21 replies to this topic

[satyenpoojary]

Found these nice handy videos some days back, before I misplace them again, putting them up here to benefit others.





Will put up a small write up on this and is posisble some Indian examples as well.

Cheers, do share if you have good stuff!

[!_Devil_Jin_!]

that's what happened during my first ride!..now I understand what you wanted to tell about target fixation..

[satyenpoojary]

!_Devil_Jin_! said:

that's what happened during my first ride!..now I understand what you wanted to tell about target fixation..

Yes, this is one of the most common mistakes done by a lot of riders. Remember your first cycling lessons or the neighbourhood girl shouting frantically, "OH MY GOD! I AM GOING TO HIT HIM" while trying her luck with her scoot?.and then BANG!
Target fixation can be used to avoid a collision as well, here are a few tips:

In corners: Especially when you realize that the speed or the line is flawed and then you ?know\believe? that you will end up smacking the fence or falling off, and then you go right there and bang even while trying to correct the speed or the line!
How to avoid: The easiest way to avoid it is to stare ahead to a ?safe? point (on the road and not over the cliff) and then correct your line\speed to get there? and 9 out of 10 time you will be successful!

When someone\something comes in the road suddenly: You stare on the object and there?.. you have aimed and locked your target. The panic changes the probability game to a 50% chance of either going straight for it, or 50% chance of falling off the bike while trying to brake hard to stop from a collision. Even if you end up successfully braking, pray to God that the one riding\driving behind is blessed with as much abilities, else get ready to be run over!
How to avoid: The easiest way to avoid this is to fix the target to a sensible escape route. DON?T stare at the object, rather stare at the best way to avoid the object. Correcting the speed is a very good idea too, but a quick glance on the RVM is a must? If it?s a mobile object, try predicting its path. HONK! People forget this easily on such scenarios, but chances are the Honking will alert the mobile animal\vehicle.

[satyenpoojary]

One more video about basic skills about
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sf7XiXiPx1s&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sf7XiXiPx1s&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>


Another interesting one about

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uv71ZIhKL34&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uv71ZIhKL34&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[Revmaster]

Target fixation is a good topic raised by you Satyen. It's not just vital in avoiding accidents, but while trying to go fast around corner as well. Looking at the spot on the road where you want to be around a bend, helps immensely. Some riders have this bad habit of looking at areas which are tool close ahead of them, this makes them keep correcting all the time, slowing them down drastically. Good riders always know which part of the road they want to be at and keep looking there - of course they keep their field of vision constant in relation to the speed.
trying this technique on a vacant bend, makes you understand how much difference it can make.

[sheelpriye]

too less riding and being more on PC and work was about to kill me on monday, was about to be gobbled up by a truckie in an up-hill left hand corner,
why? i had started staring at its tyres till i could feel the balls in my mouth and they tasted shit, sweat filled up the visor and those 3-4 secs were like %^&*

looked away to an exit and got onemates riding back said, the gap wasn't more than an arm's length
too less rides, the places is around ~200kms away and i didn't frequent it since '08 and wanted to take this favorite corner on the 15 with max lean and speed,
thankfully didn't pay a price, but learnt few lessons which are encrypted now

[sheelpriye]

@edit--one more note,
prior to an overtaking maneuver, scan the left side of the road ahead of the vehicle,
a pot-hole/cattle/any stationery vehicle parked/cyclist which would force the driver to steer right in your path, until and unless there is sufficient space, DO NOT OVERTAKE

[Revmaster]

ROFL! Let's not take potshots at people Eshan... Everyone has the right to market himself. Unfortunately, nothing sells like faff in some cases... Not something to be discussed on public forums though.

[PD1981]

Hi Guys,

This is my first post here on the forum. Very nice thread. Now one of the common feature while riding in the night is (especially in undivided single road strip NH 17 example) oncoming buggers keeping the high beam on. Here most of the riders tend to look at the oncoming traffic rather than their own path. This is common tendency and very hard habit to get rid off. Especially in a situation where the ride is about to get over guy wants to reach home quick and relax but the body doesnt react accordingly as you are tired. This is where staring at the oncoming lights becomes a common sight.

