Being
Invisible
By
Dirck
J.
Edge
of
MotorcycleDaily.com
On
the
street,
you
are
invisible.
You
must
always
be
aware
that
you
are
invisible.
Never
assume
that
automobile
drivers
see
you.
If
an
automobile
is
in
a
position
to
hit
you,
plan
an
escape
path
in
advance.
Try
to
make
eye
contact
with
the
driver,
if
possible.
In
the
day
time,
ride
with
your
high
beam
on.
Scan
ahead,
and
take
in
as
much
relevant
information
as
you
can.
Be
aware
of
every
car
that
might
turn
into
your
path,
and
particularly
aware
of
a
few
common,
dangerous
situations.
If
you
are
traveling
down
the
road
and
there
is
an
automobile
in
the
left
turn
lane
facing
you,
slow
down
a
bit,
cover
your
brake
and
plan
an
escape
route.
It
isn't
uncommon
for
an
automobile
to
turn
left
in
front
of
a
motorcyclist,
and
the
results
can
be
fatal.
Once
again,
try
to
make
eye
contact
with
the
driver,
and
even
move
to
the
right
of
a
single-lane
road
or
the
right
lane
of
a
multi-lane
road
--
giving
you
a
bit
more
time
to
react.
Do
not
rocket
away
from
a
stop
light
when
it
turns
green.
Make
sure
you
look
for
cars
that
might
be
traveling
through
the
intersection
trying
to
make
that
fading
yellow
light.
Don't
ride
in
the
blind
spot
of
an
automobile
in
an
adjacent
lane,
unless
you
are
moving
through
that
blind
spot.
You
may
be
"invisible",
but
give
yourself
a
chance
to
be
seen.
Dogs
and
other
animals
(even
small
cats)
can
make
an
automobile
driver
sad
in
a
collision.
These
animals
can
cause
a
motorcyclist
to
crash.
Be
alert
for
dogs
and
other
small
animals
when
you
see
them
in
a
position
to
cross
your
path.
Motorcycles
are
very
fast.
They
accelerate
much
quicker
than
most
automobiles.
New
riders
have
frequent
trouble
entering
corners
too
quickly.
Their
entry
speed
surprises
them,
and
they
are
not
comfortable
leaning
the
motorcycle
enough
to
complete
the
corner.
Instead,
they
stand
the
motorcycle
up
and
go
straight
off
the
road
(or
into
oncoming
traffic).
New
riders
should
be
conservative
about
their
corner
entry
speed
and
get
all
of
their
braking
done
before
leaning
the
bike
into
the
corner.
Pay
close
attention
to
road
surface
conditions.
New
riders
may
assume
they
will
always
have
traction
(automobiles
do
most
of
the
time).
Gravel,
dampness,
and
even
leaves
have
been
known
to
cause
motorcyclists
to
lose
traction
mid-corner,
or
while
accelerating
too
hard
or
getting
on
the
brakes
too
hard.
Particularly
when
entering
blind
corners,
you
should
be
scanning
ahead
for
road
surface
conditions
and
traction
issues.
Whenever
possible,
learn
how
to
ride
a
motorcycle
in
the
dirt
(everyone
in
my
family
did).
You
should
be
intimately
familiar
with
the
basic
motorcycle
controls
before
riding
on
the
street.
Use
of
the
clutch,
the
gear
shift
lever
and
the
brakes
should
be
intuitive.
You
will
have
more
than
enough
to
think
about
without
learning
how
to
use
these
controls
on
a
busy
highway.
These
are
just
some
thoughts
on
street
safety.
This
is
not
meant
to
be
an
exhaustive
list
of
things
new
riders
should
be
concerned
with,
and
it
was
not
my
intent
to
even
discuss
safety
gear
(helmet,
gloves,
boots,
etc.).
I
have
to
recommend
here
that
new
riders
consider
taking
a
formal
course
on
safety,
such
as
one
given
by
the
Motorcycle
Safety
Foundation.
Some
states
require
these
courses
for
new
riders,
particularly
young
ones.
Finally,
don't
forget
.
.
.
you
are
invisible.
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