WHERE ARE YOU ON THE SPECTRUM OF MOTORCYCLE SAFETY? If you are reading this, it could be presumed that you have some level of interest in motorcycle safety. But in my experience, what that means in terms of “how much” or “how little” you routinely demonstrate the “best practices” of rider safety may vary considerably.
Although individual perspectives about motorcycle safety are diverse, generally they can be expressed relative to a concept of “I’m a good rider”.
I’m a Good Rider
1) On one end of the motorcycle safety spectrum is the notion that “I’m a good rider. I won’t crash.” That can be translated to mean that motorcycle safety is less of a concern, since one wouldn’t require much protection if he/she were to never crash.
2) Another end of the spectrum is the concept that “I’m a good rider. But I don’t know about every other driver on the road.” The central idea here is that on any ride, on any day, there is the potential to crash or be hit by some inattentive driver.
These two views could be imagined as opposite ends of a spectrum with varying gradients of considerations between.
Motorcycle Rider Fate
There’s an additional consideration, or cliche, that expresses another viewpoint about two types of motorbike riders: “Those that have gone down, and those that will.”
Although this viewpoint is not shared by all motorcyclists, per force, it can only exist within the second half of the “I’m a good rider safety spectrum.” In other words, no rider who entertains the first belief that “I’m a good rider, I won’t crash” cannot also hold an idea that it is fate that every biker will ultimately go down.
So, where do your beliefs fall within this spectrum?
That’s somewhat of a trick question, because regardless of what you may “think” or even “say” about motorcycle safety, the true answer is reflected in what you wear when you ride.
Motorcycle Protective Gear
Your safety beliefs are evident by your riding gear. If you believe you are a good rider and you won’t crash, you probably won’t place a priority on wearing any or all of the following:
♦ Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet
♦ Full Motorcycle Gloves (Not half gloves)
♦ Good Motorcycle Boots
♦ A Good Quality Motorcycle Jacket with armor
♦ Motorcycle Pants or Chaps (Ideally, with armor)
On the other hand, if you are at the other end of the spectrum and believe you are a good rider but are not confident about everyone else on the road, you likely will be wearing some or all of the above.
What’s the Best Motorcycle Safety Philosophy?
Reality is uncompromisingly revelatory: Bikers crash every day. Too many motorcyclists get killed. Every day.
And yet as humans many of us believe that “Crashing won’t happen to me.” Which means every rider who has crashed and/or been killed was likely thinking a similar thing: “It won’t ever happen to me.”
The good new is that some percentage of riders will be right: “It won’t happen to them.” Carry on!
But how do you “know” you’ll never go down?
What if it’s possible that some day you might crash?
What should you be wearing on that day?
A little reflection on how to improve one’s likelihood of enjoying riding as long as possible would include the philosophy of embracing the following safety points:
♦ Wearing protective gear
♦ Increasing one’s riding skills (study, training, practice)
♦ Gaining lots of riding experience! (Ideally, while developing good riding habits)
By the way, what about bikers who don’t consider they are a good rider in the first place?
Although that concept should easily encompass brand-new riders, I don’t actually recall ever meeting anyone who considered that they were “not” a good rider – completely independent of their experience.
What are your views on motorcycle safety? (Add your perspective below).
I don’t know that I can claim to be a ‘good rider’ but I think I can say I am a ‘safe’ rider, even though I don’t always wear a helmet, or chaps, or armored jacket. Some of the things I do, or I should say, don’t do to keep me from being run over are things other riders might consider silly, even sissy. Doesn’t matter, There are just some things I don’t do. 1) I never ride a bike in traffic that is heavy enough to make me nervous even in a car. You couldn’t pay me to ride a bike through Kansas City during the peak of traffic. I just don’t do it. If I did, yes, I’d want to be wearing all the protective gear I could get my hands on. Driving through Kansas City even in a car is a lot like getting shot through a particle accelerator, so I just don’t do it. I don’t always wear a helmet, but if I am riding at night or in the rain, I’ll be wearing the full face helmet because every where that isn’t in the city is deer and other critters country. In the rain, doesn’t matter how good you think you are, you can loose control with just one mistake. Yes, I do ride in the rain, no, I don’t ride in the rain just for something to do. If I am riding in the rain at all, there’s a reason. I never assume the other guy is looking out for me. I have had drivers make eye contact with me, then turn in front of me any way. I assume that if I get killed, they can always fall back on “I didn’t see him” … so, I always assume they don’t see me. It’s my responsibility to see them. I never ride so close to the rear of another vehicle that I won’t have time to react in case they drive their car over something on the road. I allow myself the distance to give me the time to hit the breaks. I do enjoy riding at night, but when I do, I NEVER drive faster than my headlight can show me what’s ahead, for the same reason. I don’t like surprises. Two other rules I live by: 1) I never get on the back of someone else’s motorcycle. If I’m not driving, I’d rather walk and 2) Any one who gets on the back of my motorcycle wears a helmet. This is non-negotiable. I consider myself a safe rider, but the unforeseen can happen to anybody, like a bird taking off from the side of the road and hitting me between the eyes. If someone is going to get killed on my bike, the one most likely should be myself. Sure, I can’t guarantee someone on the back will live either, but I can make sure the odds are stacked in their favor as much as possible. Final comment: NOBODY rides on the back of my bike if it’s raining. If I ride in the rain, I do it alone.
I’m not a good rider.
I freely admit it, I’m woefully erratic I can be great one day but terrible the next and I get bored easily if I’m not interested and then I lose concentration.
I also have a tendency to turn into corners too early.
On the plus side I’m improving and I’m better on a bike than in a car. Cars are TOO safe and too divorced from what you’re doing.
