Why a collision is never an option for a motorcyclist

[Motofool]

These crash tests clearly show the extraordinary accelerations and associated forces that develop right after a motorcycle collides with a car, van or truck, even at moderate speeds (most tests are done at around 30 ~ 35 mph / 50 ~ 55 km/h).

Note how the center of gravity of the body, which is located around the bellybutton, tends to continue moving forward due to inertia and how the tank makes it go higher, which induces a rotation of the whole body.

Note as well how heavy the head behaves and how weak the muscles of the neck are to prevent its movement and rotation.
Any rider that has fallen knows how impossible it is to control the movements of the head while it hits the road.

Do all you can to stay out of dangerous traffic situations, but if you are involved in one, fight to the very end and do all you can to avoid a collision in the following order:

1) Brake, brake, brake !!!: Reducing speed exponentially reduces forces of impact. Practice emergency braking weekly. My hypothesis is that if a car is invading your path, it is unlikely that another car is following you too close.

2) Swerve, swerve, swerve !!!: Mentally and easier to do after your speed has been reduced. You have had some extra seconds to look for an escape route. There is more traction available. Aim for the rear of the moving car (opening path) rather than for the front (closing path). Practice resistance to target fixation during panic situations and emergency swerving weekly. Let your eyes and body get use to the situation (even if imaginary) and to the associated forces and control inputs.

3) Downshift and accelerate!!!: Yes, according to the situation you may need to get out of that spot as quickly as possible. For example, riding by a left turner who "has seen you and is yielding", you want to accelerate as soon as you are reaching that critical point at which that car can still hit you.

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas A. Edison

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Singh2jz]

Thanks for this. We need a constant reminder of these kinds of things..as well as the ATGATT and insurance threads.

[Hero Danny]

Wow, that video really opened up my eyes. Not so much for the damage done to the motorcyclist, but also the damage the motorcyclist can do to the driver of a car. I never would of thought that the cage was in danger too... Very surprising. I'm definitely going to practice braking techniques weekly once riding season starts up again.

[FreelancerMG]

There are pictures of motorcycles lodged inside of cars and the motorcyclist often themselves becoming deadly projectiles. As a child I witnessed a car accident where the driver of one car become a deadly object and killed the other driver in a head on collision. That's just 180lbs of meat, think what 400+ lbs of metal can do?

[Toly]

From what I see, if you have no options, try to go over the hood (or the trunk), from such an angle as not to hit the windshield, at slowest speed possible. Ie, do your best to control the speed and projection of impact, with idea of rolling over the car.

Anticipating drivers' most stupid moves and always having a way out is the only safe way... But even that is not enough: you should always account for sudden obstacles to pop up: a car pulling out from a blind corner, a deer leaping over the fence... so it's both what you see, and what you don't.

RIP Samer

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Motofool

These crash tests clearly show the extraordinary accelerations and associated forces that develop right after a motorcycle collides with a car, van or truck, even at moderate speeds (most tests are done at around 30 ~ 35 mph / 50 ~ 55 km/h).

Note how the center of gravity of the body, which is located around the bellybutton, tends to continue moving forward due to inertia and how the tank makes it go higher, which induces a rotation of the whole body.

Note as well how heavy the head behaves and how weak the muscles of the neck are to prevent its movement and rotation.
Any rider that has fallen knows how impossible it is to control the movements of the head while it hits the road.

Link to original page on YouTube.

I can attest to every single word of this. I had no idea that what, going down, I thought was going to be another easy low-side slide ended up being a jerking series of uncontrollable, flailing body movements that seemed to increase in wobbly speed after the bike tossed me off. Never have I known my body to be a weapon against itself until I toppled across the grass back out onto the middle of the racetrack fueled by only the inertia of my moving body. Crazy. I knew I was in trouble when I tried to give my usual (crashing-pro here) ok thumb up and I couldn't. That sinking feeling hurt worse than the broken back and thumb. Still does. Luckily I have never crashed like that on the street, but feeling what the body can do to itself has made me a different kind of rider...unfortunately.

Sucks to screw up. Try really hard not to. Especially on the street.

[ally99]

That was a helluva crazy video.

Good thing to be reminded what we're up against.