Ride Safe [City Riding]

Two wheelers are most vulnerable thing on the road. A small
mistake, of any one on road, can cause huge to the any bike rider. Let it be
mistake of your own or some body else's. A small mistake may not only cause
dent on your small surface of bike (lets call two wheel motors bike in this
post) but may also cause dents on your body and that is some thing no body
would like and things can even go worse than mere rashes. So be care full.
Here I am discussing some of my observations on traffic behaviour and how
can we avoid any unwanted event from happening. These are my personal view
and please feel free to correct me or add to it.

These suggestions are for city riding or riding on any tour visit the link
Group Ride


1. Be predictable:
First and most important rule which can not only help you but help other
fellow riders is be predictable. Others should be able to make out
what you are going to do next on the road. Don't catch any one with
surprise because that may bring surprise you too. No one wants any clash
of vehicles so help others in helping you have safe ride back to home.

*A. Give Signals* -Always flash signals before taking any turn..better start
flashing it a little early so that others can also be prepared with your
intended turn. A signal doesn't give you right to take turn, so check your
rear mirrors before changing lane or taking turn. In day time signal
indicator may not be visible to people following you so add it with hand
signal. Don't try to do any thing in haste, plan things before acting on it.

*B. Respect Signals*- If some one in front of you is giving signal for
taking turn or changing lane, respect it. If you honk at him be assured you
get same treatment when your turn comes. Respect others but judge your
condition to, if you cannot slow down because of some unavoidable reason
then honk hard and make sure you are heard.

*C. Sudden brake:* Never stop at a sudden in the flowing traffic. Start
flashing your left indicator, check your rear mirror, turn your head a bit
to left and see no one is riding near parallel to you and when it's safe
then go left, and then stop. Again if some unavoidable thing happens in
front of you and you don't have option to move left and need to brake
immediately ( car in front of you applied sudden brake, or some thing else
happened), RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND FROM ELBOW ( as GODs and Deities do while
blessing) to signal vehicle following you that you are going to apply sudden
brake. and then you can brake. But safety cannot be guaranteed as it all
depends on how prepared the vehicle following you is.

*2. Give liberty to be unpredictable to others:*
Be clear about what you want to do that will help every one on road but
don't expect others to behave in same way, Judge others . Give them liberty
to be unpredictable that will add to your safety. Cultivate habit of
observing others' driving behaviour without disturbing your concentration.
People are free to take turns without giving signals, can overtake from any
side without indication, so be prepared. Some times people may forget to
turn of side indicator ( happens with bikes) and you may thing he/she is
going to take turn, so it's better to take care of these situations too
rather than fighting with person after something happens.

*3. Taking turn:*
Don't rush to take turn, instead be prepared for it. Give proper indicator,
position your bike accordingly on the road. If you want to take left don't
do it from middle of right portion of road, try to keep left that will ease
the job of taking turn and will not bother other on road. If you want to
take right turn or you turn try to get to the right portion of traffic if
divider is there otherwise get into the middle, the aim is to be in the
right corner of the traffic you are following with right indication and when
time comes and it's case then take right or U turn.

*4. Signal Jump:*
Never jump a signal, even if it is unattended by any police man. if it's red
for you and you don't see any one at signal and let thing even to traffic
then also it may be risky. Any one in any of the sides of cross of the
signal, who might be seeing green for a long distance may be rushing to pass
the signal before it turns red. So Never Jump on red, and don't fight for
yellow, have seen people will not wait for their signal to get green rather
they will start as it becomes yellow...that is to make you ready and not
make you moving...In nights you might have noticed signals are turned off
and all are made yellow and blinking, that means you can go but be careful
as it's same for others too on other three sides of cross. And let other
pass if you find anyone in such situation.

*5 Honking*:
Don't honk and irritate people at the signal, no one out for picnic at
signal, and if some one is honking don't loose your concentration and just
ignore such idiots. If traffic is moving and some one honks at you, don't
panic or try to take any side, regardless of power of honk. Check your rear
mirror and try to see who is honking and why is he honking at you before
taking any action. and once your are sure understand the reason then take
the action which is comfortable and safe for you. Generally we tend to move
left when some one honks at us but this can be dangerous some times...be
sure what you do on road because your safety depends on that.

*6 Overtaking*:
In city traffic overtaking is one of major incidents contribution to
accidents. If not urgent then avoid over taking. It's always safe to be in
lane and keeping your area of influence less. when you overtake or move here
and there seeking side to over take you increase your area of vulnerability
on road. If it's required to over take then give proper signal to people
following (using indicator) and vehicle you intend to overtake (by honking
in day time and flashing head lamp in night) and when all understands and
agree upon your intend the do so. Quite cumbersome for daily and hectic
traffic, isn't? but believe it's safe. I noted some times people will honk
and without waiting for anything they will accelerate bike to over take the
vehicle. that 's not safe. the vehicle you are overtaking may be planning to
take right and the time you accelerate he can also flash indication and take
right. then imagine what's gonna happen. And next and more dangerous thing I
have noticed is that people will honk and will overtake the vehicle from
left in city traffic. At first over taking vehicle from left is not correct
and second your honk may make the vehicle to go left and you may land in
trouble

*7 Pocket roads*
Take care while you are in main road crossing side roads. Some one may be
rushing to main road from any of side road and hit you. better honk and slow
down when you are about to cross side road. When you are on side road and
going on main road, slow down while reaching the main road, see if some one
is coming, give indicator for fellow rider in side road that you taking left
or right to get onto main road. and when it's safe then move on main road.
Here you need not to honk on vehicles moving on main road. No one will
listen to you.

*8 Auto*
Autos are most agile things on the road, worse than cattle. So be care full
when you see autos moving around you. Let it be any city, auto guys makes
maximum use of their size and maneuverability of their vehicle so be care
full. better keep distance from them. Never follow them.

*9 Brakable distance
*Learning to stop* *is more important than leaning to move. You should know
your braking capacity on your bike. If you don't know then practice and
check it in safe place, free parking place or may be on free roads (be
extremely careful). And always maintain that distance from the vehicle
moving just in front of you. If somehow that vehicle is stopping immediately
then you should be able to stop your vehicle before hitting vehicle in front
you, that distance is your braking distance. And try to maintain distance
from vehicle following you. Try to be as safe as possible.

*10 Judge others*
It's tricky and takes time to get into habit but if you keep it in your mind
you learn fast judging other without disturbing your concentration. Try to
make it in your habit to glance on your rear mirror to see vehicles
following you and people driving them. and People around you and confront of
you too. The guy driving you can be seen trough his/her rear mirror. If you
notice that some one is not being careful around you (may be taking on
phone, showing rash driving, flashing indication and switching if off,
moving zig-zag, etc) then try to escape that place safely. You can escape
either by overtaking or slowing down what ever suits situation.

Nerve forget the golden rule, which works every where is NEVER PANIC. If you
get panic they you won't be able to help yourself. And love your bike, I am
sure the things you love you never hurt and try to care it. If you love you
bike you let land it into any danger. And last and quite important is
remember there are may people who love you and if you get hurt it will hurt
you physically but will hurt those people in their heart.

PS: This article is to share my observation with all guyz and specially with
one lady, the trouble maker for me. Hope she reads it till end. Pls correct
me where ever you find some things can be changed. This will not only help
me in improving but other guys too.

Ride well to ride for long :)