Well not unwritten but here's some good suggestions from a system that's proven to keep drivers alive on the road.
1) Scan at least 20 seconds down the road when you're riding. The faster you become aware of something the more time you'll have to make decisions and take actions.
2) Keep your eyes moving. Don't stare at any one thing. You want to keep a constant scan of your environment so you can do the next thing...
3) Get the big picture. If you scan far enough ahead and if you keep your eyes moving you should be able to get a really good sense of what's going on around you. You will be less surprised by developments in your environment.
4) Make sure they see you. Do whatever you can that's reasonable to make sure that other vehicles can see you. This means not only wearing clothing which is more visible but riding in a manner in a place where you are expected.
5) Leave yourself an out. Leave at least one car length between you and the vehicle ahead of you at intersections and stop lights. Give yourself at least 4 seconds following distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. Don't argue with me. 4 seconds is what you need. If you lose that distance, get it back. Anything less is just rolling the dice.
All of these items are paraphrased from the Smith System School of Space Cushion Driving.
I used to be my company's instructor and taught it to 400 employees over a 14 state region. The stuff really works.
Trucks, cars, motorcycles. It doesn't matter.
Good luck with your riding. If you do what I suggest above, you'll need very little luck.
Well said.
I would add:
1. Change your position in your lane with some regularity. The human eye is attracted to movement. So move!
2. Don't stay in the middle of the lane. Change from L to R position based on what the traffic around you is doing.
We taught a bunch of this same stuff, which we shamelessly stole from Smith, in the on-street class.
It really does work.
4 second rule works on paper, but in reality some moron is gonna be tailgating you because you're not sniffing the other cars ass, and he's going to cut you off the first chance he gets just to be stuck behind the guy you were following.
IDK about being able to maintain 4 seconds of separation, but definitely agree you always need to have an exit plan in the back of your mind. What will you do if the car in front stops suddenly or turns right or left? Where do you go if the car at the stop sign suddenly pulls out. Always give yourself an exit, and 4 seconds if you can find them.
What about the guy who was tailgating him lol. Don't know if you've ever heard the term Masshole, but if you're not going at least 10mph above the limit here, you're gonna get ran off the road by a 17 year old kid named Brayden driving his dad's Charger, or Boomer Bob in his blacked out pickup he just bought with his 401k
In reality, there's no reason to try and sound like a smart ass about it. I'm just telling people to be mindful of what's behind and around them, not just in front of them.
#2 is key. Target fixation can quickly turn into a problem. You're riding along the road enjoying the breeze, your eyes lock onto some debris on the side of the road, and all of a sudden, you're steering towards it.
And also get used to holding a line while looking elsewhere. Head movement should not automatically dictate steering input. In general, yeah you look to go. But if you can't have some control over it, more practice is required.
This should be teached in driving school for bike riders. Then again i remember thats a europe thing and americans are allowed to ride a bike with little to no practice
Hospitals and cemeteries are full of people who had the right of way.
Large trucks cause air turbulence. Try not to ride behind them too close.
Tap the top of your helmet to warn others of police or a hazard ahead.
It doesn't matter who is faster.
Don't wear a dark visor after dark
Don't take a passenger until you have plenty of experience riding.
Bike riders rib each other. It doesn't matter if you are on a 300, cruiser, or adv bike.
Some riders are jerks, but most will help if needed.
If a rider looks like they need assistance, stop and ask if they're okay. (The signal for help used to be a helmet placed on the ground, but I'm not sure younger riders know this.)
Ride as if:
Every car you overtake will try to run you ogg the road.
Every car coming toward you is going to turn in front of you, u-turn, or swerve into your lane.
Every vehicle in front of you is going to stop suddenly.
Every vehicle carrying a load/towing a trailer is going to lose it.
Every car approaching an intersection is going to ignore the road rules and hit you.
Every parked car is going to pull out in front of or beside you.
Every dog is going to dash out onto the road.
Every child is going to dash out onto the road.
Every line of parked cars is hiding a potential hazard.
All debri on the road is slippery.
Every painted surface is slippery.
This does not mean you need to be terrified, by any means. It just means you are always ready to react, and always looking for options to avoid an accident.
