n. pl. brav•er•ies
1. The condition or quality of being brave; courage.
2. Splendor or magnificence; show.

When you think of bravery, offhand your mind might be drawn to a firefighter, police officer, a parent, or maybe even your favorite fictional superhero, such as Spiderman or Batman. You wouldn’t normally think of a small nine (9) year old girl as someone who is courageous, but there is one child who will now be thought of by many when the word “bravery” is spoken of: Celia Renteria.(Video frame courtesy of KABC TV Los Angeles)

Early morning Sunday at about 1:30am, Celia and her father, Alejandro Renteria, were involved in a car crash near Los Angeles, California. Celia realized her father was unconscious and was able to calmly turn off the engine when she smelled gasoline leaking.

After turning off the engine, she managed to climb out of the wreckage and hike to a nearby home to seek help. Once she realized that no one was home, or answering the door at such an early hour, she went back to the crash site to check on her father.

The young girl then decided to go for help a different route. She braved through a “steep embankment in a very dark and threatening environment,” one CHP officer stated. Here, she was able to flag down help from a passerby at the nearby Metrolink station who then called local authorities.

“What was most remarkable was her commitment to her father and to try to get him aid under very challenging circumstances. It’s also very barren. We have coyotes out here that were also howling. So it’s kind of a creep environment for a young girl to show and demonstrate such courage and commitment to her father.” CHP Sgt. Tom Lackey

Help arrived at the scene at roughly 2:30am and pronounced Celia’s father dead at the scene. The young girl was airlifted to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles with minor injuries.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, although investigators believe that alcohol was involved.

AT&T and their “It Can Wait” campaign surveyed over 1,000 adults, asking them if they ever text while driving. Nearly half (49%) admitted to texting while they were driving, with about 43% of adults calling it a “habit.” What could be worse is that 98% of the adults who admitted to texting while driving claimed they knew that it was wrong and dangerous, but did it anyway.

Although teens wern’t too far behind at 43% admitting to texting while behind the wheel, the behavior of their parents has a large influence on their actions. During this study, AT&T also concluded that if parents do not have a rule against texting while driving and/or do it themselves, their young adult is more likely to drive distracted.

AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign is not just for one audience though; it is for everyone. Thomas J. Donohue of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO states, “Businesses can help keep their employees and others on the road safe by encouraging responsible behavior behind the wheel, including obeying all laws related to the use of electronic devices.” This campaign is to spread the word about distracted driving to all drivers across America.

Because texting while driving requires taking your mind, hands, and eyes off of the steering wheel, it is considered the most dangerous form of distracted driving. If you text while you drive, you will be 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash.

As cars have become more important in today’s society, many people have wanted to buy what is “best on the market.” On the other hand, as gas prices (as many of us have seen) have risen a significant amount, drivers everywhere are wanting to get the best out there while still being frugal. This is where small cars come in. These cars not only hold their trendiness with “fashionistas,” but also attract those who love the art of driving.

Get Further on the Road

When you have a smaller vehicle, you are able to receive better gas mileage on the highway and in the city. This is because smaller cars have smaller engines. Sometimes, small cars are even able to receive up to 20 miles per gallon more than a vehicle like an SUV or a truck.

Easier to Maneuver

Small cars have interior volumes that start at as low as 100 cubic feet making them simpler to pilot. This comes in handy when you are trying to parallel park, make a U-Turn, migrate through a parking lot, or travel down a one-way street. If you live in a big city, such as Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, a small car might be the best choice for you since the streets are always quite crowded.

Cost Effective

Take a look at smaller cars from the manufacturer’s point of view. Small cars take less material, which makes the car cheaper to produce. This also means that these cars will be sold cheaper than a truck or SUV. This will add to your overall savings that you get with buying a smaller car.

Faster Time Reaction

Let’s face it, we can’t deny the laws of physics. If you are traveling in a smaller car, you will be able to speed up and brake quicker than if you are in a larger car.

Overall, if you are looking into purchasing a new or used vehicle, you might want to consider a smaller car, rather than a larger one (although this will depend on what you plan on using your vehicle for). If you are looking for a fuel efficient car that still looks great, then a small car is the right choice for you!

• Car wash sponge. You’re going to need to wash your car at some point. The eco-friendly car wash sponge is made with a real sea sponge. Don’t fear for the seas sponges either. It is actually healthy for them to be harvested, according to experts.

• Waterless car wash. Instead of wasting water, this form of washing your car uses a formula that removes the dirt from your car’s paint, leaving it with a beautiful shine. This cleaner is generally non-toxic and phosphate-free and also saves 20-100 gallons of water!

• Car seat. Do you have a baby in the family? Companies like Recaro make economically friendly car seats! These car seats can be made with a bamboo fiber which is also bacteria-resistant.

• Car bin. We all do it—throw trash all over the car. It’s not a secret. With an eco-friendly car bin, you can help clean the inside of your car while helping out Mother Earth! Some eco-friendly trash bins for your car are made out of quality nylon. What makes you feel guilty-free is that the liners are made of a biodegradable plastic.

Other Eco-Friendly Accessories

• Recycled CD Cases

• Solar Crank Flashlight/Radio

• Toddler Car Seat Cover

• Air Fresheners

• Stickers

• License Plate Frames

• Car Magnets

• Ice Scrapers

• Hitch Covers

• Solar Smartphone Charger

• And More!

There are many things that you are able to purchase for your car that are also less damaging to our environment. All you have to do is try! Go ahead, switch out the old and bring in the new!

TMCC

American Traffic School of Nevada is a small, family run traffic school. My name is Brandon and my father,                  Dr. Stephen Shaw created this online course 2 years ago, after teaching both motorcycle riding and traffic school at our local community college TMCC.

We believe that the course should be educational, not punishment. That’s why we created an easy to view and informative PowerPoint course and set the price at $19.

We’re looking forward to becoming widely known and seen as an easy alternative to avoid demerit points from being recorded on your driving record.

We are a 100% Nevada Small Business.  By “Liking” our Facebook page and leaving a few paragraphs on Yelp,  you can help us get our name into the community and contribute to growing as business

It’s incredibly easy to leave a review on Yelp…  even if you don’t have an account.

The first thing you have to do is click on the Yelp.com icon above to reach our American Traffic School of Nevada page.

You’ll be greeted by the page below.

From there, you’ll want to click on the highlighted button “Write a Review.”

On the next page, it’s as easy as clicking the number of stars we deserve, writing a few short paragraphs about your experience with us and you’re done. Click “Sign Up and Post” and put in your basic demographic information. You’re done!

We are honestly grateful to live in  Nevada and contribute to our community.

Thanks for posting your review, each customer is valued by us!

Google

This post can also be found on our sister site ABC DUI Online
There’s always that one song you hear, the one where the petal’s to the metal and the other cars are falling behind as you fly ahead. Thanks to Reddit and this thread we’re able to bring you the best choices.

Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now

Don’t stop me, don’t stop me… ooo ooo Ooooo!

Queen is a god among musicians and responsible for some of the most varied and talent musicians of the late 20th century. Best part of the song is that awesome chord they hit on “Explode”

3 out of my 4 speeding tickets occured while Kenny Loggins’ “Highway to the Danger Zone” was playing. Whenever that song comes on the radio my eyes start darting around looking for the police. ~ Jeff_E_Popp

Cake – The Distance

Cake has always been an underground band, with a very smooth and slow indie sound to their music. Within The Distance, the beginning words echo generations of speed demons waiting for the light to turn green.

Rage Against The Machine – Killing In The Name

Those who drive can testify, that hearing this song makes you go 65! ~ Unknown

Beastie Boys – Sabotage

Led Zepplin – Immigrant Song

Google

INTRODUCTION

Helmets… check                                                                                                                                                           Gloves… check                                                                                                                                                       Pegs down… check                                                                                                                                          Passenger… check 

You settle into the saddle, followed by the person who will be sitting just a deep breath away from your backside.  As the pavement begins to roll under the pegs, you sense that all is right with the world.  For many couples, if not most, sharing the ride with that special person is what cruising on two wheels is all about.

