We asked motorcyclists to share their five tips for drivers on sharing the road with motorcycles. Let’s all do our part to share the road and get along.
Tip 1: Allow them the right to the road.
- “We have the same rights to space on the road as drivers,” says Ron Arieli, president and owner of T.E.A.M. Arizona Motorcyclist Training Centers.
- “I’ve been buzzed by so many times, even have had things thrown at me. I’m a person out doing my thing. See me as a person, not an obstruction or distraction,” says Adam Martin, former certified RiderCoach by the California Motorcycle Safety Program.
Tip 2: Look out for motorcycles and scooters.
- “The chances of killing someone on a motorcycle with your car, is almost a thousand times greater than hitting someone in another car, says Jack Skates, founder of North Bay Sport Riders in California.
- “Pay attention and look out for motorcyclists and scooters more and to your cell phones less,” says Arieli.
Tip 3: Watch out when turning.
- “80 to 90 percent of collisions happen when a car makes a left turn in front of a motorcycle that’s going straight and the driver of the car simply just didn’t see the motorcycle,” says Thom D’Angelo of Motosport Brokerage. When making a turn, use your turn signal and check your mirrors and blind spots.
Tip 4: Give the motorcyclist room to move.
- Although it may seem as though there is enough room in a traffic lane for an automobile and a motorcycle, the motorcycle needs the full room to maneuver safely, according to NHTSA.
- Allow appropriate following distance and don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
Tip 5: Don’t assume motorcyclists are “crazy biker outlaws.”
- “We are not all criminals. The big bad biker image is now a minority among riders,” says Denise Maple, founder and co-owner of VaVaVroom, a company that designs motorcycle wear for women riders. “Many of us are fine, upstanding citizens, holding down a job, serving the community, and very concerned for our safety as well as yours on the road.”
Remember…
The information provided here is not meant to be a substitute for professional advice. These tips are from experts and people who have shared their real-life advice; always check with appropriate professionals you trust in making your purchasing or life-related decisions.
Photo Credit: Anders Jacobsen