Strategy

                                                                                       By Richard Bennett 

Traffic was heavy on northbound highway 215, and I was riding two-up on my way to a Blue Knights meeting.  The two lanes were filled with cars, trucks and buses, each one jockeying for position.  There were some aggressive drivers and a few on their way home to Sun City.  The mix and pace was typical of a week end drive in sunny California.  I found myself thinking several moves ahead as I planned to work my way past lumbering trucks, slow cars and distracted SUV drivers.  I have done this so often that I don’t think about it; but this is not unlike a game of chess.  Using strategy in heavy traffic is a key to safety

When I was first learning to ride a motorcycle, I concentrated on working the controls and gaining coordination with my moves.  I looked at my hands and feet a lot, and I counted the gears so I would know where neutral was when I stopped.  My mind was more focused on the machine than the surrounding traffic.  Sure, I was aware of other vehicles, but that was secondary to working the controls.

My rides were not well planned either.  On an over-night winter ride to Big Bear in the 1960’s, I wore a jacket and jeans.  It wasn’t until I was ascending the mountain, about the 4,000 foot level, that I wished I had planned ahead and brought warmer clothes.  I was constantly cold, and often numb, riding my windshield-less BSA around the Lake Arrowhead area.  It was good to finally get back down the mountain to warmer temperatures.  Now I don’t leave home without planning for changing weather.

My first lesson in multi-tasking on a motorcycle was my Police training in 1968.  I was taught how to ride a full size Harley Davidson police motorcycle, look for traffic violators, and then operate the radio, emergency lights and siren all at the same time.  No time for looking at my hands and feet, either. 

Shortly after being assigned to the Motor Squad, I chased a Honda 305 Scrambler rider through heavy summer traffic in Pacific Beach.  It was a scary time for me; dodging traffic, staying close to the Honda rider and working the lights and mechanical siren the whole time.  There were many close calls for him and me before he dumped his motorcycle in an alley and I was able to make the arrest.  Surviving that chase was a lesson that made me a safer rider.

As my motorcycle experience progressed, I became more aware of my surroundings and spent less time thinking about operating the machinery.  Riding the same motorcycle day after day led to a familiarity that made riding a natural act.  It is true even today, where my motorcycle seems like an old friend when we get together for a ride.

Earlier in my life I learned to play chess.  I am not proficient, even today, but I can play well enough to win an occasional game against my 13 year old granddaughter.  Ironically, what I learned from chess has served me well in my motorcycle travels.

Over the years I have reviewed or investigated motorcycle collisions and learned many were caused by rider error.  The sad truth is that many of them could have been prevented if the rider had planned ahead for hazards that were encountered. 

Proficient riders have mastered the mechanics of the motorcycle and now spend most of their time dealing with surrounding traffic.  Safely navigating through traffic requires an awareness of immediate hazards, and formulating plans for maneuvering in a herd of semi-conscious car drivers.  Picture the “worst case scenario” and plan for survival.  Much like a game of chess, a savvy rider plans vehicle passes, lane changes, speed adjustments and timing of all these things well in advance. 

Riding with a group magnifies the importance of riding strategy.  If you are the leader, you must think of your fellow riders as the tail of a long snake you will be leading through traffic.  Strategic planning and timing are critical to the safety of your group.

Riding strategy is something that is not often discussed, but is really a key component of motorcycle safety.  Older, “experienced” riders have survived and learned to anticipate hazards.  Riding in heavy traffic brings the epiphany that car drivers are unpredictable, requiring a strategy for reducing risk.

If you are a chess player, you know what I mean.

Appreciate each other, and ride safely.

Richard Bennett, SWC Safety Officer