General Headquarters — Columbus, Ohio
For Immediate Release: May
24,
2005
Contact: OSHP - Lt. Rick Zwayer or Sgt. Jon Gray (614) 752-2792
American Motorcyclist Association - Tom Lindsay (614) 856-1900 ext. 1357
COLUMBUS – Staying safe on the street is of utmost importance for motorcyclists and other drivers. Throughout the spring and summer, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) will provide motorcycle-safety tips from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) as part of their Ride Smart. Drive Smart. partnership to help make it a safe and enjoyable motorcycle riding season.
Here are six street-survival tips for motorcyclists, to help make every ride a safer ride:
1. Remember to SEE: Search, Evaluate, Execute. Don’t just ride along on autopilot. Engage your brain before engaging first gear. Constantly search for potential dangers, evaluate what’s happening around you and execute measures to keep yourself out of trouble. In other words: think, think, think.
2. Where should you position yourself on the road? It depends. You may have been taught to keep yourself in the center of the lane, or in the left car wheel track. But the safest approach is to practice “traffic positioning,” rather than lane positioning. Basically, keep the biggest cushion you can between you and cars, trucks, walls or anything else that can hurt you—from all directions.
3. Play “What if...” What if that car turns left in front of you? What if a tire blows on that semi in the next lane? What if your tire deflates? Playing “What if...” keeps you mentally engaged and prepared with a plan.
4. Look where you want to go. It’s the simplest lesson taught in even the most basic riding course. But it’s also the most essential. In a panic situation, look where you want to go. Your bike will go there. So don’t fixate on the car coming into your lane, look at the clear path that leads around it.
5. Practice. Do you know how hard you can brake without locking up the wheels? Practicing in a safe place—gradually building up braking until you find the limits of traction—is the only way to learn. The good news? You’re likely to find that your bike can stop in less distance than you ever imagined.
6. Oh say, can you see? You can only evaluate potential hazards well if you can see them well. Checked your eyesight lately? Sharp, 20/20 vision is not just a good idea; it’s a necessity.
The goal of Ride Smart. Drive Smart. is to help motorcyclists and other drivers share the road safely. Three key safety awareness themes to achieve this goal are:
1. Get Trained (including knowing proper safety gear to wear)/Get Licensed;
2. Stay Sober (incorporating the AMA’s national Ride Straight program); and
3. Other drivers be aware by looking out for motorcyclists.
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05-073
www.statepatrol.ohio.gov
A division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety
