Riding a motorcycle has many advantages over driving a regular passenger vehicle. You can park easier, you get to go first at a red light, and you don’t have to spend as much money on gas. If you really enjoy riding a motorcycle, it’s hard to even think about driving a car. However, motorcycles come with more risks, and if you drive one, it’s important to stay aware of the following points.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries Can Be Severe
More than 80% of all motorcycle accidents cause severe injury or death. According to data sourced by Port S. Lucie’s Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa, in 2022, Florida saw 1,176 motorcycle crashes with 996 injuries and 65 fatalities. That’s not a favorable statistic.
Hopefully it never happens to you, but if you end up injured in a motorcycle accident, don’t hesitate to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible. You will have medical bills to pay, and probably lost wages as well. A skilled motorcycle accident attorney will be able to recover generous compensation for your financial losses, and possibly recover non-economic damages, depending on the details of your case.
Some Motorists Hate Motorcyclists
No matter how wrong, unjust, and misinformed this mindset is – it exists. There are a lot of motorists who hate motorcycles. Their disdain is not unwarranted, either. A lot of motorcycle riders do not follow the rules of the road and drive recklessly in ways that put people in danger. It’s these riders who give motorcyclists a bad rap. Unfortunately, many drivers automatically assume any motorcycle they see is being driven by one of those reckless riders.
Keep in mind, also, that lane splitting might be legal where you live, but it has the potential to make drivers angry, especially when they don’t know it’s legal. In this case, only lane split when necessary for your safety, and be extra cautious when doing so.
This is something you need to be aware of and always keep in mind because you never know when a car will make a move just to spite you for no reason. It happens all the time.
There Are Ways To Get Unstuck At A Red Light
It happens to every motorcycle rider at some point – you pull up to a red light and it never changes. Some states have “dead red” laws that allow motorcyclists to proceed through a stuck red light after carefully making sure they are in the clear, not everyone is that lucky. It’s not fun having to run over to push the crosswalk button just to get a green light, but there are a few things you can do about this problem.
First, understand that the inductive loop detectors under the asphalt just aren’t sensitive enough to pick up on smaller bikes, or bikes with a thinner profile. You can move your bike around to the edges of the cutout area to find the sweet spot. If that doesn’t work, some people have better luck adding a strong magnet to the bottom of their bike.
As a last resort, if the problem continues, call your local Public Works department to report the problem and follow up to make sure they’re going to fix it. It’s their job to make sure the traffic lights are triggered to change by all vehicles.
Wear Ear Plugs
It’s important to wear ear plugs if you ride with any regularity. Over time, if you don’t wear hearing protection, you can bet on your hearing deteriorating.
Now, you don’t have to go out and buy the most expensive ear plugs on the market designed to make you feel like you’re in a soundproof room. You still need to be able to hear things going on around you, especially sirens from emergency vehicles. All you need are standard, decent ear plugs that will reduce the noise.
Ear plugs are cheap and come in big packages so you never have to worry about running out. You can also get the kind of plugs that stay attached to a necklace, like the kind construction workers use on job sites.
Be Prepared
Having some basic tools and safety items when you ride is essential. For instance, you’ll be thankful you packed a first-aid kit, tire repair kit, extra bulbs and fuses, and a towel to clean your windshield when you actually need these items.
Ride Safely
The most important thing to remember is to ride safely. No matter how much you want to have fun riding, always follow traffic laws to the letter.
