Safety Slogans I Hate

"RIDE LIKE THEY ARE ALL OUT TO KILL YOU" If you dress like an outlaw, have loud pipes, and cut in close after tailgaiting, 0.02% actually will try to kill you (I got this statistic off the internet.) Other than than that, unless you have made some serious enemies, NO OTHER MOTORIST wants to kill you. The damage to their vehicle, all that time talking to cops, lawyer costs, etc. Well, you get the point. But we do face an increasing armada of folk who are DISTRACTED DRIVERS. (Drunk, drugged, talking on a cellphone or texting, working the nav system or stereo, the list is endless.) Don't get mad. Think of them like would gravel on your favorite curvy road - something to avoid. You see the signs of inattenion and take whatever action is necessary and safe, like dropping back or a quick pass. These type of drivers are simply a fact of life. I think you are better served by taking the emotion out of it.

"RIDE LIKE YOU ARE INVISIBLE" This slogan makes more sense, and yes, there are documented cases of people turning in front of emergency vehicles with sirens and flashing lights. But you can prevent MANY "I didn't see you" incidents by making yourself more visible. For myself, I use Skeene lights front and rear, wear a white helmet, try to position myself so oncoming traffic can see me, use the SMIDYS swerve when appropriate, and try to be aware that on rare occasions none of this will work.

It is very good to have your emergency braking skills well practiced when needed. It is even better to not have to need them.

Having a bad day? Here, have one of these. :drink

What is SMIDYS swerve?

Biking was easy! We're on the food chain, as the lightest, smallest, easiest to hurt critters out there. Just crawl'in about the planet on our two wheels, trying to live long, ride harder and further and smile more:). Randy:thumb:dance

I live by two of these "safety sayings", "Dress for the slide, not for the ride" and "Never expect the other guy to do the right thing". I learned the value of the first one the hard way and the second has saved my life at least twice.

I had to look it up, it should be "SMIDSY" [B]S[/B]orry [B]M[/B]ate [B]I[/B] [B]D[/B]idn't [B]S[/B]ee [B]Y[/B]ou.

I found this on YouTube, [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQBubilSXU[/url]

[QUOTE=sedanman;791945]I live by two of these "safety sayings", "Dress for the slide, not for the ride" and "Never expect the other guy to do the right thing". I learned the value of the first one the hard way and the second has saved my life at least twice.[/QUOTE]

I believe your second quotation is spot on. (I learned the hard way - but in a car - that the person pulling over to the shoulder on a four lane road may simply be preparing for a U-turn across four lanes.) Have to disagree with your first quote, though. The most protective gear I own is also the most comfortable. I see being too hot or cold as a SAFETY issue. Comfort as well as padding and material which will protect your skin in a slide are now so widely available that it is no longer and either/or question - which it was when leather was the only rational choice.

"RIDE LIKE THEY ARE ALL OUT TO KILL YOU"

I like that one. Whereas the distracted driver may not be trying to intentionally kill you, he realy doesn't care one way or the other. If he did, he would pay more attention. If he hits me, I'm probably dead.
I ride like they are all trying to kill me. It's kept me alive through 35yrs of riding.
Sorry if that upsets you.

I like:

"Never ride faster than your angel can fly"

maybe I'm misreading the OP, but I feel like the more safety slogans the better. Not all of them are going to ring everybody's chimes, but if one or two give you a better swing thought while you're riding, and saves your bacon...

Even "loud pipes save lives." I suppose there's some truth in it. A loud harley might, in its own way, be just as "high-viz" as as your PIAA's.

Claiming the "right of way" on a motorcycle vs. a cage is a falsehood.


You are right. DEAD right.

"WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES"

To me is a lame easy copout by the media to promote motorcycle safety and awareness. I feel it misses the mark and does little of nothing to change anything. Like as if a sign or add with that slogan is really going to have any positive impact on our riding environment.

ALL of our safety as riders is 1st and foremost up to US first. Don't request or even expect other road users to do it for us. WE have to be THE BEST road users 1st, always, 100%, before we can expect any help from other road users. And I see a high percentage of riders, daily, riding as if they expect nothing will ever happen to them and others should "look out for them" simply because they are riding legally and have as much right to the road as others.

Sure they may be legal in all they do, but that makes no difference when you're dead because you didn't ride the best you could.

[QUOTE=BCKRIDER]"RIDE LIKE YOU ARE INVISIBLE" This slogan makes more sense, and yes, there are documented cases of people turning in front of emergency vehicles with sirens and flashing lights. But you can prevent MANY "I didn't see you" incidents by making yourself more visible. [/QUOTE]

+1

I agree: it makes no sense whatsoever to "ride like you are invisible," and then make yourself invisible by wearing black from head to toe and running low-beam headlight or even no headlight.

Flip side is that you can wear hi-viz and be extraordinarily visible and still get in a wreck caused by some dimwit whose vision was blocked and who turned across your path anyway. So you have to raise your scanning from obvious hazards to less obvious hazards in the form of obstructed vision. When you spot a situation like that, slow down, go on full alert, be prepared to stop or swerve.

Harry

Here is one I always detest:

"If it saves one life it's worth it!":rolleyes

even more insipid:

"But it's for the children!" :sick

These seem to always follow some especially horrid bureaucratic concoction.

"Safety Third!"

There's one to dislike for ya! :wave