March 2006 Safety Article

S.E.E. The Road Around Us

While it’s important to keep track of what’s happening on the road ahead, we cannot afford to ignore searching the road behind or next to us.

Traffic conditions and situations can change very quickly. Therefore knowing what’s going on around us is essential for making decisions on how to handle any situation.

Remember S.E.E.? It is the acronym for “Search, Evaluate and Execute” taught in riding courses as part of our active street strategy. “Searching” refers to the process of scanning aggressively for potential hazards.

A good “Searching” habit is to use our mirrors frequently:

• When we are stopped at an intersection. Watch for cars coming up from behind. Stay in first gear. Have an escape plan. Flash brake lights. Remember, the most common area of conflict between us and other vehicles is at an intersection.
• When we change lanes. Make sure no one is about to pass or move into the lane we were planning to move into.
• When we slow down, flash the brake lights. The driver behind us may not expect us to slow down or may be unsure where or when we are going to turn.
• Scan our mirrors generally every 4 to 5 seconds .

Remember, checking our mirrors is not always enough. Motorcycles have “Blind Spots” just like cars. Before we change lanes, it is important to turn the head for a “Head Check” and look to the side and rear for other vehicles.

On a road with several lanes, it is important for us to “Head Check” all lanes. A vehicle in a distant lane may be heading for the same space we are planning to go. We need to communicate our intentions with both good hand and electric signals.

Frequent “Head and Mirror Checks” need to be a part our normal “Searching” strategy while riding.

By S.E.E.ing what is really happening on the road around us, are we then fully prepared to safely deal with it.

More on “Searching & Scanning” in next month’s article. So for now,

Ride Smart, Ride Safe and Have Fun,

David