For me, I was 19 when I had my first bike crash.  A convertible Triumph Stag pulled out on me at a 'T' junction and I went straight into the driver's door.  The driver was clearly at fault and being on his lunch break and running late to get back to work, didn't need the hassle either.  I can still remember lying in the middle of the road, holding my left leg, screaming "look what you've done to my bike"!
 
20 mins later, I was in the ambulance and I imagine he carried onto work.  That evening when he went home with just a dented door and front wing, I was lying in hospital wondering when could I get back to work, would my bike be a write-off and what about the holiday that I was meant to be on next week?  Because no matter how much the other person was at fault, it is the bike rider that comes off the worse.
 
So for this month we're going to look at three different awareness campaigns that have been released.  The first is the good old British 'Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bike' here, the second is the Australian Campaign here, and the third is one from the USA here.
 
For me, the Australian one was probably fun to make, but won't encourage anyone to modify their driving/riding.  The UK one certainly makes me think, but it is the American one that hits the hardest and keeps going round and round in my head.
 
So next time you're out on your bike, please be aware of all the other road users and consider the worse case scenario.  Look for tale tale signs, how are they posturing, are their windows misted up, are they on their phones.  In a queue why have they allowed a gap to open up, if the cars are stationary are the front wheels at an angle?  If they are pulling out, try and make eye contact, and are their wheels moving if only slightly.  The list is endless, but at the end of the day you have to ride to protect yourself, and as Dick Somers always says, "Position yourself to see and be seen".

Max - West Sussex Advanced Motorcyclists

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