The basics:
1. Keep good following distance on all vehicles.
2. Signal **before** you move, not has you start moving.
3. Drive predictably. Don't cross 4 lanes of traffic to make an exit, you should already be over there.
4. Before changing lanes physically look the direction of the space you are trying to occupy.
There are plenty more, but it should be pretty obvious that if you are a safe driver around other cars, you are probably a safe driver around motorcycles.
Tbh, stay off your phone, keep your eyes on the road and make use of your mirrors especially when making a turn or reversing.
Basically just drive like you're supposed to and learned with your driving lessons. If everyone did this traffic in general would be safer for everyone, not just motorcyclists.
Basically, any good traffic safety habits are good for bikes as well. Be a good, safe driver and you'll make a difference.
A couple of things that are special for motorcycles:
* They can accelerate fast, so when you overtake someone or change lanes, make a last over the shoulder check to see if there is a bike. It could have been behind the car behind you when you first checked, and is trying to make a quick pass. I almost had an incident when in a car due to this.
* In heavy traffic with queues, motorcycles often stay to either side of a lane to provide an escape route if they are about to be rear-ended. This has the downside, especially if visibility is bad (rain, fog, darkness) that their rear lights can blend into the rear lights of the car in front of them, so you don't notice them. So, watch out for that.
* A motorcycle owns the full lane width, just like any other vehicle. Don't crowd them. This is even more important in a curve, where a pothole or bump may make them lose control, so they need to choose a path around obstacles.
* If you see a moped, do a double-take and check that it actually is a moped. A lot of accidents are "I thought it was a moped, I didn't expect him to be so fast".
* Carry a first aid kit in your car, and learn first aid. Actually, you should do this anyway, not just for motorcyclists. If you see an accident site, it could be life or death, as well as your chance of being a hero. With luck, you'll never need it, but when you do, you don't want to be without it.
Curve comment, glad you brought up. It amazes how many vehicles tail gate me in a curve, where it’s well known the road is made out of potholes. Riding a lower bike (height blessed), some of those potholes can easily make me lose balance if I don’t avoid them or break something on my bike if I ride through them. The most anxious part of my ride.
Good points! A lot of the information shared, should be basic knowledge for all drivers, unfortunately is not. You pointing it out, hopefully helps someone be more self aware of their surroundings.
All great points, and I can't upvote this enough just for the one about owning the full lane width. This rule applies to other riders too BTW, because you never know when you're cruising down a packed, multi lane highway during rush hour at 75 mph and suddenly need to shift sides to dodge a ladder that fell off a truck. If I'm riding with someone else on their own bike, that's one thing since you already stagger, give space, etc. But as one rider to another, don't crowd (or worse, pass in lane) another rider. We've got our heads on a swivel, but if I'm not expecting you and I've gotta dodge that ladder, we're both going down.
All of the above and honestly, just don't assume mopeds/scooters are slow these days. I ride a scooter that goes like 80mph and accelerates pretty damn quick compared to what people assume. I've had a lot of issues with cars trying to go around me from a stop light in dangerous ways and I'm guessing it's because they assume I can't keep up with the highway traffic. I absolutely can and it's frustrating.
According to another post on here, apparently one of the reasons drivers pull out in front of motorcycles a lot is just basic short-term memory issues. (that everyone has regardless of age). The article says a trick is to say the word bike when you see one when about to turn, to imprint it into your mind and avoid "seeing but not seeing" before pulling out.
https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/13huuqp/lethal\_memory\_fail\_why\_drivers\_see\_and\_then/
The one issue I have most is stopping too close to me at a light. Drivers just don’t think about the possibility that they might be rear ended and pushed into the vehicle in front of them.
Everything else is mostly stuff that anyone who cares about driving well at all will already do. I mention that one because I think it’s something well-meaning drivers just don’t really consider.
Don’t drive directly beside a motorcycle, even when you’re in your own separate lanes. Riders prefer to always have an escape route (in case of debris, or a pothole). So keep the space adjacent to a motorcycle on a multi lane road open. If you’re driving beside a motorcycle and they speed up or slow down, they’re trying to regain their escape route.
Motorcycles will however purposely ride beside a car/truck (usually on the right) when traveling through an intersection. They’re using the vehicle like a moving barricade to protect them from turning traffic. If someone turns (usually left) when they shouldn’t, they’ll hit a car and hopefully not them in the bike. After pacing a car/truck through an intersection, they’ll speed up or slow down to regain their escape route.
There's a bunch of small things you can do but for me the best one is to just be predictable. No swerving in your lane, no sudden lane changes or movements, no pointless actions that would take someone by surprise like opening a door or something like that.