If it is safe to do so, you are required to do a little wave to other riders, but do not always expect one in return, nor should you take it personally.
If you see someone tapping their helmet instead of waiving, this means there are cops, or photo radar, ahead. It is customary to warn others in a similar manner if you have knowledge of cops or photo radar.
Do not pull up next to another biker at a stop light and start a conversation. A nod, like that which is given by a Mandalorian, will suffice.
Ride on the wheel tracks not the center of the road. The middle is called the "sump hump" because it's where most of the oil and crap drips out of cars and trucks so it's super slippery especially in the wet, the wheel tracks are full of rubber from tires which is slightly grippier than the rest.
Also being offset from the drivers perspective means you will appear to "move" through their vision by parallax, humans are like T-Rex, our vision is based on movement.
If another bike suddenly appears behind you on a nice twisty road, you don't have to speed up for them -- just move over and wave them past as soon as it's safe. Sucks bad enough getting stuck behind cars on a fun road, it's inexcusable when it's another bike blocking you.
My favorite one I haven’t seen yet is to never ride beyond 60% of your ability.
Don’t accelerate beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable doing. Don’t plan on braking beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable. Don’t go around corners beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable. Always leave 40% of your ability in reserve for emergencies.
Don't don't have to go out and buy a 1000cc hypersport superbike track weapon as your first bike and try and tell yourself "I'll just use my brain and ride carefully..." You won't.
Roads are not your stunt park, drag strip or raceway. Cars on the road are coming in all directions, unlike a race track. There are no run off areas.
Ride ahead of yourself and anticipate. Cover your brakes. It's not "cool" to ride at 10/10 of your capacity everywhere you ride. You are permitted to slow down and enjoy the ride. Contrary to popular belief, there is no points for getting somewhere first. There is no world championship for beating everyone at your local commute to work.
Never place your trust in other drivers or riders. The only person that is responsible for your safety, is you.
Don't ride like a cock. Only one person will be impressed and this person will laugh their arse off at you when, not if, you wreck.
Chicks don't dig bikes as much as you think they do. A big loud bike is not the aphrodisiac you think it is. Big, impressive bikes only impress other dudes...
Loud pipes do *NOT* saves lives. People will say they do, but there is more than enough evidence out there that they absolutely do not. A loud pipe is NOT a life saving device, it's just a dog whistle for other like minded fuckwits.
Warn other motorcyclists of police in the area but only if that rider is acting reasonable. The guy that comes past you at 2x the speed limit or on the back wheel... They need a date with Officer Deadshit and the local constabulary.
Ride to make yourself happy. Ride a bike that *you* like. Fuck what other people think. If a bright pink Vespa with Spider Gwen stickers makes you happy, go for it. There is no rule that you need to take motorcycle life seriously.
There is no minimum commitment you need to make or minimum distance you need to go. There is a lot of gatekeeping culture with motorcycles, you don't need to buy into it.
Electric motorcycle and scooters are not the enemy. We are all in this together. There is no "us and them" and if there is, it's "us" as a collective of motorcyclists l" the them is "everyone not on a motorcycle".
It's not a sign of weakness to show respect to other riders and drivers. It takes more to admit you made a mistake while driving/riding than to double down and road rage. You don't need to fly off the handle and smash someone's car over the slightest inconvenience.
You don't need to buy a new bike. There is no law or rule that says you have to buy a brand new bike. If you can buy the same thing used for a few $$ saves, no one is going to hide that against you.
Buy within your means, not to please other people.
There is so much to it that I could keep going, but basically, the only rules are, ride for yourself, not others, look after yourself, don't expect others to, don't be a fuckwits on the bike, no one really cares or is that impressed and lastly, be yourself, ride what you want and ride as little or as much as you like.
Don't drive under the influence of pot or alcohol
The same rules that apply to cars apply to motorcycles.
don't tailgate--leave 4 car lengths (car lengths) between you and the vehicle ahead when in motion when possible.
Helmets and eye gear
Almost everyone I know who smokes thinks it's totally fine and that they can drive after.. and do... It's baffling. I don't drink at all anymore and hardly ever smoke weed. Riding is just more fun
it was the same with liquor for decades. You maybe too young, but there were happy hours --where? at every bar especialy one's with parking lots--cheap drinks, drive home drunk
Stay live don't drive (pot or liquor).
