| "It is never advisable to ride
side-by-side" |
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Visibility
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| Following distance |
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never assume that you can be seen; always
drive where you are most visible to other motorists
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always maintain a 2 second space between
you and the next vehicle; at night or in poor conditions
such as rain, increase this to 4-5 seconds
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| Passing |
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slow down or maintain your speed when
being passed by another vehicle
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| Road hazards |
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be constantly alert for road hazards;
Look far ahead (4 to 12 seconds) to allow extra time and
space to react. Your best defense against any sort of hazard
is to be nowhere near it. This includes changing position,
changing lanes, or even changing your route
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| Weather hazards |
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reduce your speed when driving in undesirable
conditions such as rain and fog. Signal your intentions early,
brake and accelerate gradually because you could be almost
invisible to others
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| Lane use |
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it is never advisable to ride side-by-side
as this may limit your escape route in case of emergency.
When traveling with other motorcyclists, it is best to ride
in a staggered formation, using both sides of the lane. When
riding in a large group, leave gaps in the formation to allow
other vehicles to pass or exit the freeway
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| Motorcycle Protective Gear: |
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Helmet-
to protect the head and brain, provide comfort and protect against
hearing loss. Designed to spread the force of impact throughout
the helmet so that less impact energy reaches the head and brain.
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Bodysuit-
use a jacket made of leather or other man-made abrasion resistant
material. The jacket should fit snugly and contain extra padding
to give protection. Longer sleeves with full shoulders provide
full comfort while in a sitting position with your hands on the
handle bars.
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Pants-
should also be made of leather or other abrasion resistant material
and be made to cover the ankles while sitting. Some are made
to wear over your regular clothes.
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Footwear-
over-the-ankle-boots made specifically for motorcycle riding protect
the feet and legs from stones that fly up from the road, burns
from exhaust pipes as well as provide good grip on the footrests
while riding and on the pavement while stopped. Good boots also
provide valuable foot and ankle protection in a crash.
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Gloves-
full-fingered gloves protect from the wind, sun, heat and cold.
Using reinforced stitching, gloves also protect hands and wrists
in case of a crash.
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| Tips for motorists: |
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| Watch aggressively for motorcycles. |
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Anticipate hazards that may confront the motorcyclist
and predict how the motorcyclist may react to the situation.
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Poor road conditions, bad weather, flying
debris, oil slicks, and heavy traffic pose high risks for
motorcyclists
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| Allow a minimum two-second "space cushion" when following
a motorcycle. |
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Pick out a fixed object ahead of you.
When the motorcycle passes the object, count off, "one
thousand one, one thousand two." If you haven't passed
the same object after two seconds, your following distance
meets the two-second minimum
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In poor driving conditions, at higher
speeds and at night, use a four or five-second following
distance to give the motorcyclist more space
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| Watch out when turning left. |
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Most crashes between cars and motorcycles
involve turning left at an intersection. If you are preparing
to cross traffic or turn left, take a second look for motorcycles
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Because motorcycles are smaller than cars, it is harder to
see them and more difficult to judge their approach speed in
traffic |
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| Share the road. |
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Do not drive your car in the same lane
as a motorcycle as this is unsafe and illegal
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Treat motorcyclists with the same respect and courtesy you
afford to other motorists |
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| Observe and obey all traffic laws, signs, and signals. |
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