SIAM: the fix for the SMIDSY

[ZeroIndex]

Hey,

Not sure if this'll be a repost... but even if it is, I just think it needs to be posted again.

[awa355]

I found it good to watch, unfortunately, I've forgotten what SIAM means already. But the weaving motion is instilled in my mind.

In the pic below, is a car coming towards me with a bike in front of it. Without the headlight on the rider would be hard to see. I could see him because I seem to zoom in on any motorbike. Sort of demonstrates what the video is pointing out about the size of a bike against the background.

[quickbuck]

I found it good to watch, unfortunately, I've forgotten what SIAM means already. ]

SMIDSY Identification Avoidance Manoeuvre....
Yup, great watch.
It is something a mate of mine, who spends a lot of his life in large aircraft, suggested to me that we should do.







Sent from my Nokia using Tapa talk.

[Akzle]

"because drivers are inattentive , it's our responsibility..."

to kill them all.

[gjm]

"because drivers are inattentive , it's our responsibility..."

Sad, but true. The majority of drivers are unable to 'see' anything smaller than another car. Actually, many don't seem capable of even that...

[Big Dog]

Problem is not so much size as perceived threat.

I don't know about you but I don't always see dogs. I sure as shit see even the smallest ones lurking on the side of the road. Especially if they have their hackles up.

IMHO, based purely on my own observation and 20+ years experience including two SMIDSY events:
ATGATT riders get a wider berth from car drivers.
Riders with something standout about their appearance such as Fluro vests before every road crew and his dog had one or a Mohawk for your helmet. Fluro vests seem to be less effective these days. But that is not fact, just this riders opinion.
White bikes get a wider berth
Red and grey bikes are difficult to see at sunrise or sunset.
Black bikes are difficult to see at night.
Grey bikes become almost invisible in a concrete landscape.

None of this matters unless you are on point taking responsibility for yourself.
We can't have a fleet of bikes where we choose the right colour for the current lighting and intended destination but we can:
ride sober
ride alert
Ride defensive
Make eye contact
Give yourself as big a profile as possible ( sit up if your in a full tuck and you suspect someone has not seen you)
Don't be afraid to use your horn
move about the lane when there is a likelihood we are less visible
make sure all our lights and signals work correctly
Make sure we use signals etc
Consider changing our signals if they are difficult to see from 30m ( put your indicator on and walk 30-40 paces away, can you see them? If not can a driver in a cage? Micro indicators are not for every bike and big stock indicators are often not as visible as they might seem.)

Should we be giving cars a free pass? F@&k no! Should we do everything in our power to see our families again? Hell yeah!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gjm]

Make eye contact

Possibly one of the most under-rated safety actions a rider can make. Once you have eye contact with a driver, it would require a deliberate action for that driver to pull out on you. If you can't make eye contact, you know to be especially aware that this driver may not have seen you. Similarly, just because you have a 'connection' witht he driver at the front of a queue, know that the driver behind may not have the same awareness. I've seen and heard of many accidents where the first car cleanly and carefully manoeveured, only for the second car to cause an accident. Many drivers tailgate, working on a 'room for one more' idea, and often there isn't.

Some drivers simply won't see you regardless of what you do. Sorry, but that's how it is. All the fluoro and lights in the world aren't going to change this. It is a riders responsibility to themselves to know this, be aware of when this happens, and act appropriately.

I helped on a CBT course while back in the UK and had to repeatedly tell new riders that it doesn't matter what the highway code or the law says, or how obviously and definitively 'in the right' a road user is, the bigger vehicle will always win. If you're walking, on a bicycle, or a motorbike and hit or are hit by a car, you will come off worse. Nature doesn't care if the traffic lights are red, if your indicator was on, or anything else.

Please - have fun. But ride carefully.

[ZeroIndex]

Possibly one of the most under-rated safety actions a rider can make. Once you have eye contact with a driver, it would require a deliberate action for that driver to pull out on you. If you can't make eye contact, you know to be especially aware that this driver may not have seen you. Similarly, just because you have a 'connection' witht he driver at the front of a queue, know that the driver behind may not have the same awareness. I've seen and heard of many accidents where the first car cleanly and carefully manoeveured, only for the second car to cause an accident. Many drivers tailgate, working on a 'room for one more' idea, and often there isn't.

Some drivers simply won't see you regardless of what you do. Sorry, but that's how it is. All the fluoro and lights in the world aren't going to change this. It is a riders responsibility to themselves to know this, be aware of when this happens, and act appropriately.

I helped on a CBT course while back in the UK and had to repeatedly tell new riders that it doesn't matter what the highway code or the law says, or how obviously and definitively 'in the right' a road user is, the bigger vehicle will always win. If you're walking, on a bicycle, or a motorbike and hit or are hit by a car, you will come off worse. Nature doesn't care if the traffic lights are red, if your indicator was on, or anything else.

Please - have fun. But ride carefully.

And if you have a tinted visor, you can just stick your left-hand middle finger out in the general direction of the driver, if they start to pull out and then notice you

[Scuba_Steve]

But the weaving motion is instilled in my mind.

Be careful with that one, in NZ our biggest criminal gang likes to "go fishing" for $$$ if they see bikes weaving.

[awa355]

Make eye contact
Give yourself as big a profile as possible.

A bit like this?



Seriously, This must be a horrific moment in any riders experience.

[Big Dog]

Rofl. Minus the contact if that's what it takes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[oneofsix]

Be careful with that one, in NZ our biggest criminal gang likes to "go fishing" for $$$ if they see bikes weaving.

Guess I will be having an interesting talk with one of them sometime soon then and just how poorly trained on motorcycling they are. Wonder how they would take it if I suggest they take an ACC ride forever course, think they might find it interesting?

I use the weave especially when riding behind a mate as I have noticed many drivers seem to think bikes are either in massive groups or singles. I also do it a lot to break the boredom. If nothing else the weave will cause your headlight to vary and humans seem to have an affinity for noticing moving light.

Beware the eye contact, they might be looking straight through you and you have to fix your vision on the driver, you may not see the wheels moving. That said, people do notice mean others are looking at them, I have used this to get bar maids attention before , so that may help the driver notice you.

[eldog]

I have been doing this for a while automatically, but only to keep alert, more handling practise (I don't ride as often as I should) and get the tyres warmer.

The ACC Bronze course - suggested doing this weaving as well

Now I will try and make it an automatic response when I am riding near any intersections it will only be a small weave, otherwise might be interpreted as a prep for turning

Had a narrow SMIDSY escape last week, car turned on a red (I had the green arrow) it was close.

[Maha]

"because drivers are inattentive , it's our responsibility..."

to kill them all.

You being without a bike, must a driver?

[eldog]

I really wanted a water cannon mounted on the front of the bike the other day when a driver turned on a red right in front of me didn't even realise I was there.

got to fit the sebel and get some loud pipes and more lights.

the high vis just useless when they don't even look, just drove upto the lights and turned