Riding tips, what have you learned?

[Threkin]

 Inspired by this http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=6906.0 I humbly want to start a thread of bullet notes of things you have learned over the years to keep you alive in traffic.

I'll start with:

- Don't linger next to cars, trucks or trains. Pass or fall back. Riding next to other vehicles is a disaster waiting to happen.
- The second your ego takes over, you lose. Ride with no emotion to other drivers. It's not their fault they are stupid.
- Always have an out. You have no one to blame but yourself if you get trapped.
- When in doubt, consult Don Tpanic. Panicky Pete always loses.
- Look as far as front of you as you can, object fixation is a fail. Seeing a sea of brake lights on the horizon is a great warning beacon to rough seas ahead, matey.

That's all I have for now. Anyone else?

[Arnie]

- Don't drink or take other drugs and then get on a bike
- Don't ride when tired or sick
- Don't think you can outrun (or outride that motorcycle) cop, they have radios
- When passing other vehicles, try to keep your speed differential reasonable - especially if you have LOUD pipes
- Pissing drivers off means that not only are they stupid and blind, but now they're out to get you
- WEAR your gear - you don't know when you'll need it
- Realize that in ANY collision, you lose.  Right of Way doesn't protect you.
- Watch the front wheel of the car you're next to or passing, it will be the first thing to move when they change lanes
- Its better to change tires while there is still tread left


Arnie

[Lotsokids]

1. Always play the "What if..." game.

Always thinking while scanning:
"What if that car pulls out in front of me?"
"What if they change lanes?"
"What if...?"

And it goes on and on until you park your bike. Kind of like what you said by always having an out.


2. MAN, new tires are slippery. My first and only time down was the day after I installed new front and rear tires. I now scrub them with brake cleaner before riding.

[fj11.5]

when riding at night, every furry animal will try to commit suicide using your bike as the weapon of choice ,

[Pat Conlon]

If you are focused and the conditions are right,  it's ok to ride fast (within reason)  but.....

Never, never....never, be in a hurry...never.

[Klavdy]

Ride fast
Take chances
Lane split whenever there's a gap
Always go faster than the traffic
Never do the speed limit
Don't get caught.

[Klavdy]

This is Dirt Quake!





Do This Sort Of Stuff

[flips]

-Never assume other road users have seen you.
-Install some very loud horns or HOOTers if in South Africa!
-Always be extra alert when the sun is low in the sky.For work I drive around alot,and ashamedly I have to admit I have pulled out a few times only to be shocked by an angry toot and the obligatory middle finger from a biker emerging from the suns glare.

Cheers

Jeff P

[holysmoke]

- When riding at night and have an oncoming car, you cannot see past it.  Adjust your speed accordingly.  There may be something in the road and you may need to react to.
- Intersections are accidents waiting to happen.  When waiting at a red light watch the guy coming up behind you and have your escape route planned, he may not stop.
- Intersection; when making a left turn you have to assume oncoming traffic will not stop, even if the light changes.  Have your escape route planned.  You are surrounded by potential mistakes.
- Intersection; when making a right turn remember to look for the pedestrian on your right.
- The top of a hill has reduced reaction time available.
- Gravel is not your friend.  Ride a dirt bike and learn how to deal with it.
- Never drive a bike in a country that drives on your wrong side of the road.  Your instinct which used to save you is now your enemy.
- Riding partners should be your brother, otherwise they're just another object in the road.
- Day dreaming has no place on a bike, focus.
- Everytime you get on your bike assume you know nothing about the mechanical state of it.  Test it everytime you get on.
- Turning left when not in an intersection is extremely dangerous.  Assume the person behind you won't stop and plan your turns accordingly.

[Klavdy]

Amongst some other clangers, this nugget really stood out.

"- Never drive a bike in a country that drives on your wrong side of the road.  Your instinct which used to save you is now your enemy."

What a load of shit.

Dont listen to Holysmoke, he's a fucken idiot.he drives bikes, he doesn't ride them.

These blokes know how to deal with the beige.
Ride like these blokes, they rock.

[FJmonkey]

Ride fast
Take chances
Lane split whenever there's a gap
Always go faster than the traffic
Never do the speed limit
Don't get caught.
Avoid pinecones

Fixed it for ya Klavdy...

[ribbert]

Lots of good tips already.

   *   I make sure I'm not the the last vehicle to pull up behind a line of stationary traffic.  I filter between the last cars even if I can't make it to the front so I don't get rear ended.  My preference being making it to the front then leaving the
        cars behind me. It's legal here. If the line of traffic starts moving before I get to the front I join one of the lines of traffic.

   *   I do not ride ride behind any vehicle with a load that could fall off. Concreters are the worst, low side trucks stacked 4 times higher than the sides with wheel barrows, buckets, formwork, mixers, shovels etc all thrown on in a heap and
        NEVER tied down - just one bump! Weekend DIY furniture movers with roof racks and trailers know nothing about restraining their loads.

   *   Expect the driver waiting to turn / pull out with whom you have just made eye contact and therefore must have seen you is in fact looking straight past you and has no idea you're there, to pull out.

   *   Remember, "you don't have right of way until someone gives it to you"

   *   Generously acknowledge any courtesy shown you by drivers.

There will, however, always be the one time nothings going to save you. Last year while following a light truck into the sun, the spare wheel carrier under the back dropped down and the wheel slid out, skidded flat then centre punched me, all in heartbeat. The good news? I was driving my crappy old Volvo.  My first thought was not how bad is the car, but what if I'd been on the bike.


   *   On the bike, I ride like I'm invisible and expect every other bastard on the road is out kill me.

Noel

[Dan Filetti]

-Keep your eyes moving - check both mirrors periodically.

-Look where you want to go, not where you you think you might go -especially in the corners

-An ounce of throttle control is worth a pound of braking.

-Wear all of your gear all the time -the exception will be the time you go down.

-Inputs: bars, pegs, seat, throttle and brakes demand smoothness at all times, and especially so in the rain.

-in a panick situation, you can brake, swerve, or accelerate, choose one or go down.

[ApriliaBill]

In the fall,  pile of leaves are just as slippery as ice....

[yamaha fj rider]

A little different type of ridding tips, bicycling shorts are awesome under pants (wear as underwear) for longer trips. No more monkey butt. Two ibuprofen first thing in the morning and then every four hours really helps. 

Kurt