How far should you be away from a motorcycle?Motorcycles do not operate in the same manner as vehicles. Even though they may be smaller, you can also maneuver differently and requires special handling. This is possible because they have features like a bicycle which make them easy to go through places a vehicle cannot go through.
What is a safe following distance when a behind a motorcycle?
Following distance is a space between a car or a motorcycle and the car or motorcycle ahead of you. The recommended traveling distance when you are traveling behind a motorcycle is a bit longer compared to the standard two-second rule when you are following a moving vehicle. If you are a motorist, it’s advisable to give three to four seconds following distance when you are traveling behind a motorcycle. If you are a driver you are advised to be highly careful when you are nearing a motorcycle or when approaching an intersection.In reality, the only safe following distance is the distance that a car behind you will avoid colliding with your motorcycle. So, when you are following a motorcycle, this means that a driver behind you needs to leave more distance between your motorcycle and his or her vehicle.
Reasons, why a motorcycle needs an additional distance, is because;
The way a motorcycle comes to stop or slow down. Motorcyclists do not rely on brakes to slow or stop their bikes compared to car drivers who have to use their brakes to slow down. If you are a motorcyclist all you need to do to slow down is to shift gears down or simply give less gas to your engine. When you do this and another driver was behind you, they might not see the brake lights hence the additional distance becomes appropriate. Failure to do this might lead to an accident, thus leading to the motorcyclist being injured.Another reason is that the shapes of your motorcycle mirrors are of a particular shape that makes objects behind you appear further back than they actually are. Even if you are a careful motorcyclist, you may have a hard time judging how close a vehicle behind you is when maybe you want to shift lanes or even reduce speed.
How much space must you give a motorcycle when passing it?
The best protection you as a motorcyclist and other drivers have been the distance between you and other drivers or other riders. This space gives you time to react when in trouble and gives you time to make the necessary precautions. Always leave a cushion of space around your motorcycle to let other drivers or motorists see you and also avoid a collision. You should keep in mind the traffic including the vehicles in front of you, behind and also the ones approaching you from the side and the ones passing you.As a motorcyclist, you can change the position within the lane to increase the distance between you and other vehicles. You should try to keep space on both sides of your motorcycle. Do not drive beside other vehicles because they can change lanes without notice thus causing an accident. Instead, you should either speed up or drawback until you find a place that is clear on both sides.When a vehicle passes you from behind, make sure to move towards the centre of the lane. You should avoid being closer to a passing vehicle than you have to be, any slight mistake by you or other drivers might lead to an accident.
Sharing roads with large vehicles.
For a motorist, it is important to know how to share roads with heavy commercial vehicles like transits, tractors, or even buses. When you are in this situation you should keep in mind, that large vehicles have a blind spot on both sides. So, you should avoid following closely because it blocks your vision to see in front, and also the driver in the large vehicle will be unable to see you. If this vehicle suddenly stops then you might crush on it. Motorists should keep a distance so that they can be able to see the driver’s face on the side mirror of the large vehicle, which means he or she can see you also.Another thing that you should keep in mind is that larger vehicles require a longer distance to stop compared to other vehicles. If you have decided to overtake a large vehicle, make sure you don’t just cut in front too closely but leave a longer allowance for these longer stopping distances.
What is the safest way to pass a motorcycle?
You should make sure you know exactly where the motorcycle is located beside your vehicle. The same considerations you use while passing vehicles, it’s important to know where the motorcycle is located exactly. You should establish precisely when you have moved past the motorcycle, by taking a clear look at your side mirrors and checking your blind spots.You should also pass at a reasonable speed because passing a motorcycle at a higher speed might affect the balance of a motorcycle because of the speed of the moving wind. Instead, you can pass the motorcycle without even speeding for instance when changing lanes to pass a motorcycle it’s not a must for you to speed up. Another consideration is by making sure you have left room for changing lanes. When you exit the lane and the time you re-enter the lane, make sure to leave adequate room between your vehicle and the motorcycle. Also, ensure to keep the same room with the vehicle in front of the motorcycle as you re-enter the lane.Make sure you continue to travel at the same speed as the traffic in your lane. After you have passed the motorcycle, ensure you match the speed of the vehicles in front of you. If you can match the speed of the drivers in front of you, then you need to slow down to let the motorcycle pass if the motorcyclist has an intention to overtake you. It is important to stay in your line, match the speed of the traffic and keep your speed consistent and predictable.
When should you pass a motorcycle?
As a driver, you should be extra careful when passing a motorcycle. You should make sure to signal the intention to pass a slower motorcycle ahead of you by using the indicators and then taking either a left or a right turn. After you have overtaken the motorcycle, you should make sure you are several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle before returning to your lane.Before changing lanes to pass a motorcycle, you need to make sure you have adequate room to pass safely. When you pass the motorcycle ensure you have the other two lanes traveling in the same direction or there is a broken white-cantered line between the lane. If you don’t have that clear lane of traffic, then you need to wait until a clear space emerges for you to pass safely. When passing using cross traffic lanes make sure you have ample space between any oncoming vehicle if there is a need to use their lane.Ensure to have adequate visibility when passing a motorcycle. Sometimes when you are passing a motorcycle when there is heavy rain or foggy weather and you don’t see the oncoming vehicle, it means that you have to go back to your lane immediately without warning thus causing an accident. To avoid this, make sure you have adequate visibility before trying to pass a motorcycle. On curvy roads where there is no adequate visibility, or when you have a hard time tracking the movement of a motorcycle beside your vehicle, you should avoid changing lanes until you reach where the road is straight and long enough to pass safely.
What lane should a motorcycle ride in?
As a motorcyclist, you need to know and understand all three driving positions. You should be riding your motorcycle at least six inches from the middle. You should always be in the left lane but when you are in the right lane make sure you are in position two.What a motorcyclist should do to manage risks?As a good motorcyclist, you should always have a plan to avoid hazards. Manage you’re your risks as a rider by understanding the existence of all risks on the road and ensure to find ways to minimize them. You should see the potential for a problem and then look to minimize or avoid them completely. It is important to consider your personal ‘margin of safety.To finish a motorcycle should be given enough space, whether when following it, passing it, or when you are in front of it. This will help to avoid unnecessary accidents that will lead to other charges. As we have seen, a motorcycle has other makings that a normal car doesn’t have like you can decelerate a motorcycle without touching the brakes. This is a unique feature of a motorcycle.
