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Finding a Good Defensive Driving Course for Motorcyclists |
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Written by Jerry Malcolm
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Defensive driving is important for everyone. But because of the increased dangers that motorcyclists face, defensive driving has to become a way of life. Along with the freedom that is the great benefit of being a motorcycle owner comes increased responsibilities and increased dangers as well. Motorcyclists are not as well protected as cars so what would be a minor traffic incident to someone in a car, van or truck can be a life-threatening incident when you are on a motorcycle.
To survive from year to year using your motorcycle on the same roads with other drivers, it is essential to find a good defensive driving course that is geared toward motorcyclists. Along with the issues of operating such a small and agile vehicle, it has been proven that other drivers do not see motorcyclists as well and are not as prone to give you the same courtesies and considerations on the road that they would give to other drivers of cars or trucks. So as an operator of a motorcycle, knowing how to stay safe on the road involves another set of defensive driving rules and things to think about that drivers of larger vehicles do not have.
Part of the training a good defensive driving course for motorcyclists will address the attitude of the biker in traffic. It is very easy when operating a motorcycle to feel that the normal traffic laws that automobile or truck drivers must obey do not apply to motorcycles. And because of the small size of your vehicle and the maneuverability you have, it is easy to begin to take chances like weaving in and out of traffic between cars or driving between vehicles to the front of a long line of cars in stopped traffic.
This is tremendously risky behavior. Not only does it violate defensive driving rules for motorcyclists, it angers automobile drivers who may already be on edge about being on the road with a biker. Automobile or truck drivers learn to watch the road around them for other cars or trucks. But because you can move so fast, many times other drivers do not see you to make sure their next traffic maneuver is done with your safety in mind. As such, it is very easy for a driver to change lanes into you or do some other routine traffic change that could put you at risk at a moments notice.
A good defensive driving course that is geared toward motorcyclists will help the owner of a motorcycle change that instinct to drive recklessly that is encouraged by the "biker mentality" or by the natural freedom that a motorcycle gives you. It will help the motorcycle driver learn to allow even more clearance between themselves and other vehicles and to take extra precautions to make sure drivers of larger vehicles see you and know to take your presence on the road into consideration in their own defensive driving practices.
A good defensive driving course for motorcyclists has to cover every aspect of staying safe on the road. That means that a good course in motorcycle defensive driving will cover…
· Care and maintenance of your motorcycle so it will perform reliably on the road.
· The responsibilities of the motorcycle driver to avoid hazards and dangerous situations.
· A good understanding of how motorcycles perform and how to expertly guide the vehicle in every traffic circumstance and to deal with threatening situations safely.
· How to perform various traffic maneuvers when in traffic with automobiles and other vehicles. How to pass, signal, perform emergency braking and plan for getting out of the way of larger vehicles if a crisis situation arises.
· Dealing with rough weather and terrain and how to navigate road obstacles.
Even though a motorcyclist must go through different tests to get a license to operate their vehicle legally, the training for safe motorcycle operation is not sufficient to deal with the many challenges motorcyclists deal with all the time. Anyone beginning to learn the lifestyle of a motorcyclist must take a course that is specifically focused on the issues of motorcyclists. Not only does taking a good defensive driving course for motorcyclists lower your insurance rates, it dramatically improves your changes of avoiding serious injury or death for yourself and your riders when you set out to enjoy a ride on your motorcycle.
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