Survival Tips - Add Yours Here

[DjPete]

[1hotbusa]

Hi there,

One thing I tend to do fairly often is lane split. I have found that when you get to the front of the traffic, it is better to swing across the front of a car than sit in the middle. If you stay between the cars, and they decide to gas it on the green light (P Platers etc) then you will find yourself trying to start off and accelerate between two cars and a 1m gap. Can be unnerving, esp if you are the pillion at the time.

Remember that the bulk of us are not drag queens and that it is easy for an automatic car driver to have a good reaction time.

[BUSGO]

Further to Graham's last post, when you do pull up at the lights, whether you are in the front or somewhere down the back, - ALWAYS stop in the right wheel track of where the cars are.
That way you are in direct view of the driver of the first car that stops behind you.
If you stop in the middle there could be oil or water on the road and if you stop in the left wheel track, the driver of the vehicle behind you could have tunnel vision and just run straight over you.

[2wheelfreak]

I treat every other road user as a potential murderer. I don't sit in blind spots, I make sure I am either right behind the vehicles path if they change lanes or I get in front of them without dawdling so they have less time to change lanes on me.
I always do head checks, I sit back & slightly to the side of vehicles in front so I can scan traffic movements ahead of them.

I also leave a buffer zone from passing traffic. I sit very close to the centre line until I see on coming traffic then I move across to the left. I also try to stay out of the head on zone near the centre line in corners. Hitting an apex may be very effective on a race track & look impressive, but on the road it doesn't look so hot when the dickhead boy racer in his doof doof mobile cuts his line coming the other way & takes your head off.

[bigfoot]

great survival tip 2wheelfreak, will use this when i get my liscence, not to long now

[CeeJay07]

The main tip I remember from when I did my L's & P's courses (in NSW) was to always change your position in the lane you're in. For example, when you are approaching a sidestreet that enters from the left, move to the far right in your lane (and vice versa if the side street enters on your right), that way you are the furthest distance away from a reatrded car driver entering the traffic flow...let's face it...if we're gonna get hurt it'll be from impact with a car. The other main tip is that when following a car, constantly alter your lane position i.e. sit in the left side of the lane for a while, then shift to the right side of the lane, and also sit in the middle of the lane for a while. This maximises the chance of the steering wheel attendant in front noticing your headlight and realising that you are there in the first place.

[Buhjones]

A good thread, worth reviving.

A motorcycle copper once gave me the best rider advice I've ever received.

"Assume that 50% of them can't see you and the other 50% are aiming for you"

[sutur]

Toooo much for me to red DJ,

so at the posibility of doubling up here is one I always use in heavy traffic. (or any traffic)

Travel faster than the traffic around you.
In a helmet it is like wearing blinkers(the horse kind)
If you are travelling faster(not ridiculously faster!!) than the rest of the traffic you dont need to check as much on side and traffic behind you, and focus more on the dickheads in front of you. - Oh and treat everyone like they are totally blind to motor bikes, never assume that you have the right of way and . . . did I mention, assume that all car drivers are dickheads who will cut you off and plead that they didn't see you!......

Aggressive and cautious at the same time.

Oh . . . and if I dont feel 100% healthy and alert, I take the car!

I 2nd all of this. I also tend to be a little aggressive for example instead of waiting for 'permission' to merge, if I see a space and it's safe to move, I indicate and move in fast. Hesitation is a serious killer.

So there's mine: Hesitation is a killer, be confident.

[cyndemgum]

When approaching an intersection and doing your double head check, glance to the right first as this is where your first immediate threat will come from. Never ceases to amaze me how many riders glance left first effectively ignoring the primary threat. Paul.

[BikerBoy]

A couple of things I always live by...... if I can see a cagers face in thier own mirror...they can see me, if not I don't exist.
Lane position....very important!! stand your ground and hug the line. What appears as an overtake gap between cagers might be you riding.
Focus....got a car beside you, behind you, infront of you, coming down an onramp.....whatever, know it's there and where the're headed.
Speed....it kills..bullshit!! it'll keep you concentrated. I anit talking 200+ I'm talking 10-20 above the cagers. You'll stay focused and pay attention.
Stay loose but not relaxed. Relaxed is for the couch and TV... loose is riding while prepared for the unknown.
emergency braking.....know the limit. A fist full can kill ya, a handfull can save your life.

