . As deserved as it was, it was unsafe of me to allow it to take control while I was riding.

Generally when I find myself surrounded by murderers I take a purposefull deep breath, exhale and consciously lower my shoulders reminding myself that everyone has their own unique skill set.

 

I have the same struggle, Stumplifter. I give the "WTF" hand (left hand, and no not just one finger, I don't do that) to people who cut me off, and maybe a beep on the horn. Tonight, riding down to have dinner with some family (about an hour away), I was cut off not one, not two, not three times, but FIVE TIMES. All by cars who ignored or rolled through stop signs. I was wearing my colder weather gear, which unlike my summer jacket (grey) is light colored. My high beams were on. It was 3pm and the sun was bright and shining. I was revving at about 4k RPM on winding hill roads. It is so frustrating that even with all that, I am invisible still!

My reaction, especially on these winding hill roads that I love so much, is generally to pull off safely or into a driveway for a moment, lift my visor, crack my knuckles, and take a few breaths. This helps me relax from the "oh crap" moment I just had, and also puts some space between me and someone who is obviously not paying attention to their surroundings and may try to kill me again.

Side note, I had a driver who cut me off last week in a similar fashion actually stop and get out of his car when he saw me pull over in his rear view mirror. Came up, apologized that he hadn't looked closely enough, and wanted to make sure I wasn't hurt. If only they were all that nice.

 

Found this thread due to the advice of K-moe. Glad I did. I am a risk adverse individual. I recently, as in yesterday, purchased my first bike and will soon be purchasing riding gear. I will not be taking the bike out of the neighbourhood until I have a riding jacket with armour, boots, and pants (I am currently using my military boots). I really appreciate the advice on this site. Although I have worked on a '74 Caprice, an '80's something Volkswagen, and a '76 Plymouth Valarie, these bikes are quite different. The maintenance is unique compared to cars. Thanks to all of you who offer advice and assistance.

 

I wear skid resistant gear. But a /small/ addition I made to my gear caught everyone's attention: I strung a recurve bow across my back. I had the whole 4 lane highway to myself...

 

Thought I'd throw this out there with the changing season upon us. The sun for me is now in a position that it is extremely blinding on my commute in. Take some extra time to consider this when predicting what that cager in front of you is going to do. I was in a position this AM where I couldn't see a school bus, let alone a bike.

 

I see a headlight modulator in all of your future's..................

 

Bump for wintertime review.

 

+1.

Gary H.

 

I have to say I f***ing hate headlight modulators - also I hate neon-suits!

I'm all for being seen but it's a third tier consideration if you want to stay alive behind riding within your own level of comfort and experience and road positioning (mean putting yourself in drivers mirrors and never having only one path of travel). There is also a tipping-point where screaming about your presence can become a distraction that can been just as dangerous. As a car driver I can say from experience that having some asshole behind me constantly flashing their lights at me is enough for me to slam the breaks on and get out and ask them quite politely how I may be of service.

I've also taught motorcycle safety for many years and seen way too many people covered in reflective neon crap that served only to make them very self-righteous, over confident and dangerous to other riders around them. I'll tell y'all what I've been saying to students for years. Every single motorcycle that has ever been made comes with a cloaking device that is on as soon as you put it in gear. You are invisible and that is how you should always ride - strangely the cops seem to have so kind of anti-cloaking sensors.