Article Table of Contents:
Motorcyclists Need to Be Tough
Wear Proper Protective Clothing
Motorcyclists Need to Be Tough
The odds are unfortunately stacked against motorcyclists.
We’d like to think we all share the roads together, and in theory we do.
However, the challenges motorcyclists face on the road are vastly different from those driving cars or rigs.
These hazards vary as widely as having no climate control to the potential of being sideswiped by the back end of a semi truck.
Motorcycle riding takes a tremendous amount of planning and effort that those riding in contained vehicles don't have to consider.
Here at the Brown Firm in Athens, we want everyone on the road to be as safe as possible, from cars to trucks.
We have compiled a brief list of the five best safety practices bikers should follow to stay as safe as possible on the road.
Wear Proper Protective Clothing
Like everyone else, Bikers need to dress for success.
Proper protective gear is essential for safety when operating a motorcycle.
Traditionally, leather clothing is worn by bikers. Recently, there has been an influx of leather alternatives for motorcycle safety such as textile mesh.
Regardless of textile or leather, these materials will do little to protect a biker from the impact of being hit by a vehicle.
Short of a suit of armor, there aren’t many outfits that will protect a rider from the broadside of a pickup trick. However, leather and textile clothing will provide decent protection from the harsh asphalt a biker might encounter if he was launched off his ride.
Jackets are seen as practically a necessity for the needs of safe biker.
For pants, denim is most effective when paired with another layer of protection. A secondary layer of textile or leather pants is recommended for superior protection.
There are also denim pants that have other materials sewn into them giving additional support.
Full motorcycle suits are also great forms of protection while riding.
Closed toe shoes are a necessity.
Motorcycle boots are recommended.
These boots are exactly as the name describes, shoes designed to keep ones feet safe while riding.
Generally, these boots have laces on the inside to keep from getting caught and are made of very thick leather.
Wear a Helmet
Yes, this very easily could have been incorporated under the “Wear Proper Protective Gear” heading.
However, this piece of safety advice is so important it deserves its own heading, pun intended.
To put it simply, the role of the helmet is to keep your face and brain safe in the event of impact during a motorcycle accident.
It is leaps and bounds the most important safety precaution one can take when riding a motorcycle.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, helmets are around 37% effective in preventing motorcycle deaths and 67% effective in preventing brain injuries.
These rates are significantly higher than those who did not wear helmets.
The selection of a helmet is very important for ones safety while riding a motorcycle.
There are a variety of styles to choose from ranging from full helmet (covers your full head and face), to 3/4 helmet (covers your head and some of your face), to 1/2 helmet (covers all of your head and none of your face).
There are also variations between United States helmets and European ones. Whatever style you choose, just be sure it fits properly.
A helmet that does not fit adequately will not protect adequately.
For more motorcycle safety statistics, click here!
Maintain Visibility
There is no use denying there is a definitive culture when it comes to riding a motorcycle.
Those who ride sometimes like to think of themselves as real rough and tumble types.
More often than not, they are right.
It takes a certain level of nerve and skill to take on the road with such little protection.
As a result of this persona, they are gonna try to look cool as they ride.
Wearing all black helmets, jacket and boots is fine and good on a sunny spring day.
However, what happens when its early winter on a cloudy midnight?
As traditional and cool looking as black is, motorcycle protective gear comes in a variety of colors that will ensure one is seen in all the best ways.
It’s important that ones visibility remains high when on the road.
This can easily be done by maintaining reflectors and headlights.
Other adaptions can be made as well, such as the strategic placement of reflector tape on ones helmet or jacket.
True, it will keep you from looking exactly like a steel horsed cowboy, but it will also keep you alive.
Obey the Rules of the Road
Another aspect of the motorcycle that makes it so desirable is the feeling of freedom that accompanies it.
When riding a motorcycle, one is not contained by four seats, walls and tires.
There is nothing between you and the world but two tires and a set of handlebars.
This unbridled potential may prove too tempting for some, and certain liberties may be taken on the road.
This can be anything from speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, or more daredevil types of tricks.
The best way to ensure safety while on the road is to follow all proper riding rules.
Before hitting the rode, take the time to learn all the nuances it takes to be an excellent rider.
If traveling to another state, do some preliminary research to see if there is anything different about riding and traffic patterns than there is at home.
It sounds tedious, but you never know what information will make the difference between an exhilarating ride and a visit to the local hospital.
Maintain Your Ride.
Finally, ensuring your motorcycle is in good working condition is pivotal in maintaining safety out on the rode.
Everything else discussed above are things that are ultimately in the direct power of the rider.
It is a riders choice not to wear a helmet or appropriate clothing for safety and visibility.
It is a riders choice if he doesn’t want to follow the rules of the road.
However, no one makes the decision to go out on a bike that may suddenly experience a mechanical error.
A rider could follow and adhere to every single safety protocol imaginable for motorcycle riding, and still wind up injured or potentially dead due to some random mechanical deficiency.
The severity of mechanical failure varies depending on what the fault is.
If your headlight bulb breaks in the middle of the afternoon there is very little consequence.
However, If your breaks give out at high speeds when rounding a curve, you could be in very big trouble.
It is critical that proper motorcycle care is maintained.
This can easily be attained by regularly taking your bike to the garage or if you have the ability, maintaining it yourself.
A properly running motorcycle, coupled with the aforementioned safety tips, will ultimately lead to the continuation of a properly running you.
Conclusion
No one ever plans on having an accident, yet they happen every single day.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If you ride a motorcycle please execute proper precautions in order to stay safe.
Unfortunately, accidents still occur even after the most careful planning and the best precautions.
Sometimes, it is simply the fault of another driver who was not as careful or responsible as you were.
If you find yourself to be the victim of such an accident, we at the Brown Firm Athens can work with you to get the help you need.
Five Motorcycle Safety Tips For Riding Through Athens posted first on https://thebrownfirm.blogspot.com
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