May 15th, 2016, 12:26 PM | #1 |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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Commuting for the first time?!
So I have had the bike a few months, but I have successfully been on the roads by my self 4 or 5 times, and although I need work on emergency stops and not stalling when I am at a stop sign, I think I am going to tackle commuting now. I go in at 7 am, so no problems there, but I DO get off at 5 O'clock when rush hour hits. I plan to take less traveled on roads to get back home. Any advice here? Anything really is going to help.
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May 15th, 2016, 12:48 PM | #2 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
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Find a place close by to watch the traffic jams in the shade till the wildness calms down... It's what I used to do
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May 15th, 2016, 12:52 PM | #3 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Be observant.
Be assertive, but not aggressive. Don't tailgate. Watch for vehicles turning left in front of you (all three ways they can do it). If you're behind a big truck or bus, the guy that's going to turn left in front of you will not see you. Wear bright colored jacket and helmet. Wear proper gear. |
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May 15th, 2016, 01:39 PM | #4 | |
Cat herder
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Quote:
I'd add the following: RELAX and go with the flow. Keep pace with traffic. Do a head check before changing lanes. This helps with situational awareness and also cues drivers that you're about to change lanes. Do not worry about what's immediately behind you (new riders often obsess over this). There's nothing you can do about that guy. (If you're last in line at a stop light, however, it might be a good idea to watch your mirror for that texting idiot who might rear-end you.) Plan well ahead. Look through the windows of the car in front of you to anticipate sudden slowdowns. Watch for brake lights. Position yourself so you always have an escape route. Stay out of drivers' blind spots. If you're going to pass, pass. Don't plant yourself next to someone's fender and stay there. Get out of the passing lane if you're not passing (huge pet peeve of mine). Go ahead and use your high beam. I've found that when following a driver hogging the passing lane, high beam plus a slow weave from center to alignment with the driver's side mirror can do wonders... people wake up and realize there's a bike behind them, and will move over more often than not.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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May 15th, 2016, 02:04 PM | #5 | |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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Quote:
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May 15th, 2016, 04:04 PM | #6 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Kerry
Location: Ventura, CA
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MOTM - Apr '18, Apr '17, Apr '16
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Have fun! Commuting is much better on a bike than in a car.
Hi-viz vest, sure, why not. Sitting at a stop light, flash your brake light when you see a car come up behind you. A flashing light gets a driver's attention more than the solid brake or tail light. Also once you stop, turn your front wheel toward a gap so that if a car hits you from behind, you'll get pushed somewhere safer than into the bumper in front of you. I usually turn toward the lane-line or toward the side of the road. Somewhere open. |
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May 15th, 2016, 04:27 PM | #7 | |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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May 15th, 2016, 06:21 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Tom
Location: Northern Virginia
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MOTM - Jan '16
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I wear a hi-visit vest, and I strap my backpack to the passenger seat with a bungy cargo net.
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May 15th, 2016, 06:27 PM | #9 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Next helmet, think of a lighter color.
Your head is the highest, most prominent thing on the bike. The hazards that matter most are those in front of you... and your fairing, windscreen and headlight will obscure most of that vest. Observe: The following rider in this photo is wearing a hi viz vest but the helmet is far more noticeable. Which do you think would do more to improve your visibility: A bright helmet or something bright on your chest? I don't bother with a hi-viz jacket any more. My jacket is black. But I do wear hi-viz on the stuff people are more likely to see....
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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May 15th, 2016, 06:34 PM | #10 |
Vintage Screwball
Name: B
Location: Washington
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MOTM - Mar '16
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Always, always watch the wheels of a stopped car and NOT the driver. The driver will look right at you and pull out anyway.
However, if you watch the wheels of the car, at the slightest movement you can hit the brakes or make other maneuvers. You can see if the wheels are turned towards your path of travel if they intend to change lanes in stopped traffic too. Then if they move, you'll have time to brake (hopefully).
