FEBRUARY 2006 SAFETY ARTICLE

SKILLS OF THE EYES AND MIND

Our ability to ride safely is definitely more of a skill of the eyes and mind than of the hands and feet. This basic concept is essential to smart motorcycling and a key element of lane positioning and our safety on the road.

Smart motorcyclists know that capturing other people’s attention is affected by how we position ourselves within the lane and in the flow of traffic.

The main idea when positioning our motorcycles in traffic is to create a comfortable “space cushion” separating ourselves and motorcycle from other vehicles on the roadway. This not only helps our ability to see developing traffic situations more quickly and clearly, but gives us more time and space to respond to any hazards and leave us with a safe planned escape route.

It is very important for us, as riders, to know there is no one best lane position. The best position is constantly changing depending on traffic and road conditions. Here are some considerations that could possibly affect our choice of lane position:

• Increasing our ability to see more
• Increasing our need to see other motorists
• Avoiding other motorists blind spots
• Avoiding surface hazards/debris
• Protecting our lane from other drivers
• Communicating our intentions to other motorists
• Setting up and negotiating curves
• Avoiding windblast from other vehicles

In general, the best place to be in the flow of traffic for a solo rider is near the center of our lane. This position makes us most visible to drivers in front of us and leaves a reasonable cushion on both sides to respond to any encroachment by surrounding traffic. There are some situations where we will want to avoid the center of the lane especially at the start of a rain. Then again there are times we should avoid the left track such as riding in the lane to the right of a large truck. The left wheel track would make us less visible to the truck driver and more susceptible to the truck’s windblast. In this case, we might move to the far right edge of the lane, or slow down until we are no longer beside the truck.

As we can see, there is no one best lane position—we have to rely on our own judgment and instinct. We should always avoid riding in another vehicle’s blind spot. Remember, if we can’t see a driver’s face in the mirror, then they can’t see us. Mirrors and blind spots will be the topic of next month’s Safety article.

Ride Smart, Ride Safe and Have Fun,

David