Biking to beat the traffic
- By Special Correspondent
- Published 02/9/2010
- Motorcycles
- Unrated
The increase in the number of cars on our roads has resulted in traffic
congestion, road rage, a higher accident rate and less regard for road
safety. An alternative that some road users have opted for is to use
motorcycles or scooters, a seemingly cost and time effective solution to
a frustrating reality.
According to Gary Ronald, public affairs manager of the Automobile
Association, (AA), pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists remain the
most vulnerable road users on South African roads. "More and more
injuries and deaths are being reported on a daily basis involving
cyclists and motorcyclist. Very little is being done to educate road
users of the risk these two road users face on our roads with proper
driver training for motorcyclists being almost non-existent."
Most motorcycle crashes are a result of collisions, usually with
passenger vehicles due to negligence or disregarding traffic rules. And
with the current situation on our roads, the AA urges motorcyclists to
be more prudent when on the road and to adopt basic road safety measures
such as wearing your helmet, paying attention to the roads and
surrounding vehicles and being more vigilant in situations where there
is road congestion. Ronald goes on to say that safety on our roads can
only be achieved by a change in individual behaviour, driver training
and adherence to the law.
In order to be safe on the road, motorcyclists need to take into
consideration how more exposed they are to elements on the road such as
objects, potholes, road works and other motorists who might be negligent
of the road rules and other road users.
"Managing your time on the road is about finding alternate routes to
your destinations, estimating the time it will take you to reach your
destinations and learning to be a patient, pleasant and polite road
user," concludes Ronald.
About the Automobile Association of South Africa
The AA is the trusted leader in 24-hour roadside assistance, travel and other mobility services. Along with their Travel Experience stores located country wide they are uniquely positioned to provide motoring and travel assistance and you moving, they have now extended their services past roadside assistance offering motorists AA test and drive facilities, driver training to avoid collisions and a training academy, the only one in South Africa offering apprenticeship and short courses for corporates.
For more information visit www.aa.co.za
  
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safety. An alternative that some road users have opted for is to use
motorcycles or scooters, a seemingly cost and time effective solution to
a frustrating reality.
According to Gary Ronald, public affairs manager of the Automobile
Association, (AA), pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists remain the
most vulnerable road users on South African roads. "More and more
injuries and deaths are being reported on a daily basis involving
cyclists and motorcyclist. Very little is being done to educate road
users of the risk these two road users face on our roads with proper
driver training for motorcyclists being almost non-existent."
Most motorcycle crashes are a result of collisions, usually with
passenger vehicles due to negligence or disregarding traffic rules. And
with the current situation on our roads, the AA urges motorcyclists to
be more prudent when on the road and to adopt basic road safety measures
such as wearing your helmet, paying attention to the roads and
surrounding vehicles and being more vigilant in situations where there
is road congestion. Ronald goes on to say that safety on our roads can
only be achieved by a change in individual behaviour, driver training
and adherence to the law.
In order to be safe on the road, motorcyclists need to take into
consideration how more exposed they are to elements on the road such as
objects, potholes, road works and other motorists who might be negligent
of the road rules and other road users.
Safety tips for motorcyclists:
- Put on your helmet - always. Most collisions do not happen on long-distance but when running errands. Just because the shop is around the corner doesn't mean that you have to be negligent about practising basic safety.
- Do not speed your way through town. Motorcyclists are of the opinion that because traffic congestion is not a hassle that they have to deal with, speeding through traffic is acceptable. Be aware of your surroundings and instead of speeding, learn to time your route and to estimate the time it will take for another driver to complete an action.
- Maintain an adequate distance that will allow for braking and any sudden stops in the flow of traffic.
- Avoid manoeuvring in lanes. Avoiding traffic congestion isn't about swerving in and out of lanes because your vehicle gives you the allowance to do so.
- Ensure that you have visibility all the time on the road.
- Don't follow vehicles that will obstruct your view of the road - trucks, vans and anything that's hard to see around also makes you invisible to oncoming car. Stay back or even better, let some passenger cars fill the gap.
- Give way to faster traffic and avoid bad drivers. Keeping fast traffic from moving isn't polite and it can result in you getting hurt - if you see that the lane you are in is moving faster than you are willing to go, simply change lanes and make way for everyone else.
- Stay from bad drivers who wander in their lanes, drive too fast or too slow and do not signal their intentions to other road users.
"Managing your time on the road is about finding alternate routes to
your destinations, estimating the time it will take you to reach your
destinations and learning to be a patient, pleasant and polite road
user," concludes Ronald.
About the Automobile Association of South Africa
The AA is the trusted leader in 24-hour roadside assistance, travel and other mobility services. Along with their Travel Experience stores located country wide they are uniquely positioned to provide motoring and travel assistance and you moving, they have now extended their services past roadside assistance offering motorists AA test and drive facilities, driver training to avoid collisions and a training academy, the only one in South Africa offering apprenticeship and short courses for corporates.
For more information visit www.aa.co.za
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