Top Tips - Cornering, Overtaking and Observations
Increased view around a left hand bend.
Increased view around a right hand bend.
CORNERING
A moving motorcycle is at its most stable when travelling in a straight line on a level course and at a constant speed. That’s not much fun and the UK roads are not like that, so we have to go round bends. Cornering is the manoeuvre which causes the most grief, particularly on roads like the ones you encounter in the Scottish Borders. Not only in the Borders but throughout the country where there are great biking roads. Being able to read the road, read the "limit point" on the approach to a bend is a skill, that once learned and practised successfully gives immense satisfaction.
Your road position will determine how much you can see on the approach to and when you enter a bend. The position which gives the greatest view depends on whether the bend is a left or right hander. To maximise the view around any bend requires the rider to move their machine onto the appropriate course on the approach to the bend.
LEFT HANDERS
Position yourself towards the left of the centre line so that you get an early view around the bend. However, before you adopt this position look out for
i) Oncoming traffic and other dangers to your offside which require a greater margin of safety
ii) Whether your position might mislead other traffic as to your intentions
iii) And whether or not any advantage might be gained. If you are travelling at low speed or the bend is such that it has open and unrestricted views across it.
RIGHT HANDERS
Position yourself towards the “better part” of the nearside. The “better part” of the nearside is that which keeps you away from
i) Parked vehicles and pedestrians
ii) Blind junctions or exits
iii) Poor road surface conditions (gravel, chippings, standing water, drain covers and similar).
As you approach a bend you should be looking to gather as much information about the severity of the bend and the sate of the road surface. You should use your observational skills to give you clues as to where the road is going, how tight the bend is etc. Look at the road signs and road markings, the more of that type of stuff there is means that the bend is tight. Try to get a clue as to where the road goes by looking at the line of roadside trees or telegraph poles. All these together help you to anticipate and plan for the bend. As mentioned at the top, the limit point is about your best clue. The limit point is the furthest point along the road to which you have an uninterrupted view of the road surface. On a level stretch of road this will be where the right-hand side of the road appears to intersect with the left hand side of the road. This point of intersection is known as the limit point. Depending on what the limit point appears to do will determine how quickly you take the bend. If the limit point is stationary or moving back towards you, the simple message is you’re going too fast. If it is moving away from you then you can begin to think about accelerating to maintain a constant speed around the bend.
This is all confusing to the first time reader and is not as simple as it seems, each corner is different and it takes a great deal of steady practise to read the limit point correctly and get the corner right. I would suggest that you read the book that all police motorcyclists read, the Motorcycle Roadcraft. Read it thoroughly, then step by step put its’ principles into practise. It’s the way we ride, the way we read the road and the way we plan and anticipate that sets us apart from other motorcyclists. We had to learn the skills gradually and put them into practise on the road, but it’s well worth it. Any idiot can ride fast in a straight line but it’s when the twisty stuff is in front of us and how you get round the corner that gives the sense of satisfaction.
OVERTAKING
The high viewing position, manoeuvrability and rapid acceleration of motorcycles give them great advantages in overtaking. These, together with their narrow road space requirements should make them the safest of all vehicles on which to overtake. The fact that they are not is because riders continually fail to appreciate all the hazards involved.
KEY SAFETY POINTS
When you are considering overtaking always follow this advice:
i) do not overtake where you cannot see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe
ii) avoid causing other vehicles to alter course or speed
iii) always be able to move back to the nearside in plenty of time
iv) always be ready to abandon the overtake if anew hazard comes into view
v) do not overtake in situations where you might come into conflict with other road users
vi) avoid making a third line of vehicles abreast
IF IN DOUBT HOLD BACK
Overtaking on a single carriageway is perhaps the most hazardous form of overtaking. And yes, the Borders roads consist mainly of single carriageway. Once again experience and training and steady practice make overtaking an art.
Develop the ability to judge the speed and distance of oncoming vehicles accurately. You need to be able to assess whether you can reach the return gap before they do. Remember – you always have the option of deciding not to overtake. Plan and prepare your overtake carefully. As well as looking for oncoming vehicles, train yourself to look specifically for other motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians before you overtake. If you do not expect to see something you may not see it, even when it’s there.
When you are judging speed and distance to overtake and a vehicle is approaching, look out for the “lurker”. This is a vehicle which closes right up behind other vehicles and then sweeps out into full view. Do not assume that the drivers of cars or motorcycles behind heavier vehicles are content to stay there. They could pull out to overtake just as you start yours. If you suspect a lurker move to your nearside to reduce the danger and increase your own visibility.
Much more advice and many more tips on overtaking can be gained by reading the Motorcycle Roadcraft book or by speaking to one of us when you're out and about on your rideout around one of our routes.
OBSERVATIONS
This might seem a bit obvious, but observation means using your sight, hearing and smell to gain as much information about conditions as possible. Keen observation is the foundation of good riding and for us motorcyclists can mean the difference between life and death. If you do not know something is there, you cannot react to it. Careful observation gives you time to think and react and so gives you more control over your riding. The more time you have to react to a hazard the more likely you are to deal with it safely. Anticipating hazards and the actions of other road users gives you extra time to react. It is unsafe to assume that other road users have seen you or will react correctly to your presence. You should always give yourself a safety margin of extra time and space to allow for others mistakes. (Classic example of the car driver pulling out from a side road – if you anticipated this as a possibility you’re already halfway through the thought process of stopping your bike and will very likely avoid a collision). Ride defensively.
All roads have zones of invisibility. There a probably more zones of invisibility on country roads, like the ones we ride on in around the corner. In some areas our views will be good and in others we can only see what’s directly in front of us. Where the view is restricted it’s essential that we use alternative sources of information, making the most of any glimpses of wider views.
When you approach a hazard where the view is restricted, position your bike to get the best view that is consistent with your safety. Take every opportunity, however brief, to improve your observation of converging roads and the road ahead. Opportunities are presented by open spaces and breaks in hedges, fences or walls. It is often possible to assess the severity of a bend or gradient by the position of trees, hedges or lampposts.
Another common mistake is sitting too close to a larger vehicle in front. The excuse is that the rider’s looking for an overtake. Try dropping back from the vehicle in front, you’ll be surprised how much more you can see both up the nearside and offside of the vehicle and by a very slight deviation in position of the bike this view is increased even further. The chances are you’ll be able to nick an overtake quicker and safer because you can see more of what’s coming and what’s going on around you.
These are just some of the top tips that we can pass on to bikers like yourself. Most of our knowledge comes from the Motorcycle Roadcraft – the book all advanced police motorcyclists use. I recommend that you read it. If you benefit from the advice it gives then why not think about taking some advanced training and putting the advice into practice. However, we’re very happy to pass on all our knowledge and experience when we’re out and about on “around the corner”. If you see us and want to learn more, or want to have something explained in more detail please come and ask, we’re only too willing to help. The police are not all about issuing tickets. We’d much rather pass on helpful tips to help you improve your riding skills and see you get more enjoyment out of your ride out.
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