My husband and I recently took our first motorcycle rides together. We traveled from Kelseyville to Lakeport along Soda Bay Road.
Autumn offers ideal conditions for taking a motorcycle ride. The summer heat has finally broken and we can suit up comfortably in our motorcycle gear, our helmets, leather jackets and boots.
Our route took us through the back roads between Kelseyville and Finley, past several bicycle riders taking part in the “Konocti Challenge.”
We parked the motorcycle near Library Park and walked around downtown, visiting a local retailer to look at motorcycle gear. I enjoyed looking at the women”s beaded and fringed jackets and vests but they seemed tailored more toward appearance than providing genuine protection. I”d want one of the heavy leather jackets that the merchant had in stock. I could always wear a beaded vest underneath.
Add to that, flannel-lined pants with a layer of Kevlar protection and a fleecy gorget to block chilly winds from our necks.
Being a passenger on a motorcycle has taken some getting used to. Deciding where to look, for instance. Seeing the shifting reflection of the road in the back of my husband”s helmet makes me dizzy, so I have to look to one side.
Then there”s the matter of leaning into turns; it”s a peculiar feeling, especially when the turn is sharp, but somehow we don”t fall over.
Motorcycle accidents have occupied several headlines lately; a recent “Lake Views” question, posed to Lake County residents, asked how motorcycles and cars can safely share the roadway. Much of their answers amounted to common sense and not taking unneccessary risks.
I agree that common sense goes a long way with both parties. Ever see a motorcyclist who scoots along the edge of a lane past several stopped cars in an intersection in order to be first in line at the change in light? That behavior seems risky to me. All you need is for one of those drivers to open his or her car door or flick a cigarette out the window and bap!
I”ve got a reflective vest I used to wear when cleaning along an adopted stretch of highway. Now I pull the neon-lemon vest, with its reflective stripes, over my leather jacket to give us that much more visibility in our dark leathers on a dark bike.
Not that cars are exempt from responsibility when keeping motorcyclists safe. Drivers need to be especially attentive not to veer into the path of a cyclist who has the right of way.
If anything, the drivers of autos have an added responsibility of operating a vehicle that is so much larger and much more powerful than the bike.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has compiled the following tips for safely sharing the road with motorcycles:
? When you change lanes or enter a major thoroughfare, make a visual check for motorcycles. Also use your mirrors. Motorcycles are small and they can easily disappear into a vehicle”s blind spots.
? Allow a four-second following distance. You will need this space to avoid hitting the motorcyclist if he or she falls.
? Allow the motorcycle a full lane width. Although it is not illegal to share lanes with motorcycles, it is unsafe.
? When you make a turn, check for motorcyclists and know their speed before turning.
? Remember that road conditions that are minor annoyances to you pose major hazards to motorcyclists. Potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement can cause motorcyclists to change speed or direction suddenly.
“If you are aware of the effect of these conditions and drive with care and attention, you can help reduce motorcyclist injuries and fatalities,” the DMV states.
As autumn progresses, the leaves that are beginning to assume fall colors will eventually drop from the trees. When they do, they will also pose a hazard and conceal other hazards as well. The season”s first rains will mix with oils on the roadway, creating a surface that is slick.
Let”s all ride safe out there.
Cynthia Parkhill is the focus pages editor for the record-Bee and editor of the Clear Lake Observer?American. Contact her at observer american@gmail.com.
