sprocket i/o

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recently published a list of Ten Things All Car & Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles. I saw it crossposted to the atlanta livejournal community, and felt it was a bit dismissive about the motorcyclists responsibility in the whole picture. It indeed can be dangerous to ride a motorcycle, and it’s our responsibility as motorcyclists to manage the risk. Here is my motorcyclist-oriented spin on their top 10:

1. 75% of Motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle [1]. In 70% of these accidents, the driver never saw the motorcyclist [2]. Many motorists are only looking around for vehicles shaped like the one they are in. Wearing grey or black gear acts as road camouflage and significantly increases your chance of being hit by a car. A white helmet reduces your risk of injury by 24%, and reflective/fluorescent gear by 37% [3]. Take the online high-viz quiz to see how you score in visibility. 
2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars). Keep a 2-3 second following distance behind cars to avoid being hidden by them. Be vigilant about staying out of blindspots, and keep adjusting your lane position to maximize visibility. 
3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. Car drivers may find it difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. Slow down before entering an intersection, or if you see any cars slowing down around you. Don’t be surprised if a car turns left in front of you because they thought you were going slower than you were. Don’t speed too much.
4. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Don’t do this. If you are going to be slowing down significantly, make sure to at least tap your rear brake, even if you don’t plan to use it. This will give the drivers behind you plenty of warning that you are slowing down. Brakelights that flash upon initial application of brakes assist the motorists behind you in waking up long enough to realize that they must slow down as well.
5. Cars may not understand why you are repositioning yourself within your lane, and may sometimes (rarely) attempt to share a lane with a motorcyclist. When stopped to make a left turn, make sure not to be on the very left edge of the lane to avoid this.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Please help the drivers around you by remembering to cancel your signal, as they may make poor judgements based on it. If you can’t handle turning your signal off, please invest in an auto-cancelling kit.
7. Maneuverability is not one of a cars better characteristics, especially at higher speeds and with bad road conditions. Make sure to not stay adjacent to a vehicle for very long, as they may encroach on your lane when swerving around an object. This goes doubly for riding alongside trucks, which have a higher chance of tire blowouts in the summer.
8. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Practice your emergency braking maneuvers at least once a week, buy a motorcycle equipped with ABS brakes, or better yet: both.
9. When you are riding in traffic, help the cars around you see more than the motorcycle – help them see see the person under the helmet, who could be their your, neighbor, or relative. Use hand signals when switching lanes if possible (especially on the interstate), as it increases your visibility and adds a human factor that makes cars more likely to give way.  Lift up your visor at stops so that people can observe that it isn’t just a squid behind a full-face helmet.
10. If you crash into a car, you will most likely not injure them, but you are likely to be seriously hurt. Remember ATGATT: All the Gear, All the time. This means a full-face helmet, armored jacket and armored  pants, gloves, and motorcycle-specific boots. You can do this and still be comfortable in any weather: from 0′F to 110′F. Your loved ones will thank you.