Though the short checklist above has worked for millions of couples with no ill effects, I know of one or two rides that ended a promising romance following a pillion’s first ride.  But, what causes a nice ride to go south faster than shifting from first to second?  What can a rider do to avoid an ugly two up experience? These are good questions and of course everyone has an opinion.  So, based upon my own personal experience, here’s my two cents.

ONE BIKE, TWO MINDS

Jumping on the bike and picking a point on the compass works fine for solo rides. But, when you add another person to the ride, that should cause you to pause for more than a moment and think through what the ride is all about. In other words, you should plan the trip if you are to have the best ride possible.

In this article, we will refer to the guy holding the handlebars as the pillion and the passenger as the pillion.

Most pilots recognize that a second person is not baggage. That said, a second person along for the ride means that both know what the other person expects during the journey, not just upon arriving at the destination.  Planning a ride doesn’t mean that you are rigidly locked into a route, but it does mean that you and your pillion agree on a destination, a reasonably flexible time frame, rest stops, fuel stops and possible points of interest that you would like to visit along the route. Not everyone thinks the same with two up riding, but in my experience, planning out a ride can make the journey a bit smoother.

Before you sit down at the kitchen table with a pencil in hand, the pillion and especially the pilot need to recognize that both travelers have an equal say in planning out the ride. Just because the pilot is one holding the handlebars, doesn’t make him the all knowing and all seeing travel guide. When a pilot has invited a person along for a first ride, the big goal of the trip should be that both will still be enjoying each other’s company at the end of the ride. Taking the time to plan out a ride is one way to help a new rider to enjoy the experience.

There are three parts to planning a ride. The first part is the human factor. The second is planning route and the third is planning for the unexpected.

THE HUMAN FACTOR

The main human factor is talking with the pillion before ever sitting on the saddle.  As I mentioned earlier, the pillion is turning over all control of the ride to the pilot. So she is trusting him 110% to make the right decisions for keeping them both vertical and at ease along the way. When a pilot treats the pillion with a paternal attitude, then he is treating her like so much extra baggage and no one likes to be treated like baggage.  So have a conversation and allow the pillion to voice her interests, needs and concerns. A pre-ride discussion with a new pillion should encompass a review of the following:

1)      Destination – where you will land at the end of the ride

2)      Route you will follow

3)      Rest stops where you intend to stretch your legs

4)      Explain to the pillion the importance for imitating the pilot in leans.

5)      Review hand signals or intercom communication

6)      Avoid bumping helmets when decelerating

7)      Explain to the pillion that she should wait until you are seated, kickstand is up and you give her the nod to step on the peg.

8)      Once the pillion is seated, ask her not to remove her boots from the pegs until the motorcycle is completely stopped and engine is off. 

9)      The rider should place the new rider’s hands around his waist. Not on the shoulders and  NOT the seat strap

As the new pillion gains experience, the pre-ride discussions will become quicker. But I am going to encourage you not to eliminate pre-ride discussions regardless of the miles traveled together.

THE ROUTE

Depending on the destination, how far and how many miles will you and the pillion be willing to ride in one day trip or over several days.  You may be comfortable pounding out the miles, but your pillion may have a more sensitive bottom side. A ride longer than both are comfortable only creates fatigue and a first or second time ride can lose its enjoyment pretty quick.  So, together, look at a map and find points of interest both of you will enjoy along the route. Google makes it easy to find countless points of interest that neither you or pillion may have heard of or thought to visit.

The pilot and the pillion will also need to agree on how many miles between rest stops. This isn’t chiseled in stone and you should be reasonably flexible with each other. This can be determined upon the type of machine that you will ride, the road you will travel, the capacity of a person’s bladder or the weather. For example, an older couple riding a 1989 Harley Electra Glide may motivate these travelers to plan more frequent and longer rest stops than would a smooth and quiet bike engineered for touring and ridden by a younger couple. If your bike has a hard seat, this will make the ride quickly uncomfortable for any passenger who will frequently shift around to remain comfortable. If you know the pillions seat has not been broken in, you may want to purchase a soft gel or air cushion for the passenger for a more enjoyable trip.

Fuel stops shouldn’t determine your choice of rest stops. There is nothing relaxing or particularly enjoyable about stretching your legs walking around a gas station minimart. So estimate your average mileage and then mark the location of gas stops along the way and save the rest stop for a more appealing location.

My wife and I have personally found that 45 minutes traveling in the saddle followed by ten to twenty minute rest stops has kept our rides pretty enjoyable. Each couple can pick the ratio of ride time to rest time for themselves, but both travelers need to agree and to be flexible if something unexpectedly catches the other’s interest… shopping, eating, photographs or a quick nap on the grass.  One last point, both the rider and the pillion need to remain hydrated and take in a few calories at stops. This will help to ward off fatigue and irritation commonly experienced on long rides.

Both travelers need to realize that when two minds ride the same bike, the journey becomes as important or more so than the destination even if the ride is only one tanks’ distance.

COMMUNICATIONS

Unless a rider and pillion are connected with electronic communicators, questions and answers on the road tend to be limited to one or two words.  So, it’s a nice idea to practice a few hand signals. The important ones such as bathroom stop can be a quick squeeze to the inner thigh of the pilot. Water can be a cupped hand, leg cramp can be a clenched fist and slow down can be a tap to the shoulder. If the passenger needs to stop immediately, create a signal you both will understand. You get the idea that sign language can save a bit of frustration.

Wired and Bluetooth communication is a nice way for couples to enjoy trips together. My wife and I have been using the Scala Q2 for a couple of years with no technical hiccups so far. We point out scenery to each other and have the same conversations we normally have in a car.  And if we become tire of talking with each other, one of simply turns off the intercom. Not a feat so easily done in the car. One caveat… conversations can distract the pilot while riding especially when the pillion points out a site that takes the pilot’s eyes off the road. This is especially noticeable in the twisties, so let the pillion know when silence is golden.

PLANNING FOR THE UNEXPECTED

The pilot is responsible for all the pre-ride maintenance of his machine.  Inspection of the tires, correct tire pressure for the extra weight, adding preload tension to the shocks, oil, fluids, illumination and so forth. When carrying a second body, don’t assume everything is hunky dory… check it.

Planning your trip also means carrying the right tools for the mechanical problems that can happen along the way.  The right tools are defined as the tools you normally use for maintenance and repairs on your bike at home. That way you know that the tools you carry will work the same on the road.   Definitely do not depend on the tools that are provided by the bike manufacturer. For many new models, you might as well just throw those sad excuses for tools in the trash. You invested a lot money in purchasing your machine..  so invest a bit more in quality tools you can depend upon.

Even if you don’t do your own maintenance and repairs and your motorcycle does develop a problem, a good samaritan who knows how to use those tools may come along and get you back on the road again. Good tools only need to be used once to pay for themselves. Also include a small roll of duct tape, electrical tap, zip ties, both a hand held and head mounted LED flashlight, extra batteries, various fuses, sharp knife, nitril gloves, clear safety goggles, disposable wet wipes, a flat tire repair kit and a small first aid kit.  Three folding reflectors are helpful if a mechanical problem were to happen night.

The pilot should check the weather forecasts as well as highway construction or hazards such as fresh sprayed oil or tar on road. The internet makes those potential issues a simple process to anticipate and bypass if necessary. If cold temperatures or rain are forecast along the route, the wet and cold weather gear should be easily accessible if you anticipate riding through it.  Dressing in layers is important for both the rider and pillion’s comfort and safety. Knowing where your gear is packed will keep you from rummaging through the luggage or saddlebags when the thermometer plunges.