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Goin' fast on slow bikes! |
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May 15th, 2016, 06:42 PM | #11 |
I'm crazy,your excuse is?
Name: Winston
Location: Connecticut
Join Date: May 2013 Motorcycle(s): 250 2007 ninja Posts: A lot.
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Get up extra early and practice hard stops and swerves. You will have more confidence and the needed practice for the ride.
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May 15th, 2016, 06:51 PM | #12 |
ninjette.org member
Name: ar
Location: esco
Join Date: Apr 2016 Motorcycle(s): ex250 Posts: 77
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and, trash days always added some extra caution. kids,pets, cars blocked by the cans as well as trucks moving slow or stopped.
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May 15th, 2016, 08:21 PM | #13 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
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May 15th, 2016, 08:35 PM | #14 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Jeremy
Location: Minneapolis
Join Date: Apr 2016 Motorcycle(s): 01 Ninja 250 Posts: 69
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Ride more before you go and start commuting. Seriously.
Not trying to be mean, but if you know your not confident and lacking in certain basic skills, ie stopping and starting from a dead stop, then you should not be doing what you're wanting to do. Especially at the end if the day when everyone is itching to get home after a ****** day at work. My suggestion, drive your car and when you get home, dedicate an hour or two each day/every other day to getting in the roads more. Seriously. You say you've been on the road 4 or 5 times now, please, please, please, get some more road experience before you subject yourself to commuting and dealing with asshats that do not have the patience for a newb rider. |
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May 15th, 2016, 08:43 PM | #15 | |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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May 15th, 2016, 09:00 PM | #16 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Jeremy
Location: Minneapolis
Join Date: Apr 2016 Motorcycle(s): 01 Ninja 250 Posts: 69
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Quote:
I do still suggest getting more road time before trying to tackle major commutes. Honestly, a week of riding for an hour or two after work and you'll be feeling a lot more sure of yourself. Btw, Bloomington, Indiana? |
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May 15th, 2016, 09:11 PM | #17 | |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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Quote:
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May 15th, 2016, 09:26 PM | #18 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Jeremy
Location: Minneapolis
Join Date: Apr 2016 Motorcycle(s): 01 Ninja 250 Posts: 69
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Well, as a fellow Hoosier, I wish you luck and safe travels.
Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! |
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May 16th, 2016, 05:08 AM | #19 | |
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Name: Tom
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Quote:
While your commute is short, remember most accidents happen close to the point of origin. Those short little trips in town are more dangerous than cross country trip on the highway. |
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May 16th, 2016, 05:20 AM | #20 | |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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Quote:
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May 16th, 2016, 05:22 AM | #21 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Tom
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Quote:
I used to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, 30 KM commute to work and no speed limits outside of town. Rode a CBR1100XX. That was a fun commute. Now I'm in the suburbs of Washington DC with some of the worst traffic in the country. |
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May 16th, 2016, 07:33 AM | #22 | |
EX500 full of EX250 parts
Name: Bill
Location: Grand Rapids-ish, MI
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Quote:
If stalling at a stop sign is still a major concern for you, adding in heavy traffic could end up being quite stressful. When you're stressed out is when you're most likely to make a mistake, and the extra traffic increases the odds that a mistake will result in something bad happening. The more comfortable you are on your bike, the more resources you can put into staying safe.
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*** Unregistered, I'm not your mom and I'm not paying for your parts, so do whatever you want with your own bike. *** |
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May 20th, 2016, 11:05 AM | #23 |
Slower than you.
Name: toEleven
Location: NoVA
Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): CBR600RR, CB750, EX300 (半蔵) Posts: 667
MOTM - May '16
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I didn't see it mentioned, and maybe the short distance is a mitigating factor. Anyway, ride the route a few times on days you're not working, and don't have any time related pressures. Find new routes as well. You're obviously familiar with the directions, but that route via car is not the same as that route via motorcycle. Something as simple as a traffic signal that fails to detect your bike can make your commute more stressful than it needs to be, especially if you're not expecting it.
