Staying safe in every weather condition

As winter approaches, so does the need to ditch the carefree, light-hearted motorcycle riding. It’s now time to get up to scratch on how to stay safe in the looming wet winter weather.

The obvious factor to remember when riding in the weather is to control your speed and ride carefully. Besides, the roads are going to be wet and soon very snowy and no one wants a nasty accident because they weren’t riding appropriately!

Analyse the situation

Before hitting the roads this winter, ask yourself whether it’s safe – does the weather forecast scream danger? Can you barely identify what’s hiding under the vast spread of snow? If yes, then it’s probably not a good idea to “go for a quick blast”, instead wait for a day when the roads aren’t going to be so hazardous.

If you’re keen to get yourself out on the roads then stick to the roads which will have been gritted and are less likely to be flooded.

REMEMBER: Braking distances will increase dramatically in wet weather so stay alert and respond even more quickly and attentively than normal.

Weather conditions

• Rain – expect very slippery roads, so be sure to drive carefully and steadily. Be a little quicker on the brakes due to your wet tyres on the equally wet roads. Also keep a lookout for wet leaves – think of them like banana skins, they’re never good to stumble upon! Quick tip: Lookout for any spilled dirt or oil on the road; slipping on oil in any wet weather is an unmitigated disaster.
• Harsh winds – above anything, make sure you have a windshield to protect you from the harsh blusters of wind. Especially when it’s raining, wind can really throw you off guard and lower your concentration. Quick tip: Don’t fight the wind and relax your muscles as much as you can for an easier riding experience.
• Snow – snow is something we all dread driving in, let alone riding! Approach corners carefully and steer around them slowly. Remember to brake gently and early when you’re coming to a stop to avoid skidding. Quick tip: shift your weight when turning round a corner and try not to steer aggressively.
• Ice – The best advice would be to steer clear of ice and wait until the roads are fully clear of it, especially black ice which can be deathly. You can lose control of the bike so quickly on ice and the results can be really quite terrible.
• Foggy – unfortunately the only thing you can do in misty or foggy situations is to use your lights and ride very carefully. Quick tip: purchase some yellow glasses – these can actually improve your vision in foggy conditions.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2011 at 8:00 am and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

12 Responses to “Staying safe in every weather condition”