The road is the first place where you can feel the year shift from winter into spring and summer. The precarious, slippery drives of only a few months ago transform into inviting, shade-dappled avenues full of possibility. As the weather turns warmer and the wildflowers come out, the road invites us to wander, to explore without regard for distance or direction, to literally seek out the road less traveled by.
For many, the perfect way to experience the road during summer is on a motorcycle. Whether your ride of choice is a souped-up Harley Davidson or a trim BMW cafe racer, a motorcycle offers an intimate connection to your surroundings and the road that leads you through them.
No matter where you drive—be it the historic Natchez Trace, the Pacific Coast Highway or Wyoming’s Beartooth Pass—it is essential to maintain proper caution and awareness. As any veteran motorcycle enthusiast will tell you, motorcycle safety is not just vital to your own experience, but is also the most important form of respect that you can show fellow road warriors.
It is up to every driver to be aware of not only their own actions, but to do their best to make others aware. That is doubly true when it comes to motorcycle safety. Like it or not, motorcycles can be hard for other vehicle drivers to see until they are in dangerously close proximity. In fact, the majority of motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle whose driver did not see the motorcycle until it was too late.
When you have the road to yourself, stretching out before you under a cloudless sky, it’s easy to assume that nothing can go wrong. But just because the weather is nice or the road is clear does not mean that there are not hazardous conditions ahead.
Motorcycle safety involves remaining constantly alert. Smaller obstacles in the road can cause much bigger problems for a motorcycle than for a larger vehicle.
The exhilaration of being on the open road sometimes causes motorcyclists to make poor decisions while driving. Motorcycle safety involves keeping a cool head and staying in control of yourself and your bike, no matter how exhilarated or daring you might feel.
Remember, no matter how open the road may seem, it is vital to your safety and that of other motorcyclists that you remain aware of your surroundings and the road conditions. The attorneys at Pierce Skrabanek want you to remember motorcycle safety is the key to not only enjoying your ride today, but being able to ride again tomorrow.