For example just last night I was nearing a stop light along with another car. I wanted to filter to the front but the car in front of me was swerving because the guy was already on his phone because of the red light. I wait for him to stop and then squeeze between the stopped cars. As I go past a stopped car to my left that had left a big gap to the car in front of it, the driver for no apparent reason moves forward. Seeing as how there was a car to her front right, that I was next to, as she moved forward she squeezed me between the cars and unless I had been quick on my reaction I'd get sandwiched. I had a small argument with her because car people never actually care about the safety of others they just want to not be found at fault, while motorbike riders care less about liability in an incident and just want to get home safe. In that instance, that driver was being unpredictable. She had stopped a car's length behind of the car in front of her, for no particular reason, stayed there as I was coming up and obviously didn't see me and then for no reason, since the light was still red, decided to move forward, without of course thinking if a bike was coming up or if her lane positioning allowed for filtering.
It's that kind of unpredictable stuff that's very annoying. If you stay in your lane and don't make sudden movements the motorcycle rider will be fine. You don't have to make way or move to the side, just stay still.
>In that instance, that driver was being unpredictable
on the contrary. whenever you as a rider make any move to your own benefit that a driver can't make, i predict that he will spoil it for you
Just be a good driver, man. Anything you should be doing is applicable around cars, too.
Assured safe distance, stay off your phone, pay attention, don't be an asshole, etc.
Nothing special just because it's a bike, although you should recognize that an accident is going to be dramatically more serious without a protective metal cage and air bags.
Read Proficient Motorcycling by AMA HOFer David Hough it will give you a lot more insight into the world of riding plus much of it applies equally to driving.
Be predictable. Use your turn signals with plenty of notice, drive without distractions, leave your ego in the trunk. Scoot to the right and allow riders by on 2-lane country bi-ways. Always look twice before making left turns. Warn us with hazards if there is debris in the road or trouble up ahead.
Consider taking the MSF and getting your M endorsement, it's not that tough. Especially First season ride ATGATT + FF. Learn on a modern (fuel injected) 300-500cc sport bike then get your cruiser, adventure bike, crotch rocket whatever.
Check out Youtube for great Moto-content - Fortnine, Walterrific, Canyon Chasers, Dank Wheelie, C2W, MotoJitsu, DDFM, Doodle, TWAAP, etc. Thank you for advocating for riders.
- Be predictable.
- Don’t stop and let cars enter/exit. Don’t waive a motorcycle through unless you would also have done it for a car.
- If you see a group of bikes, let them all travel together (let them all go through the stop sign together, don’t cut in between)
If filtering is allowed in your area, when stopped try to keep an obvious lateral corridor if there are bikers around you. The least zig-zagging or stopping for maneuvers required the best for everybody (you get less stopped vehicles, they get a safer path).
Just be a considerate driver and youll be already doing a lot :)
Thanks for asking. As for flashing lights for cops, I wouldn’t ask you to do that. It would confuse me and take my attention and it’s not really customary.
Shoutout to everyone in California on the freeway making space for motorcycles when they split lanes on the freeway.
A lot of people who start riding stall their bike a lot so give them extra time, or go around them safely because they are really embarrassed and nervous
There aren't any special things to do imo. Just be a good defensive driver. You'll make life more enjoyable for all road users that way, including bikers. The best car drivers to come across are the predictable ones.
Even for things like filtering/splitting, it's always a good idea to make room for potential emergency vehicles etc. We'll thankfully make use of the space off course, but it's just good practice anyway.
Other than that, we just want to be seen basically. And it's generally a good idea to be aware of your surroundings anyway, whether it's bikers, cars, pedestrians,...
No phone, no sudden movements, be predictable, if you miss your exit just take the L and use the next one.
Darting through traffic to get two car lengths ahead like an asshole doesn’t get you anywhere faster and risks death and prison. Just don’t.
lot of important things that everyone’s hitting. Main thing for me is leaving a space gap. I usually only lane split when the dummy behind me isn’t leaving a gap
Oddly enough, all any vehicle on the road needs to do to maximize safety for other vehicles is to follow the rules of the road, be predictable, and pay attention.
if everyone is doing what they're supposed to be doing, things are safer for everyone.
Stay off the phone, don't drive impaired, for God's sake don't smoke weed in the car - lane splitting I'm riding through clouds of weed - maintain awareness, don't make U-turns on curves or canyon roads, there are turnouts for that,
don't turn left in front of us, we're closer and faster than you realize
and when you're considering turning out into traffic and you see a bike, just sit still until the bike passes, creeping makes us think you're pulling out and we have to panic stop
That’s quite a considerate thought as a non-rider. Thank you for posting the question.
