Having been (and still am) a Ground and Flight Medic for many many years, I can atest to all of the recommendations listed below. In all of my years, I have only met one person who intended to crash when he got on his bike, and interestingly, he survived with minimal injuries. As for the others, No matter what their arguement may have been for not wearing the proper safety equipment or taking the appropriate precautions, they always came out on the short end of the stick. All too often they died on the scene or while enroute to the hospital. I have never seen nor heard of any arguement that changed the suffering of the rider or their families when the "It won't happen to me" happened to them. Where the gear, Enjoy the ride, and do it over and over again.

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Taken from the February 2007 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine pg 92. What a great site.

Street Survival

50 Ways to SAVE YOUR Life

Motorcycle Cruiser's mothership, Motorcyclist magazine, recently published the following advce to an overwhelmingly appreciative response. It was decided to republish this list of life-saving techniques- in its entirety.
  • ASSUME YOU'RE INVISIBLE
    Because to a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you've just made eye contact.
  • BEWARE OF CARS RUNNING TRAFFIC LIGHTS
    The first few seconds aftera signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.
  • BE CONSIDERATE
    The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your granma and think again.
  • CHECK YOUR MIRRORS
    Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space you'd planned to use.
  • DRESS FOR THE CRASH, NOT THE POOL OR THE PROM
    Sure, Joaquin's Fish Tacos is a five-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.
  • MIND THE GAP
    Remeber driver's ed.? One second's worth of distance per 10 MPH is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
  • HOPE FOR THE BEST, PREPARE FOR THE WORST
    Assume that car across the intersection will turn across you bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
  • BEWARE OF TUNER CARS
    They're quick, and their drivers tend to be young and aggressive, therefore potentially hazardous.
  • LEAVE YOUR EGO AT HOME
    The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
  • EXCESSIVE ENTRANCE SPEED HURTS
    It's the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads-- some cruisers can make unheard of amounts of power. Use it on the way out of a corner, not in.
  • PAY ATTENTION
    The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
  • DON'T TRUST THAT DEER WHISTLE
    Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If you're riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders.
  • MIRRORS ONLY SHOW YOU PART OF THE PICTURE
    Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.
  • LEARN TO USE BOTH BRAKES
    The front does most of your stopping, but for a lot of heavy cruisers a little extra rear brake can really help haul you up fast.
  • BE PATIENT
    Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or merge into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. The extra look could save your butt.
  • KEEP THE FRONT BRAKE COVERED--ALWAYS
    Save a single second of reaction time at 60 MPH and yo can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.
  • WATCH YOUR CLOSING SPEED
    Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
  • LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO
    Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
  • BEWARE THE VERGE AND THE MERGE
    A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: emptyMcDonalds bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for potentially troublesome debris on both sides of the road.
  • KEEP YOUR EYES MOVING
    Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don't lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you're actually dealing with trouble.
  • LEFT-TURNING CARS REMAIN THE LEADING KILLER OF MOTORCYCLISTS
    Don't assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They're trying to beat the light too.
  • COME TO A FULL STOP AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN
    Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.
  • THINK BEFORE YOU ACT
    Careful whipping around that Cary going 7 MPH in a 25 MPH zone or you could end up with your head in the drivers side when he turns in front of you.

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