People thinking of becoming motorcycle riders may have all sorts of misconceptions about how motorcycles operate. One of those misconceptions, according to Ride Apart, is that new cyclists believe riding a motorcycle is not any different from driving a car. This is a dangerous notion that can land a motorcycle rider in deep trouble on a Connecticut highway. If a new rider does not know how to handle a motorcycle, serious injury or death could result.
One of the biggest issues any motorcyclist should be aware of is that motorcycles are much harder to visualize on the road than most vehicles. A typical car driver is going to be on the lookout for other cars, trucks and other comparable automobiles. Motorcycles are not as common on the road, but they are also much smaller in size, so a car driver is less likely to see you usually because the driver is not expecting to see you or you are in the blind spot of the car.
For this reason, you should never expect that the bigger vehicles around you are always going to take notice of you. Your awareness must be much greater than it would be if you were behind the wheel of a car. Your driving should also be more defensive. As a motorcyclist, you would have to keep farther away from vehicles and avoid blind spots if at all possible.
Road hazards are also going to present more problems for motorcycles. Things like potholes, railroad tracks, fallen tree branches, dead animals and slippery roads can present real trouble because of the lighter weight and more precarious balance of a motorcycle. If struck by a physical obstacle or a cavity in the road, a motorcycle stands a greater chance of spilling out of control.
Finally, perhaps the greatest difference is that as a motorcycle rider, you ride your vehicle exposed to the outside elements. So if you get into an automobile accident, you do not have the surroundings of a car or truck to absorb some of the impact, which exposes you to greater injury or death. And unlike car drivers, motorcyclists are also exposed to potentially dangerous natural elements such as wind, rain, and snow.
Because motorcycle accidents can be caused by many different factors, do not consider this article as legal advice. It is only written to provide general information on motorcycle accident topics.
