Around the middle of 2005, a number of bikers were using an online forum to discuss the alarming number of unnecessary motorcycle accidents; avoidable accidents caused by inattentiveness, ignorance, incompetence and failure to exercise due care.
The Think Bike sticker campaign started by Tony Day of Cape Town in the eighties and its short life were discussed, and it was decided then and there to revive the campaign and expand on its goals and methods.
Thanks mainly to the dedication, hard work and leadership of the now deceased chairman, Brian Cannoo, the Think Bike Campaign now has in excess of 800 paid-up members, over 3600 forum contributors, dozens of sponsors and has to date distributed over 180 000 leaflets, over 160 000 bumper stickers, and reached literally thousands of motorcyclists and motorists with its message.
The campaign, while strongest in Gauteng, has representation in Western Cape, Mpumalanga, North West, Natal and the Free State. It has dozens of trained marshals available for various events such as the 94.7 Classic Cycle race, The Argus Cycle Tour and is deeply involved in numerous other projects such as the annual Toy Run.
Why Think Bike?
It is clear that the accidents we are talking about are the result of ignorance of the issues affecting motorcycles. This campaign is intended to help educate the general public about these issues, without pointing fingers or accusing anyone of negligence. We, as bikers and cyclists, cannot expect motorists to consider our safety if we don't help them understand what the roads are like from our point of view.
The campaign is also aimed at the biking and cycling community, to educate about safety issues and encourage the use of protective clothing.
Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics
The Hurt Study, published in the US in 1981, showed some alarming trends. More than 900 motorcycle accidents were investigated in the Los Angeles area, and the results showed that:
Approximately three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involve collision with another vehicle, usually a passenger automobile.
In these accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of cases.
Do the math. This means that in fully half of all motorcycle accidents, the other motorist was to blame. So it's not always "the damn biker's fault".
The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.
Here's the problem. Almost every motorcyclist and cyclist who has been in an accident with another vehicle will have heard the inevitable "But I didn't see you!".
We recognise that as a problem. That is why we ride with headlights on. (It's now illegal for motorcycles to ride with headlights off, day or night). That is why we wear bright colours. That is why we do everything we can to be seen.
But still you don't see us. We have come to realise that this is because you don't know how to look. Or what to look for.
This is not an accusation, this is us, as bikers, understanding the problem.
So all we can do is try to help educate the public in what to look for, how to evaluate what it is they see, and how to act in accordance.
Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often violating traffic controls.
The drivers of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle... are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.
Perhaps you're starting to understand? Almost every single person who rides motorcycles has lost a friend to an avoidable accident. Those of us who talk regularly to other riders hear horror stories daily.
If you're still thinking that the bikers are mostly to blame, because they ride too fast or are "showing off", please take note of the next point from the study:
The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.
That's 48km/h, 35km/h and 138km/h respectively. So please don't tell bikers that "speed kills", when they know all to well that it's motorists who kill.
A Google Search for "Hurt Study" will quickly find many articles and discussions abut the results conclusions and conclusions of the Hurt Study.
More recent studies in various parts of the world show very similar results.
What Can I Do, As a Biker?
More from the Hurt Report:
Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.
Make sure people can see you!
The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
Get some training! There are links to training schools, from beginner to advanced, on the Forum page.
Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.
Again, a lack of training and experience. ABS helps too - get a modern motorcycle with ABS if you can.
The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe injuries.
Wear protective clothing. It (apart from the helmet) probably won't save your life, but it can save you months of pain, skin grafts and surgery. If you think you can't afford proper protective gear, consider what a skin graft costs.
Following nothing more than the above will save many lives, one of which could be yours. There is more detail on how to avoid accidents and serious injury on the Better Biking forum page.
What Can I Do, As a Motorist?
BIKES ARE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK First of all, motorcycles are smaller than other road users. This makes them appear, to the untrained eye, to be further away. When you see a bike approaching, always look again before you judge the distance. There is almost always less time than you think.
BIKES MOVE FASTER THAN YOU THINK To make matters worse, motorcycles usually move more quickly than most other vehicles. Not necessarily because they are deliberately speeding, but because their relatively lower mass makes it possible for them to accelerate so much more quickly.
Incidentally, many bikers prefer to accelerate out in front of other traffic simply because they don't feel safe with cars and other large vehicles around them. Remember, even a light bump can knock a bike to the ground, causing massive injury and damage. A bumper-bashing is an inconvenience to a motorist, but can be fatal to a motorcyclist.
LANE SPLITTING IS LEGAL Have you ever seen motorcycles riding between the cars on a highway, feeding through traffic jams? As long as this is done responsibly, it is COMPLETELY LEGAL, and even encouraged by traffic authorities. Motorcycles can filter through stationary traffic, and thus do not add to congestion on our roads. Blocking the path of a filtering motorcycle is ILLEGAL, and very dangerous.
Of course, this is not to say that it is legal or even wise for a motorcycle to move through stationary traffic at high speed
The same holds at traffic lights. A courteous driver will never try to deliberately block a motorcyclist’s path. Please let us through, we'll be gone before you know it.
PLEASE DON'T TRY TO SHARE OUR LANES Nothing makes a biker more nervous than another vehicle trying to share a lane with him. When a car is moving close to a motorcycle at speed, the slightest mistake on the part of either the motorist or the biker can lead to instant death.
SO WHAT CAN I DO? It's simple. Think Bike. Spread the message. When out driving, consciously look out for motorcycles, and give them a little space. Look again. If you see an oncoming headlight, rather wait a few seconds than kill an innocent road user. Bikers are people too, and don't deserve to die just because they choose an alternative means of transport.
What Can Anyone Do?
Help spread the word. Get a sticker on all your vehicles, wear the t-shirt, email your friends. Print the leaflet and hand them out; at traffic lights, in the pub, at shopping centres. Don't worry about looking silly, you may just save a life. And that's worth anything, isn't it?
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BIKES ARE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK