Sorry mate I didn’t see you
Is it acceptable to delegate our safety to other road users?
Is it acceptable to delegate our safety to other road users? Are improved rider attitudes fostered by too easily reaching for the phrase ‘Think Bike’? Is it really fair of us to apportion blame to car drivers who fail to see us and is it appropriate to brandish the strapline of ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you’ as if that holds the key to improved rider safety and more empowered attitudes?
Don’t misunderstand me – ‘Think Bike’ is an inspired road safety campaign and there is no doubt that lives have been saved on account of it’s positive messaging and from the myriad of local UK initiatives that have resulted. I’m also not setting out to disparage the free legal advice industry and their clever marketing of the ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you’ message. This also has its place and I’m aware of the potential benefits of enlisting the right legal counsel when it’s required.
How can riders take greater responsibility for their own road safety?
My personal experience and view of things is more centered on ‘rider responsibility’ – which tends to empower a different bias of questions. How can riders take greater responsibility for their own road safety? What can riders do to ensure that they are seen by car drivers? Should riders instead ‘think car’ and adjust to an attitude of ‘it’s ok mate, I know you don’t see me’?
Whilst an alternative message of ‘take responsibility’ might not be popular, I personally believe that it is an essential mind-set for all riders to adopt. In truth, what use is it to retrospectively ‘Think Bike’ or to say, “sorry mate I didn’t see you”. Is it more rider safety empowering to embrace that as bikers, our safety is 100% in our own hands?
Professional motorcycle training is vital to rider safety
My vote goes with rider responsibility, with being seen, with riding defensively, with being accountable, with respect for other road users, with further training, with proper kit and with the assuredness to never be in conflict with other vehicles and to never apportion blame.
Professional motorcycle training is vital to rider safety and positively compounded for riders who do more than fulfil legal training requirements. For example, a learner rider only spending two hours on the road under instruction during Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and dismissing additional training, will be far more at risk than a responsible rider who has opted for an extra few days of professional road training.
Clothing is often a key indicator of rider attitude!
Clothing is often a key indicator of rider attitude. A black bike, black leathers, a black helmet and dark visor will blend into most backgrounds. Is it any wonder when some riders then hear ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you’?
Brighter coloured helmets can help and the science of rider visibility is fast evolving, with most motorcycle clothing manufacturers now offering a wide range of enhanced visibility options. Wearing high visibility garments with reflective piping can help riders to be seen in poorly lit conditions, especially dawn and dusk when motorcyclists are lost in the confusion of bright lights and sleepy eyes. Visibility can be further enhanced by keeping lights clean, functional and always on.
A great way to better understand the science of motorcycle visibility and under what conditions bikers must be particularly vigilant, is to attend a Fire Brigade sponsored Biker Down course. As well as teaching essential motorcycle first-aid and accident scene safety management skills, Biker Down is also recognised for their excellent advice on being seen and taking greater responsibility.
Stay safe, take responsibility and keep it on the black stuff.
Road position is key to a rider being seen, as is good forward vision, observation and planning ahead. With such planning should be allowance and contingency for the mistakes of other road users. Such ‘defensive’ vision can avoid conflict with other road users who may be challenging for the same road space. In all riding scenarios, effective road position skills can ensure riders are more visible to others and these skills can be significantly enhanced by investing in ongoing levels of motorcycle training.
Riders who fail to invest in further rider training are at risk of only practicing lesser riding skills. Learning by trial and error (the worst possible learning environment) is certainly not advised and too often resulting in issues, close calls and accidents.
Regardless of a riders experience – to never hear the words ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you’, my advice is not to rely on other road users to ‘Think Bike’ – but instead to take complete responsibility and that will always involve a commitment to ongoing/advanced levels of professional motorcycle training.
Stay safe, take responsibility and keep it on the black stuff.
About the author
A full-time instructor since 1991, Simon Hayes is a veteran motorcycle training instructor and well known within the industry. Simon’s first six years as an instructor, were spent teaching military personnel, where he enjoyed a 100% success rate and earned a reputation for pre-DAS excellence in training high powered motorcycles skills.
Since 1996, Simon has operated a respected multi-site motorcycle training business covering Birmingham and the West Midlands. Twenty years of dedication to the highest possible standards of motorcycle training has forged a reputation for excellence and whilst Simon has seen many changes and challenges effecting the industry; his own training school has continued to thrive and grow. [more]
This article was first published in On Two Wheels (O2W) issue 11 and can be downloaded here.