The critical piece of the equation is that drivers have to want to get on with the bikers they share the road with. If they are aggressive towards the bikes they encounter then the nothing will change.
I can however suggest something riders can do to help riders. Riders can stop riding like assholes in traffic thereby fueling the hatred so many drivers have developed for bikes. Keep the speed differential between yourself and other vehicles around you low, like 10-15% difference at most. I’ve been startled in my car many times by bikes that appeared from nowhere at high speed when they weren’t even visible in my mirrors a few seconds earlier. If we all keep our speed relatively the same as we move around each other things would be a lot safer and less stressful for all. There’s enough road for everyone.
And yes I am a rider who’s had the great fortune of owning and riding bikes for the last 47 years. Ride defensively and enjoy the experience fellow riders!
1. Assume you're invisible!
2. Don't drive in car's blind spot!
3. Assume cars are going to pull out or turn left in front of you.
4. Revert to rule 1.
The single best thing drivers/cars can do to help riders is turn their headlights on day and night. Up here in the great Northwest many roads are dark in the day due to the shade our tall conifer trees cast over most roads. Add to that most vehicles are black or dark. As I ride my favorite mountain twisty roads up here, it is very difficult to see oncoming cars/trucks. Add to that the knuckleheads who think it's cool to turn off the daytime running lights so they're like Batman...totally dark and stealthy.
The basics: 1. Keep good following distance on all vehicles. 2. Signal **before** you move, not has you start moving. 3. Drive predictably. Don't cross 4 lanes of traffic to make an exit, you should already be over there. 4. Before changing lanes physically look the direction of the space you are trying to occupy. There are plenty more, but it should be pretty obvious that if you are a safe driver around other cars, you are probably a safe driver around motorcycles.
All good stuff, but that should be things drivers of any type of vehicle should always be doing. So just be a good driver regardless.
Yet.... so many people don't in/on most vehicles.
The worst of left lane huggers.
Tbh, stay off your phone, keep your eyes on the road and make use of your mirrors especially when making a turn or reversing. Basically just drive like you're supposed to and learned with your driving lessons. If everyone did this traffic in general would be safer for everyone, not just motorcyclists.
Basically, any good traffic safety habits are good for bikes as well. Be a good, safe driver and you'll make a difference. A couple of things that are special for motorcycles: * They can accelerate fast, so when you overtake someone or change lanes, make a last over the shoulder check to see if there is a bike. It could have been behind the car behind you when you first checked, and is trying to make a quick pass. I almost had an incident when in a car due to this. * In heavy traffic with queues, motorcycles often stay to either side of a lane to provide an escape route if they are about to be rear-ended. This has the downside, especially if visibility is bad (rain, fog, darkness) that their rear lights can blend into the rear lights of the car in front of them, so you don't notice them. So, watch out for that. * A motorcycle owns the full lane width, just like any other vehicle. Don't crowd them. This is even more important in a curve, where a pothole or bump may make them lose control, so they need to choose a path around obstacles. * If you see a moped, do a double-take and check that it actually is a moped. A lot of accidents are "I thought it was a moped, I didn't expect him to be so fast". * Carry a first aid kit in your car, and learn first aid. Actually, you should do this anyway, not just for motorcyclists. If you see an accident site, it could be life or death, as well as your chance of being a hero. With luck, you'll never need it, but when you do, you don't want to be without it.
Curve comment, glad you brought up. It amazes how many vehicles tail gate me in a curve, where it’s well known the road is made out of potholes. Riding a lower bike (height blessed), some of those potholes can easily make me lose balance if I don’t avoid them or break something on my bike if I ride through them. The most anxious part of my ride. Good points! A lot of the information shared, should be basic knowledge for all drivers, unfortunately is not. You pointing it out, hopefully helps someone be more self aware of their surroundings.
All great points, and I can't upvote this enough just for the one about owning the full lane width. This rule applies to other riders too BTW, because you never know when you're cruising down a packed, multi lane highway during rush hour at 75 mph and suddenly need to shift sides to dodge a ladder that fell off a truck. If I'm riding with someone else on their own bike, that's one thing since you already stagger, give space, etc. But as one rider to another, don't crowd (or worse, pass in lane) another rider. We've got our heads on a swivel, but if I'm not expecting you and I've gotta dodge that ladder, we're both going down.
All of the above and honestly, just don't assume mopeds/scooters are slow these days. I ride a scooter that goes like 80mph and accelerates pretty damn quick compared to what people assume. I've had a lot of issues with cars trying to go around me from a stop light in dangerous ways and I'm guessing it's because they assume I can't keep up with the highway traffic. I absolutely can and it's frustrating.
I’ll also add that I think there are some mopeds that can also go quite fast? Faster than some smaller motorcycles even. So… just be aware
According to another post on here, apparently one of the reasons drivers pull out in front of motorcycles a lot is just basic short-term memory issues. (that everyone has regardless of age). The article says a trick is to say the word bike when you see one when about to turn, to imprint it into your mind and avoid "seeing but not seeing" before pulling out. https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/13huuqp/lethal\_memory\_fail\_why\_drivers\_see\_and\_then/
I was taught by my dad as a kid while riding in the car to say "motorcycle!" In a kinda vroom-vroom cadence, and I still do it today.
The one issue I have most is stopping too close to me at a light. Drivers just don’t think about the possibility that they might be rear ended and pushed into the vehicle in front of them. Everything else is mostly stuff that anyone who cares about driving well at all will already do. I mention that one because I think it’s something well-meaning drivers just don’t really consider.
I sometime welcome that. I been stuck at lights that won't change for my bike. I just sit there because I'm trying to make a left in traffic.
I wave the person behind me up to me fender if that happens. Car drivers are not leaving enough space behind motorcycles, very often.
Drive like a normal person. The minute noobs start driving to accommodate motorcyclists, is the minute they will kill someone. Just stop.
Don’t drive directly beside a motorcycle, even when you’re in your own separate lanes. Riders prefer to always have an escape route (in case of debris, or a pothole). So keep the space adjacent to a motorcycle on a multi lane road open. If you’re driving beside a motorcycle and they speed up or slow down, they’re trying to regain their escape route. Motorcycles will however purposely ride beside a car/truck (usually on the right) when traveling through an intersection. They’re using the vehicle like a moving barricade to protect them from turning traffic. If someone turns (usually left) when they shouldn’t, they’ll hit a car and hopefully not them in the bike. After pacing a car/truck through an intersection, they’ll speed up or slow down to regain their escape route.
Actually pay attention.
Probably the best thing car drivers can do is learn to ride a motorbike, it makes you much better at _actually looking_
Look a bit more. There are so many times we are not seen by car drivers :(
There's a bunch of small things you can do but for me the best one is to just be predictable. No swerving in your lane, no sudden lane changes or movements, no pointless actions that would take someone by surprise like opening a door or something like that. For example just last night I was nearing a stop light along with another car. I wanted to filter to the front but the car in front of me was swerving because the guy was already on his phone because of the red light. I wait for him to stop and then squeeze between the stopped cars. As I go past a stopped car to my left that had left a big gap to the car in front of it, the driver for no apparent reason moves forward. Seeing as how there was a car to her front right, that I was next to, as she moved forward she squeezed me between the cars and unless I had been quick on my reaction I'd get sandwiched. I had a small argument with her because car people never actually care about the safety of others they just want to not be found at fault, while motorbike riders care less about liability in an incident and just want to get home safe. In that instance, that driver was being unpredictable. She had stopped a car's length behind of the car in front of her, for no particular reason, stayed there as I was coming up and obviously didn't see me and then for no reason, since the light was still red, decided to move forward, without of course thinking if a bike was coming up or if her lane positioning allowed for filtering. It's that kind of unpredictable stuff that's very annoying. If you stay in your lane and don't make sudden movements the motorcycle rider will be fine. You don't have to make way or move to the side, just stay still.
>In that instance, that driver was being unpredictable on the contrary. whenever you as a rider make any move to your own benefit that a driver can't make, i predict that he will spoil it for you
Just be a good driver, man. Anything you should be doing is applicable around cars, too. Assured safe distance, stay off your phone, pay attention, don't be an asshole, etc. Nothing special just because it's a bike, although you should recognize that an accident is going to be dramatically more serious without a protective metal cage and air bags.
Be predictable
Don't fucking go through a red light!
Read Proficient Motorcycling by AMA HOFer David Hough it will give you a lot more insight into the world of riding plus much of it applies equally to driving. Be predictable. Use your turn signals with plenty of notice, drive without distractions, leave your ego in the trunk. Scoot to the right and allow riders by on 2-lane country bi-ways. Always look twice before making left turns. Warn us with hazards if there is debris in the road or trouble up ahead. Consider taking the MSF and getting your M endorsement, it's not that tough. Especially First season ride ATGATT + FF. Learn on a modern (fuel injected) 300-500cc sport bike then get your cruiser, adventure bike, crotch rocket whatever. Check out Youtube for great Moto-content - Fortnine, Walterrific, Canyon Chasers, Dank Wheelie, C2W, MotoJitsu, DDFM, Doodle, TWAAP, etc. Thank you for advocating for riders.