Try and look into your own path very difficult but doable. This will serve you well

Parimal

[46wannabe]

Didn't have time to check out the vids but would like to add my few cents.
City streets aren't any safer. You need to anticipate the worst. Apart from jay-walkers and signal breakers there can be people who notice you and still run across to the other side whilst cutting your path. The other day for example, two school kids in the early hours of the morning were on the RHS of the road. Being relatively empty I was doin 15kph above the 40kph mental speed limit of the road. But this little boy just ran across like his pants were on fire startling me no end and I was left wondering if his sister would follow suit. Thankfully she saw reason in standing her ground and I managed to ride on without touching the brakes.

Don't get me wrong, I was atleast 6 metres ahead of them and was ready for the situation. But stuff like this can catch you off-guard if you do not pay attention.

Many a times we take our riding for granted, as to 80% of us here riding and operating a  motorcycle is as easy as going to the loo. It is second nature to us. Thus, it is imperative for motorcyclists of all levels of experience to keep their eyes open and enjoy the ride safely.

[satyenpoojary]

Good to see a lot of contribution in this thread, good work all!

@PD1981: When in such situations, flash lights...2 out of 10 people will switch to low beams in around Mumbai. Outside Maharasthra upwards north the rate was much better (pretty ironic if you ask me)
If the jack arse doesnt respond, then look for a reference line... a reference line can be the border line on the road or the central line. It will make it easier for you to NOT stare at the light. Run parallel to the line and you will be good
Ensure the reference line is fair bit ahead and not right next in like less than 0-50 degree angle!

@Joey: What you have brought up is an interesting thing which most good riders have. Its like a tiny video game console in your head, which reminds you about your accelerating time, the braking time, various other indicators like the RVM etc....
The key mapping is like hard coded into your head w.r.t throttle, brakes, gears etc!

When in such situation be ready for the worst case scenario!

This also brings to another important aspect of braking, the brake is not something like a throttle. You need to pump it rather than blasting it! Pumping a brake ends up helping you cut speeds much faster and ofcourse will maintain the stability of the bike. If possible you should practise pumping front and rear brakes. The usage of brakes should be aroun 75% front and only 25% rear, unless you want to show off people that you can drift on the road!

[sheelpriye]

This is available on the Motorcyclist Magazine.(source of info) I thought it'd be wise to copy it on this forum and make it available to all my fellow riders. Like it's said before, READ IT AND LIVE
IT!

50 Ways to Save Your Life
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ?Aristotle

By The Motorcyclist Staff
Motorcyclist Magazine, August 2006

The best bike in the world is scrap?or soon will be?unless you learn how to use it. The most powerful piece of high-performance hardware is between your ears. To help you program it with the right information, we?ve assembled 50 potentially lifesaving bits of street savvy. Some you?ll know, some you won?t. All are worth remembering, because when it comes to riding motorcycles on the street, the people over at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) have the right idea with their tagline: The more you know, the better it gets.

50 Ways to Save Your Life - Motorcyclist Magazine

1. Assume you?re invisible
Because to a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you?ve just made eye contact. Bikes don?t always register in the four-wheel mind.

2. Be considerate
The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and think again.

3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the prom
Sure, Joaquin?s Fish Tacos is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.

4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.

5. Leave your ego at home
The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.

6. Pay attention
Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.

7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture
Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.

8. Be patient
Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.

9. Watch your closing speed
Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.

10. Beware the verge and the merge
A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonald?s bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for potentially troublesome debris on both sides of the road.

11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists
Don?t assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They?re trying to beat the light, too.

12. Beware of cars running traffic lights
The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.

13. Check your mirrors
Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space you?d planned to use.

14. Mind the gap
Remember Driver?s Ed? One second?s worth of distance per 10 mph is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.

15. Beware of tuner cars
They?re quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Don?t assume you?ve beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes without looking. You could end up as a Nissan hood ornament.

16. Excessive entrance speed hurts
It?s the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.

17. Don?t trust that deer whistle
Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If you?re riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders.

18. Learn to use both brakes
The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry can calm a nervous chassis.

19. Keep the front brake covered?always
Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.

20. Look where you want to go
Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.

21. Keep your eyes moving
Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don?t lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you?re actually dealing with trouble.

22. Think before you act
Careful whipping around that Camry going 7 mph in a 25-mph zone or you could end up with your head in the driver?s side door when he turns into the driveway right in front of you.

23. Raise your gaze
It?s too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.

24. Get your mind right in the driveway
Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph, near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.