First received my motorcycle endorsement in 1978. From year one, attitude while riding has been, “90% of the drivers on the streets are going to say they didn’t see you, the other 10% hate motorcycles.” Wore a full face helmet in California before they had a helmet law. Never ride without one.
I realize the chances of me going down are pretty good, even though I am a good rider. I wear protective gear, but not always the best. For instance, I might decide to wear my half helmet rather than my full face or I might wear jeans without my armor pants or chaps. I have several jackets and some I have taken out the armor.
I believe my protection comes from The Heavenly Father and when it’s my time, I’ll go willingly.
hey wait what about them ..head rags,do rags,skull rags,beanies,skull caps,stoker caps,head wraps,flydanna,do wraps, ..some come in black leather, thats good … NO??
Stupid is a Stupid does. That translates as “just because the guvimint sez you don’t have to wear a helmet…doesn’t mean you should not” Feels Cooler…BS. Shade is always cooler than sunshine. Look at the umbrellas on the beach. We spend $12000 for a new loaded cruiser and won’t spend 35 bucks for a helmet? Give me a break. Try this: Put on a helmet and have a buddy “tap” your head with a baseball bat. Then take off your helmet and ask him to do it again! End of argument….
ATGATT every ride, even in hot weather. Ride defensively.
43 years of riding it’s all Gear all of the time!
Here is a short video on the proper way to lift a bike:
Usually wear all the gear all the time except I have to admit there are days that it is too hot to ride. Meaning, If i think I will pass out due to heat exhaustion,, with all the gear on, I either ride very early in the morning until about noon, or not at all.
Also, At a fourth of July picinic, My bike fell over in the grass, the sidestand sank into the soft soil. When I lifted the bike, ( I have had proper training on how to lift a bike and DID NOT USE THAT METHOD) I heard and felt my back snap. Down I went. Off to the hospital. with a compression fracture of the L4 vertebrae. It hurts! Most broken backs do, It has been four months and one surgery and I still am trying to recover. I am 57 and diagnosed with Osteoporosis. Imagine that, I never in a million years would have suspected this could happen to me, The point is, LEARN AND USE the correct way to lift a bike.
I also wear a reflective high-vis vest when riding. I have had several drivers tell me that if it were not for the vest they would have never seen me. Once in a convienant store parking lot and once at night in a fueling station. Both were senior drivers with glasses on.
Wear the gear and if the bike falls, know the correct procedure to pick it up. You otherwise might have a broken back like me!
I live in a retirement community and drivers here…well, let’s just say, turning left from the righthand lane is considered going with the flow of traffic. Between the distracted drivers talking on cell phones and confused elderly drivers, anyone on a bike here would be plain stupid to ride without protection.
Ride safe, people!
I’ve been riding for 26 yrs.been down a few times,though a long time ago.I wear a full faced helmet with quality gloves ,armored leather jacket,armored ballistc pants and high zip-up amd velcro leather boots.
Ride as if I am invisible. I ride a lot in rural areas and try to avoid THE CITY as much as I can
I am a bobble headed rider, alway looking at my mirrors , side to side,all around. Luck and skill have gotten me this far ‘but you never know what@is around the corner. Ride appropriately to your surroundings.
Although , I don’t have all the gear as can’t afford it yet I always wear a good helmet. Practicing safety must be on your mind at all times as it is the moment you let your guard down that the unexpected happens. A cautious rider should look at every ride as a chance to refine their skills. I’m not a professional rider but I like to try pretend I am. Not a day goes by ( drive my bike 420 miles per week), where somebody doesn’t try to take me out in a new way. You need to file those situations in your mind so as to expect a reoccurence sometime in the future. Got to study the road surface constantly and best to know your roads well if you want to have a little “extra” fun. We all basically live by the same princples of physics and motion and in reallity , you don’t ride a bike , you guide a bike. Need to look agressive but act responsibly as you would expect others to drive.
Got hit by a cager talking on his cellphone and coasting through a stop sign, while I turned left with my 12 year old daughter on the back, neither of us was hurt, because of protection.
Sure could have been worse! Only totalled my bike! Due to my jacket and armor and helmet. Smacked the side of my head on the pavement – no helmet- no brain.
The best was when I called my boss and said I wouldn’t be coming in I was at the emergency room having my leg checked out – he said, (in a very ticked-off voice), “Well I guess we’ll have to have one of the other managers stay. Are you coming in tomorrow morning?”
I won’t ride without safety gear, but if you don’t feel the need that’s your right, just sign a donor card, because there are a lot of bad drivers out there that aren’t seeing us! And yes, I am a donor and have already donated one kidney, so if I go down and damage the other one, I’m on dialysis!
As my old Senior Chief in the Navy said “You’re just as stupid as my old mule if you don’t wear protection!”
Ride Safe – Ride Smart -Ride Protected – Come Home to your family.
Have gone down , long time ago ,don’t want to anymore . I do wear most of the gear all the time . On a 3 hour plus ride ATTGATT. But with all the other riders and things on the road you can never be too sure . But i do go out and ride , wich is why i bought my ride. I ride from march to december (in Canada) sometimes in sub-Zero temp ,but i always rely on my brain to tell me that maybe that driver didn’t see me , or there might be a slippery product on the ground or…etc…. But i go out and enjoy the moment. If i do not feel confident i back down on the gas. Time has shown me different things that can be called experience, and i try to use my judgement best i can . For the rest i believe in God , He’s my co-rider out there , and i trust he will let me live for an other day so i can go work, live, love , eat ……etc , There are times and places to go fast , i try to always be aware of my possibilities and take into account that others don’t necessarely do so . But i want to enjoy life and live , as they say,: It’s not the destination it’s the journey !!! Have a good time ! ! !Lonewolf , (yes i am , i ride alone ! ! ! )