As simple as this sounds, have cash and/or a primary credit card in an outside zippered pocket of your jacket so you can avoid searching through 7 pockets of your jacket for your wallet. If you ride past a toll booth or just want to gas up, it makes it a bit quicker get it done.

GPS can make traveling a bit easier, but don’t bet your life on them. When it comes to electronics, I live by Murphy’s Law. If electronics can break or get me lost, they will. For overnight or new routes, I always keep a hardcopy of the rout filed away in the pack. I also use the hardcopy to mark the locations and telephone numbers of dealerships or repair shops along the route. The same applies for tows if your machine shuts down.

The odds are against you ever needing to pull out this information, but if the Murphy does happen to show up, it’s easier to know with certainty where the nearest dealership assistance is available rather than trying to find it on your cell phone in the middle of nowhere.  In regards to cell phones. Make sure you and the Pillion both have one and it’s a good idea to turn at least one of them off to have a fresh battery just in case one runs out of juice.

If your machine has hard mounted luggage and saddle bags, take a moment to demonstrate to the new passenger how the latch works. Also, walk around the bike with the new pillion and point out the hot parts they will want to avoid touching or stepping on.

As laborious as the pre-ride conversation may sound, don’t underestimate their value. Also, before you are ready to mount up, give her a hug or kiss before getting on the bike. That little gesture can last the entire day and into the evening.

GEAR

As an MSF rider coach, I teach student riders to dress for the fall and not the weather. But, many riders don’t always get the memo.   If your pillion doesn’t want to gear up, then it’s the pilots call. Explain to the new pillion that gear is the only thing that will separate her from the asphalt at speed and that road rash and the subsequent wound cleaning hurts more than anything she will ever experience. Dressing for the fall means a DOT helmet, abrasion resistant textile or leather jacket, chaps or heavy denim pants, good quality over the ankle boots and full finger gloves.

In regards to the boots, be sure the pillion has boots that are broken in and comfortable for walking around. You are not always going to be sitting on the bike. And fashion leather does not provide protection from hot exhaust or asphalt. Not to push a point, but if pillion ends up sliding along the asphalt at 50 or 60 mph, how bad are you going to feel as the ER nurse is scrubbing the road rash from her wounds. Protecting the pillion from injury is part of the pilots responsibility.

THE DYNAMICS OF ADDED WEIGHT

As all riders intuitively understand, controlling a motorcycle is more complex than driving a four wheel vehicle.         And the complexity increases when the dynamics of the motorcycle changes.  Motorcycles are engineered for the rear tire to carry approximately 60% of the total weight of a motorcycle at constant speed, while the front wheel 40%.  This weight ratio front to rear noticeably changes under acceleration and deceleration. With a single rider, sitting at the center of gravity, the impact upon control is not generally significant.

Now consider what happens to the weight ratio front to rear when you add a second person and luggage behind the normal center of gravity. A simple way to counter a shift backward of the center of gravity is to increase the preload tension of the rear shocks. Increasing the preload tension, will counter the extra weight for more normal handling and stability on the road.

The second component for maintaining optimum suspension is the tire’s air pressure. The normal operating tire pressure for a single body is not adequate to bear the load of an extra body, so this requires the rider to up the tire pressure for both the front and rear, before riding the road. The number one reason for sudden tire failure are underinflated tires. So check your owner’s manual for the proper tire pressure when carrying added weight

If after increasing the air pressure and preload tension and your bike’s handling continues to be light at the front wheel, you may consider replacing your OEM shocks with heavy duty aftermarket. This can make a real difference in the comfort and handling while on a ride.

Riders need to never forget that the stability and control of a motorcycle is altered with extra weight sitting over the rear wheel and must adapt to the different handling and braking characteristics of their bike.

