And if you, a motorist, get into a “two-wheeled” accident, then whoever is to blame, your conscience will torment you: he is so vulnerable
Hazard level
Rate the growing likelihood of getting into an accident with two-wheeled vehicles.
According to the results of monitoring the motorcycle division of the Russian representative office of BMW, the motorcycle fleet in our country is increasing every year by 14-15%. This pace is not small at all, but this is not all - all road vehicles must be considered, and scooters also enter this concept. But since the German concern practically does not sell scooters, they fall out of the field of commercial interests.
It is impossible to determine the correct number of how many more scooters are becoming in Russia. A lot of them are imported and sold according to "gray" schemes, but such official statistics do not cover. Traffic police information is also flawed: the road service so far registers only those two-wheeled vehicles, the engine capacity of which exceeds 50 cubic meters. see A machine - "fifty dollars" - the product is almost the most popular.
It remains to be assumed that the country's motorcycle fleet is increasing annually, according to the most conservative estimates, by about 20–25%. Accordingly, the probability of accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles increases by about the same amount. There is something to strain.
summer motorcycle season
Reasons for motorcycle accidents
Get acquainted with the statistics, wrap around the mustache - you can predict situations that threaten accidents.
(The words “motorcycle”, “motorcyclists” here also mean “scooter”, “scooter”, unless it is agreed that it is specifically about these or those.)
- About 3/4 of the cases are collisions between motorcycles and passenger cars. This is one of the conclusions of studies conducted in the United States. We haven’t done anything like this, so we’ll trust the American ones. You can add that even from this figure results: motorcycle accidents occur mainly on the roads of settlements.
- The predominant part of them occurs because the drivers of moving cars do not see the approach of the bike. It is probably fair to add that in some cases they cannot see. (Below we will understand why).
- In 2/3 of the cases involving two or more vehicles, the driver of one of the cars did not give way to the motorcycle (which is not always, but often explained by the same thing as mentioned in the previous paragraph).
- In accidents due to the fault of motorcyclists in 2/3 of cases, the motorcycle falls sideways. For two reasons: either due to a wheel lock that occurred during braking (more often during an emergency), or if the motorcyclist gained excessively high speed when entering a turn.
If you add the listed thirds and halves, you get much more than one. But after all, quite often an accident provokes several factors at once. Including the following, which relate to the level of experience and qualifications of people driving a horned wheel.
From the same statistics:
- more than half of those involved in accidents - with less than 5 months of driving a motorcycle (in other words, in their first driving season);
- the overwhelming majority of "two-wheeled" road accident participants are young people aged 16–24 years.
Sensible teachers of driving schools advise: by the face, the position of the driver with whom you have to "break up", try to recognize and predict his intentions, willingness and ability to act adequately. Note the confusion, constraint, arrogance … Determine at least the "danger" of his age.
What are they?
Scolding and cursing the "two-wheeled", as many do, is as meaningless as complaining about a hurricane. They are on the road, they are as they are, and this can only be reckoned with.
Do not measure all with one arshin (“They are all kamikaze!”), Do not cultivate arrogance, rejection towards them. Firstly, the internal “state of war” will not lead to good, and secondly, many motorcyclists are absolutely adequate, nice people, and their reputation was tarnished by really headless brothers - such, alas, exist everywhere.
summer motorcycle season
Another thing is that almost everyone has a developed, sometimes not excessively, self-esteem (on the roads everyone overtakes each other - if they can), rejection of some compromises (why are we, like everyone, obliged to stand idle in traffic jams if we can move?), protest moods regarding generally accepted rules, including with regard to some articles of traffic rules (why is it necessary to put a helmet on your head? why shouldn't motorcycles ride between rows of cars?). Let us dwell on the topic of conversation - ensuring mutual security.
Recognize from afar
Regarding the advice of instructors in driving schools. It is difficult to determine what is in the eyes if they have glasses on them or a face behind the glass of a closed helmet. However, the very presence of these attributes will say a lot: a comrade is responsible - he uses means of self-defense. Without equipment (a jacket, pants and overalls with protective inserts, as well as gloves, a motorbot), the sane motorcyclist will not ride. Not to mention the fact that traffic rules require a helmet.
The exception is not the youngest drivers without helmets, with bandanas tied to their heads, gracefully driving around on "executive class" motorcycles. These, as a rule, drive skillfully for a long time, they all know and foresee, more often they are in no hurry. Do not expect troubles from them. What does not protect the head is not enough good, but let the cops pronounce it to them.
