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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Never a good topic, but I just read about 6 recent articles on the internet from Missouri on motorcyle accidents with fatalities. I read the first one and noticed the "Similar Stories" cue and started from there. I never finished reading all the ones that kept popping up.
Another article was about an injury when a tractor trailer hit a biker who slowed down for a car in the median shoulder. The 6 or so fatatilies are very disturbing because they were all but one a single vehicle crash. The one involving another vehicle was clearly the bikers fault as witnesses said he had ran several stop signs and was riding at an excessive speed. Also, some of the guys were in their early 50's, some in the 30's and some in the 20's. What this is telling me is that folks are not involved in motorcycle safety courses or they are riding beyond their ability.
We lament because we feel others just do not see us, but when a rash of fatalities happen like this, I have to question do those that ride really know what they are up against?
Take what you want from it, but he bottomline is; survival is in your hands. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 161
Oregon. | I have noticed the same thing. I am going to be very careful this Friday when I do my ride. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | That's why I take an advanced rider course every couple of years.
I develop bad habits and taking the class nips them in the bud. Plus, it keeps my mind focused on a fun - but safe ride.
It would be nice if the insurance companies around here gave a discount for those that take refresher classes.
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Cruiser
Posts: 51
Edmonton AB, Canada | I teach the course up here in Canada and my favorite part of the course always happens just after we teach them emergency braking and emergency swerving. I always ask the students how often they think they might need these emergency skills in a riding season and they always figure that they will use them every day. I always tell them that the truth is that if you find yourself executing emergency maneuvers often it's probably from riding to fast in traffic and not seeing enough around you. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | dcramer - 2011-09-19 11:38 PM
I teach the course up here in Canada and my favorite part of the course always happens just after we teach them emergency braking and emergency swerving. I always ask the students how often they think they might need these emergency skills in a riding season and they always figure that they will use them every day. I always tell them that the truth is that if you find yourself executing emergency maneuvers often it's probably from riding to fast in traffic and not seeing enough around you.
These are the kind of discussions that are needed more of on motorcycle forum instead of discussing overpriced gadgets that do not provide any great benefit. Yet these are the post that will die the quickest and we see less of. It will always be rider skill and knowledge that will keep you out of trouble. From making sure you have enough air in your tires to making sure you ride appropriately, those are the things that will make every trip enjoyable and someone not becoming a statistic. We constantly get new folks taking up the sport who look to those with more experience on how to ride. That's the important stuff that we all have to remind one another of.
The accidents that seem to happen the most is from the lack of experience, familiarity with the bike, and overriding the conditions. I know of no gadget that will compensate for this.
A motorcycle safety course is a place to start before throwing a leg over and heading out on the open road.
Edited by varyder 2011-09-20 4:57 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 188
Tifton, GA | Dcramer you are so right! If you watch far enough down the road, look for the dangers before you get to them, give yourself some extra room to avoid problems and you can avoid many of them without any emergency skills. Have the emergency skills ready just ride so as not be using them all the time. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | varyder - 2011-09-20 5:56 AM
These are the kind of discussions that are needed more of on motorcycle forum instead of discussing overpriced gadgets that do not provide any great benefit. Yet these are the post that will die the quickest and we see less of. It will always be rider skill and knowledge that will keep you out of trouble. From making sure you have enough air in your tires to making sure you ride appropriately, those are the things that will make every trip enjoyable and someone not becoming a statistic. We constantly get new folks taking up the sport who look to those with more experience on how to ride. That's the important stuff that we all have to remind one another of.
The accidents that seem to happen the most is from the lack of experience, familiarity with the bike, and overriding the conditions. I know of no gadget that will compensate for this.
A motorcycle safety course is a place to start before throwing a leg over and heading out on the open road.
Let me break things down for you varyder. You apparently are still seething over the rear camera view idea.
Overpriced gadgets AND rider skill and knowledge can go.... hand-in-hand. For the life of me, I can't understand why someone so abhors technology; which has it's place and can be very useful.
One does not abandon good riding skill and knowledge; and replace it with solely high priced gadgets. Folks are not that narrow minded; as you seem to think when the topic arises about this.
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Oh my, missed my point entirely and being presumptious at the same time. I guess I'll have to explain myself better next time.
By the way, I thrive in the technology world and have been accused of being a gadget guy at times. What I've never heard is the lauding of some motorcycle gadget that saved someone from a potenially fatal accident, but I read all the time of presumeably underskilled riders losing their life. Seems to me that we who like to ride will stay more within the basics of things and not add to the distraction that are already out there.
Honestly, I do not care how many gadgets anyone puts on their bike, GPS, mirrors, monitors, cameras, ABS, car tires, lights, etc, etc. It seems more "safety minded" we get with technology, the more accidents that happen. I'm saying, lets have balance and really look out for one another by encouraging to maintain skills and operation knowledge that will get you out of a pinch. That was really my point.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_4378fcc...
This is one of the accidents that I read about yesterday. After reading several of them from links in the "Related Stories" box, it just gets me thinking that we need to always be vigilent. Not gloom and doom, but let us not kid ourselves, momma was right "those things are dangerous." But so is a sundry of other things that we do; clean gutters, getting in and out of the bathtub, using firearms, etc. etc.
Sorry, ride safe all!
Edited by varyder 2011-09-20 7:56 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 457
Green Bay, WI United States | Life is all about choices. We all ride because we love to be out on an open highway with the wind in our face and the last mile behind us. I have never taken a riders safety course but have had many tell me that I should. Not that I ride bad but that their are so many pointers and great reminders taught. I will look into this in the spring but we all are all "above radar" as they say just because we ride. I also get some crap because I do ride hard, being out front lets me deal with situations and close calls in my own time and place without any others making decisions for me. Glad we can all voice our opinions here and keep our Victory Familyinformed!
Ride hard, ride fast but above all ride safe and free....
8-ball/Wildman |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Just the kind of post that should be shared often.
It is great to hear of forum members who are teaching biker safety. I'll have to admit that I was expecting a bit more from the advanced class I attended. More importantly though I was really disappointed with how few people were signed up for it. The insurance companies shouldn't just give a discount for it they should require it. I don't believe that all accidents can be avoided, but many can by following the advice provided in these classes.
As for gadgets, they have their place, but they can be a hazard. Taking a glance at the GPS recently at the wrong time nearly turned into a bad situation for me. Lesson learned.
Unfortunately my commute usually includes riding at night. Deer, gravel washed into the road, and ice have all caught me off guard when traveling a very familiar road with limited vision (NO PUN). The only way I know of to completely avoid them all is to use the Vision for decoration in the foyer. Not an option.
BE SAFE |
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Just a word of caution
