Motorcycle instructors are in a unique position to get to interact with those who are just learning how to ride. They guide them through a safety course that they need to pass in order to get the right license and take their bike out on the street.
However, instructors admit that some of the riders who pass the test still don’t seem all that safe to them. They see red flags. One instructor said these were the top issues he noticed with these riders:
- They did not have enough self-discipline. Even if they knew how to ride safely, he worried that they would not actually do it outside of the course.
- They acted like they already knew it all. They were resistant to learning, even from someone like him who had vastly more experience and knowledge.
- The first bike that they ever purchased was “a rocket.” They thought smaller bikes were boring and they bought massive, overpowered bikes despite their lack of experience.
- They had poor spacial awareness or poor judgment skills. This could lead to simple mistakes that others would not make. They may have just been poor drivers in all vehicles, and a motorcycle is decidedly more dangerous than a car.
- They wanted to do wheelies, break the speed limit and seek out the adrenaline rush of riding. It was clear that the rush was their focus, not careful and controlled riding with an emphasis on safety.
Reading these red flags can help you examine your own mindset so that you do ride safely. However, accidents still happen when other drivers make mistakes, so be sure you know how to seek compensation when necessary.