RIDER SKILL

Contrary to popular opinion, riding time and riding skills are not synonymous. Riders can often ride adequately by themselves, but come up dangerously short with a pillion sitting over the rear wheel. Before you take someone else on a ride, you need to honestly ask yourself:  can you skillfully handle accelerating, decelerating, swerving, tight turns and emergency quick stops when carrying the extra weight of a person behind you?   Do you know how far it will take your bike to come to a complete stop with the extra weight at different speeds.  Can you accelerate without leaving your pillion sitting on the asphalt watching you ride off toward the horizon?

What if the pillion doesn’t lean as you expect when you find yourself entering an unexpected decreasing radius turn.  Practiced and prepared for sudden surprises that do happen on the road is what distinguishes the proficiently skilled riders from our adequately prepared brethren.  99%  of the time, you will not have any issues when your are enjoying a ride with that special person, but it only takes once for a nice day to suddenly turn ugly.  If you are not skilled enough to handle unexpected tight turns with scraping pegs or sudden emergencies that happen when riding by yourself, what makes you think you will be able to with a pillion behind you.

If you are not comfortable making a slow tight U-turn with a passenger or know how far your bike can lean over with the extra weight of a passenger, you need to practice skills recommended by experts like David Hough and/or attend courses from organizations like Street Masters.  You may travel 100,000 miles without an incident, but then again you may not.  Riding skills are not something you leave to dumb luck. Practice your skills until you can do each in your sleep.  One last point, a rider needs to practice their skills with a pillion sitting on the back so they both will know what to expect and how to handle the demands when on the road. It should be self evident that when practicing your skills with a pillion, that you start slow and large and then tighten the techniques. This particularly important when rapidly decelerating from faster speeds. So whether you are riding solo or with a pillion, your skills should allow you react intuitively and correctly.

IS THE PILLION ENJOYING HERSELF

At rest stops, ask your passenger if she is enjoying herself. Don’t just accept yes and no answers. Ask specifically if there is something you can do to make the ride more enjoyable. For example, if the pillion keeps banging her helmet against the back of yours as you decelerate,  then maybe it’s a good time to discuss why that is happening. Is she comfortable with the speed or lean angles in curves. After a few rides, you will know what your passenger enjoys and what she prefers you avoid.

THE END OF THE RIDE

Whether the ride was just for the day or for a couple of days, take a few minutes to debrief the ride with a new pillion. Don’t just ask if they enjoyed themselves, but go over the days’ experience. What she saw, enjoyed and what she would do differently next time. You may be tired, but the pillion will be as tired from simply sitting still. If you are still romantic at the end of the ride, some fresh cut fruit and a drink makes for an easy revive. If she is not use to wearing a helmet and boots, offer a massage to the neck, back and feet. She is likely to reciprocate which after all is what sharing the day is all about. Putting the finishing touches on a nice ride will definitely improve the odds that the next ride will be at least equally enjoyable.

Ghost Rider Series – Inattentional Blindness
 

Originally Published in www.Cyclematters.com – 5/2011
Google

Recently, I was enjoying a nice warm Saturday ride toward one of my favorite northern Nevada destinations, Virginia City. For you older guys, it’s the same Virginia City of the 1950’s Bonanza TV fame.  Riding on one of the main routes out of Reno, I was scanning a few seconds ahead and noticed an SUV at a side street with its left turn signal blinking.  When I’m riding on urban streets, I routinely look at the front wheel of vehicles waiting at cross streets.  Most of the time the wheels are not rolling which is a good indicator that the driver will stay put until after I ride past.  This time though I noticed that the SUV’s front wheel were slowly rolling meaning the driver was at that moment considering his options.

When I see a car with its wheels slowly rolling at an intersection, it’s a indication that perhaps the driver hasn’t noticed my bike and by extension me. So, I keep a focused eye on that vehicle.  At this point and if time and distance permits, I will move my bike to the inside lane or at least the inside of the lane I am using.    Moving my position to the inside lane, provides more space and time between my bike and creepers like the one I was now focused.

Early Morning Riding

When vehicles are stopped at cross streets, its’ human nature to search for the driver’s face and eyes to decide if they notice the motorcycle. But, I have found over the years, that more often than not, the driver’s face is not clearly seen them anyway . Another concern for me is that even when I can see the driver is looking in my direction, it doesn’t mean that he sees me.  So I focus on the front wheel of vehicles that may pose a risk for me. I follow a simple rule of the road… I am a ghost to every driver on the street and therefore I view every vehicle as a potential threat.

Whenever I have some doubt about potential conflicts at intersections, I normally cover both brakes as a precaution and prepare to respond in case of a bad driver decision. Covering your brakes can save one second in reaction time. That is the equivalent of about 50 feet when you apply your brakes moving at 35 mph.  As I neared the slowly creeping SUV, the driver did exactly what I hoped he wouldn’t do… he suddenly pull out in front of me. Fortunately, my survival instinct was in good working order and I was able to brake quick enough for him to clear my path before my VTX was turned into abstract art.  Profanity was not really optional, but it was an afterthought.

Most every rider who has more than a few miles on the asphalt has encountered this near-death experience at least once. Unfortunately for some riders, the near-death experience sadly becomes a real-death experience.

Motorcycle Crash

The most common statement written by drivers in police reports following a crash with a motorcyclist is “I just didn’t see him.”  In a 2000 study published by two Harvard researchers, Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons demonstrated that when drivers say they didn’t see the motorcycle, they were in fact telling the truth. Not seeing what is right in front of your eyes is now known as “Inattentional Blindness.” For example, think of the last time you couldn’t find your wallet or keys and your spouse came over and pointed to them on the table right in front of you.  In other words, the brain does not always see what the eyes are looking at.  There is a reason for this. Your body and eyes receive 11,000,000 bits of information every second.

But that doesn’t mean your brain is capable of processing that much data. So, our brains filter out all but the most important information. There is a limit to what gets through the filter to the awareness part of the brain and most of this information is priority dependent. In other words, what is important at that moment. Take motorcycles for example. If a person doesn’t have an interest in motorcycles and doesn’t know someone who rides, the chances are they will not normally see an approaching motorcycle. But if you ride a motorcycle, its’ natural that you will notice every bike that goes past and in particular your model bike. So, if a driver couldn’t care less about motorcycles and doesn’t see one until too late, its’ not completely the driver’s fault.

How Much Space Motorcycles Occupy

Though the reasons for motorcycle crashes have been well known for the last 30 years, the nation’s DMV’s and driver training courses have not made a consistent and effective effort to educate drivers to become motorcycle aware. Even in today’s driver education classes, motorcycle awareness is introduced as an afterthought to student drivers.  This partially accounts for why drivers consistently write on police reports following a crash with a motorcyclist… “I just didn’t see him.”

I teach a 90 minute motorcycle awareness course to new high school student drivers in Reno because I believe this is where motorcyclists have to start. You might consider volunteering to teach new drivers at your local driver’s training classes. If you are interested in a complete motorcycle awareness course for new drivers, go to www.invisiblemotorcycle.com.  The course includes an Instructors Manual, Student Manual and a dynamic Power Point presentation. The kids are receptive and the teachers very appreciative. As motorcyclists, you are the authority and can have a positive impact for all motorcyclists. (No pun intended) The cost for the course is very reasonable at $19.95.  Investing time introducing and educating new or experienced drivers to motorcycles now may help to keep another rider vertical in the future.

Doc’s Road Survival Rules

1)     Always ride knowing you are a ghost to every driver on the road.

2)     99% drivers will see an approaching motorcycle, but it only takes one driver to ruin their day.

3)     Don’t look at the eyes, look to see if the front wheel is rotating.

4)     Keep in the front of you mind that a driver looking at motorcycle is not the same as the driver seeing the motorcycle.

5)     When approaching an intersection, cover your brakes.

6)     Be prepared to respond to an immediate threat by a quick and practiced response.

7)     Regardless of whether you bike is equipped with ABS or air bags, the best safety device on your bike is always your brain.

There are several a factors that put riders at risk and I will be discussing another risk next week.