5 Tips For Riding A Motorcycle Safely In Traffic

There are countless dangers when negotiating your way through traffic on a motorcycle, and the perils have only multiplied with the hazards of distracted driving. And when you’re on a motorcycle, there’s no such thing as a minor fender-bender type of accident. You’re the only one you can rely on to traveling safely. Here are five tips you should always keep in mind when riding through traffic.

Wiggle Waggle

Human eyes are attracted to movement, and knowing this fact can expand your strategies for being seen. If you see a car potentially waiting to make a turn in front of you, give your handlebars a push and pull to make your bike lean back and forth, which makes your headlight move to attract lazy eyeballs.

Cover Your Brakes

Time is rarely more precious than when your motorcycle is intersecting with an inflexible object like a car. Quickly bleeding off speed can be the difference between a hair-raising near-miss and a trip to the hospital. Covering your bike’s front-brake lever will save critical moments versus the procedure of loosening your fingers’ grip on the throttle and then reaching for the lever.

Be Conspicuous

Wearing a black helmet and black jacket on a black or gray motorcycle is a good way to get overlooked in a sea of multicolored traffic, and that’s especially so at night. Better to choose brighter colors, at least for your helmet. You do wear a helmet, don’t you…?

Watch Your Six

A texting teen or a distracted dad can rudely and violently interrupt your daydreaming while sitting at a red light. Getting rear-ended at a stop light is unusual, but it’s happened to many thousands of motorcyclists. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye on your mirrors for cars that are too-rapidly approaching from behind, at least until one car has safely come to rest as a buffer to the next car that approaches.

They’re All Out To Kill You!

This is one of the best pieces of advice to dealing with traffic, as it simplifies the equation so that it’s clear your safety is almost entirely up to you. Expecting other drivers to reliably do the right thing is a recipe for disappointment and doctor visits.