Congratulations on becoming a two-wheeler rider and welcome to a world of fun and adventures! Riding a motorcycle is all about being safe and exploring the world around you, which means you need to be safe and follow protocols at all times in order to protect yourself from dangers on the road. While there are some basic things that you learn while applying for the driver’s license, a lot of important things are left unlearned – which are very essential in making the difference between safety and danger when you are riding on public roads. With that in mind, here 7 motorcycle riding tips on staying safe that many beginners don’t even know.
Start slow, gather experience
Don’t push yourself to make any mistake especially when you are a beginner anyone only getting started. Experience happens when you start gathering them over a period of time and fine tuning your skills from the lessons of every ride. A very common mistake that many beginner riders make is to push themselves beyond their comfort zone which forces them to make mistakes. Always start slow and don’t go to the next phase off doing something adventurous unless you have completely mastered the basics first. One way to enhance your writing skills is to enroll in a motorcycle riding course which will teach you basic practical and advanced techniques which will help you in navigating the dangers on the road.
Ride with all the gears, all the time
Being safe on the public roads is not a one-time affair. You need to be on your toes and stay safe even when there aren’t any apparent dangers on the road. And to ensure that Make sure that you are always prepared by wearing all the gears at all the times. The most basic of motorcycle riding gears is a premium motorcycle riding helmet, ideally a full-face helmet, that will protect in their head, face and neck area in the event of an accident. In addition to that, you are also going to need a pair of motorcycle riding gloves either leather or of fabric material depending on the weather conditions you find yourself riding in. Finally, choose a pair of motorcycle riding boots that not only give you a good grip on the controls of the motorcycle, but also on the surface of the road when you come to a stop.
Let fast vehicles pass you
Writing on the public roads is not a race! Whenever you find somebody trying to pass you at high speeds, don’t get into the competitive mindset, and allow them to pass safely. While making way for faster vehicles to pass, check the rearview mirrors on the side you are about to move and find out if another vehicle is trying to approach you fast from that direction also. It might be a better strategy to stay in a straight line and leave the navigation to the faster vehicle behind you to find the safest and clearest line of approach. Sudden decisions of changing the lanes or trying to navigate away from the path of a fast vehicle can confuse both you as well as the rider behind you.
Try not to use high beams in the city
In many places, especially in the Indian subcontinent, people do not know that using the high beams in the city is not polite. But when you are in a condition where everybody else is using high beams at your face, the only thing left to do is to use high beams yourself so that you can at least see a little in front of you and not be completely blinded by oncoming high beams. This might not be the case in other countries, especially developed and emerging nations, but when you are faced with the situation of survival versus being polite- always choose survival!
Respect the dangers on the road
Confidence is a key skill while riding a motorcycle because it gives you the gumption of making right decisions at the right time. But overconfidence is not recommended, in fact it can be fatal! Don’t get into a situation just because you thought you might overcome it because you have great riding skills- usually nobody comes out unscathed after making such an overconfident mistake. So, always be within your comfort zone and never stretch the limits of your riding skills especially on public roads where there are other factors to account for- that are completely out of your control, which can lead to an accident even you have good skills.
Keep two-vehicle distance gap from vehicles in front
Tailgating can be deadly! It is even more dangerous for people riding motorcycles because they are inherently less protected than those people inside a car or a bus. So, if you are writing a motorcycle and there is a vehicle in front of you – which is always the case in busy cities and towns all around the world, keep at least two vehicle distance apart so that even if the vehicle in front decides to brake suddenly (or because of an emergency) – you have enough time to apply the brakes yourself and avoid hitting them at high speeds- which can easily lead to a fatal accident. When we mean two vehicle distance apart: we mean the distance of the car, not your motorcycle. It might seem counterintuitive to calculate the length of a vehicle in front of you while riding a motorcycle- so a simple rule of thumb here is to keep at least 5 to 10 meters of distance from the vehicle in front of you when your speed is less than 40 kilometers per hour, and a distance of at least 50 meters if your speed is around 60 kilometers per hour. The longer the distance, the more time you get to brake and avoid an accident.
Follow the rules
Traffic rules have been made for your own safety and that of your fellow riders and motorists on public roads. So always make sure to follow them at all times instead of being derisive or skeptical out their usefulness. the most important traffic laws that you need to adhere to is using proper riding gears at all times, especially a good quality premium motorcycle helmet and also following the speed limits especially while running with cities where somebody might suddenly jump in front of you unannounced!
Source: smkhelmets.com
