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Bike Safety

Being aware of bike safety is not going to just help keep you safe and healthy, but it’s also going to help your wallet.

By taking certain safety courses, you will show your insurer that you are aware of the dangers on the road, and this will hopefully lead to lower premiums.

There are a large number of riding schools and courses through out the U.K., and one of the most successful is run by the country’s police forces. Called BikeSafe, it is geared for full licence holders and offers a mid-way house before aiming for advanced riding courses.

The great thing behind the concept is that you are taught by some of the country’s most skilled and experienced motorcyclists, the police. Clocking up thousands of miles a year patrolling the U.K.’s highways, these guys have seen it all and done it all.

Organised on a county by county system, it’s a matter of contacting your local BikeSafe scheme and enrolling. There’s a fee, around £50, and the course is held over a couple of days, mostly on a couple of Sundays. The police will then teach you the skills that help keep them alive.

They aim to teach you the confidence to ride your bike to the best of your ability.

This comes down to disciplining yourself to a level of attention that will keep your senses alert throughout your ride. Motorbikes are not things on which you can happily dream and contemplate the meaning of life. You have to be alert when riding and ensure that you are paying attention.

Accurate observation is key to this. Learning to see what’s happening on the road in front of you is key to your survival. Will that car door open right in your path; will that driver see you at the junction and will that pedestrian stop, or just leap out into the road? You can learn to visualise how certain situations will develop.

Another one of the police rider’s key techniques is matching the speed of your motorcycle to the road situation. This is a crucial technique and one, if mastered, that will save you a lot of grief.

And they also teach the skilful use of a bike’s controls; how to maximise the potential of the machine between your legs. This includes proper use of the accelerator, the accurate selection of the gears to match speeds, and correct use of the bike’s brakes.

Bike safety is not to be messed with, full-stop.