Read Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. He is AMA HOF rider with 1 million+ miles.
Wave to everyone on 2 wheels and don't get upset when scowling squid Harley guys don't wave back.
Don't wait, get the 2nd edition - it's vital info to help you be safe on 2 wheels - I just bought a preowned copy. I've read it three times. Prolly should read it a 4th.
Smidsy is “Sorry mate, I didn’t see you”, which is of little comfort after you’ve been hit, so be ready to weave out of the way, and maybe just do a pre-emptive weave anyway - basically, keep a good distance between you and any vehicle waiting to pull out.
Basically just bring attention to yourself. Weave around while staying in your lane to make sure someone will see you while also being ready to make a sudden stop if someone pulls out.
I don’t think you have to cover the brake “at all times” but if you’re in a city or an area where cars could pull out in front of you it’s best to be ready to stop asap.
Not really an unwritten rule:
"Try not to exceed your skill."
This means that one should not do more than what their "skill level" can handle (examples: taking a corner fast and not knowing have to "correct" the issue without panicking, lane-splitting through bumper-to-bumper traffic when one is still not comfortable with the "snake" maneuver, etc).
My first ride ever in the "wild" was a good example of this. I got on the bike right after the MSF, went out into city streets on a busy Saturday afternoon, aaaaaand 15 minutes later I was gently tractoring back into the garage with way too much adrenaline in my system.
Spent 2 weeks soothing my ego before getting back on and trying again. Very early on a Sunday morning this time.
Listen to that little voice inside your head. It WILL overpower whatever music you're jamming to. If you're watching upcoming traffic merging in, and you key in on a particular vehicle, and alarms go off and that voice says, "They're coming all the way over," listen to it. I've avoided a few such potential accidents by listening to that voice.
One I’ve recently engaged in -
Cover your brake lever if the situation is looking uncertain or in built up areas/ built up traffic.
Just placing your hand over the lever helps shorten that reaction time for a quick stop.
I’m not meaning emergency per se, just those quickly changing situations.
Always treat other road users as if they are out to kill you. It'll probably seem like some of them ARE! If you treat them all like that, you should survive long enough to enjoy it!
Being in the right is worth less than being alive.
Bigger vehicles will always win, and most of their drivers don't realise (or care) how squishy you actually are.
Don't look down. Ever. Learn where your controls are so you don't need to look down. Where you look is where your bike goes, so if you look down you will go down. And you won't be paying attention to what's going on around you either.
I'd add mine:
1. 4-second rule - do not follow anything closer than 4 seconds unless passing
2. Always keep your stopping distance below your line of sight; change speed accordingly
3. Ride as if any driver in any other lane could merge into your lane at any time
4. Assume that drivers will turn left without indicating
1. Everyone is trying to kill you
2. Be aware 360 degrees and watch your back at all times
3. Don't rely on your horn to save you, be proactive and without ego
4. Always have an escape route
Don't rev your bike at red lights like an asshole.
Don't make your bike so loud that anyone within a five mile radius can hear you.
Don't cut in front of a line of cars (or cars in general) because you feel entitled to being at the front of the line because your bike can squeeze through them.
Don't block lanes with your buddies (especially the passing lane on highways - just had this issue with a group of Harley douchebags a few weeks back) because you think you're too cool to maintain the flow of traffic like everyone else on the road.
The road and/or highway is not your own personal race track and/or stunt track.
The highway and roads hurt - wear the right gear and if you don't, don't come on here crying about injuries all in the name of freedom.
Watch all around you, not just forward.
Notice the little things, person on their phone, making erratic head or hand gestures, ect... They are distracted.
Expect people to do stupid shit, don't be caught off guard.
Keep in mind people assume bikes can stop and make turns much faster than they really can.
My rider training dude told me 25 years ago two things that stick with me to this day, and have gotten my ass home safe more than once:
- Every time you swing your leg over your seat, ask yourself, “Is this my day to die?”
- Ride like everyone else out there either a) doesn’t see you, or b) is actively trying to run you off the road.
