Page 14 - Norris Electric News July-August 2022
P. 14

14 SAFETY
Look For Motorcycles...
There are Lives Riding On Them
Tips For Riders
Be visible. Motorists often have trouble seeing motorcycles, so wear bright clothing and a light-colored helmet. Have your headlight on, day and night, and avoid riding in blind spots of cars and trucks. If possible, flash your brake light when slowing down and before stopping.
But pretend you are invisible. If you assume others on the road cannot see you, and any car that can hit you will hit you, you will tend to ride with a hyperaware mindset. Take extra responsibility for your safety and ride defensively.
Gear up for every ride. Wear proper riding gear from head to toe. Full-face helmets provide the best protection, and jackets, pants, gloves and boots that are made for riding will generally be made of abrasion- resistant material, include protective armor and provide additional comfort.
Use good street strategies. Constantly search the road for changing conditions and use the Search-Evaluate-Execute (SEE) strategy to assess and respond to hazards before you must react to an emergency.
Before you ride, check your bike. Make a habit of doing a pre-ride check, which includes looking over your tires and wheels, checking fluids, cables, your bike’s chassis, lights, electronics and the stands.
Motorcycle riders continue to be overrepresented in fatal traffic crashes. In 2020, 5,579 motorcyclists died. To keep everyone safe, drivers and motorcyclists need to share the road and be alert.
United States Department of Transportation
“Traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels, families are planning for summer road trips and interest in motorcycling for commuting and recreating is seeing strong growth,” according to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). “This means more drivers and riders will be out on the roads this summer.”
The MSF reminds everyone to look out for one another, whether you are a car or truck driver, motorcycle or scooter rider, bicyclist or pedestrian. The foundation wants to get the word out to drivers and riders alike and offers the following safety tips.
Tips For Drivers
Take an extra moment to look for motorcycles. Because of their small size, motorcycles can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots, so check and check again before changing lanes or making a turn.
Predict that a motorcycle is closer than it looks. A motorcycle may look farther away than it is because of its small size, and it may be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, consider a motorcycle closer than it appears.
Keep a safe distance. Motorcyclists often slow down by rolling off the throttle or downshifting, thus not activating the brake light. Because of this, allow more following distance than you would for a car, about three to four seconds.
Understand lane shifting. Motorcyclists often adjust their position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane positions for a purpose.
See the person. When a motorcycle is in motion, see more than the motorcycle, see the person, who could be your friend, coworker, neighbor or relative.
Look Left, Look Right,
Look Left, and
Look Right Again
You Just Might Save A Lineman's Life, His Wife's Life Or Another Rider's Life
 Nolan (Foreman-Centerville) and Marissa Whalen
 Lyle (Lineman-Hebron) and Penny Pfingsten
 Randy (Foreman-Beatrice) and Rhonda Theasmeyer
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