Survival Tips For Riding In City Traffic

       Its been years that I work at Hospital Queen Elizabeth II, located 8 kilo meters from where I live. Every working day, I have to travel through traffic jammed just to go work and back from work.Most of the time I use car but there are sometime, I use my super bike.

         And if you are riding too, just let you know that we are likely wearing an 'invisible cloak'. Because no matter how you trying to increase your visibility to others, there are always a driver that won't see you. You can try turning on your headlight, reflective jacket, and hell even you putting some siren on you helmet, there will be always a drive that unaware driver that won't see you at all. So if you riding everyday too, I have some tips to for you about  safety riding in city traffics.

1. STAY VISIBLE
   
   
   
             To avoid being hit by a car, you have to stay visible on the road. You can increase your visibility by wearing reflector jacket, or simply wear bright colour shirt. Wearing black or dark ones can decrease you visibility on the road, especially at night. Make sure your head lamp works too.
   
            Avoiding blind spot also good idea. Some driver might not notice that you are near them. So it is good idea not to stay on this blind spot. There are many blind spot angles depending type of car. So it is the best if you not staying on those spots.
   
   

   

   (Wearing white colour can makes you stay visible, even at night)
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
2. SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE
   
         It is good idea not to following too near the car in front of you. Stop tail gating them. Who knows, they might making sudden stop and  force you to perform hard brake as well. You are lucky if you manage to stop your bike without hitting the car in front of you but most of the time, they are not so lucky. Hitting the car in front of you could bring you fatal result. So safe following distance allow you to plan your escape lanes.
   
   
   
   
   (Riding in middle to overtake them but be careful for sudden car changing lane)
   
   
   
3. PLAN YOU ESCAPE LANES
   
            Escape plans means if you are following car, maybe in safe distance. But then the car is sudden brake. Who you should do? Did you brake as well? Maybe you can stop without hitting the car in front of you, but you never know what comes from behind. Maybe you will end up as meat of sandwich if the car behind you hit you in high speed right.
   
           So here the escape plan works. First make sure you have your safe following distance. Then when the car sudden stop, all you have to do is slow down your bike, and go either right or left, where you see safe.  Just make sure you don't stop behind the car. Not having escape plans could lead you into disaster. Remember that.
   
   
      
   

   

   (First, you must have safe following distance)
   
   

   

   (When the car sudden brake, you can avoid sudden brake or sudden change lane. Slow down, and change the lane when it safe.)
4. BE UNHITABLE
   
              By 'unhitable' means avoid crash at all cost. Wearing safety gear can maximized your safety but it doest't makes you invincible. So we can stay you of crash by making other dirvers alert about you. Don't ride fast, especially in city. Don't ride on their blind spot. Stay visible. make sure, people see you and that's the key in city road.
   
   
   
   (make other driver knows that you are there too)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

         This does't guarantee you not involve in any accident on the road, but with this tips, you can avoid most crash. Because in Malaysia there are many accidents involving car and super bike. The way I see, most of the crashes are avoidable. So stay safe, stay sharp!