Sharing a road with motorcyclists seems to be more dangerous than sharing a road with other cars. Therefore, you need to be real careful while sharing a road with motorcycles, especially if there are more than a few of them. Here are some of the precautions to take:
Look For Motorbikes in Your Blind Spots
A typical motorcycle is much smaller than a typical car. This means it is easier for a motorcycle to get "lost" in your blind spot than it is for a car to do so. Therefore, make it a point to regularly glance at your blind spot if you are sharing the road with motorbikes. This is especially necessary before decelerating, swerving, changing lanes or making a turn – those are the times when you are more likely to hit a rider in your blind spot.
Leave a Long Driving Distance Behind a Motorbike
Small obstacles on the road don't worry motorists as much as they worry motorcycle riders. Patches of oil on the road or small pebbles may not damage your car or affect your handling and stability much, but they affect motorbike riders. Therefore, the motorcycle riders will be swerving to avoid such dangers, increasing their risk of crashing into your car or you hitting them from behind. Therefore, leave more space between yourself and the riders than you normally do with other cars.
Be Extra Careful When the Road Is Wet
Bad weather affects all road users, but it seems to affect motorcycle riders more than car drivers. Don't forget that a motorbike is a two-wheeled automobile, which means it's not as stable as a four-wheeled car. Therefore, a motorbike rider is more likely to slide when the road is wet than you are so you need to be careful around riders during those times.
Know That Turn Signals Don't Always Equal Turning
Ideally, a motorcycle's turn signal should only be on when the bike is actually turning. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case and you can meet a motorbike with an "on" turn signal that isn't about to turn anytime soon. This is because these turn signals are manually operated, and human beings being who they are, riders often forget to switch off the signals after turning.
Motorists and riders don't always have an easy relationship; each side likes to blame the other automatically for causing their woes. Avoid unnecessary arguments with the motorcycle rider in case you are involved in a crash with one. Instead, handle the accident as you would handle a crash with another car.
Contact a company like Loughlin Fitzgerald P C for more information and assistance.