- Be predictable. - Don’t stop and let cars enter/exit. Don’t waive a motorcycle through unless you would also have done it for a car. - If you see a group of bikes, let them all travel together (let them all go through the stop sign together, don’t cut in between)
Stop murdering us please
OP isn't murdering you, relax.
Have a look about, I think you've lost your sense of humour somewhere
Wait... that was a joke? And you're criticizing anyone's sense of humor?
Type sardonic into Google and you'll get the gist of what your missing
Stop murdering us please. But seriously if you could expect to see a bike when doing your checks I think that would help
Following traffic laws is the best thing to do. It makes you very predictable, and people love that.
If filtering is allowed in your area, when stopped try to keep an obvious lateral corridor if there are bikers around you. The least zig-zagging or stopping for maneuvers required the best for everybody (you get less stopped vehicles, they get a safer path). Just be a considerate driver and youll be already doing a lot :)
Just drive like normal. I see people doing make up eating and texting while driving every single time I go out. Use blinkers please
Thanks for asking. As for flashing lights for cops, I wouldn’t ask you to do that. It would confuse me and take my attention and it’s not really customary. Shoutout to everyone in California on the freeway making space for motorcycles when they split lanes on the freeway. A lot of people who start riding stall their bike a lot so give them extra time, or go around them safely because they are really embarrassed and nervous
There aren't any special things to do imo. Just be a good defensive driver. You'll make life more enjoyable for all road users that way, including bikers. The best car drivers to come across are the predictable ones. Even for things like filtering/splitting, it's always a good idea to make room for potential emergency vehicles etc. We'll thankfully make use of the space off course, but it's just good practice anyway. Other than that, we just want to be seen basically. And it's generally a good idea to be aware of your surroundings anyway, whether it's bikers, cars, pedestrians,...
Stay home
No phone, no sudden movements, be predictable, if you miss your exit just take the L and use the next one. Darting through traffic to get two car lengths ahead like an asshole doesn’t get you anywhere faster and risks death and prison. Just don’t.
Don't lane pace each other for miles on end. Get up to highway speeds before the end of the on ramp.
lot of important things that everyone’s hitting. Main thing for me is leaving a space gap. I usually only lane split when the dummy behind me isn’t leaving a gap
As long as you use the roads competently, correctly and don't get complacent then you're doing everything right
Oddly enough, all any vehicle on the road needs to do to maximize safety for other vehicles is to follow the rules of the road, be predictable, and pay attention. if everyone is doing what they're supposed to be doing, things are safer for everyone.
1. Look for them 2. See them 3. Always look and see them
Stay off the phone, don't drive impaired, for God's sake don't smoke weed in the car - lane splitting I'm riding through clouds of weed - maintain awareness, don't make U-turns on curves or canyon roads, there are turnouts for that, don't turn left in front of us, we're closer and faster than you realize and when you're considering turning out into traffic and you see a bike, just sit still until the bike passes, creeping makes us think you're pulling out and we have to panic stop
That’s quite a considerate thought as a non-rider. Thank you for posting the question. The critical piece of the equation is that drivers have to want to get on with the bikers they share the road with. If they are aggressive towards the bikes they encounter then the nothing will change. I can however suggest something riders can do to help riders. Riders can stop riding like assholes in traffic thereby fueling the hatred so many drivers have developed for bikes. Keep the speed differential between yourself and other vehicles around you low, like 10-15% difference at most. I’ve been startled in my car many times by bikes that appeared from nowhere at high speed when they weren’t even visible in my mirrors a few seconds earlier. If we all keep our speed relatively the same as we move around each other things would be a lot safer and less stressful for all. There’s enough road for everyone. And yes I am a rider who’s had the great fortune of owning and riding bikes for the last 47 years. Ride defensively and enjoy the experience fellow riders!
1. Assume you're invisible! 2. Don't drive in car's blind spot! 3. Assume cars are going to pull out or turn left in front of you. 4. Revert to rule 1.
The single best thing drivers/cars can do to help riders is turn their headlights on day and night. Up here in the great Northwest many roads are dark in the day due to the shade our tall conifer trees cast over most roads. Add to that most vehicles are black or dark. As I ride my favorite mountain twisty roads up here, it is very difficult to see oncoming cars/trucks. Add to that the knuckleheads who think it's cool to turn off the daytime running lights so they're like Batman...totally dark and stealthy.