Survival Tips - Add Yours Here
#46
When dad taught me to drive (in 1955!) he had a couple of bits of advise that have stuck over the years. Most important was an oft quoted one above, along the lines that "assume the worst, prepare! While i was learning to drive, he had me relating everything I saw, even had me identifying every car I saw. Just to get me trained to observe the entire environment, even to the extent that if you're following a car, look at the driver and see what they are doing. If they start glancing out windows and in mirrors, safe to assume they want to stop, or turn or do something that may affect you. So far, so good and it's helped me avoid the nasties over the years.
This business about car drivers not seeing bikes is real too. I can't recall when I read it, but it's all about what a human sees as a threat. A car driver wil take more notice of things larger than he is, trucks, busses etc. A liitle less attention is paid to cars and less even to motorbikes, and you don't want to be on a pushbike. So while a driver may look at you, it may well be that he hasn't registered a threat reaction. I agree with one of the pearls above, I seriously doubt if any driver starts a trip looking for someone to crash into.
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#47
I thought I was a very safe rider, stay well away from cars, always expect the worst, expect cars to come through red light, turn in front of you, stay right away from cabs, the lot.
And yet I was cleaned up recently riding on a road I know inside out. An L driver came through a stop sign on my left. I was in a 100kph road i think doing approx 80kph. I say think because I have no recollection of the damn accident. I was knocked out, lost the whole day for 4 hrs and then it all came back except the accident, I don't even remember any cars although I am always aware of cars crossing this particular intersection and ride through on full alert EVERY time. So what happened. Well I have asked the drivers mother of the L Car to give me her run of events so I can learn from it. Why the hell could'nt I stop in time? The view was clear for at least a klm. Weather perfect. I'm rattled. When she does give me info I will update. This is not a tip but just a reminder that things still can go wrong even if you are VERY aware. I'm back on the bike again, new one, the old was written off. All I got was some bruises and a broken finger and sprained wrists/fingers.
Ambos said my riding gear helped a lot too although I did not have good gloves on.
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#48
At the end of the day no matter how good a rider you are, how long you have been riding or how well prepared you are an accident is impossible to predict.

My first was an uninsured P plate driver cutting across my path...no amount of training or preparation could have helped....I had just enough time to reach for my front brake when I hit him. I wasn't speeding and my bike was in perfect condition.

Second was pea gravel on the apex of a blind left hand corner... I was possibly going a tiny bit fast and others had managed to avoid it...I didn't. Result was a wrecked busa and some heavy bruising. I now ride very carefully on country roads but accept I cannot predict how I will react in the same or similar circumstances.

One thing I will say it takes a lot of time to get any degree of confidence back and that can be as dangerous as anything else we face out there.

Smoke me a kipper I'll be home in time for breakfast
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#49
i had a mate ,say this to me,

"you cant show the whole world how fast you can go"

but ive been trying! lol
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#50
wise words guys. suppose you can only do what you can
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#51
LOOK UP, look up, look up! Train vision to look afar.when tired or stressed remind yourself to look up.the eyes transfer info to brain and process time is earlier.everything is slowed as there us more time to act.
Ride at a pace that matches u r ability not what you think you can
Consciously relax the body
BREATHE!
Use the bars to steer not hold on to the bike!
Don't tempt fate,TAUNT IT!

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#52
(26-12-2012, 07:00am)storm Wrote: Consciously relax the body
BREATHE!
Use the bars to steer not hold on to the bike!

Yes! And as Fred pointed out, push your bars on the side in the direction you want to go.

Or, in other words, steer away from the direction you want to go!

At the end of the day, despite what The Law wants, use you speed and manouverability to stay ahead of cars, i.e. where they can see you!
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#53
As much as i have heard this handlebar thing before, it doesn't make sense to me. Maybe thats why i crash? Lol. Or maybe i do it unconsciously, who knows.
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#54
(26-12-2012, 06:54pm)DjPete Wrote: As much as i have heard this handlebar thing before, it doesn't make sense to me. Maybe thats why i crash? Lol. Or maybe i do it unconsciously, who knows.

A lot of riders push into the bars. And as riding becomes spirited they hold on tight
Bike does not steer as rider is pushing the front into the ground.
Keeping the forearms parallel to the ground palms against the bars push the bar away from you and see what happens. The bike falls into the turn in the opposite direction.then u practice flicking it into the turn.the bike in a turn uses less contact patch so u r in that zone for minimum time possible. U will make .5 secs just flicking it in fast/ corner! Bike easily steers as there is no counter force from the top
Pushing the tyres into the ground!
Don't tempt fate,TAUNT IT!

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#55
(26-12-2012, 06:54pm)DjPete Wrote: As much as i have heard this handlebar thing before, it doesn't make sense to me. Maybe thats why i crash? Lol. Or maybe i do it unconsciously, who knows.

Pete, you already do this. If you did not counter steer you would never turn a corner at more than walking pace. It is just that in normal riding the input required is not great so for most it does not require conscious effort. In an emergency situation where a big and sudden change of direction is required a larger and more purposeful counter steering input is needed and then is more noticeable.
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#56
that makes sense Kendo. Thanks
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#57
One thing I use often as a little riding technique to knowing my surroundings, has actualy come from my day to day job working on computer generated images and animation.
Doing what I do involves often complex physics and dealing with daylight systems and one thing learned is "shadows never lie".

Relating that back to my riding is simple....when in moderate/heavy traffic I often pay some attention to the light and shadows cast on the road ahead to get useful information for areas I can not physicaly see. That automaticaly tells me the locations and distances between surrounding cars....especialy when my view is blocked by other vehicles like a 4wd, truck or bus infront etc...

So far I've found it to be a very handy point of reference.
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#58
Never, ever trust anyone who has those 'my family' stick figures on the back window!! Stopped behind one at the lights today, middle lane, and without warning it went full astern and nearly backed over me, before diving across into the left turn lane. Scared the crap out of me! I had my bike in neutral and had let go of the handle bars, having a stretch, while the lights were cycling. Be a sad and inglorious way to go, backed over by a Hyundai Excel at the traffic lights while scratching your balls! There's definitely a problem with those people who have 'my family' stickers, I reckon!
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#59
(19-02-2013, 09:07pm)CaptainRob Wrote: Never, ever trust anyone who has those 'my family' stick figures on the back window!! There's definitely a problem with those people who have 'my family' stickers, I reckon!

especially considering I've seen a few unmarked cop cars now all family stickered up!!!!! A simple distraction they use to help blend in with the crowd.
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#60
(19-02-2013, 09:19pm)BikerBoy Wrote:
(19-02-2013, 09:07pm)CaptainRob Wrote: Never, ever trust anyone who has those 'my family' stick figures on the back window!! There's definitely a problem with those people who have 'my family' stickers, I reckon!

especially considering I've seen a few unmarked cop cars now all family stickered up!!!!! A simple distraction they use to help blend in with the crowd.

Do they have pictures of pigs on theirs?

I always watch the wheels of cars waiting to pull out.....you can tell if they move even the slightest and get ready to take evasive action if need be.

Smoke me a kipper I'll be home in time for breakfast
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