How many of us complain about?

[Orrin]

How many of us complain about cagers cutting us off, turning in front of us, not letting us in, etc? An older biker (gad, I like saying that) gave me some tips and I have been trying to practice them all of the time. Be polite: Make sure others see you so than can avoid you, he told me to wear a white helmet. You know it sticks out like a sore thumb, with a black jacket. Use hand signals: I use them in heavy traffic and get lots of room and more than a few friendly waves. One guy in a pick up truck followed me through traffic just to make sure no one rear ended me, just because I used hand signals (as well as flashers). I know because we both happened to stop for gas at the same time and he told me. Don't flip someone off if they screw up: Others will see it and maybe not so courtious to another biker somewhere down the road.

 

I know that we all know this, just thought I would bring it up again. I do like using the hand signals, it's fun.

 

Let me and otherrs know what tips you have, it can' hurt.

[SteveP]

Some good, sound advice that we can never hear too frequently.

 

Ride safe!

[SilvrT]

I use hand signal often...it's the same one all the time... (single finger salute)

[Guest Vermincelli]

Ride as if you are invisible to the rest of the world because you basically are.

 

People's brains become accustomed over time to everyday things and for drivers, cars/trucks are normal everyday things on the road.

A bike on the otherhand is not.

 

That is why everyone (including all of us here) can literally look right at a motorcycle and it won't register in our brains for awhile. It's not "normal" to the everyday driving experience while behind a wheel of a car. Another thing is due to the size of a bike and only the single headlights, it's much much easier to be lost in the sun.

 

I drive in traffic with the expectation that the person who's in the turn lane ahead of me doesn't see me or the guy in the lane next to me isn't aware I am there.

 

The main reason I painted my bike bright yellow is because it's one of the colors of the spectrum that is not "normal" for a vehicle. There are some colors that if you see out of the corner of your eye, just stand out and cause you to notice sooner. Same reason emergency vehicles use certain colors.