Commuting Tips

[bajaraider]

Fabulous artical. As I newbie this will be very rewarding to have read. I don't deal with traffic quite like that here in Texas, at least not where I live now, but I intend to use these tips in any amount of traffic as most of them seem applicable all of the time. I appreciate all the work that went into this. Great read. Definitly should be a must read for any new rider in this forum if not all new riders.

[James_C50]

Great advice and thanks for sharing!
I use to drive for a delivery company part time and they made us take a safety course. Two things that stuck in my mind I'd like to also share are
1. Never ride behind a bus or any other "billboard", you need to be constantly scanning the area and processing in your mind everything that is going on around you, so being behind something that limits that is very dangerous. (I too will pass these "billboards, only to pull in right back in front of them)
2. Always back into your parking space so that when your backing up (which can be dangerous) you are doing it when the traffic situation is fresh in your mind, not to mention its safer to pull out straight when you leave. (that one is more a cage tip than a bike)
Thanks again!

[Jester]

Hi,
I got my first bike Sunday. I have a grand total of 15 miles of experience. I can learn a lot from the "war stories."
Thanks!
The Jester

[Lid]

Thanks for the tips! I'm getting a new job, Monday, and the commute is 25 miles one way! But hey, it's decent money for my age. Going over these tips/guidlines help out a lot.

Well done!

[Apertureguy]

This was a very good write up of what we (2 wheeled commuters) have to employ in order to be able to continue riding to work.

Cagers will kill you, and the road has to be respected or it will take you out too.

Friday's around here are like some sort of insane road rally. Thanks very much for remembering to add that section. Very often I have to use some of my "other" routes home just to steer clear of the dummies racing to get the weekend started.

[geoffsimpson]

Hey, that's pretty handy! Thanks

[4W4K3]

Bookmarked, great read. I dunno when I will find the balls to ride on anything bigger than our 4 lane highways though. Actually going on the interstate when it is crowded scares me just to think about it!

[MonkeyMaw]

I especially appreciate the point you make about not using your bike if you're in a hurry. It's just not safe.

[St0nkingByte]

Originally Posted by 4W4K3

Bookmarked, great read. I dunno when I will find the balls to ride on anything bigger than our 4 lane highways though. Actually going on the interstate when it is crowded scares me just to think about it!

I don't have any statistics to back this up but I think you're safer on the interstate than you are on any other kind of road. Interstates have extremely limited access, no stop lights, no left turning cars in front of you, often have large spaces and/or jersy walls between you and on-coming traffic and everyone is generally headed in the same direction at approximately the same speed.

You should be much more on alert when traversing intersections and any road where cars might make left turns in front of you. Even a sleepy little side street could be dangerous. As an example yesterday morning on the way to church no less, we approached a 4-way stop where two 25 mph speed limit steets meet in a very quiet part of town, the guy in the car in front of us stopped at the stop sign, looked both ways then didn't go! A second later a car ran through the intersection from the left at about 50mph as if the stop sign wasn't even there! At 10am on a sunny Sunday morning.

If I took you to that intersection I'd bet you'd say it was about the safest place in the world to ride, but of course you'd be wrong.

[dcstrng]

Liked that article on rush-hour (well slow-hour) traffic... Super !! but the concern about cars darting in front when you leave any useable cushion is a very real concern -- especially in larger metro areas... frankly, if you do that in the DC area, you will be cut-off fairly regularly – probably several times in just one evening or morning commute... what I’ve found that has a similar effect is to get behind one of the 18-wheelers...

Pick an experienced looking driver (which may mean staying way from the national fleet haulers that often have a very high percentage of rookies...) and tag along fairly closely... When they’re hauling 30-tons of steel, they aren’t inclined to do a lot of unpredictable lane-changing and/or stopping and starting and although cages may pull in front of the 18-wheeler, I’ve been able to snug up close enough to these slow-movers so that cars usually won’t intrude and I’ll be moving (generally) fast enough to keep my feet on the boards...

No, following closely behind an 18-wheeler isn’t for everybody (and one must still stay vigilant even at slow speeds), nor is it a particularly safe tactic at highway speeds, but I’ve found it cuts down considerable on the rush-hour paddle-footing... Frankly I find rush-hour commuting to be a high mental-load condition and given my increasing geriatric circumstance am always looking for ways to reduce the cerebral gymnastics, wherever possible...

[grizzlyman]

As a newcomer to the motorcycle commute, your thoughts and ideas are very helpful. Keep up the great work! I am looking forward to gleaning information from the veterans.

[bajaraider]

I sent this link to several of the guys here at work that have recently started riding again (some after several years out of the saddle). They all loved it! Thanks again for the write up!


A couple of them said they learned some new tips and planned on using them!

[Graywolf]

Great tips! Passing this article on to my better half as he has just begun to venture onto the big concrete slab of mindless, zombie, bike eating cagers!
I've only been commuting for the past 4 months/4500 miles and I am always amazed at the insanity!

[talldragoon]

Great stuff - thanks. You are wonderfully observant and have a nice touch with capturing your observations in writing - good stuf here for all to refreash or learn anew!

[Christina]

Hey St0nkingByte - great tips! I don't commute that much - i'm lucky to work from home a lot more than going into the office. One thing i could add to your suggestions would be a device for those stuck traffic lights late at night and early in the morning. Check out this device. Signal Sorcerer Traffic Light Changers I work for them and it this thing really does work. I have one on my S-10 pickup truck and it trips two lights which don't trip for my boyfriends bike. Which reminds me, i need to install one for him. I think he's been waiting for me to give him one......he's so cheap Anyway - great article! Thanks for posting it.

[TumbleWeed]

It is a great article, and should be in a magazine, see my PM please.
Also, getting behind an 18 wheeler isn't a bad idea usually because they are trained to watch the mirrors on the left more than cars and because they are in the same boat as us having to work the clutch and gears in order to keep moving all that weight, so stopping is avoided if possible. My wife still drives for Choctaw Express so I still have some contact with the trucking community.

[kstateskier]

GREAT WRITING! I'm also going to begin commuting to work on my new bike and I will re-read this several times and keep your tips fresh in my mind! thanks!

[tmtplyb]

thanks for the advices it was a great artical.

Thanks

[Cimco]

I read the commuting tips and learned a bunch!
With info like this available here I know I'm in the right place!!

Glad I found this thread...

Thank you St0nkingByte!

jim

[baum604]

This is when I'm glad I ride in the country, traffic isn't a really a problem.