You should be especially wary of seeing boys or girls on scooters, even just hearing the characteristic sound of the “little holes”. Assume the worst: driving a type in which there is no fear at all. Move away from him in the lane, slow down - do everything in order not only not to hook, not to interfere, but not even to frighten. Just in case, be prepared for the fact that the pothole under the wheel will knock the "hole" off course, that the midge will fly into the scooter that is not protected by glasses, and it will instinctively wiggle in your direction. Do not try to read morality on the go - just distract. Leave this activity to parents.
summer motorcycle season
Update "program"
Beginners behind the wheel will have to “hammer into the program” their own driving experience, that in conditions of heavy traffic, motorcycles rarely ride “in the back of the head” in front of a going vehicle. More often:
- between rows of cars in marking strips dividing adjacent flows moving in the same direction;
- along the edge of dividing strips between oncoming flows;
- to the left of cars from the far left row, if the street / highway with one-way traffic.
Thus, motorcyclists expect from everywhere. Learn to “scan” the space around you and notice everything. The motorcycle, as a rule, “shoots into the lumen”, it can jump out from behind, like a devil from a snuff box, and its trajectory will intersect with yours. The reaction of the driver and motorcycle brakes may not be enough.
“Erase the winter stereotype from the program” - “there is too little space between my and the neighboring row so that another car can squeeze into it, so I can move left / right” (to, say, evaluate the congestion ahead). Moreover, having already begun the rebuilding or displacement, continue to monitor if the motorcycle is running behind.
It is useful for car owners to take into account that in the community of motorcyclists, the more experienced are passed on to the less experienced: on multi-lane roads, highways, the fastest and safest position is between the two extreme left rows. So more often wait for their appearance here. However, this is not an "iron" rule.
A matter of principle?
A categorical motorist will be hurt: “Why on earth give them all up if there is no point in the traffic rules that would allow motorcyclists to ride between lanes. Everyone is equal on the road!”And he will be right. But only formally.
We are talking about the real. Two-wheeled transport due to its maneuverability, dynamic, often and high-speed characteristics has advantages over cars. Moreover, this is a transport provocateur: almost no one at the horned wheel will be able to control themselves and hang around in traffic (breathing exhaust fumes) or move in a sluggish stream if there is an opportunity to drive faster. Sit on a motorcycle yourself - you will understand.
It cannot be argued that it is right, but it is. Motorcyclists drive along those “corridors” on the roads that are being formed, and as fast as possible.
summer motorcycle season
Who is hiding behind the counter?
In the warm season, the motorist is obliged to include the mode of "keen attention". Before starting to rebuild in the next row or before another maneuver, strictly assess what you have "behind the stern." Moreover, take a closer look if the motorcyclist “hid” behind the rear rack and even behind the rack following the car. According to statistics, almost half of motorcycle accidents are a consequence of the fact that the driver of the car was blinded by glare or other vehicles blocked fast approaching motorcycles from him.
If, slightly moving to the side from your row, you see the light of a single headlight in the rear-view mirror - first of all, assume that it is a sport bike, and not half of a car that has moved out of the row. Within seconds, the sport bike will poke into the back of your car. If possible, turn aside, skip. How great is the joy in spite of not letting him in!
Tuned choppers with so high “horns” of the steering wheel come across on the roads that the rider, holding him, as if raising his hands during arrest, in fear of weapons aimed at him. If the poor man slowly crawls between the rows of frozen cars, if possible, take steps: to maintain balance, to set a safe course for others is not easy at this alteration.
Spite - more expensive
Suppose you didn’t notice, hesitated, or froze in traffic. And suddenly you notice that they have become an obstacle for a high-speed vehicle, which crept along the aisle from somewhere behind. You may not even notice it - why will you scoff your eyes at the mirrors if you are standing?
The rider is not able to wait for you to wake up (adrenaline is boiling in the vessels!) - and he will insistently “wake up”, hint that you must immediately miss it.
Most likely, he will not beep - he suspects that you will accept such a signal for the signal of some car, and ignore it. The motorcyclist will abruptly unscrew the throttle handle to failure - he will give out a “turn” of loud roars with the engine. Only a motorcycle growls like that. We must learn to recognize this characteristic sound, to catch it even through hard rock from the speakers of the audio system. If possible - do not be lazy, move 5-10 centimeters. When he passes, in gratitude he will wave his hand.
Skip at least out of a sense of self-preservation. If the motorcyclist realizes that you are not lazy or out of harm you do not want to miss, he will try to squeeze into the gap anyway - which is unsafe for the paintwork of your car. And squeezing, in addition (such a bastard tradition has developed among some motorcyclists), with a fist in the glove, he will turn off the mirror of the car or hit the body. It is possible that the foot. This is not so traumatic as a shame.
He will leave. Running out of a car, catching up is useless and pointless. If you manage to remember the license plate, will you begin to report to the police? After all, in order to “attract” her for hooliganism (and this is an article, a court), she will need written testimonies of witnesses, etc. etc. So it’s prudent to skip. Contacting fools is more expensive.
