Sunday, July 18, 2010

Swerve and Survive

Swerve and Survive





Two motorcycles crashed today in an unlikely accident that illustrates the critical need for refresher training.
A 2001 BMW K1200LT motorcycle, with a 54 year old operator and a 54 year old passenger, came upon a bucket that had blown out from the back of a pickup onto the roadway. The operator successfully swerved and missed the bucket.
A 2003 BMW R1150T motorcycle, with a 61 year old operator and a 60 year old passenger, was traveling some distance behind the first motorcycle, although they were not traveling together. The second motorcycle's operator attemted to swerve around the bucket but crashed into the back of the first motorcycle.
All four riders were transported to a nearby hospital. The first motorcycle's operator and passenger sustained minor injuries. The second motorcycle's operator sustained serious injuries, and the passenger critical injuries. All four riders were wearing helmets.

Lessons Learned

1. Refresher Training
Swerving at highway speeds is an advanced level of motorcycling skill. It must be deliberately learned and practiced, and it should be part of a yearly refresher training or drill. It is NOT a natural technique, yet it is critically important for surviving on a motorcycle.
Find an empty parking lot or rural road and practice swerving to avoid a hazard. The key is to push hard to one side of the handlebars and immediately push hard on the other side. Keep your feet firmly on the footboards and let your butt slide slightly from side to side as the bike leans first one way, and then the next.
The swerve feels insecure to most new riders. You must trust your tires to grip the road, and you must accept the lean of your bike.
How many times, do you suppose, did these motorcyclists practice swerving? When was the last you YOU practiced a swerve?
2. Following Distance
This accident was caused first and foremost by lack of awareness and lack of adequate following distance. The second motorcyle should have had more distance between them and the first bike. This would allow them to see the first bike suddenly swerve, alerting them to the need to slow down and prepare evasive action themselves.
I put no blame on the first motorcyclist. A bucket blown off a truck could quickly enter the path of the motorcycle. But the operator had the presence of mind, the alertness, and the skill to successfully avoid contact. The first bike would have escaped all injury except for the inattention and lack of skill of the second motorcylist.
Save your life, and that of other motorcyclists on the same road as you: attend motorcycle refresher training every year!

Reference Links

http://pdxtraffic.blogspot.com
http://www.ktvz.com

Friday, July 9, 2010

Barely Not-Life-Threatening

Barely Not-Life-Threatening

A serious motorcycle crash today sent two motorcyclists to the hospital with severe injuries, but not life threatening.
Motorcycle operator, age 56, on the interstate, came upon slowing traffic. The motorcycle crashed into the back of a stopped car, ejecting the passenger, age 61, off the motorcycle, over a concrete center barrier, and onto the opposite lane. The passenger went by helicopter to the hospital, and the operator by ambulance. The driver of the car was not injured.

Lessons Learned

I can understand completely every aspect of this crash, except the lack of fatal injury. How did they avoid dying?
1. Time of day: The motorcycle crashed at about 4:00 p.m. A peak time for traffic, heat, fatigue and distraction. Just the time of day alone should be a red flag of warning for the motorcyclist to be alert, take an alternate route, or even call it a day.
2. Traffic: Heavy traffic requires an increased safety buffer. Normal traffic allows two-seconds between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Heavy traffic, impatient drivers, sudden and frequent lane changes should cause the motorcyclist to increase the distance to four seconds. It doesn't matter if other vehicles take advantage of the open space...back off and keep a buffer between you and the crazy cagers.
3. Distraction and Reaction: The obvious cause of this crash was distraction, slowing the operator's reaction time. The operator might have been watching every other vehicle, except that directly in front. That distraction almost killed them.
4. Age: Older people are less agile than younger people. There, I said it out loud. Blast me or boo me, but it's universally true. Considering the factor of age alone, the older body and mind is slower to recognize, and slower to react, to hazards. How's this for a rule of thumb? For every decade of age, add one second to your following distance. The 56 year-old operator should have allowed five seconds between the motorcycle and the vehicle ahead. When the motorcyclist turns 60, allow six seconds? Might help!
Reference Links
http://www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=1002#news36641