The Latest US Motorcycle Death Statistics Are Out

[Journeyman]

Not trying to be a buzz killer, but....

https://www.rideapart.com/features/779034/motorcycle-death-statistics-us-dot/

Some of the main takeaways...
-watch for oncoming cars turning in front of you.
-wear a helmet (and ATGATT)
-don't party and ride
-know how to ride (see unlicensed riders)

Go here for the full report...
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813732

 

[rick danger]

Its not the death thing that worries me as much as the maimed, crippled, drooling in a wheelchair for the next 30 years, thing.....situational awareness.... just yesterday a guy was coming out of a side street and there was a van blocking his view of traffic (me). I saw this and said "this guy cant see me" so slowed to a crawl. He didn't pull out. But if I kept going full speed I bet he would have. The other thing everybody that rides probably knows already, but, stare at the front wheels of a car at an intersection. Its the easiest way to detect him moving.... Ride safe

 

[Journeyman]

Its not the death thing that worries me as much as the maimed, crippled, drooling in a wheelchair for the next 30 years, thing.....situational awareness.... just yesterday a guy was coming out of a side street and there was a van blocking his view of traffic (me). I saw this and said "this guy cant see me" so slowed to a crawl. He didn't pull out. But if I kept going full speed I bet he would have. The other thing everybody that rides probably knows already, but, stare at the front wheels of a car at an intersection. Its the easiest way to detect him moving.... Ride safe

Absolutely and, yes, the front wheel tip is probably the most useful safety thing that I learned from riding.
A few others, in no particular order. Maybe we can get a running thread on this...

- Painted lines, etc. on the road are slick AF.
- Helmets, of course, and full coverage, but adding an Air Vest can save your life and allow you to walk away from some situations you might not otherwise. I don't care what anyone thinks. Mine's already been tested.
- Marker lights help. I also recently added the Brake Free to my helmet.
- ATGATT. Went to leather, even in summer (perforated) after going down a while back. Gauntlet length gloves
-I'm glad to have the sun in my eyes rather than theirs
-Blow by truckers. I've been near them twice during blowouts and steel and rubber shrapnel goes everywhere
-Watch right turns in tight twisties (with limited vision) and hang more to the center than wide left as you're "supposed to do." That good ole boy in his truck will be cutting the lane coming your way.
-Keep your cool. They're all bigger than us.
-"Wag" the bike when you see someone ahead who's considering pulling out or making a left turn in front of you. It helps them see you.
- Or, variation, I often veer just slightly toward a car ahead that's waiting to make a left turn, then steer back to the center of the lane. i think it gets people's attention when something is moving AND directed at them. You know how this feels. This hopefully gets them out of their autopilot zombie mode.
-When I see a car from the left or right approaching an intersection ahead of me (where they are supposed to stop), I speed up to get past that intersection before they can even get there - even if they were not to stop.
- more..........

 

[rick danger]

Absolutely and, yes, the front wheel tip is probably the most useful safety thing that I learned from riding.
A few others, in no particular order. Maybe we can get a running thread on this...

- Painted lines, etc. on the road are slick AF.

And tar snakes in the summer

 

[Steff]

Not trying to be a buzz killer, but....

https://www.rideapart.com/features/779034/motorcycle-death-statistics-us-dot/

Some of the main takeaways...
-watch for oncoming cars turning in front of you.
-wear a helmet (and ATGATT)
-don't party and ride
-know how to ride (see unlicensed riders)

Go here for the full report...
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813732

Keep your eyes glued to your mirrors and leave an escape route when stopped at lights. I was at the front one time and heard a crunching sound. I looked back and saw an 18-wheeler barreling towards me, knocking, ploughing and destroying cars on the way. Never mind what's in front.

 

[TURBO200R4]

my experience while riding behind two other guys about 60 wen went around a corner the first guy no problem second guy over the double yellow line
me over the double yellow lines.
so i thought that sucks and started trying to figure it out
what i was doing was i was scared to put that bike on down to take,
compare what happens if i don't mussel it down crossing the yellow lines hitting a car/truck head on, hitting a guard or going up or down a mountain. pucker moment.
mussel it on down pucker moment, sound of bike dragging the payment. and a very good chance of making it around the corner. actually a lot better than driving off the road. you see this in a lot of videos where a gut will just drive off the road and his buddies will just pull over and stop.

 

[TURBO200R4]

when riding in the back of the pack you tend to not look out ahead and you get used to that so when you are trying to catch up you tend to not look far enough ahead and can go into a corner too fast.
well for an old guy like me.

 

[Steff]

when riding in the back of the pack you tend to not look out ahead and you get used to that so when you are trying to catch up you tend to not look far enough ahead and can go into a corner too fast.
well for an old guy like me.

Yep

 

[mo8414]

When traffic is super heavy a lot of people like to blast into the turn lane to wait for traffic to clear in the direction they wanna go in. I've had people almost pull out infront of me twice not seeing me but I hit them with my brights which stopped them both times. Both times it was dark out.

I also added the brake free light to my helmet which seems to help people see my from behind, can't recommend it enough.

Got to watch driving next to a lane with a bunch of cars in it going slow or stopped. 9 times out of 10 you will have at least one car try to jump into your fast moving lane. I see this all the time on a road where one of the lanes turns into a turn lane and people don't realize it and try to hop over real quick.

I live by a freeway that is underground so there are a lot of bridges, usually a light on either side of the bridge. Bridge is about 8 car widths long since it spans the freeway. What will happen is one light will turn green and by the time you get to the cars waiting at the other side at the light you have to slow down.

Alot of times people dont anticipate having to slow back down that soon and will rear end you. Where im talking about actually came out the other day in a study to be in the top 10 most accident intersections In my state. So when slowing down keep an eye out.

Same goes for if you are on a single lane road and some is turning left out of nowhere people will not expect it and hit you. I dothosis in my car the other day and 2 of the 3 people that had to stop behind me while this huy turned into his driveway had to use the shoulder or they would have smashed the person infront of them.