Just Got My L's On My Bike Licence

[mad082]

Just some tips and understanding from my experience (hope this doesn't scare you out of one of life's great pleasures):

Firstly, I'm just gonna throw the generalisation out there that old people are the worst drivers for motorcyclists because they never bother to do headchecks (bit physical for the elderly), some are horribly deaf (loud exhaust pipe or not), some are in a total dream and some are too focused on not hitting the car in front. So stay the f*** clear of old people if you see them.

The most important advice I can give you is that everyone on the road is your enemy and you need to stay the hell away from them where you can. Remember before each ride how easy it is to die out there. Never when riding lapse into a state of ease like you do in a car...because a poor reaction or no reaction to someone elses mistake can kill you. We say other drivers are the most dangerous obstacle for a motorcyclist...this is true but the onus is on you to stay clear of cars, because it doesn't do you much good being in the right and dead. Get pole position at the lights and take off clear of all cars (make sure no cars are running red lights across the intersection, it happens). Never sit right beside a car...sit in front where they can see you or behind far enough that a quick stab of the brakes will save you should they decide to merge over. Peak hour traffic is usually safer to ride in than regular traffic. The left lane is also the safest because if a car taps you when changing lanes, you'll go off the road as opposed to making love with the diff of another car or oncoming traffic.

Now onto my controversial opinion that other motorcyclists probably don't like to hear...we all do stupid shit on a motorbike at some point, whether it's a mono, speeding or just a fast lane change...and there are ALOT of idiots on motorcycles too. There are plenty of bike accidents by cause of a car driver but you are doubling your chances of this happening when you sneak up on a car expecting them to see you when you weren't there 2 seconds ago. So treat the roads with respect like you are driving a truck of precious cargo, not like you own the roads.

Things would be alot safer if everyone had a motorbike licence IMO, because it makes you more aware that there may be motorcyclists around you. Also, hardly any drivers appreciate how fragile the human body is on the road, with or without a cocoon of metal around you. The subconscious assumption of a car driver is also that if he/she f***s up, he/she will hit someones car and pay for some damage. The reality is that there could be a bike there and they will kill someone, they just don't keep this in mind when they are driving.

that is pretty much spot on.

what's worse though is scooter riders. i was down the coast one day and some pretty boy on his scooter was following me, sitting right on my bumper. anywho i was going to pull over onto the side of the road as soon as the no standing zone finished (still had a fair way to go) and i was keeping an eye on this dick behind me. i looked in the mirror and he was gone so i assumed he had pulled into a side street. i was approaching where i was going to park and had no-one behind me so i just gave put on my indicator and started to pull straight over and slow down (was going to park behind the last car in the line). next minute i see this dick come swerving round the back of the car and yell at me as he went past. he had been riding about 2m behind the back of the car but off on the shoulder where he couldn't be seen in any mirror and was blocked from my view if i turned my head because of the pillar. he should've been riding on the road behind me where i could see him.

[jase-r34]

Birds has said it perfectly. Just ride like everyone is out to kill you. Stay clear when you can and restrict your enthusiasm to somewhere there is no cars.

I have had a fair few near misses, and one that drove me off the road. I was lucky enough to stay upright, although I fractured my foot which still gives me a little bit of grief from time to time.

Every day I see people that drive through round-a-bouts without looking, let alone giving way. A LOT of people don't use indicators, don't stop at red lights, and pretty much just don't care about you on your bike. But if you are alert and cautious you can give yourself every chance of avoiding an accident.

I am going to go to QR for a track day when I can too. I want to be more aware of my limits and also the bike's. (Not that I'll get near that haha)