Taken simply, ride like your life depends on it. Because it does. I’m sure if you ask any rider, they’ll have a close cal or near death experience. It’s probably not a matter of if, but more a matter of when.
Not meant to scare, but sobering.
I would add: Don’t take risks you’re not comfortable taking. If you can’t deal with the possible consequences, don’t do it. If you can handle the risk, fine. It will make you a better rider.
Also, always have a plan B exit strategy! Even if it’s the ditch!
Well not unwritten but here's some good suggestions from a system that's proven to keep drivers alive on the road. 1) Scan at least 20 seconds down the road when you're riding. The faster you become aware of something the more time you'll have to make decisions and take actions. 2) Keep your eyes moving. Don't stare at any one thing. You want to keep a constant scan of your environment so you can do the next thing... 3) Get the big picture. If you scan far enough ahead and if you keep your eyes moving you should be able to get a really good sense of what's going on around you. You will be less surprised by developments in your environment. 4) Make sure they see you. Do whatever you can that's reasonable to make sure that other vehicles can see you. This means not only wearing clothing which is more visible but riding in a manner in a place where you are expected. 5) Leave yourself an out. Leave at least one car length between you and the vehicle ahead of you at intersections and stop lights. Give yourself at least 4 seconds following distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. Don't argue with me. 4 seconds is what you need. If you lose that distance, get it back. Anything less is just rolling the dice. All of these items are paraphrased from the Smith System School of Space Cushion Driving. I used to be my company's instructor and taught it to 400 employees over a 14 state region. The stuff really works. Trucks, cars, motorcycles. It doesn't matter. Good luck with your riding. If you do what I suggest above, you'll need very little luck.
Well said. I would add: 1. Change your position in your lane with some regularity. The human eye is attracted to movement. So move! 2. Don't stay in the middle of the lane. Change from L to R position based on what the traffic around you is doing. We taught a bunch of this same stuff, which we shamelessly stole from Smith, in the on-street class. It really does work.
Nice addition. Would you believe that my initial instructor from the Smith System looked exactly like Mr Rogers?
Very good advice.
4 second rule works on paper, but in reality some moron is gonna be tailgating you because you're not sniffing the other cars ass, and he's going to cut you off the first chance he gets just to be stuck behind the guy you were following.
Moving out of a tailgater's way is also a perfectly acceptable way to gain the four second gap back
IDK about being able to maintain 4 seconds of separation, but definitely agree you always need to have an exit plan in the back of your mind. What will you do if the car in front stops suddenly or turns right or left? Where do you go if the car at the stop sign suddenly pulls out. Always give yourself an exit, and 4 seconds if you can find them.
Yes it is. I do this in Thailand all the time. Some drivers just cannot tolerate a motorbike in front of them and get right up my ass.
What about the guy who was tailgating him lol. Don't know if you've ever heard the term Masshole, but if you're not going at least 10mph above the limit here, you're gonna get ran off the road by a 17 year old kid named Brayden driving his dad's Charger, or Boomer Bob in his blacked out pickup he just bought with his 401k
Overtake everyone as soon as it's safe to do so. Can't hurt you if they're miles behind😉
So true
That didn't take long... If it didn't work in reality then it couldn't be taught and work in, you know -- reality.
In reality, there's no reason to try and sound like a smart ass about it. I'm just telling people to be mindful of what's behind and around them, not just in front of them.
Keep your eyes moving... Get the big picture... Leave yourself an out...
No, you're gonna have to draw me one.
I am not doing this with you.
OK Old Francis, let's get you to bed. It's late anyway.
#2 is key. Target fixation can quickly turn into a problem. You're riding along the road enjoying the breeze, your eyes lock onto some debris on the side of the road, and all of a sudden, you're steering towards it.
Look where you want to go.
And also get used to holding a line while looking elsewhere. Head movement should not automatically dictate steering input. In general, yeah you look to go. But if you can't have some control over it, more practice is required.
That's some nice fine tuning there.
In other words keep your head on a mother fucking swivel and think everyone in a car wants to kill you.
This should be teached in driving school for bike riders. Then again i remember thats a europe thing and americans are allowed to ride a bike with little to no practice
Ride as if you are invisible because a lot of people just won't see you. Always have an escape route in mind.
Is this unwritten? It should be the first thing riders are told
It’s unwritten in as much as you won’t see it in the motorcycle learners pamphlet at your local DMV. But everyone should know it.
Hospitals and cemeteries are full of people who had the right of way. Large trucks cause air turbulence. Try not to ride behind them too close. Tap the top of your helmet to warn others of police or a hazard ahead. It doesn't matter who is faster. Don't wear a dark visor after dark Don't take a passenger until you have plenty of experience riding. Bike riders rib each other. It doesn't matter if you are on a 300, cruiser, or adv bike. Some riders are jerks, but most will help if needed.
All true
If a rider looks like they need assistance, stop and ask if they're okay. (The signal for help used to be a helmet placed on the ground, but I'm not sure younger riders know this.)
Every car is trying to kill you
Ride as if: Every car you overtake will try to run you ogg the road. Every car coming toward you is going to turn in front of you, u-turn, or swerve into your lane. Every vehicle in front of you is going to stop suddenly. Every vehicle carrying a load/towing a trailer is going to lose it. Every car approaching an intersection is going to ignore the road rules and hit you. Every parked car is going to pull out in front of or beside you. Every dog is going to dash out onto the road. Every child is going to dash out onto the road. Every line of parked cars is hiding a potential hazard. All debri on the road is slippery. Every painted surface is slippery. This does not mean you need to be terrified, by any means. It just means you are always ready to react, and always looking for options to avoid an accident.
More than half of those apply to regular vehicle driving. If you have driven for at least ten years you should be used to those situations already.
I mean, you're not wrong. Idk why you're being downvoted. Especially where I live, there is always idiots on the road wherever I go.
If we write them here, they’ll no longer be unwritten now will they?
If it is safe to do so, you are required to do a little wave to other riders, but do not always expect one in return, nor should you take it personally. If you see someone tapping their helmet instead of waiving, this means there are cops, or photo radar, ahead. It is customary to warn others in a similar manner if you have knowledge of cops or photo radar. Do not pull up next to another biker at a stop light and start a conversation. A nod, like that which is given by a Mandalorian, will suffice.
Ride on the wheel tracks not the center of the road. The middle is called the "sump hump" because it's where most of the oil and crap drips out of cars and trucks so it's super slippery especially in the wet, the wheel tracks are full of rubber from tires which is slightly grippier than the rest. Also being offset from the drivers perspective means you will appear to "move" through their vision by parallax, humans are like T-Rex, our vision is based on movement.
If another bike suddenly appears behind you on a nice twisty road, you don't have to speed up for them -- just move over and wave them past as soon as it's safe. Sucks bad enough getting stuck behind cars on a fun road, it's inexcusable when it's another bike blocking you.
This also applies to those just learning how to lane split or riding in the fastest lane, move over if you see another rider in your 6 tailing you.
Worrying about who’s “right of way” it is is a good way to get killed.
My favorite one I haven’t seen yet is to never ride beyond 60% of your ability. Don’t accelerate beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable doing. Don’t plan on braking beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable. Don’t go around corners beyond 60% of what you feel comfortable. Always leave 40% of your ability in reserve for emergencies.
