[Rhino]

I came across this article on keeping safe when riding in the city. We all can use a refresher now and again. Keep safe out there everyone.

Riding in City Traffic | Motorcycle Driving Tips | Fix.com


Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

 

[tlg1100]

I will take any and all advice when it comes to being safe in todays world, lots of riding experience in traffiic and sometimes think I can read minds.

But no I can't... so thanks for the thread and even if nobody gets anything from it other than to think about being safe

 

[Louisville Joe]

Interesting refresher article. Thanks for posting. And I am so fortunate that I don't need to ride in city traffic on a regular basis. Now if you find a good refresher article on avoiding deer out in the counties that's what I really need!

 

[tlg1100]

Now if you find a good refresher article on avoiding deer out in the counties that's what I really need!

I think deers are always out there...waiting to jump,cross,run across the road or highway. They see and hear you coming from a long ways away.. they even watch as you approach, the closer you get the more nervous they get. When you get as close as you possible can they think to themselves " I better hurry and get across the road, this is my last chance"
Cows are the same way except they don't move once they get in middle of the road :eek

 

[jopagocks]

Good read. Thanks for posting. Always good to have a refresher. Found myself in someone's blind spot yesterday while going 65 on the freeway. He signaled and almost started to turn into me. Was my fault. Shouldn't have put myself in that position in the first place.

I notice that a lot of motorcyclists like to ride in the far left lane when on the highway. I think that is potentially one of the worst places to ride. For one it's the passing lane so cars are always flowing in and out of it. Also, there is usually only one escape route- to the left- if that's available. I like to ride center lane, at a decent speed. Gives you two escape routes, and allows cars to see you from multiple lanes. Ride safe all.


.…...........................................

"I'd rather be riding my motorcycle thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about my motorcycle"

 

[scspartan]

Excellent post!!

 

[edslow]

Very good read thanks

 

[chasarms]

. . .I notice that a lot of motorcyclists like to ride in the far left lane when on the highway. I think that is potentially one of the worst places to ride. For one it's the passing lane so cars are always flowing in and out of it. Also, there is usually only one escape route- to the left- if that's available. I like to ride center lane, at a decent speed. Gives you two escape routes, and allows cars to see you from multiple lanes. Ride safe all. . . .

It depends on the conditions. I commuted in a 2.8+ million populated major metro (St. Louis) for years. I always found that the far left lane in the 3-4 lane highways was by far the safest.

If you run in the middle lanes, you have cars entering your lane from either side. I can't tell you how many times a "weaver" from the left has nearly broad-sided me thinking I was just a gap in traffic.

In dense city traffic, you simply cannot keep a truly comfortable distance between you and the car in front of you. If you try, someone will get in it in a heartbeat. So, when you run tight like that, the cars don't see you until they are nearly past the one behind you. You can run on one side of the lane or the other, but it just leaves you more exposed from the other side.

My method has always been to get in the far left lane and ride aggressively. If I can, I will dictate the pace of traffic in that lane. I only have to guard one side. I just stay out of blind spots and expect cars to enter in front of me. It's almost impossible to run in the middle lanes in the cities I have ridden in. In areas where there are entrance and exit ramps every half mile, the road trucks almost always run in the middle. I understand why. They don't want to be in the way of the those entering, and they don't want to be in the far left.

 

[JTJ]

It depends on the conditions. I commuted in a 2.8+ million populated major metro (St. Louis) for years. I always found that the far left lane in the 3-4 lane highways was by far the safest.

If you run in the middle lanes, you have cars entering your lane from either side. I can't tell you how many times a "weaver" from the left has nearly broad-sided me thinking I was just a gap in traffic.

In dense city traffic, you simply cannot keep a truly comfortable distance between you and the car in front of you. If you try, someone will get in it in a heartbeat. So, when you run tight like that, the cars don't see you until they are nearly past the one behind you. You can run on one side or the other, but it just leaves you more exposed from the other side.

My method has always been to get in the far left lane and ride aggressively. If I can, I will dictate the pace of traffic in that lane. I only have to guard one side. I just stay out of blind spots and expect cars to enter in front of me.

It's almost impossible to run in the middle lanes in the cities I have ridden in. In areas where there are entrance and exit ramps every half mile, The road trucks almost always run in the middle. I understand why. They don't want to be in the way of the those entering, and they don't want to be in the far left.

I agree with this.
I rode through Tampa/St. Pete for years.
Riding in the center makes you a target from both lanes, in the right you have them getting on and off with people diving for the exits. I do what Chasarms does, hit the left lane and ride a little Aggressively.

 

[Mister B]

The Chas is wise, and a knower of things.

 

[a1347]

Interesting refresher article. Thanks for posting. And I am so fortunate that I don't need to ride in city traffic on a regular basis. Now if you find a good refresher article on avoiding deer out in the counties that's what I really need!

I am with you on that Joe, let me know if you figure that one out. deer are my biggest fear.

 

[vincent1966]

Thanks for posting. After riding again after an almost 30 year hiatus, I realize I don't know nothing. Thus, I read, listen, and read some more...

 

[Excoastie]

Great article, thanks for posting!

I always ride as though the world is out to kill me, and I act accordingly.

I'd like to add something that I didn't see in the article (not to say it's not there, I just didn't see it).

When you're stopped at a light NEVER sit with the bike in neutral with your hands off of the handle bars. ALWAYS sit with both hands on the bars, bike in first and the clutch lever pulled in fully.... If you have a need to quickly get out of the way, it takes way too long to grab the handle bars, pull in the clutch lever, drop it down into 1st, and THEN attempt to get out of the way. If you're primed and ready to go, you can do so as soon as the threat is recognized.

Exco

 

[windwalker]

It depends on the conditions. I commuted in a 2.8+ million populated major metro (St. Louis) for years. I always found that the far left lane in the 3-4 lane highways was by far the safest.

If you run in the middle lanes, you have cars entering your lane from either side. I can't tell you how many times a "weaver" from the left has nearly broad-sided me thinking I was just a gap in traffic.

In dense city traffic, you simply cannot keep a truly comfortable distance between you and the car in front of you. If you try, someone will get in it in a heartbeat. So, when you run tight like that, the cars don't see you until they are nearly past the one behind you. You can run on one side of the lane or the other, but it just leaves you more exposed from the other side.

My method has always been to get in the far left lane and ride aggressively. If I can, I will dictate the pace of traffic in that lane. I only have to guard one side. I just stay out of blind spots and expect cars to enter in front of me. It's almost impossible to run in the middle lanes in the cities I have ridden in. In areas where there are entrance and exit ramps every half mile, the road trucks almost always run in the middle. I understand why. They don't want to be in the way of the those entering, and they don't want to be in the far left.

This is my philosophy.

 

[Boblo Escobar]

It depends on the conditions. I commuted in a 2.8+ million populated major metro (St. Louis) for years. I always found that the far left lane in the 3-4 lane highways was by far the safest.

If you run in the middle lanes, you have cars entering your lane from either side. I can't tell you how many times a "weaver" from the left has nearly broad-sided me thinking I was just a gap in traffic.

In dense city traffic, you simply cannot keep a truly comfortable distance between you and the car in front of you. If you try, someone will get in it in a heartbeat. So, when you run tight like that, the cars don't see you until they are nearly past the one behind you. You can run on one side of the lane or the other, but it just leaves you more exposed from the other side.

My method has always been to get in the far left lane and ride aggressively. If I can, I will dictate the pace of traffic in that lane. I only have to guard one side. I just stay out of blind spots and expect cars to enter in front of me. It's almost impossible to run in the middle lanes in the cities I have ridden in. In areas where there are entrance and exit ramps every half mile, the road trucks almost always run in the middle. I understand why. They don't want to be in the way of the those entering, and they don't want to be in the far left.

