Safety Reminder

[Gary in NJ]

I saw this photo today on YouTube. In the safety study that was conducted over two days, 811 motorcycles were observed in this corner. Only 5% of motorcyclists were far enough to the right to avoid hitting the ghost bus. This is a reminder that on the street it is most important to see THROUGH the turn, and not be fastest through the turn. On the street, always take a late/delayed apex. It allows visibility and a buffer for opposing traffic that have gone over the lane line.

 

[Ryan T]

Damn, this is an immediate reminder to be very, very cognizant of your line when entering blind turns.

 

[Veloce]

Thanks for that humbling reminder, Gary.

While we're on the subject of safety, I'd like to share the titles of some books I've read over the years that have helped me to be a safer rider:

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence, Second Edition: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well By David L. Hough

Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling By David L. Hough

Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track By Nick Ienatsch

Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques By Lee Parks

All of these books have some great nuggets in them pertaining to safety, and otherwise.

 

[Gary in NJ]

I have read them all, and all are great. I would add "A Twist of the Wrist", Vols 1 & 2, by Keith Code to the list.

 

[bigborer]

Few riders or drivers actually understand what a late apex is (or even that it matters what trajectory you take through a turn), and most people don't take early apexes because they try to get a "race line", but because they see the turn and their little hamster brain tells them "watch out! the road is ending! you will go off road/ in oncoming traffic! better turn now and avoid the danger".

Apart from the risk of getting the kiss of death from a bus (as shown in Gary's picture), there's also the risk of going too wide and running off the road or into oncoming traffic- more so with turns that have a tightening radius and/or roads with high camber/crown. Even if one doesn't run off the road, the outside part of the road is the part most covered in debris (risk of loss of traction and risk of punctures) so it's best to avoid it, more so while leaned. Another safety bonus of turning late apex is minimizing the time the bike spends leaned.

A good rule of thumb for street corners: start on the outside, get through the middle, end on the inside. If you exit the corner and find yourself on the outside you've just messed up- either the wrong line (turned too early), too fast, or both.

+1 for those books, I'd also add Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook.

 

[Red Wazp]

In the USA it's stay right, stay alive.

 

[PauliusD]

Thanks for that humbling reminder, Gary.

While we're on the subject of safety, I'd like to share the titles of some books I've read over the years that have helped me to be a safer rider:

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence, Second Edition: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well By David L. Hough

Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling By David L. Hough

Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track By Nick Ienatsch

Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques By Lee Parks

All of these books have some great nuggets in them pertaining to safety, and otherwise.

Thank you Veloce! Will definitely add these to my "must read" list