And today we're talking about motor cycle safety mountain pleasant to officer Zachary G
Avononi was supposed to be here, but he got tied up.
So we settled for second best, third best, now fourth best, now he's settled for first
best. Tom did it from the Racine County traffic safety commission is here. Nice talking
to you this morning, Tom. Hi, good morning, Don. Thanks for having me on. Well, we'll
make it through it here. Yeah, you're always first best. Okay. Motorcycle safety. I know
warm weather was coming because I live on a main drag and I use that word drag carefully
because I could hear the motorcycles all night, all spring and summer long making lots
of noise going faster. Some of them are going faster than they should. But yesterday I saw
a motorcycle was behind a car. Car was going kind of slow on Main Street. And the motorcycle
went around him and went in the opposite lane to pass him and heard, beep, beep, beep, beep,
beep, you know, he can't spoke a motorcycle driver because it's dangerous. I mean, if you're
in a car, it's different to a motorcycle people, they lose their balance and there's tragedy.
So anyway, yeah, so we got to be aware of that. All right, drive. Absolutely. Yeah, you just
want one of the one of the things we we we remind all motorists this time of year is you got to
start looking out for motorcyclists, bicyclists, even pedestrian because the weather is getting nicer
and then people are getting out more and more. Yeah, I can tell that because the cars with those
loud mufflers, you know what I'm talking about, they used to have them. Try living on a main street.
I'm telling you, it's loud. I get used to it's like living on the beach. You don't hear the waves
after a while, I guess. You do get used to some of these things. Yeah. Okay, let's go over some
guidelines for a safe ride. First of all, be visible. Yeah, you got to go ahead. I think that's
I really think that's that's number one in in terms of things. You know, people got to
even with cars, it's it's amazing how many times, you know, you have an accident that
would crash or other at a intersection where people pull out and they say, geez, I just didn't see
the the other vehicle coming. I think even more critical again with motorcycles and then again
with with bicyclists as well. Now, they could ride they had a lot to ride side by side in Wisconsin.
I know I've seen that, but I go on road trips. They are they are and again, I wish Zach,
he boy, he's the expert on this. I was really impressed with last year, but yes, you can have
two in in a in a traffic lane. But again, it's it's like anything else. I think there's a responsibility
of the motorcyclists to proceed in such a way where it's it's safe. I mean, it's it's really an
advance to them if they collide with with them with a car, for example, they're going to be in
the losing end. So, but yes, to to a breast is legal in Wisconsin. You ever ride a motorcycle?
No, I I have not not as a driver as a passenger right. I have a couple times the my mother wouldn't
let me we had no what we call mini bikes. These things, excuse me, I think a lawnmower is more
powerful than these bikes. There were little bikes about two and a half feet high and all the
kids in the neighborhood had one there. I remember they were blue and white. They were called mini
bikes and they're very tiny and they didn't go faster than lawnmower. But my mother says you
wouldn't let me on it and she wouldn't let me buy one. She wouldn't let me. So I had to watch
all the other kids. I wasn't loud on them. To her dying day when she passed away at 92, she
still wouldn't let me get on a motorcycle. She said, you know, again, you know, the problem is,
I mean, parents, especially mothers can be, you know, protective of their, you know,
overprotective, you might say, but I think one of the things that the officer stressed when you
hit him on last year was that, you know, there are safety courses available and things like that.
You just like any other driver, whether you're in a car or whatever, you still have to drive
defensively. But if you drive responsibly, it can be safe and in a fun transport. And let's face
it. And then today's world with gas prices and things like that, there might even be more of an
interest in it this year, at least at this point. Motorcyclists should ride in the left third
of your wife. So you should ride in the left third of your lane when possible. But when riding next
to other vehicles on multi lane roads, stay out of the blind spots when traffic allows you,
the blind spots are always on the right. You can't see that area there. Flash your brake light when
slowing down. Cancel your turn signals after the turn and avoid equipment modifications that
make confuse other drivers. This sounds like you can drive a car with all these rules too.
Well, maybe you can cross over that way. Yes, it all comes down to, you know, visibility.
It comes down to safe operation of a vehicle. You know, a motorcycle is considered a motor vehicle
in the state of Wisconsin, and I'm sure just about everywhere. Where you run into the issues
with things, and you had mentioned that the term minibike, I remember years ago that was a pretty
big thing for, you know, policing where you'd have kids at. They would just, you know, they weren't
trying to do any harm, but they would go on their, their minibikes drive round in subdivisions.
They wouldn't be going 20 miles an hour, 25 miles an hour. They'd be going maybe 50 miles an
hour and racing through and, you know, causing somewhat of a nuisance and a safety concern for
themselves and others that were in the area. And they were not street legal. You know, so we'd
end up stopping the kids, sometimes deciding them for things. And I know I used to direct people
out to a bog out in the, the recreation area out in kind of the southwestern part of
Racine County and Northern Kenosha County, because they have a whole area out there where
people can ride off-road vehicles. What about helmets? Now, they, you must wear a helmet in Wisconsin.
Now, some states you don't have to. Do you have to? I think it depends on the age. And again,
I've been away from the enforcement of things. I think if there's instruction permits involved,
helmets are necessary. And then I think there's an age limit as well on that in terms of things.
I would refer people to look at the, the DMV website. They've got a whole host of information.
I mean, we put some of the stuff on our, on our poster, which we're kind of referring to today.
But again, the, the source of, of all information on things is, is DMV. Take a look at their website.
They do a nice job in putting out information on the laws and practical information as to,
you know, so many different areas of traffic safety. Yeah, I looked at it as Wisconsin as a
partial helmet law. All motorcycle operators and passengers under the age of 18 have to wear a
properly fitted helmet that meets the US DOT standards. All right. So there you go. I thought it
was a, yeah, had to wear a helmet because the motorcycle is sci-fi going up on Main Street. Most
of them are not wearing helmets. I don't know why you wouldn't want to wear a helmet. It's a
difference of life and death or brain injury and, you know, living a, a helpful, a healthy life.
It can be. I know over the years and speaking with, with motorcycle operators,
some of them say that it, it actually hinders their, their ability to see in, in here things.
And, you know, again, I trade off. I would certainly encourage anybody to, to wear a helmet
when they're operating a motor cycle. And they, I'm saying, same thing, we're a bicycle. I mean,
yeah, bicycle helmet. You can remember when we were kids, we, we did all kinds of things.
Didn't wear helmets, even with a bicycle, but, but, you know, it's, it's found out that, yeah,
the fall, even from a bike, you can, you can have some real issues, including serious head injuries,
if you, if you land wrong and, and, you know, knock your, knock your dog in as a wear against the
pavement. I used to take my bike. They had stingray bikes. I don't know if you remember what they
were like. They were the big banana seats and they were the big handlebars. We used to go in the
back. There was something called the pit. It was like an empty area and there was a giant dirt hill.
You went down at least to ride down there and the bike would sometimes crash out and you'd be
rolling down the hill. If my mother ever knew what I was up to, you know, she never questioned why
my jeans were, you know, I was all full of mud and dirt all over me and my bike was a mess.
You never questioned it. I don't think she wanted to know. Talk to Tom Nitter from the
Racine County Traffic Safety Commission. We're talking about motor cycles safety today. S E E
stands for search, evaluate, execute, adjust your speed. Let's talk about that.
Okay. Yeah. Well, again, it has to do with the safe operation of a motor cycle. No question
about that. And again, you know, the visibility is one of the key aspects of it. It's just, you
know, people may times don't expect it, especially this time of year because, you know,
the motorcycles are starting to get out on the road more and more and, you know, the motorists
and cars are, you know, they got to be prepared for it. So look for factors that may create
risk to determine how those factors may interact, take action to maintain safety,
and adjust your position, communicate your intentions. Ride sober, ride, ride, you know,
drunk driving is bad. Anyway, you look at it, but especially if you're on a motorcycle,
you'll lose your balance in everything. Talk about inability to drive. So yes, yes, no question
about that, you know, any type of, even with medication, people got to be aware of that. I know
we've talked about that in the past with impaired driving and so forth. People have to have to be
aware that certain, certain medications that they take and certainly if they combine it with alcohol
and may even enhance the effects of things. And, yeah, balance is very, very critical at all times.
You know, even if you're driving a vehicle with with with four wheels on, that's let alone too.
Let's take a look from the driver of the cars point of view now. Or if you're driving a car
or a truck, you got to share the road with motorcycles, caution when making those left turns.
Nearly half a motorcycle crashes involve another motor vehicle. Motorcycles are smaller. Watch
carefully. They may be closer than they appear. Says the right in the mirror. Objects may be
closer than they appear. Says right there. Give motorcycles. They share the road. Never share.
You know, I watch this road. They show called road rage. And they always get ticked off of motorcycles
and they trail them so closely. I don't know why people are so stupid on those road rage shows.
Never share the same traffic lane with a motorcycle. Check blind spots before changing lanes or
turning. Give motorcycles adequate room and no common hand signals for turns.
Do they use hand signals on motorcycles? They do when there's also a turn signal on some
moment. It probably depends upon the make of the cycle and the size and so forth.
Prevent rear end collisions leave adequate following distance. That's on the road rage. That's
one of the problems. And they try to like bounce against the motorcycle with the car to teach
him a lesson. But they stupid. I mean, well, again, you know, you got to, you got to give enough space,
you know, for, you know, between vehicles and so forth. And, you know, you hear an expression
today. It's more of a social thing. Stay in your lane. I mean, that's really true. And you got
to, got to interact properly with other, with other vehicles. We all have a responsibility.
And motorcycles have their own right of way. The good friend of mine once said,
common sense is not common. A lot of truth in that. All right. So leave adequate distance.
Motorcycles may slow without visible brake lights. Really? All right. And wet roads may require
motorcycles to reduce their speed sooner and secure loads and trailers, rapidly secure a cargo.
Loose items can become dangerous hazardous to drivers and riders. That's so true. Something even
like, you know, a small thing bouncing out of your truck onto the road, you know, cars can
ride over it. Motorcycle is scared over it. I've seen that happen that some of these,
these reality shows it just, you know, something falling off your car is a death
warrant for these motorcycles. Absolutely. And, you know, there is state law with people
securing cargo, you know, especially with whether it be, you know, dumb trucks or trailers,
pickup trucks, anything like that. There is a responsibility and most, most commercial people
understand that and so forth. And finally, bicycle safety. These are the bikes with no
motors on. I don't believe a safe distance. Give at least three feet when passing a bicycle.
If I see one riding alongside on the road, I go, I purposely move my car out if there's nobody
coming in the other lane. Give them room. I go right over and I think most people do that.
You don't ride right next to them. You give them a little room, obey traffic signals, follow
signals or signs affecting bicycle lanes and ride to the right. Right as close as practical to
the right side of the roadway for bicycles. So either bicycles or motorcycles can be careful
out there. It's dangerous. You know, everybody thinks they want and I'm dating myself here.
Everybody wants to be an easy rider. Remember the movie easy rider with Peter Fonda and Dennis
Hopper. I do. Yes. Get the motor running and heading down the highway. You know what? They
wore helmets in easy rider. Jack Nicholson, who got on the back of one of the bikes, he wore a helmet.
So they did wear helmets in the movie. So yes. Yes. That was kind of neat. All right. If anybody wants
to check on these motorcycle safety tips, where do they find them online? Well, there's we have a
same safe, you know, for the website, Racine County State, you know, slash staying safe that come.
And again, the DMV website is another great resource for people to look up the information. Tom
Knitter from the Racine County Traffic Safety Commission on WR Jam. Back next month with another
series of safety tips for your drivers out there.
