| So you're making payments on a new 1200 cc Blood Red Hog and
you feel invincible.
Or maybe you own a BMW R1100 RT, all anthracite gleam, with a CD
changer and heated grips, and you wanna ride two-up cross-country
when the weather's better.
Some statistics:
- More than 26% of all motorcycle accidents involve riders with
less than one year's experience.
- Ninety-two percent of riders involved in reportable accidents are untrained
(i.e. they were self-taught or learned from friends or family).
- Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly over-represented
in accidents.
- Twelve percent of ALL motorcycle accidents involve alcohol, but HALF
of all the FATAL motorcycle accidents show ALCOHOL involvement..
Still wanna ride? Good, here's to your health!
It is essential that any motorcycle rider who wants to ride safely graduate from
the Motorcycle
Safety Foundation's Beginning or Experienced Rider Course. This is the sort
of training that is just too good to miss. When the program was introduced in
California there was a 76% decrease in fatal accidents among riders under 21.
The course is now mandatory there for young riders.
Given over two weekends, the MSF course spends two days in the classroom and two
days on the bike, which is provided, along with helmet and gloves.
There is a single technique that stands ahead of all tricks, tips, and smart things
to do that are taught in the course. As you might imagine, this technique is also useful for
anyone driving any sort of motor vehicle.
Here it is:
THE S I P D E TECHNIQUE
Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute--the mental process suggested
by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
- SCAN--Always be looking. Your eyes should follow a rotational pattern
including mirrors, controls, and the road ahead. Scan for potential hazards
as well as opportunities.
- IDENTIFY--Identify the situation ahead. Hazard or opportunity? Vehicle, pedestrian,
animal, or stationary object? Each category presents its own challenge to the
motorcyclist.
- PREDICT--Anticipate the hazard or opportunity. What will be the situation by
the time you get to it? Predict what might happen and visualize escape routes.
This is the part of SIPDE that depends most upon your knowledge and
experience.
- DECIDE--Make a choice from the available alternatives. Single
hazard or multiple hazards? Blow your horn,
flash your lights, adjust your speed (slower or faster), adjust your
course--or some combination of these? What you decide depends upon the
road conditions, your bike, and most important, your skill level.
- EXECUTE--Do it! Take the action necessary to avoid the hazard. Generally this
means increasing the "envelope of safety" surrounding your motorcycle.
If you can keep the bike where the hazards aren't, a cold beer upon your safe arrival
becomes a distinct probably.
That's it. S I P D E, an acronym to live by.
For the beginning or experienced RiderCourse nearest you, call
1-800-446-9227
You know, now that I think about it S I P D E makes pretty good sense when
it comes to noding too.
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