When your ridding, do you find your self being offensive or defensive. I hear most people say be defensive, but I was always taught in a car to be anticipating and offensive as a drive. thoughts?
Offensive or Defensive
cobyfiji
21 - 40 of 41 Posts
Joined
·
199 Posts
Agree that it depends on the situation and that you can't get complacent. I once toured alone on my Sprint from Tampa to Ontario. By the time I got to North Carolina I decided it was time to re-plan my route. Not only was interstate pounding boring as hell, it can be downright dangerous. I found myself daydreaming and almost got taken out by a cage coming into my lane. I stopped and got my maps out and re-routed using secondary roads. That added a day to the trip, but it was much more enjoyable and I met more people when I stopped. I ended up taking interstates on the way back as a cold front had moved into the eastern seaboard. It was miserable riding back. I also will not drink and ride. If I stop and plan to be there for over an hour I may have one beer, but usually will not. What I don't get are the local bars that advertise bike night with cheap buckets of beer. First, that's a sure way to hurt or kill yourself. Second the local police love sitting next door looking for drunk riders.
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Joined
·
220 Posts
I ride like every game played...both with offense and defense
Each day you're on two wheels, you have to be defensive and protect your space depending on your lane position.
You have to put yourself in a position to see as far forward up the road as possible. If you're in traffic behind SUVs, get thru it to be in front or at least behind a car that you can see thru to see conditions up ahead.
Like they taught in Drivers Ed. , keep your eyes moving. Like how to keep from suffering Highway Hypnosis. The gentle wind, the drone of the engine, etc. Look ahead, look at your gauges, look ahead, look to your right, look ahead, look to your left, look ahead...rinse repeat.
ALWAYS, always, always, have an escape route. Make a game of it, know what space your bike can fit thru and be prepared to get to that space.
Keep your short term memory sharp...how many seconds ago did you just pass that car? one or two? Where there two cars in a row, or just one? Remember that info when your getting in and out of traffic.
When you get to an overpass, first things first...if you have a lane to the left, is it clear? Anyone coming up on you? Anyone in front of you that's going too slow or too fast? How are they (and you) going to negotiate the traffic coming down the on-ramp? If you have someone in front of you and you take the left lane (yeah I'm in the US) does the car in the right lane know you're even there when they start to drift over to allow the on-ramp traffic in?
Offense and Defense isn't just about riding, it's about being seen as well. If someone wants to be cool and wear all black to go with their all black back.... incident waiting to happen. It may not be as cool, but wear something high viz. From your pants to your jacket to your bucket. I will never buy a helmet without a high viz pattern ever again. I'm at eye level with a driver so when the look out straight, they see a giant tennis ball heading towards them or away from them.
One last bit of advice. I doubt anyone on this forum would begrudge you being a hooligan. But do it in the right place. Not in the middle of traffic. Do it on an empty road, not in rush hour. (I don't mean to condescend, but around here I've seen my fair share of bikes squidding around during rush hour like it's a game).
Good luck and Safe Travels.
Each day you're on two wheels, you have to be defensive and protect your space depending on your lane position.
You have to put yourself in a position to see as far forward up the road as possible. If you're in traffic behind SUVs, get thru it to be in front or at least behind a car that you can see thru to see conditions up ahead.
Like they taught in Drivers Ed. , keep your eyes moving. Like how to keep from suffering Highway Hypnosis. The gentle wind, the drone of the engine, etc. Look ahead, look at your gauges, look ahead, look to your right, look ahead, look to your left, look ahead...rinse repeat.
ALWAYS, always, always, have an escape route. Make a game of it, know what space your bike can fit thru and be prepared to get to that space.
Keep your short term memory sharp...how many seconds ago did you just pass that car? one or two? Where there two cars in a row, or just one? Remember that info when your getting in and out of traffic.
When you get to an overpass, first things first...if you have a lane to the left, is it clear? Anyone coming up on you? Anyone in front of you that's going too slow or too fast? How are they (and you) going to negotiate the traffic coming down the on-ramp? If you have someone in front of you and you take the left lane (yeah I'm in the US) does the car in the right lane know you're even there when they start to drift over to allow the on-ramp traffic in?
