I don’t know if I’m getting older and cranky, or are there just way more crazies out there on the roads these days…
Recently I had a real scare with trucks, both on my bike and in my car. In both instances, the trucks were tailgating me… I was doing the posted speed limit.
Tailgating means driving without sufficient distance between vehicles to avoid a crash. The majority of drivers underestimate the distance needed to stop their vehicle.
A safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front is two, to three seconds, more if wet, dark and if vision has become poor.
I’ve been riding since primary school and I’ve never turned around and headed back home due to being scared of riding… but one afternoon, that’s exactly what happened. To be able to turn around though, I first had to signal to the truck driver almost kissing my number plate that I was intending to slow down and pull over!
There were minimal sides of the road to do that safely and what was there, had a sharp and high edge off to angled gravel and dirt, then scrub… not super fat-rear-tyre friendly.
Tailgating in this way is often a form of intimidation! I’m bigger than you, so watch out, get out of my way.
Or impatience… I’m more important than you, I need to be somewhere, now. Get out of my way!
I always sit two, to three seconds back, whether I’m driving or riding. I guess because I was licensed for a motorcycle before a car, I’ve always done that. I feel mighty uncomfortable if I’m sitting in a passenger seat with my nose nearly up the vehicle in front’s exhaust!
I’ve watched many a truck driver intimidate the L and P platers out on the highways… so even more dangerous for these newbie drivers and those not so confident in their driving abilities.
More drivers than not, tailgate. Most of the people I know, tailgate.
Some motorcycles I’ve witnessed are barely half a second back from the vehicle in front. This is playing Russian Roulette, seriously… get back!!
In the case of one motorcyclist, I saw on a Victorian freeway last year, riding so far up the clacker of a B-Double, from a distance I thought the damn thing was painted on the back! Seriously, it wasn’t until I got up closer to pass, that I realised it was a real person on a motorbike. No idea what the rider’s thought process was to sit in the middle of the back-end of a huge truck! A very temporary Australian that one.
The number of riders is steadily growing throughout our countries… please, don’t become a statistic by doing stupid stuff in traffic… EVERYTHING is bigger than you out there, so become more aware of your safety.
Check out my articles in Tips and Expertise. Some hints about if you’re being tailgated or if you are being a tailgater; also lane filtering and the safety it can offer you from tailgaters in highway traffic.
Another topic that seems to confuse riders is lane filtering vs lane splitting… read about the differences and legalities of each.
You’re reading this… so I care about you out there on the roads. Please, think outside your peripheral and give yourself some space. Not everything needs to be a race.
Keep on experiencing your extraordinary in all that you do… thanks for being part of Woman Moto…
You’re encouraged to join in on this journey as I love hearing what you’ve been up to…
Shiny side up peeps.
July 2023
♥
Footnote:
By introducing various freelance writers and regular columnists, Woman Moto aims to present a broad spectrum of women moto riders and show we are open-minded to others’ opinions and thoughts. Woman Moto endorses all things moto safety related however, has no control of our freelancers’ protection or riding style choices.
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