Having to make a roadside stop when riding your motorcycle is inevitable. Due to this, we’ve shared the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s helpful safety tips.
It’s vital to follow safety protocol when pulling over your motorcycle roadside. Learning to do this carefully is an important skill and that’s why we’ve shared the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s refresher course in roadside stopping safety!
Roadside Stop Refresher: Approach, Stop, Resume
#1 Approach
- Traffic Check - Take a 360-degree scan around your motorcycle including your blind spot to ensure no one is impeding you in the front, or quickly approach from the back or side.
- Signal - Before you slow downturn on your signal, ensure there are no vehicles waiting to turn onto the road from any roads or driveways between you and the roadside stopping point. If that’s the case wait until you passed these entrances.
- Speed - Safely reduce your speed as you approach the roadside stopping point. Be sure to use both your front and rear breaks and come to a stop without weaving.
- Position - Stop as far away from traffic as possible and don’t block entrances or driveways.
#2 Stop
- Signal - Once your motorcycle is stopped on the roadside turn off your signal and turn on 4-way flashers.
- Park - Make sure your motorcycle is secure, position your motorcycle on the roadside in a way it will be stable when the kickstand is down.
#3 Resume
- Start - Holding your motorcycle steady, release the kickstand and start the engine.
- Signal - Make sure your 4-way flashers are off and turn your signal on towards the road.
- Traffic - When you are ready to pull off the roadside check your mirrors and left a blind spot.
- Speed - Return to speed by accelerating the motorcycle in at a constant pace to merge into the traffic around you. If the traffic is light you can merge moderately, if it is heavy you may need to accelerate quickly.