Introduction:
“Speed thrills, but it kills,” as the adage goes. Nobody intends to harm another person. However, accidents do happen, and even a minor blunder can lead to death.
Taking care while riding a motorcycle is more important than driving a car since bikes are less secure and exposed.
Why on-road visibility of a Motorcycle Rider is Crucial:
No rider wants to endanger others as a result of their driving. Accidents still happen, despite the best intentions and greatest attempts to avoid them. Unless there is an element of carelessness, this might be the start of a terrible catastrophe.
While all drivers on the road face inherent hazards, the threats are compounded in the case of motorcyclists. Motorcycle riders face far more hazards than automobile drivers, whether it is because bikes have lighter chassis, less protection, or are smaller and harder to spot.
While motorcycle manufacturers strive to make motorbikes that are as safe as possible, the statistics show that they have a long way to go. There are still a large number of motorcycle rider deaths, and the only genuine assurance of a safe voyage is to avoid an accident completely. Many accidents may be avoided by keeping acutely aware of all other cars and persons in your immediate vicinity so that you may respond in time to avoid an accident before it occurs.
As a motorcycle rider, it is critical to be visible to other drivers on the road since it helps them to make better driving judgments and avoid accidents. So, here are some strategies we might employ to make our presence on the road known to other drivers and always carry all the necessary tools like Medical Kits, in your motorcycle saddlebags
8 Tips to Make Yourself More Visible on the Roads:
Wear High-Viz Riding Gears:
On most motorbikes, the rider occupies almost the same amount of visible space as the machine itself. This implies that when it comes to being noticed, we have just as much of a part to play as the motorbikes we ride. We have known since we were children that high visibility yellow or orange signals warning or attention, therefore wearing a high visibility jacket or helmet quickly grabs the attention of drivers.
This is perhaps the cheapest and most straightforward technique to ensure that you stand out aesthetically. It also has the added benefit of reducing your commitment to the high-visibility lifestyle if you decide you do not want to be as bright all of the time, as numerous jackets are easier to acquire than numerous motorbikes.
Ride a Bright Colored Motorcycle:
Motorcycles are already at a disadvantage on the road due to their tiny size and ability to accelerate and decelerate far faster than cars. This makes them more difficult to view and judge distances from. Dark-colored bikes worsen the problem, making our teeny-tiny rocket ships even more difficult to spot on the road.
Even if merely glimpsed out of the corner of a driver’s eye, riding a brightly colored motorbike can raise your chances of being spotted enormously; a fraction of a second difference in response time might be the difference between life and death.
Use Reflective Tape:
Using reflective tape on the motorcycle enhances your on-road visibility. We recommend putting pieces of reflective tape on the front of your forks and any other part of your motorbike that is visible from a distance. The top of a tall windscreen and the edges of your panniers are highly recommended. The reflective tape will not help you much during the day, but at night, it will work as a standalone light source, making your motorcycle appear much larger. Not only does reflective tape from a stylish rim stripe, but it also keeps the wheels from being concealed by bodywork or the rider when the bike is side-on to a light source, such as at a 90-degree crossroads at night.
Stay Out of Blind Spots:
There is a reason they are called blind spots. If you ride your motorbike in a location where car drivers cannot see you without turning their heads and looking for you, you are relying on their vigilance to determine your fate. It is not a good idea to ride in the back of a four-door sedan’s b-pillar. We cannot entirely eliminate blind spots, so make your passes quickly and then move into a lane position that allows you to be seen by all cars on the road and offers you a buffer in case one of them still does not see you.
Tap Your Brakes:
Try to be productive to produce possibilities by utilizing every single thing. Every bike has a tail light, we know that but that can be used as a warning sign as well. Tapping your brakes blink your motorcycle tail light and make it a signature for the rider who is riding behind you.
Motorcycle riding has some signatures and tapping the brake gives a sign of warnings like bad road conditions or traffic, to the riders behind you.
Use High Beams of Headlights:
Although opinions differ on this, I prefer to ride with my lights on high beam, almost all of the time throughout the day. Because they will not be noticed in contrast to nighttime visibility, most drivers will not be irritated or dazzled by them. Whether you irritate them or they believe your headlamp is directed wrong, you will be seen, and that is all that matters.
Install Auxiliary Lights:
In the same way that reflective tape adds light sources to your bike, auxiliary lights do the same. They have the extra benefit of being able to function around the clock and providing additional light to see at night. You can put these on the front and rear of your bike, and you can usually adjust them to different intensities or have them strobe in the rear when you come to a stop. According to research, employing lights to create a human face-like look on the front of your motorcycle improved drivers’ ability to properly identify a motorbike’s distance by 10% and speed by 20%. To generate face proportions on your bike, place auxiliary lighting high up and spread apart.
Blow the Horn:
While most people think of horns as an audible middle finger, they may be extremely beneficial. A short double-tap can signal your presence or that it is time to glance up from your phone to a distracted motorist. They are especially beneficial for automobiles pulling out into traffic that have not yet looked in your direction, as they inch forward as you approach. A fast “honk” can usually bring their attention back to you. When that person texting and eating a burrito attempts to merge into your rear tire while you ride next to him, your horn can come in handy.
Use Your Turn Signals:
Turn Signals are the useful and most convenient means to ask the other cars for their way. Just use your turn signal to notify that you are ready to take a turn or slow down. Do not place it on the edge, but keep it in mind, and position it a bit earlier before turning.
These tips are the most beneficial to a rider’s well-being. Riding a motorcycle is fun, but it may be deadly if you do not wear appropriate riding gear.
Ride along, ride safe!
