Life-Saving Tips While Riding a Bike

Compared to cars or any other vehicle, bike riding is undoubtedly much riskier. Motorcycle riders are more prone to accidents and damages than riders of any other vehicle. Despite the risk of death or disability from accidents, the motorcycle market in our country is still quite booming. Moreover, the passion for long rides and the demand for group touring are continuously increasing in our country. Therefore, there is no alternative to studying safety and proper training for bike riding. Our report today includes bike riding and long ride safety tips based on expert advice to prevent or reduce accidents and damages. Finally, we will mention some life-saving habits and tips that a motorcycle enthusiast should always follow.

Safety Tips for Bike Riding

A motorcycle rider must always ride cautiously, especially when there is heavy traffic on the road. Since a motorcycle is a completely open vehicle, it does not have any external protection. That's why a rider needs to take special preparations and safety gear protection before heading out on the road. The following motorcycle safety tips will also help riders reduce the risk of accidents and damage during long rides:

Using Proper Safety Gear

No matter how short the bike ride, a helmet should never be forgotten. Our country's traffic laws strictly emphasize the use of helmets, and breaking this rule will result in a motorcycle fine. Most importantly, not wearing a helmet can lead to severe head injuries, and even death, from a very minor accident. In addition to the mandatory helmet, several other safety gears are essential for a rider's protection. Such as:

• Heavy clothing made of leather or denim, especially pants and jackets.
• Heavy and sturdy boots.
• Good goggles for eye protection if the helmet does not have a visor.
• Safety gear for hands and feet, such as gloves and knee-pads.

Valid and Active Motorcycle License

Our country's traffic laws also place great emphasis on motorcycle licenses. No one can, or should, operate any vehicle on the road without a license. Moreover, the studies, training, and examinations a rider goes through to obtain a license make them more confident and experienced in bike riding. Special expertise is also required for riding a bike on long rides. Towards the end of this report, we will also learn about some life-saving habits for bike riding. With proper education and training, it is easy to obtain a motorcycle license in our country according to traffic laws, and it is also possible to stay safe from accidents.

Do Not Ride a Bike While Intoxicated or Unbalanced

While this point is important for driving cars, it becomes mandatory for motorcycles. Despite narcotics being completely banned in our country, people from various strata, especially youth, often secretly consume drinks and drugs. But for whatever reason it is done, bike riding on the road while intoxicated is absolutely not permissible. There are numerous examples in our country where road accidents and deaths occur solely due to intoxication. Therefore, riding a bike while intoxicated is a strictly punishable offense under our country's traffic laws.

Motorcycle riding requires keen observation and clear-headed planning. Furthermore, when intoxicated, one does not have complete control over their body, nor can they fully keep track of how fast or slow they are going. Consequently, the skill required for long rides or daily bike riding becomes questionable. The same applies to physical and mental illness or fatigue. So, for your safety and the safety of everyone around you, make sure you are completely alert and conscious before heading out on the road with a motorcycle.

Regular Motorcycle Maintenance

Regular care of the motorcycle and maintaining its good fitness are essential for safety. Before going on a long ride, always ensure that there are no problems with any of the bike's auto parts, and that engine oil and fuel are in sufficient quantities. You must ensure that safety gear, tires, chain, and various auto parts are clean. If these things are not checked before riding the bike on the road, the bike might break down or the engine might fail, leading to danger. Furthermore, wheel or chain-related problems can lead to severe accidents.

Following Traffic Laws

Ride your bike within the designated lane. Frequently changing lanes poses a significant risk of collision with other cars or larger vehicles. Be patient in slow-moving traffic; refrain from suddenly driving into small gaps you see. Even if your vehicle's speed is low, a collision with a large bus or truck will cause the most damage to you.

Furthermore, by constantly changing lanes, you are not only endangering yourself but also nearby pedestrians. Be mindful of traffic laws. Follow road signs carefully. On long rides, you will not only save your life but also avoid motorcycle fines and imprisonment.

Avoiding Bad Roads and Weather

Avoiding bad roads is not an easy task in our country, as most areas have broken, potholed, or unpaved roads. As a Bangladeshi rider, your responsibility is to thoroughly understand any road before riding on it and to study and practice how to ride a bike on different types of roads.

