Safety Prescriptions

Safety Prescriptions
By David & Dori Dirig; CA-1F

A friend of mine went down this weekend. This article is not written in response to anything that happened in my friend’s mishap except for one point. My friend’s injuries and damage to a beautiful machine emphasize that we enjoy a dangerous hobby. Things can go horribly wrong in an instant, and all we have to protect ourselves is our own habits, attitudes, and abilities. We put ourselves at risk every time the bike comes up off the side stand. The level of risk each of us is comfortable with and how we reduce this risk comes down to our individual styles, habits, and backgrounds. This is why Dori and I have gotten so involved in the Rider Education Program. Anything that promotes safe motorcycling with awareness and reduction of risks can and does save lives. Whether you are involved in the Rider Education Program or not, we hope that you recognize the dangerous nature of motorcycling and find ways to address the risks involved.

I am a pharmacist in ‘real life,’ and I commute daily on my Wing (or the Valkyrie when Dori lets me J). Obviously, my day-to-day professional activities are dangerous to others and myself. Medications must be carefully selected and given at doses exactly as ordered. Too high or too low a dose can kill. If handled improperly, anti-cancer agents can injure those preparing and administering the medication. What does all this have to do with motorcycling? In my professional practice, certain procedures are established and must always be followed to minimize ‘Medication Misadventures.’ These practice guidelines are created to protect both patients and professionals. To perform my work in any other way puts others and myself at risk. Most importantly, these risk reduction techniques must be followed invariably every time with the same attention to detail in order to avoid potential injuries and deaths.

I approach motorcycling in a similar fashion. Certain practices, if applied consistently, can reduce the potential for ‘Motorcycle Misadventures.’ If not followed unfailingly, however, these risk reduction attempts are flawed and may not protect when needed. Each day, I use one set of practice guidelines to keep me safe going to and from work and another set of guidelines to keep my work safe. Below are some of the ‘practice guidelines’ that I use to reduce my risks. Some are mine, some are taken from others, and I am sure some of the ones that I think are mine I unconsciously have taken from other sources. These are not written as a treatise on ‘How to ride’ and have no official affiliation with the Rider Education Program. Think of them rather as my personal set of practice guidelines. Others may have differing opinions, and there are additional items that can be drawn from Motorcycle Safety Foundation and other safety resources beyond the ideas shown below. Hopefully, others can benefit from my discussion of this topic and use my ideas or think about their own set of guidelines. Are you consistently applying the risk reduction techniques that you should while riding?

Motorcycle Safety Prescriptions

Conserve traction and maximize following distances.
When in doubt, slow down.
Look where you’re not looking.
Leave yourself an escape route.
Turn your head! Mirrors can tell you ‘No” but never “Yes.”

He/she with the lowest blood pressure wins.
Being dead right is still wrong.
See and be seen.
Ride like they don’t see you……They don’t!
Be prepared for the unexpected. (Louis Pastueur – “Chance favors the prepared mind”)

Practice makes permanent, not perfect.
Perfect practice makes perfect
Practice the maneuvers you don’t like!

Dress for the fall, not for the ride.
Cover only those parts of your anatomy you wish