As a daily commuter in the Bay Area (~7m population), I agree with you wholeheartedly. Far less action in the left lane than any other lane.

Only thing I'd add to this article, which may seem like it goes without saying but I'll voice it anyway, is to resist the urge to road rage. You get cut off, someone does something stupid, and sometimes your first instinct is to tailgate or otherwise "intimidate" the driver. This is stupid, unsafe and illogical. A car is bigger and will win. Every time. I say this because I myself have done this in the very recent past (ie, yesterday) after getting cut off and very nearly taken out by a shithead driver in a fancy little Beemer. There may be a YouTube video out there of me riding behind a car with my left arm fully extended, hand upright, giving the biggest one-finger salute possible for quite a few miles. After I got to work and calmed down, I realized I need to resist such stupidity, as it could be the end of me some day. Around here, flipping someone the bird could result in them simply slamming on the brakes and that'd be the end of things. Not worth it. In short: calm. the. eff. down.

 

[chasarms]

. . . resist the urge to road rage . . . This is stupid, unsafe and illogical . . . I myself have done this in the very recent past (ie, yesterday) . . .

LMAO!! Edited it down to the good parts!!!

 

[webco2]

As a daily commuter in the Bay Area (~7m population), I agree with you wholeheartedly. Far less action in the left lane than any other lane.

Only thing I'd add to this article, which may seem like it goes without saying but I'll voice it anyway, is to resist the urge to road rage. You get cut off, someone does something stupid, and sometimes your first instinct is to tailgate or otherwise "intimidate" the driver. This is stupid, unsafe and illogical. A car is bigger and will win. Every time. I say this because I myself have done this in the very recent past (ie, yesterday) after getting cut off and very nearly taken out by a shithead driver in a fancy little Beemer. There may be a YouTube video out there of me riding behind a car with my left arm fully extended, hand upright, giving the biggest one-finger salute possible for quite a few miles. After I got to work and calmed down, I realized I need to resist such stupidity, as it could be the end of me some day. Around here, flipping someone the bird could result in them simply slamming on the brakes and that'd be the end of things. Not worth it. In short: calm. the. eff. down.

Thats also a damm fine way to get shot . :what?

 

[chasarms]

Thats also a damm fine way to get shot . :what?

In Texas, yes. In Cali, you'll probably just get a sternly-worded letter in the mail along with a few self-help pamphlets.

 

[Kentucky Boy]

Always good to get a refresher. I used to wonder about daily safety meetings and pre-job briefs at work, but I get it now.

A couple of posters have recommended driving aggressively on the highway. I'm a relatively new rider and I hope you won't take this the wring way, but it seems like about the worst practice we could follow--the exact opposite of what we should do, in fact. Unless a bear is chasing you or something... Lol. I don't think the benefits of defensive driving are even on the table for questioning. Maybe I misunderstood.

 

[chasarms]

Always good to get a refresher. I used to wonder about daily safety meetings and pre-job briefs at work, but I get it now.

A couple of posters have recommended driving aggressively on the highway. I'm a relatively new rider and I hope you won't take this the wring way, but it seems like about the worst practice we could follow--the exact opposite of what we should do, in fact. Unless a bear is chasing you or something... Lol. I don't think the benefits of defensive driving are even on the table for questioning. Maybe I misunderstood.

"Aggressive" may not be the best descriptor.

I ride fast . . . faster than I drive. By aggressive, I mean I don't ride at all timidly. I take my right-of-way if it is mine and ride like I own as much of the road as anything else using it.

I don't weave, pass on the right, tailgate or anything else that might be considered "aggressive" if driving a cage.

Nor do I offer extended one-finger salutes to ass-hats who make my life miserable on the road.

I just make a mental record of their plate # and add it to my list . . . I have a Steve Buscemi from Billy Madison kind of thing going!