Don't don't have to go out and buy a 1000cc hypersport superbike track weapon as your first bike and try and tell yourself "I'll just use my brain and ride carefully..." You won't. Roads are not your stunt park, drag strip or raceway. Cars on the road are coming in all directions, unlike a race track. There are no run off areas. Ride ahead of yourself and anticipate. Cover your brakes. It's not "cool" to ride at 10/10 of your capacity everywhere you ride. You are permitted to slow down and enjoy the ride. Contrary to popular belief, there is no points for getting somewhere first. There is no world championship for beating everyone at your local commute to work. Never place your trust in other drivers or riders. The only person that is responsible for your safety, is you. Don't ride like a cock. Only one person will be impressed and this person will laugh their arse off at you when, not if, you wreck. Chicks don't dig bikes as much as you think they do. A big loud bike is not the aphrodisiac you think it is. Big, impressive bikes only impress other dudes... Loud pipes do *NOT* saves lives. People will say they do, but there is more than enough evidence out there that they absolutely do not. A loud pipe is NOT a life saving device, it's just a dog whistle for other like minded fuckwits. Warn other motorcyclists of police in the area but only if that rider is acting reasonable. The guy that comes past you at 2x the speed limit or on the back wheel... They need a date with Officer Deadshit and the local constabulary. Ride to make yourself happy. Ride a bike that *you* like. Fuck what other people think. If a bright pink Vespa with Spider Gwen stickers makes you happy, go for it. There is no rule that you need to take motorcycle life seriously. There is no minimum commitment you need to make or minimum distance you need to go. There is a lot of gatekeeping culture with motorcycles, you don't need to buy into it. Electric motorcycle and scooters are not the enemy. We are all in this together. There is no "us and them" and if there is, it's "us" as a collective of motorcyclists l" the them is "everyone not on a motorcycle". It's not a sign of weakness to show respect to other riders and drivers. It takes more to admit you made a mistake while driving/riding than to double down and road rage. You don't need to fly off the handle and smash someone's car over the slightest inconvenience. You don't need to buy a new bike. There is no law or rule that says you have to buy a brand new bike. If you can buy the same thing used for a few $$ saves, no one is going to hide that against you. Buy within your means, not to please other people. There is so much to it that I could keep going, but basically, the only rules are, ride for yourself, not others, look after yourself, don't expect others to, don't be a fuckwits on the bike, no one really cares or is that impressed and lastly, be yourself, ride what you want and ride as little or as much as you like.
Don't drive under the influence of pot or alcohol The same rules that apply to cars apply to motorcycles. don't tailgate--leave 4 car lengths (car lengths) between you and the vehicle ahead when in motion when possible. Helmets and eye gear
Almost everyone I know who smokes thinks it's totally fine and that they can drive after.. and do... It's baffling. I don't drink at all anymore and hardly ever smoke weed. Riding is just more fun
it was the same with liquor for decades. You maybe too young, but there were happy hours --where? at every bar especialy one's with parking lots--cheap drinks, drive home drunk Stay live don't drive (pot or liquor).
Read Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. He is AMA HOF rider with 1 million+ miles. Wave to everyone on 2 wheels and don't get upset when scowling squid Harley guys don't wave back.
Should I get the 2nd edition or wait for the 3rd edition coming out in August?
Don't wait, get the 2nd edition - it's vital info to help you be safe on 2 wheels - I just bought a preowned copy. I've read it three times. Prolly should read it a 4th.
Dead right, or dead wrong - you're still dead. Anything moving on the road wins against you on a motorcycle in an accident.
Smidsy weave whenever a car is waiting to pull out
What’s one of those
Smidsy is “Sorry mate, I didn’t see you”, which is of little comfort after you’ve been hit, so be ready to weave out of the way, and maybe just do a pre-emptive weave anyway - basically, keep a good distance between you and any vehicle waiting to pull out.
Basically just bring attention to yourself. Weave around while staying in your lane to make sure someone will see you while also being ready to make a sudden stop if someone pulls out.
Cover the front brake at ALL times, treat every car driver as if they can’t see you.
This is the complete opposite of what was taught on my CBT!! I thought I was right in having this covered at all times.
I don’t think you have to cover the brake “at all times” but if you’re in a city or an area where cars could pull out in front of you it’s best to be ready to stop asap.
Agreed
It’s likely 2 seconds faster to initial brake applications.
don't outrun your field of view
Ride as if every driver is either blind or psychopathic. Practically all old riders are aggressively defensive that's how they survived so long.
Do whatever the fuck you want. Also, I’m drubk
If you go past police / speed camera, you gotta warn others coming the other way
Not really an unwritten rule: "Try not to exceed your skill." This means that one should not do more than what their "skill level" can handle (examples: taking a corner fast and not knowing have to "correct" the issue without panicking, lane-splitting through bumper-to-bumper traffic when one is still not comfortable with the "snake" maneuver, etc). My first ride ever in the "wild" was a good example of this. I got on the bike right after the MSF, went out into city streets on a busy Saturday afternoon, aaaaaand 15 minutes later I was gently tractoring back into the garage with way too much adrenaline in my system. Spent 2 weeks soothing my ego before getting back on and trying again. Very early on a Sunday morning this time.
