Here are some tips for driving safely around bikes. They’ll help you know what to do when sharing the road with a motorcyclist:
1. Check your mirrors and blind spots
Make sure that you check your mirrors and blind spots before turning or changing lanes. Motorcycles can be difficult to spot due to their size and are often moving much faster than they appear to be. Always double check for bikes when manoeuvring out on the road.
2. Don’t get too close
You wouldn’t tailgate another car, so don’t get too close to bikes either. Motorcyclists often have to react quickly to changes in the road, and this can make them unpredictable. It’s always best to leave extra space just in case. Motorcycles offer little protection from a car in the event of an accident, so make sure that you give yourself and bikers enough time to react and stay safe.
3. Don’t forget to signal
Make sure that you signal when turning or changing lanes. This makes other traffic (especially motorcycles) aware of your movements. Doing so will allow them to stay a safe distance from you and avoid accidents.
4. Check, check and check again
I know we’ve already mentioned this one, but it’s so important that we’ve included it again. When pulling out at a junction, make sure you check whether the road is clear multiple times. Check your blind spots again, and maybe even again just to be sure. As we’ve already mentioned, bikes may be moving much faster than they appear to be, so avoid pulling out in front of them.
5. Treat them as you would another car
Don’t be tempted to squeeze past or share a lane with a motorbike. They allow themselves enough space to make sure that they can react to changes in the road. Changes include potholes, debris, car doors opening and many other unpredictable events that can cause much more damage to a bike than a car. Try to give them as much space as you would another car, especially when overtaking. Closely overtaking at high speed can knock a motorcyclist off balance and send them off the road, so take extra care when passing bikes.
6. Motorbike indicators
Most motorbike indicators aren’t self-cancelling like in a car. This means that they won’t automatically turn off after a manoeuvre. Bikers might not always be planning to turn if they are indicating, so make sure that you don’t make assumptions which might put you both in danger.
Correct at the time of publication. Information in this article has been gathered from various sources, therefore WiseDriving cannot be held responsible for any view or opinion expressed herein.
