ALT-1 How to Safely Share the Road with Motorcycles
Nowadays, the family of bikers includes much more than just ex-WWII aces and rolling post-apocalyptic hooligans, like extras out of a Mad Max movie; Now, bikers are stock brokers and English teachers. Motorcycles are everywhere.
As a former and future motorcyclist, I am fairly well acquainted with the perils of driving a bike in America; Hurtling down the same road as preoccupied soccer moms in giant SUVs and teenagers bouncing to the latest Hip Hop or Heavy Metal classic with 6 friends in the family sedan, insulated from the outside world by a tornado of sound, can be a very scary experience.
Imagine cruising along on your shiny motorcycle at 70 miles an hour, knifing through the wind, and getting great gas mileage, only to have a minivan suddenly start merging toward you as if you weren't even there. It is every bit as scary as it sounds; a bump that might only slightly dent a car could send a bike horrifically toppling end-over-end down the interstate.
Basically, the problem for bikers is that motorcycles are smaller than cars. They have a slimmer profile; Where an average car is probably six feet wide, a motorcycle is less than two feet wide. The size difference makes cars and trucks much easier to see. Of course, maybe if I would have had a nice big Harley with loud pipes instead of my little buzzing Kawasaki, people would have paid more attention and known I was coming.
Most new motorcycles are equipped with headlights that are always on when the bike is running, and this is helpful feature for visibility. Riders can also help the situation by wearing bright colors like yellow or orange.
For drivers, it is redundant to ask that you watch out for motorcycles when racing around in your 2,000 pound steel chariot; You should always be aware of any vehicles in your proximity while driving, which is exactly why the auto makers give cars so many mirrors. So use them. Trust me when I say that you would feel terrible if you sideswiped a couple of retirees cruising around on a Honda Goldwing.
When following behind a motorcyclist, it is nice to allow even more following distance than you would for a car, and as always, don't tailgate.
You really shouldn't litter anyway, but realize that aside from detracting from America's scenic beauty, your absently flicked cigarette butt or soda bottle could mean a fatal disaster for a motorcyclist.
In conclusion, just obey the rules of the road and everything should go along smoothly.