25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign
Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.

26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic
Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until it?s too late to do anything about it.

27. Don?t saddle up more than you can handle
If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If you?re 5-foot-5, forget those towering adventure-tourers.

28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic
And smacking a car that?s swerving around some goofball?s open door is just as painful.

29. Don?t get in an intersection rut
Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesn?t.

30. Stay in your comfort zone when you?re with a group
Riding over your head is a good way to end up in the ditch. Any bunch worth riding with will have a rendezvous point where you?ll be able to link up again.

31. Give your eyes some time to adjust
A minute or two of low light heading from a well-lighted garage onto dark streets is a good thing. Otherwise, you?re essentially flying blind for the first mile or so.

32. Master the slow U-turn
Practice. Park your butt on the outside edge of the seat and lean the bike into the turn, using your body as a counterweight as you pivot around the rear wheel.

33. Who put a stop sign at the top of this hill?
Don?t panic. Use the rear brake to keep from rolling back down. Use Mr. Throttle and Mr. Clutch normally?and smoothly?to pull away.

34. If it looks slippery, assume it is
A patch of suspicious pavement could be just about anything. Butter Flavor Crisco? Gravel? Mobil 1? Or maybe it?s nothing. Better to slow down for nothing than go on your head.

35. Bang! A blowout! Now what?
No sudden moves. The motorcycle isn?t happy, so be prepared to apply a little calming muscle to maintain course. Ease back the throttle, brake gingerly with the good wheel and pull over very smoothly to the shoulder. Big sigh.

36. Drops on the faceshield?
It?s raining. Lightly misted pavement can be slipperier than when it?s been rinsed by a downpour, and you never know how much grip there is. Apply maximum-level concentration, caution and smoothness.

37. Emotions in check?
To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yoself before you wreck yoself. Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If you?re mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.

38. Wear good gear
Wear stuff that fits you and the weather. If you?re too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, you?re dangerous. It?s that simple.

39. Leave the iPod at home
You won?t hear that cement truck in time with Spinal Tap cranked to 11, but they might like your headphones in intensive care.

40. Learn to swerve
Be able to do two tight turns in quick succession. Flick left around the bag of briquettes, then right back to your original trajectory. The bike will follow your eyes, so look at the way around, not the briquettes. Now practice till it?s a reflex.41. Be smooth at low speeds
Take some angst out, especially of slow-speed maneuvers, with a bit of rear brake. It adds a welcome bit of stability by minimizing unwelcome weight transfer and potentially bothersome driveline lash.

42. Flashing is good for you
Turn signals get your attention by flashing, right? So a few easy taps on the pedal or lever before stopping makes your brake light more eye-catching to trailing traffic.

43. Intersections are scary, so hedge your bets
Put another vehicle between your bike and the possibility of someone running the stop sign/red light on your right and you cut your chances of getting nailed in half.

44. Tune your peripheral vision
Pick a point near the center of that wall over there. Now scan as far as you can by moving your attention, not your gaze. The more you can see without turning your head, the sooner you can react to trouble.

45. All alone at a light that won?t turn green?
Put as much motorcycle as possible directly above the sensor wire?usually buried in the pavement beneath you and located by a round or square pattern behind the limit line. If the light still won?t change, try putting your kickstand down, right on the wire. You should be on your way in seconds.

46. Every-thing is harder to see after dark
Adjust your headlights, Carry a clear faceshield and have your game all the way on after dark, especially during commuter hours.

47. Don?t troll next to?or right behind?Mr. Peterbilt
If one of those 18 retreads blows up?which they do with some regularity?it de-treads, and that can be ugly. Unless you like dodging huge chunks of flying rubber, keep your distance.

48. Take the panic out of panic stops
Develop an intimate relationship with your front brake. Seek out some safe, open pavement. Starting slowly, find that fine line between maximum braking and a locked wheel, and then do it again, and again.

49. Make your tires right
None of this stuff matters unless your skins are right. Don?t take ?em for granted. Make sure pressure is spot-on every time you ride. Check for cuts, nails and other junk they might have picked up, as well as general wear.

50. Take a deep breath
Count to 10. Visualize whirled peas. Forgetting some clown?s 80-mph indiscretion beats running the risk of ruining your life, or ending it. -MC

[satyenpoojary]

Thats a neat collection there sheel!