Motorcycle Safety Page

 

Rider Perception test

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Motorcycle Safety

People who ride motorcycles do so for a variety of reasons. Some motorcycle riders in Kentucky choose to ride a bike because of the incredible gas mileage and some ride for the since of freedom you get when riding down a country road. What ever the reason is you  like to ride one must be aware of the requirements and responsibilities set forth  by the state of Kentucky. Riders need to pass a written and practical tests to qualify for a  motorcycle license and are required to have insurance. Reading the Motorcycle Manual is critical to being able to pass the test for a license, along with hours of practice riding the roadways.

Changing Lanes

As a group, it can be difficult to change lanes to pass a slow moving car, or to enter into a faster or slower moving lane.

This is especially true with moderate to heavy traffic. Often there is not enough room for the entire group to get between

 

cars in the faster lane.

The way this is accomplish is as follows:

  • After the Road Captain signals which lane they want the group to move into. Each rider will turn on their turn signal                                                                                                                and then pass the correct hand signal back to the Tail Gunner.
  • When its safe the Tail Gunner to pull over into that lane and hold it for the group.
  • Each rider will then move into that lane in front of the Tail Gunner or as the cars in front of the Tail Gunner passes them.                                                                                                          Do not change lanes unless there is a bike already in that lane behind you.
  • Always fill the lane from the rear not from the Front, Middle or any other position unless otherwise directed by the                                                                                                                Road Captain or the Tail Gunner.


 

Signals

LEFT TURN
Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow fully extended..

RIGHT TURN
Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow bent 90 degrees vertically.

SPEED UP
Raise your left arm up and down with your index finger extended upward. This indicates the leader wants to speed up.

SLOW DOWN
Extend your left arm at a 45 degree angle and move your hand up and down.

STOP
Extend your left arm at a 45 degree angle with the palm of your hand facing rearward.

SINGLE FILE
Position your left hand over your helmet with your fingers extended upward. This indicates the leader wants the group in a single file formation.                                                                                                              Usually this is done for safety reasons.

STAGGERED FORMATION
Extend your left arm upward at a 45 degree angle with your index and pinkie finger extended. This indicate that it is safe to return to staggered formation.

Riding Staggered

A group of motorcycles generally rides in a stagger formation for safety reasons. The minimum recommended spacing to the bike directly in front of you should not be less than two seconds (the two second rule). The bike in the lane to your left or right should not be less than one second ahead of you. You will find that two seconds is a long distance when riding at highway speeds. That is it's a long distance when everything is going well.

When things go wrong, however, two seconds of distance is gone in the time it takes to figure out that your you are in trouble. The two second rule is a rule of thumb you should try to adhere to when ever possible. Especially at highway speeds. There are times, however, when it is best to squeeze together while on city streets and slowing for a stop. This will help prevent cars from entering the group. The Tail Gunner will ride in the middle of the two bike lanes with all head lights (Hi-Beam) and running lights on. This will help the Road Captain see them.

 

 

 

 

Alcohol Awareness

QUICK TIPS: The Importance of Riding Unimpaired by Alcohol or Other Drugs

Theory: Alcohol And Motorcycles Are Incompatible

  • At a BAC* of 0.01 to 0.04%, judgment begins to lessen, the drinker is less critical of their own actions, reaction time is slowed, and indications of mental relaxation may appear.
  • At a BAC of 0.05 to 0.07%, judgment is not sound, thinking and reasoning powers are not clear, and the ability to perform complex skills is lessened.
  • At a BAC of 0.08% or above, judgment and reasoning powers are severely hampered, and the individual cannot complete common simple tasks without error.

Proof: Statistics From Recent Studies (by NHTSA, Florida, Kentucky, and Australia)

  • Having any alcohol in one’s body increases the chance of crashing by five times.
  • Having a BAC greater than 0.05% increases the risk of crashing about forty-fold.
  • 46 percent of all motorcyclists killed in crashes were using alcohol.
  • One fourth of all fatal alcohol-related motorcycle crashes involve motorcyclists running off the road, overturning, or falling from the motorcycle rather than striking another object.