There is also no guarantee regarding the weather in this country. So, whether riding in rain or fog, you must be prepared for all situations. If the forecast predicts a high chance of very bad weather on any given day, it is better not to go out with a motorcycle. It is also not advisable to go on a long ride without adequate safety gear.

Above all, plan all your rides according to your skill and experience level. Danger never announces its arrival, so it is wise to prepare yourself in advance to face it.

5 Life-Saving Tips While Bike Riding

According to expert advice, there are some bike riding habits that, if practiced, can prepare you to face danger in advance. Below, we briefly introduce you to those habits:

Pre-load the Front Brake Lever in Slow-Moving Traffic

In slow-moving traffic, we have to brake the bike repeatedly. Sometimes situations arise where a rider has to brake suddenly if the vehicle in front brakes or slows down abruptly. If you panic and apply sudden brakes without your hand already on the brake lever, even if the wheel stops abruptly, due to inertia, the entire weight of the bike and you will transfer to the front wheel. In such cases, the wheel is sometimes damaged, and there is also a risk of the bike skidding and causing a serious accident during a long ride. Learning to skillfully pre-load the front brake in these situations eliminates the risk of the bike's wheel suddenly slipping. Pre-load means lightly holding the brake lever with your fingers. However, it should not be pulled so much that the brake shoe touches the disc, as that could have the opposite effect.

Adopt the Left-Right-Left Method at Intersections

Since childhood, we have been advised to look right and left when crossing the road. By employing a bit of strategy in this method of observing vehicles coming from both sides, many unexpected dangers can be avoided.

When riding a bike on the road, especially near an intersection, cars or other bikes can come from both directions. Since we ride in the left-hand lane of the road, there can also be danger when any vehicle overtakes from the right side. Furthermore, during a long ride, a momentary lapse in observation while looking left and right could lead to a sudden collision with a vehicle or pedestrian.

In such cases, we should thoroughly check both directions at any intersection. Experts advise looking using the left-right-left method. More specifically, practice looking left-straight-right, then right-straight-left. This method can also save your life on long rides.

Keep Yourself Straight While Bike Riding in Adverse Conditions

It's natural for your body to want to hunch over due to the cold wind when riding a bike in rain or fog. But riding with a hunched or bent body for a little comfort obstructs the free movement of your hands and feet.

In such situations, even if it's a bit uncomfortable, you should ride keeping yourself straight and natural. Stay straight even if your hands and feet feel frozen while riding in winter. If necessary, take frequent breaks for hot tea or water on long rides. That is why there is no alternative to good safety gear and riding apparel.

Lower Your Left Foot to Stop

When stopping during bike riding, lower your left foot. This keeps your right foot constantly on the rear brake. This keeps the brake light on, and other drivers on the road understand what you are about to do.

Placing your foot on the rear brake will yield quite different results than using the front brake. If the front wheel locks up, the entire impact from behind will be transferred to the front wheel and handlebars. This could cause the bike to skid in one direction, potentially leading to the rider falling and getting injured. Braking the rear wheel will reflect the entire energy forward, pushing the bike forward. Consequently, your body's balance will not be disturbed.

Position Planning During Group Tours on Long Rides

When going on group tours during long rides, it is often seen that riders' distances from each other decrease and increase as they adjust their speed. This is because it takes a few seconds to understand what the rider in front is doing and to increase or decrease speed in the same rhythm. So, after one rider slows down, by the time the rider behind speeds up, it's time for the front rider to speed up again. In this situation, the distance between riders fluctuates, creating a wave-like pattern, which experts have named the 'Accordion Effect,' likening it to a musical instrument.

The risk within this effect is that when a situation like a sudden hard brake arises, the riders behind often fail to understand it in time due to the time lag. This is where accidents happen. The biggest reason behind this is choosing experienced and fast riders to lead the group.

Experienced riders might not like to hear this, but the logical solution here is to place the most inexperienced and slow rider at the front, with an experienced rider behind them. This way, even if the front rider brakes suddenly, the experienced riders behind can skillfully manage the situation.

Positioning group members in this style will allow everyone to enjoy bike riding comfortably and stay safe. Additionally, for group tours on long rides, besides adequate safety gear, using good quality electronics like Bluetooth headphones and speakers eliminates any possibility of misunderstanding. And if the desire to ride at one's preferred speed cannot be met by riding behind a slower rider, then it is better to go on a long ride alone. Happy Riding!