| Indeed, good weather brings out bikers from far | | | | oblivious of motorcyclists (and indeed cyclists and |
| and wide, and in certain areas in can feel as | | | | pedestrians!) so it is often down to motorcyclists |
| though there are more motorbikes on the road | | | | to ensure that car-drivers are aware of them. |
| than cars! | | | | However frustrating this may be, it is essential to |
| Whether you enjoy motorcycling as a leisure | | | | try to see the road through the eyes of other |
| activity, use your motorbike for practical | | | | users - has the car in front of you realized that |
| purposes only (i.e. for getting from A to B) or | | | | you are there, or are you hidden in his or her blind |
| have discovered the delights of a sport such as | | | | spot? Has that pedestrian at the junction seen |
| moto-cross or off-road motorcycling, the first and | | | | you about to emerge from a side road? Is the |
| foremost issue in the mind of any serious biker | | | | cyclist with the earphones in front of you at the |
| must be safety. It is a sad fact that motorbikes | | | | traffic lights aware of your presence if he or she |
| have a higher fatality rate than cars, per unit of | | | | can't hear you? |
| distance travelled. There are various reasons for | | | | The other most practical and simple way to |
| this but the most obvious is that a motorcycle | | | | increase your awareness of motorcycling safety |
| itself provides very little in the way of protection | | | | is to increase your awareness of your own |
| in the event of a traffic accident. Whilst modern | | | | vehicle. Getting to know your bike, its quirks and |
| cars have various safety measures, including | | | | complications is the quickest route to better |
| "crumple zones" that take the brunt of the impact | | | | motorcycle safety. A responsible motorcyclist will |
| in a crash, motorcycles provide no real protection | | | | be therefore be able to diagnose problems with |
| for the rider. However, all road users, whether | | | | his or her bike quickly and easily, enabling swift |
| motorcyclist, car-driver, cyclist or pedestrian, can | | | | rectification of any issues. For example, a biker |
| do their bit towards making the roads a safer | | | | who knows his or her bike inside out and is |
| place for everyone. | | | | accustomed to its various noises will instantly be |
| The most obvious route to better motorcycle | | | | able to identify a problem if the sound that his or |
| safety is better road awareness. This includes | | | | her bike makes changes suddenly. He or she will |
| awareness of other road users, potential hazards, | | | | not have to wait until the motorcycle's annual |
| weather conditions, road layout and of course the | | | | service to find out that there is a costly and |
| rules of the road in whatever country you happen | | | | complicated problem that needs sorting as soon |
| to be travelling. Car drivers can be notoriously | | | | as possible. |