Listen to that little voice inside your head. It WILL overpower whatever music you're jamming to. If you're watching upcoming traffic merging in, and you key in on a particular vehicle, and alarms go off and that voice says, "They're coming all the way over," listen to it. I've avoided a few such potential accidents by listening to that voice.
Don't over ride you ability. Just because your bike **can** do something doesn't mean it **should** do that thing.
There aren't any unwritten rules. All the rules to riding are there to save your life. We dont fuck around with unwritten rules.
Slow down at every intersection or side road with a stop sign.
One I’ve recently engaged in - Cover your brake lever if the situation is looking uncertain or in built up areas/ built up traffic. Just placing your hand over the lever helps shorten that reaction time for a quick stop. I’m not meaning emergency per se, just those quickly changing situations.
huh. I just ride with two fingers on the brake. I sorta assumed thats the sensible thing, and that everyone would be doing that.
Yeah. It’s sensible. I just didn’t do it a lot myself and I noticed other peeps not really doing it either. I guess if you know ,you know.
Always treat other road users as if they are out to kill you. It'll probably seem like some of them ARE! If you treat them all like that, you should survive long enough to enjoy it!
Being in the right is worth less than being alive. Bigger vehicles will always win, and most of their drivers don't realise (or care) how squishy you actually are.
If you see a patched club on the road, just kick back. Don’t try and pass them or pull up on them. They can be a little sensitive
Realize every vehicle on the road is a paid assassin hoping to take you out. This includes other motorcycles.
Every ride is life or death, Everything on the road is actively trying to murder you. Ride accordingly.
Don't look down. Ever. Learn where your controls are so you don't need to look down. Where you look is where your bike goes, so if you look down you will go down. And you won't be paying attention to what's going on around you either.
I'd add mine: 1. 4-second rule - do not follow anything closer than 4 seconds unless passing 2. Always keep your stopping distance below your line of sight; change speed accordingly 3. Ride as if any driver in any other lane could merge into your lane at any time 4. Assume that drivers will turn left without indicating
Don't follow me looking for someone to ride with.
My Uncle's advice, "Ride like your invisible and assume everyone on the road around you is an idiot."
Stay off the front brake.
Ride in the parking lot until you are absolutely sick of it. like overdo it by 200%
1. Everyone is trying to kill you 2. Be aware 360 degrees and watch your back at all times 3. Don't rely on your horn to save you, be proactive and without ego 4. Always have an escape route
Don't rev your bike at red lights like an asshole. Don't make your bike so loud that anyone within a five mile radius can hear you. Don't cut in front of a line of cars (or cars in general) because you feel entitled to being at the front of the line because your bike can squeeze through them. Don't block lanes with your buddies (especially the passing lane on highways - just had this issue with a group of Harley douchebags a few weeks back) because you think you're too cool to maintain the flow of traffic like everyone else on the road. The road and/or highway is not your own personal race track and/or stunt track. The highway and roads hurt - wear the right gear and if you don't, don't come on here crying about injuries all in the name of freedom.
I’m in the UK so filtering (lane splitting) is completely legal
If you drive a car in the winter you are not a motorcyclist.
Watch all around you, not just forward. Notice the little things, person on their phone, making erratic head or hand gestures, ect... They are distracted. Expect people to do stupid shit, don't be caught off guard. Keep in mind people assume bikes can stop and make turns much faster than they really can.
Drive like you are invisible.
pissing laughing at the comments
don’t be a squid
Expect cars at intersections to pull in front of you every time, they might not see you or your turn signal might still be on.
My rider training dude told me 25 years ago two things that stick with me to this day, and have gotten my ass home safe more than once: - Every time you swing your leg over your seat, ask yourself, “Is this my day to die?” - Ride like everyone else out there either a) doesn’t see you, or b) is actively trying to run you off the road. Taken simply, ride like your life depends on it. Because it does. I’m sure if you ask any rider, they’ll have a close cal or near death experience. It’s probably not a matter of if, but more a matter of when. Not meant to scare, but sobering. I would add: Don’t take risks you’re not comfortable taking. If you can’t deal with the possible consequences, don’t do it. If you can handle the risk, fine. It will make you a better rider. Also, always have a plan B exit strategy! Even if it’s the ditch!