Explanation: Alcohol Affects Your Ability To “SEE”

SEE is the acronym for MSF’s strategy to help motorcycle riders maintain a safety margin as well as remain ready and able to respond properly to traffic situations. SEE stands for:

  • Search for hazards that might lead to trouble.
  • Evaluate how the hazards might interact to create risk; prioritize multiple hazards to deal with one at a time.
  • Execute an action to maintain a margin of safety.
     

Alcohol affects these three human elements of safe motorcycle operation by impairing your vision (Search), judgment/decision-making ability (Evaluate), and coordination/reaction time (Execute).

Recommendation: Plan Ahead

  • Ideally, riders should never mix alcohol with riding. Even low, legal limits of BAC increase your risk while riding a motorcycle.
  • Riders who fully appreciate the risks and decide to drink in moderation at an event should also have a backup plan; for example, to leave the motorcycle in a secure location and stay overnight or find alternate transportation home if they or the host decide riding would be unsafe.

*BAC = Blood Alcohol Concentration www.msf-usa.org 5/06

 

Intersection Stopping

When stopping as a group at an intersection, break stagger formation and pull up beside the bike in the adjacent lane. This will reduce the length of the group by half. Stay in this formation until you are through the intersection. Because the group is half as long it will take half the time to clear the intersection and increase the odds of keeping the group intact.

If you don't make it through the intersection with the group, honk your horn and wait for the light. Don't take a chance and run the red light. The Road Captain will either slow the group down or pull the group over to the side of the road and wait for you to catch up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Road Captain Duties

Conduct a Safe Ride

Maintain a Safe Speed for Conditions and Riders Capabilities
Signal Riders of Intended Lane Changes, Stops, Road Conditions and Formation Changes
Maintain Control and Integrity of the Group

Pre-Ride the Route. (Normally, more than one Road Captain will do the
Pre- Ride)

Map the Route
Establish Rest Area's
Set Gas Stops about 100 mile intervals
Make allowances for Road Construction and Hazards

Brief Riders before the Start of the Ride

Explain the Ride Plans
Destination
Route to be taken
Length of the Ride
Scheduled Stops
Gas
Food
Pictures
Restroom Breaks
Identify when and where the Official Group Ride Starts and Ends
Identify other Road Captains for the Ride
Big Groups may require more than one Road Captain
Identify Tail Gunner's for the Ride
Big Groups may require more than one Tail Gunner
Give a brief explanation of what the Road Captain and Tail Gunners do during the Ride
Question the Riders about any special needs or concerns they may have
Medical
Speed
Small Gas Tanks and/or Bladders
Freeway Traffic
Twister Roads
Riding Position

Explain the Group Rules for Member and Guest Riders

Illegal Drugs and Alcohol
NO Alcohol before and during a Group Ride
Illegal Drugs - Never
Group Riding Rules
Hand Signals
Along with the Tail Gunner, do a bike and rider count.

Tail Gunner

  • The last rider, or Tail Gunner, may ride on whichever side of the lane he prefers. He will have to change sides during the ride, based on the situation at the moment. However, most of the time, the Tail Gunner will ride in the middle of the two bike lanes with all head lights (Hi-Beam) and running lights on. This will help the Road Captain see them.
  • The Tail Gunner serves as the eyes of the Road Captain or Ride Leader.
  • He watches the formation, and informs the Road Captain of any potential problems within the group. He watches other vehicles, and informs the Road Captain (and anyone else with radios) of hazardous conditions approaching from the rear, such as vehicles trying to cut into the formation and trucks passing with potentially dangerous wind blasts.
  • He will watch for merging lanes, and will move into a merging lane (or stay in a merging lane just vacated by the group) in order to "close the door" on other vehicles that may otherwise find themselves trying to merge into the formation.
  • At the Road Captain's request, the Tail Gunner changes lanes before the formation, to secure the lane (blocking traffic behind him) so the formation can move into it.