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Interesting Safety Tip

2K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  Lemonhead 
#1 ·
From www.svrider.com:

"Most collisions between bikes and cars take place when the left turning driver hits the on-coming motorcyclist. The driver inevitably says to the cop .. "I didn’t see him coming." And we all scratch our heads and ask how the hell that could be?

One reason that may go a long way toward explaining this (besides cell phones, screaming brats or old/young age) is that the human eye is much more proficient at picking out horizontal movement rather than vertical movement (like an on-coming motorcycle) across the visual horizon.

In order to counter this phenomenon, a rider can employ a quick left-right-left horizontal swerve (in lane of course) as he is approaching an intersection with a car signaling an intention to turn left. I do it even if they are not signaling if I so much as sense that the oncoming car is slowing and might turn.

I am not an ophthalmologist or a human factors expert. I can only offer anecdotal evidence of my success with this technique. But I will tell you this: Many, many times I have noticed a driver’s head pop up in recognition of the on-coming bike (me) where seconds earlier I had been invisible. I have seen many cars swerve back to their side of the road or jam on brakes in direct response to my side to side movements."

Never heard this one before, but can't hurt... :riding:
 
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#9 ·
One thing I noticed on Monday as ajcombs and his friend were following me to the track. His friend has a headlight modulator, and it almost constantly had my attention whereas aj's bike did not. I always focus on the bikes more when I see the headlights modulating.
 
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