Guided motocycle tours of the west country
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Riding Tips
 
 
Positioning 
Car drivers are relatively limited in their ability to alter their position within the lane, since they normally occupy about 50 - 70% of it. Hence, most car drivers focus on keeping their vehicle centrally within the lane. Motorcycles on the other hand occupy a very small % of the lane and can use this to great advantage. You can alter your road position to: 
  • Improve your view of the situation ahead Improve your chances of being seen by other road users,
  • Avoid hazards in the road or improve surface grip, 
  • Reduce the severity of a corner or bend Give information to influence other road users


 

Improving your view 
Most advanced riding literature states that you should always ride at a speed which will enable you to stop in the distance you can see to be clear, on your own side of the road. Therefore, if we can only see a short distance, we must ride more slowly. Apart from weather conditions we find that obstructions stop us from seeing ahead. This may be another vehicle, a tree, a building etc., so where possible and where safe we need to position our bike to allow us to see around the obstacle and thus allow us to extend the safe stopping distance and the time we have to react to a hazard. The simple diagram bellow shows two typical blind right and left hand bends. Notice that despite both bikes being at the same stage of the bend, only the blue bike can see the potential oncoming hazard. The same rules can be applied when passing a row of parked cars (or any obstruction). By moving out and away from the obstruction, you are improving your view and reducing the risk of being hit by someone opening a car door. You are also improving your chances of seeing and reacting to stray pedestrians or vehicles coming out of driveways
 
Improving your chances of being seen
In addition to being able to see the potential hazard, there is also a good chance that the blue rider can be seen by the driver in the red car. It is important to remember that as a motorcyclist you have a relatively small profile. Statistics show that 1 in 3 motorists don't notice motorcycles, so you should do everything you can to increase your road profile. Generally, you should ride in a prominent position giving you a good view of the road ahead and the flexibility to react to the unexpected. Provided you are not on a motorway, this is normally near the centre of the road. Be aware that other vehicles may interpret this as an indication to turn, so keep a good look out for traffic coming up behind you. In this position, you are more likely to be seen by oncoming traffic and will also stay out of the blind spots of traffic ahead of you. The diagram demonstrates just how vulnerable the yellow rider is compared with blue. Apart from not having a clear view of the road, they are also less likely to be spotted by other vehicles.

  

Avoiding Hazards
Even the best of British roads are not built with motorcycles in mind. You'll notice
all sorts of hazards from uneven repairs, pot holes, paint and metal covers which
as a minimum will be uncomfortable to ride over, but more often will upset the
stability of your bike. In bad weather, you should also be aware of micro climates
(e.g. patches of ice on an otherwise dry road often caused by shade) and standing
water after rain. Wherever possible, you should avoid these hazards, by planning
a route around them.
All roads have some hazards to deal with, even if the road is empty and straight,
the edge of the road presents a hazard. This is another reason why positioning
close to the centre of the road reduces your risk. You are roughly equal and
therefore the maximum distance apart from the two hazards. If however you spot
a vehicle coming the other way, or a traffic island, you should move over slightly
(centre of your lane) to maintain that equal distance. If the hazards are not equal
(e.g. a large truck coming the other way), then consider moving over more.
 
Reducing the severity of a bend
Motor-sport has been doing this for years, to enable the maximum speed possible to be achieved while going round a bend, often referred to as taking the racing line. However as road riders, we should remember that a race car or bike doesn't expect to find traffic coming the other way and will normally not have to deal with blind or unknown bends. It is important to note that taking the race line around a bend will significantly reduce your visibility, limit your options for reacting to hazards and reduce your ability to plan ahead. Safety and visibility must always take priority over smoothing a bend, but there is a point when it can be done. This is normally the point when the bend starts to straighten out. Obviously if the bend is minor and you can see it is safe to do so, then you can consider straight lining it.
 
Positioning to influence 
When considering adopting any road position, it is important remember that other road users may interpret it wrongly. Tucking in to the left, on a right hander, may indicate to following traffic, that you are stopping or moving over to allow them to pass. Always be prepared to compromise your road position, if you feel that it could give false information. You must always prioritise your hazards and ensure you deal with the most immediate first. If you have a car approaching from an entrance and a right hand bend soon after, moving to the left to get a good view of the bend ahead, could be interpreted as an intention to turn left. Any car approaching could pull out in front of you. In this case you will need to sacrifice your early view of the corner, in order to give information to the approaching vehicle. 

Here are some other examples of when you may need to take an alternative position:

Lane Sharing - Imagine you are approaching a 'T' junction on a busy intersection and intending to turn right. Your 'L' test text book will have told you to move over to the right. However, an impatient motorist behind you may feel there is sufficient space to 'lane share'. They may even spot a gap before you and attempt to beat you out of the junction. Your courteous action may inadvertently put you in danger. You risk being hit, when the other car comes along side, pulls away and you could get pushed out into the path of oncoming traffic if you both exit at the same time. In such a case it may have been better to take a more central position (within your lane). This will create less room for a vehicle to squeeze along side and may discourage them from lane sharing. The same applies when waiting at traffic lights.

Multiple Lane Roundabouts - If you're going straight over on a roundabout, the highway code says you take the left lane and indicate just before you exit. However, many motorists will assume that your are turning left and may pull out in front of you or move into your path without realising that you didn't exit. Again you will need to use your judgement as to the best lane to take. It may be better to use the middle lane and watch out for motorists in the correct lane. 

Corner Cutting - You're turning right from a minor road narrowed by parked cars , into a major road. If you take your normal right hand position, you run the risk of being swiped by a car turning into your road and misjudging the gap. By taking a central lane position, or hanging back from the junction (assuming you can still see), you reduce this risk. The busier the traffic, the greater the caution you will need to exercise. Not just because there are more hazards to look out for, but also because other motorists will be prepared to take greater risks in order to avoid the chaos. Road positioning can help you make safer, smoother progress and give you an early view of hazards, but never forget your immediate surroundings or sacrifice your safety for a better position.
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