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DISCLAIMERv1.0: There may be more info on the topic than this forum post. Conduct your own research. If another thread is linked or quoted, go read it yourself. |
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May 20th, 2016, 11:14 AM | #24 |
I'm crazy,your excuse is?
Name: Winston
Location: Connecticut
Join Date: May 2013 Motorcycle(s): 250 2007 ninja Posts: A lot.
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So how did it go?
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May 20th, 2016, 11:22 AM | #25 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Yeah. Were you the windshield, or were you the bug?
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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May 20th, 2016, 11:23 AM | #26 |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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unfortunately I havent done it yet, one of my buddies convienced me to ride my path to work this weekend so I can get to know the road on my bike with out so much traffic before i commuted. However, it looks like rain all next week I am so tired of it raining here!
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May 20th, 2016, 12:25 PM | #27 | |
Slower than you.
Name: toEleven
Location: NoVA
Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): CBR600RR, CB750, EX300 (半蔵) Posts: 667
MOTM - May '16
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Quote:
__________________________________________________
DISCLAIMERv1.0: There may be more info on the topic than this forum post. Conduct your own research. If another thread is linked or quoted, go read it yourself. |
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May 20th, 2016, 12:39 PM | #28 |
Just sittin on my stool..
Name: Amanda
Location: Bloomington, IN
Join Date: May 2016 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 429
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May 20th, 2016, 01:38 PM | #29 |
ninjette.org dude
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/moved to riding skills
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May 20th, 2016, 03:44 PM | #30 |
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Even though it's a short distance away, I'd still wait until you don't stall anymore before commuting. Being a new rider is stressful enough on it's own. Throwing in the stress of commuting in traffic isn't going to help that at all and is more likely to make more new rider errors happen.
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May 20th, 2016, 06:01 PM | #31 | |
n00bie to wannabie
Name: Bill
Location: St Ives, BC (Shuswap Lake)
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Quote:
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The Smart Money: #1 - ATGATT, #2 - Training (machine skills and survival skills), #3 - The bike; whatever floats yer boat with the money you have left over |
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June 12th, 2016, 10:13 PM | #32 |
ninjette.org member
Name: O
Location: New Jersey
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@ZeroGravity360 I would definitely read up a bit more. But the decision of commuting is freely yours.
Just wanted to point out that in reference to you saying that your commute is short and only 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the majority of motorcycle accidents happen when a rider is less than 6 minutes from their point of departure. So 10 minutes is a big deal as that is where most issues happen. As a matter of fact in "ride hard ride smart" the author says if you want to avoid most accidents never ride short rides or less than an hour. Obviously this may not be realistic. He's just making a point. For some pointers, for me, In the beginning I was paying attention a lot to what's behind me but the truth is most accidents come from 45 degrees to your front left or right. So I would pay attention to what's in front of me and predict 12 seconds ahead. Research shows that Intersections are the most dangerous for bike riders so be extra cautious there. Left turners, cars flying passed stop signs. Cars coming out of driveways, out of parking spots. A lot of **** happens on local roads. You have to be alert. Like mentioned above, the wheels of the car will indicate quicker to you what the driver is going to do more than looking at the car itself. |
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June 12th, 2016, 10:18 PM | #33 |
n00bie to wannabie
Name: Bill
Location: St Ives, BC (Shuswap Lake)
Join Date: Sep 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2012 250R (Red), 2005 VFR800A (Red), CRF450X (Red), 2012 F800GS (Wants to be Red!) Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Nov '15
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A large number of accidents would be completely avoided if proper use of the front brake was applied. This cannot be stressed enough. It takes practice.
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The Smart Money: #1 - ATGATT, #2 - Training (machine skills and survival skills), #3 - The bike; whatever floats yer boat with the money you have left over |
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