A Question about safe riding?

[Ray]

We are all having to deal with lots more traffic where ever we are riding. I feel like I am a safe rider even though I do enjoy hitting the throttle occasionally.I never went to any kind of motorcycle safety class or any thing like that so I ask this question about the proper riding habits. Do they instruct people in the safety classes to ride in the middle of the lane and try to stay away from that center or yellow line? That is the way I try to ride all the time and tell my daughter and son in law to ride to if at all possible to avoid those people that cross the center line coming at us or even those people beside us.

Ray

 

[BadBrad]

Traffic near the center line, loose dirt and gravel near the edge and oil build up in the center, especially bad when it first starts to rain. I generally ride in one wheel track or the other.

 

[Big B]

Traffic near the center line, loose dirt and gravel near the edge and oil build up in the center, especially bad when it first starts to rain. I generally ride in one wheel track or the other.

x2

 

[Mad Dog]

Left wheel track in my opinion is best. It gives cagers on side streets the best chance of seeing you. If you are paying attention you will see if opposing traffic is encroaching your lane and can adjust accordingly.

 

[RoofDude]

Traffic near the center line, loose dirt and gravel near the edge and oil build up in the center, especially bad when it first starts to rain. I generally ride in one wheel track or the other.

x3

 

[pknowles]

What they said. And use a bunch of common sense

 

[NascarNutCase]

Left wheel track in my opinion is best. It gives cagers on side streets the best chance of seeing you. If you are paying attention you will see if opposing traffic is encroaching your lane and can adjust accordingly.

I agree but I'll add that if you're out in the country it also gives you a better chance to not hit a White Tail too.

 

[Turdle]

I agree but I'll add that if you're out in the country it also gives you a better chance to not hit a White Tail too.

X2 leaves more area / options to evade
But it all depends on where "I" feel safest. Roll the dice........

 

[BlackBikeMike]

I had to retake my motorcycle driving test about 15 years ago. This question was on the test. The answer they wanted was, the rider should stay left of center in their lane. I remember this because it was the only answer i got wrong, i thought it was safer to be as far away from incoming traffic.

 

[Ray]

Thanks everyone ,, paying attention and using common sense being the key factor in all this. I tell my daughter to treat everyone she sees of the road as if they are not paying attention, makes her pay more attention possibly .
can't believe she wants me to trade my scooter in on a harley!

Thanks,
Ray

 

[2010 bulldog]

It depends on what I'm riding. With the bagger I stay to the left. With my trike I'm in the middle.

 

[1BADK9]

Generally, I prefer the outside (close to shoulder) car tire path, to help avoid people texting across the center line. But what feels safest often depends on what the other idiots I am sharing the roads are doing. I will usually try to ride wherever I have the most "outs" to avoid the potential threats as they occur. As mentioned above "a lot of common sense" helps in choosing the best place to be in the roadway. Like most bikers though, the middle is last choice because of debris and oil. :2thumbs:

 

[RRRUFF]

Either tire lane depending on the traffic, generally the left near the center line. As mentioned above center line and right shoulder you will find loose gravel, dirt and this is were you will find the stuff that will tear up a tire.

 

[BigSpenda864]

I generally stick to the inside (left) wheel track unless conditions dictate otherwise.

 

[SKOGDOG]

I always ride in the left track--somewhere I read that if a biker is riding over on the right track, cagers tend to cut in sooner when tehy feel like passing--sometimes they don't even bother to get all the way over--it made sense to me--if they're gonna pass me, I make 'em go all the way around instead of sliding in on my left track.....

 

[Roaddawg]

I teach both the basic and advanced motorcycle rider course and was also a police motorcycle operator instructor. So, with that in mind, this is how we teach our students.

The travel lane for a motorcycle is essentially three lanes, left, center and right. The best place to ride is where you can be seen by those in front of you and behind you. Sometimes being in the center of the lane is the best spot. Other times, the left side of the lane might be better. Then there are those times (like when the big rigs come blowing by in the opposite direction) that the right side of the lane is the best.

So, the answer is, there is no one best place all the times. Use common sense, think of where your position will make you the most visible, and for that particular road, stretch of time, that is the best place.

 

[Ray]

You know I went out yesterday afternoon and was thinking about this question and tryed to watch myself as I rode down the interstate, the way I usually ride. I generally stayed to the right of the center, and away from the center. I also try not ride behind anything, as much as possible where I can see the pavement under me for as far as possible, avoiding all those things laying in the road. Let's all ride as safe as we can everytime we do ride this year.

Ray