[cyndemgum]

A couple of things I always live by...... if I can see a cagers face in thier own mirror...they can see me, if not I don't exist.
Lane position....very important!! stand your ground and hug the line. What appears as an overtake gap between cagers might be you riding.
Focus....got a car beside you, behind you, infront of you, coming down an onramp.....whatever, know it's there and where the're headed.
Speed....it kills..bullshit!! it'll keep you concentrated. I anit talking 200+ I'm talking 10-20 above the cagers. You'll stay focused and pay attention.
Stay loose but not relaxed. Relaxed is for the couch and TV... loose is riding while prepared for the unknown.
emergency braking.....know the limit. A fist full can kill ya, a handfull can save your life.

Sorry mate, couple of bits I will agree to disaree on. If i can see them they can see me and hugging the line. Best thing that has happened in recent years is car drivers applying dark window tint. You can't see the driver so it reduces the chance of assuming they have seen you and makes you prepare for the worst thing that they may do. Post 36 explains the correct technique for lane positioning. Paul.

[BikerBoy]

A couple of things I always live by...... if I can see a cagers face in thier own mirror...they can see me, if not I don't exist.
Lane position....very important!! stand your ground and hug the line. What appears as an overtake gap between cagers might be you riding.
Focus....got a car beside you, behind you, infront of you, coming down an onramp.....whatever, know it's there and where the're headed.
Speed....it kills..bullshit!! it'll keep you concentrated. I anit talking 200+ I'm talking 10-20 above the cagers. You'll stay focused and pay attention.
Stay loose but not relaxed. Relaxed is for the couch and TV... loose is riding while prepared for the unknown.
emergency braking.....know the limit. A fist full can kill ya, a handfull can save your life.

Sorry mate, couple of bits I will agree to disaree on. If i can see them they can see me and hugging the line. Best thing that has happened in recent years is car drivers applying dark window tint. You can't see the driver so it reduces the chance of assuming they have seen you and makes you prepare for the worst thing that they may do. Post 36 explains the correct technique for lane positioning. Paul.

no probs..same here..agree to disagree. I don't find the lane positioning in post #36 to be a better option. The guy driving in front is never my main concern. They can do what they want, I'm the one that has control over avoiding them. It's the ones behind, beside and oncoming that I want to notice me. I agree with you on the tint although so dark that you cant see the driver is rare in my neck of the woods.

[RaZ]

May have already been covered but... my little list

Always assume no one is playing by the law and they will no use blinkers or see you even if you were naked and painted in fluro pink body paint.

When its getting dark and in general, always lane split so the half asleep drivers behind u never crash in to u at the lights

Always be 10 to 15 kph faster and move through traffic, never sit in it.

Have after market pipes so cages can hear you! Makes a huge difference on the road.

When moving through traffic find open spots and sit around them with no cars around, lots safer

Ensure your lane position is correct and in each lane that all can see you if they check mirrors, even roll on and get up along side them so they hear you and u stay out of the blind spots.

If you think someone in front of you is on the phone, pass them, don't stay behind them, they are in their own world!

[Katana2]

Play together if possible. Safety in numbers.

[Dale]

Toooo much for me to red DJ,

so at the posibility of doubling up here is one I always use in heavy traffic. (or any traffic)

Travel faster than the traffic around you.
In a helmet it is like wearing blinkers(the horse kind)
If you are travelling faster(not ridiculously faster!!) than the rest of the traffic you dont need to check as much on side and traffic behind you, and focus more on the dickheads in front of you. - Oh and treat everyone like they are totally blind to motor bikes, never assume that you have the right of way and . . . did I mention, assume that all car drivers are dickheads who will cut you off and plead that they didn't see you!......

Aggressive and cautious at the same time.

Oh . . . and if I dont feel 100% healthy and alert, I take the car!

I agree with Wardy on this one. I have had a couple of close encounters with the boys in blue lately, so the last few weeks I have been riding like a good little boy (very hard to do on a busa ). In this time I have had more near misses than ever before. From now on I'll be out in front .. Sorry officer, I value my life more than my licence.