From time to time in this space, I plan to share some of the things I’ve learned about “roadcraft,” or safety issues.
We can all relate to how stupid we feel when surprised by a dangerous situation that could have been avoided with a little more attention to the road ahead.
In my case, one of the bad habits I sometimes revert to is looking too close in front of me. This usually happens when I’m tired or when my mind wanders. It’s almost like target fixation. Early on, when I was taking the motorcycle safety course, the instructors kept repeating to us to “keep your heads up.” It was true then, in a parking lot, and then more critically important on the street. How we use our eyes is vital in riding.
When your vision dips and you are looking just 50 feet in front of you and are called upon to react when someone suddenly slows, or pulls out in front of you, for example, then you are likely to depend on instinct and survival reactions. You can go into panic mode, which is often the worst way to respond.
The further ahead you look, the more time you have to take in what is happening up the road and all around you. Situational awareness equals safety. Avoiding trouble on asphalt is better than dealing with trouble. Keeping your head up and off your instruments, looking instead ten to twelve seconds down the road, gives you much more time and room to take evasive or preventive action. Riding stress is reduced when your head is up and your eyes are scanning as far ahead as possible. This is especially valuable in the city, around intersections and on busy stretches of road. Looking in the distance = valuable decision time. I also noticed that looking further down the road benefits my peripheral vision as well.
Looking ahead makes the difference between being caught in an emergency and driving relaxed and feeling in control. So this is a reminder to me, first and foremost: head up, eyes scanning the horizon or pull over and rest your eyes a while.
My Motorcycling Life 