Ride to be seen

The reason why things are seen in nature is shape, shine, shadow, silhouette, spacing and movement. On the road this applies both to how we perceive hazards and how we appear to other road users. There’s no guarantee that the driver waiting to pull out of a junction has seen you, so it’s crucial to use our road position to maximise your safety – not just for visibility but to provide an escape route too. It’s important to be able to

anticipate what’s most likely to happen in any given situation and that also applies to a third party watching you. Keep your movements smooth.’

The safest riders are those with the best attention to detail, good hazard perception and being totally aware of the situation. Your safety depends on your actions and ability to anticipate and avoid the actions of others.

Three out of every four crashes where drivers claim to have not seen a motorcycle rider happen at road junctions. When approaching a junction put your bike in a position to see and be seen.

Drivers can find it difficult to assess the speed of a motorcycle as it approaches a junction, and it is not uncommon for them to underestimate how fast you are going – so they see you – but pull out anyway. To avoid this happening it is wise to slow down on the approach.

Lock your own eyes on those of the driver – look to see what they are looking at. You will quite often be able to tell if they have seen you. If you are in any doubt, assess your contingency options in case they do pull out into your path. Can you stop in time? Do you have an escape route?

Warning road signs should trigger the questions ‘what can I see?’ and ‘what is likely to happen?’ You can then plan ahead based on the information available. Moving away from the hazard, so long as it’s safe to, distances you from the danger and increases your visibility past it.

Drivers waiting at junctions are more likely to see you if you alter your road position as you approach, so moving into safer space can be a double positive. With the immediate hazard now in your wake, you can readjust for the ultimate road position to evaluate the next approaching hazard, and continue with your ride. You should already be looking to see where the next threat is likely to be coming from and deciding how to deal with it.