Offense and Defense isn't just about riding, it's about being seen as well. If someone wants to be cool and wear all black to go with their all black back.... incident waiting to happen. It may not be as cool, but wear something high viz. From your pants to your jacket to your bucket. I will never buy a helmet without a high viz pattern ever again. I'm at eye level with a driver so when the look out straight, they see a giant tennis ball heading towards them or away from them.
One last bit of advice. I doubt anyone on this forum would begrudge you being a hooligan. But do it in the right place. Not in the middle of traffic. Do it on an empty road, not in rush hour. (I don't mean to condescend, but around here I've seen my fair share of bikes squidding around during rush hour like it's a game).
Good luck and Safe Travels.
I've never been a fan of the terms "offensive" or "defensive". I prefer aware, or unaware. If one is aware, then they are both offensive and defensive, simply by way of knowing what is going on around them at all times, and utilizing the information to make judgements as needed. Riding unaware is just stupid.
Joined
·
1,270 Posts
Nicely said.
Joined
·
1,270 Posts
Great write up!
Joined
·
112 Posts
on the Offensive!! i like to "control" the situation that i ride in, some may call it riding like a dick but so far it has kept me safe. I believe if you give cars the option to think about what they want to do thats when you end up in trouble
Joined
·
2,145 Posts
I don't like to think of it in terms of offense and defense. There are concepts that can apply in either "mode" if you want to think of it that way. My basic theory for riding safety revolves around one main skill.
Situational awareness.
Everything else comes after.
slow is smooth, smooth is fast
Situational awareness.
Everything else comes after.
slow is smooth, smooth is fast
Joined
·
136 Posts
Defensive riding always.let it go your not going to win in a collision. Save offensive for the track
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Joined
·
557 Posts
Around here, that's like 13 instead of 10 any time between the hours of 6:30-9:30am and 2:30-7:00pm. Completely agree with your traffic comment. It's bringing me down.
Back on topic, what a lot of you describe as offensive I was taught as defensive. Anticipating the moves of others, being aware of your surroundings, etc.
When anticipating the moves of others I always assume they are trying to kill me. It seems that a surprising amount of the time it's true. You know, that guy coming your direction, waiting to take a left? He's only waiting until he can turn immediately in front of or into your bike.
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Joined
·
2,973 Posts
I resemble this remark, ha ha. Black gear matches every bike, including my all black one. However, I let my bike be seen as much as possible. High beams on during the day, Vololights on the rear, loud exhaust and dual tone air horn so they will hopefully hear me if they can't see me, and I weave in my lane when I see people waiting to turn left or pull out from a side road.
I always ride like I'm invisible, and that's saved me more times than I can remember. Had a pickup truck pull into my lane as I was passing it in the far right lane last week. Laid on the horn, but he kept coming. Moved to the far left of the lane while twisting the throttle and got by him. Saw him looking at me as I went by (as in his eyes were following me as I shot by him not just looking in my general direction), but he never stopped his lane change. Just shook my head at him and kept going. Par for the course.
Joined
·
35 Posts
TBH everybody has a unique riding style, whether relaxed or fast paced, one should always try to be aware of any potential hazards on the road (like cagers and jay walkers for instance), easier said than done but personally I think I ride more aggressively than defensively.
Joined
·
164 Posts
I ride defensively, if a car sees me i still use the horn since cage driver's subconscious are not looking for motorcycles they still don't see you even with eye contact. Also when i am riding in rush hour i lower one gear in order to have more power if necessary. I was in the left lane and car suddenly changed to my lane i had to accelerate fast in order to avoid him.
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
I ride defensive on the street but extremely aggressive on the highway.
I'm always a couple mph's faster than traffic on the highway. I always try to stay in the left lane at the very end and always speed past any car that's to my side. When merging i try to speed through gaps before they get tempted to close them.
I'm always a couple mph's faster than traffic on the highway. I always try to stay in the left lane at the very end and always speed past any car that's to my side. When merging i try to speed through gaps before they get tempted to close them.
21 - 40 of 41 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
