Share the road

  • Published
  • By Craig Colton
  • Green Knights Chapter 63 president
6/3/2010- DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  With the weather warming up, motorcycles will be coming out of garages and hitting the streets, from the experienced, seasoned riders to those riding for the first time. Then there are those driving in cars or over-sized trucks who aren't necessarily looking out for motorcycles.

A motorcycle doesn't have the same footprint as a car or truck, especially when it comes to the blind spots many vehicles possess, human or mechanical.

Head lights turned on gives more visibility for head-on traffic. Driving lights may be another consideration as an added visual indicator. Some riders use a headlight modulator that causes the head light to pulse.

As a valuable asset to the Air Force, members are required to wear long-sleeved, brightly-colored, outer upper garments, per DoD Instruction 6055.4, DoD Traffic Safety Program, and local instructions. At night, riders and passengers must also wear reflective outer garments as an added safety precaution.

According to the Hurt Study, a ground-breaking report on the causes and effects of motorcycle accidents published in 1981, "The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision."

In fact, fatalities are considerably higher, 200 percent, for bikes versus those in cars and trucks.

Although more than 15 years old at this time, the study still offers riders insight into the statistics regarding motorcycle accidents and tips on safer riding.

Riding style is just as important. Many people jump onto a bike, feel invincible and just want to juice the throttle. According to the Hurt Study, 77 percent of two-vehicle accidents involving a motorcycle occur in the riders 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 o'clock positions, and only 3 percent of impacts are from the motorcycle being rear-ended.

The study also says the most frequent accidents occur when the motorcycle is going straight and a car turns left in front of the oncoming bike. Intersections are the most likely place for a motorcycle accident when the rider's right-of-way has been violated.

Drivers and riders alike must watch out for one another. The, "I didn't see," or, "he came from nowhere," do nothing for those left behind after a traffic fatality. From the beginner to the most experienced rider or driver, everyone should continue to learn and increase their skills. And remember, we must all share the road.

To learn more about the Dyess chapter of the Green Knights, logon to http://texasgreenknights.org/gk63/ or the international site at http://greenknightsmc.com/index.html.