As a motorcyclist, you always have to ensure you and your motorcycle are visible to other vehicles on the road – especially in Ontario, with ever-changing weather, we need to be on their radar.
We know how critical it is to be visible when it comes to your safety. The more you and your motorcycle are able to grab the attention of automotive drivers, the more you lessen the chance of a collision. Here is a list of the top 7 ways to be visible on your motorcycle.
1| Ride a Brightly Coloured Motorcycle
Motorcycles are at a disadvantage on the road since they are much smaller than cars and accelerate and decelerate far faster. Resulting in it being difficult for vehicles to A. see you and B. gauge your distance.
Tip: Riding a brightly
2 | Wear High Visibility Safety Gear
We have been taught to recognize yellow and orange because they generally mean caution or pay attention.
Tip: Use this to your safety advantage – incorporate highly visible
3 | Stay Out of Blind Spots
As a motorcyclist it is imperative you understand where the blind spots are on other vehicles. It’s hard to avoid blind spots completely but
Tip: Make your passes quick and ensure your lane position can be seen by all vehicles on the road.
4 | Use Reflective Tape
Using reflective tape dramatically increases your visibility – it helps by acting as an independent light source at night and it makes your motorcycle look much larger.
Tip: Put reflective tape on the front of your forks and on any piece of your motorcycle that sticks out a good distance from a light source.
5 | Add Auxiliary Lights
Auxiliary lights, much like reflective tape, add a light source to your motorcycle.
Tip: Add them to the back and front ends of your motorcycle and set them at different intensities.
6 | Use Your Horn
Your horn is useful to use for drivers who maybe haven’t looked in your direction - a quick beep will grab their attention and alert them to your whereabouts.
Tip: A quick double tap on your horn can alert a distracted driver of your presence.
7 | Tap Your Brakes
Your brake lights are a great way to get the attention of the person behind you, alerting them to stop. Tapping your brakes also works to warn cars driving too closely behind you.
Tip: Tapping your brakes rapidly turns your brake light into a blinker – alerting other drivers.