Think Bike stresses safety on the roads

“Biking is obviously not as safe as driving in a car, but we believe it is a risk that can be managed,” says Réhann Coetzee, from Think Bike.

Think Bike preaches the following:

* Be visible; wear a reflective vest.

* Ride within your abilities.

* Obey the law and keep to the speed limits, they are there for a reason.

“Not everyone knows this, but lane-splitting (riding between cars while passing them) is legal in South Africa.

“And, therefore, it is frustrating if motorists won’t let a motorcyclist through during peak traffic on the highways. However, lane-splitting at 120km/h while traffic is at a virtual standstill might be strictly legal, but it is definitely also idiotic.”

Think Bike says you should not lane-split at more than 20-30km/h faster than the prevailing speed of the traffic.

“If you go faster than that, you reduce your margin for error to zero; you simply cannot take evasive action should an emergency occur,” says Coetzee.

Think Bike has always promoted the idea of a Biker Lane on the highway, which is an imaginary lane that straddles the dotted line between the fast and second lanes. That is where most motorists expect motorcycles on the highway in peak traffic.

“But our latest concern is motorcyclists riding on the right-hand shoulder of the highway – in what we call the Suicide Lane.

“Riders feel safer there because it looks like a clean lane with no traffic, but we think that is probably the biggest misconception bikers prefer to stay under.

“It is a very narrow lane with no escape path. Debris from the road surface is blown there and the risk of a puncture is extremely high. Also, if a car breaks down, it is likely to stop there.

“And of course, it is an escape lane should an accident occur in the fast lane.

“Last year we tried to monitor accidents on the N1 north between 14th Avenue and William Nicol Drive.

“Over a period of three or so months, five bikes had been in accidents in the Suicide Lane on that stretch, and two of these collided with one another. Over the same period, there were no accidents in the Biker Lane.”

He adds that they maintain that motorcyclists have to accept responsibility for their own safety.

“It is true that motorists are not as aware of motorcycles as we would like them to be, but that just makes your safety an even bigger responsibility.”

Coetzee urges both motorists and bikers to respect the rules of the road and ride or drive to get home safely to your loved ones. – @CarmenBoksburg