Biking Tips - Roadcraft
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Corners - the 'vanishing point'
A useful 'tool' in judging your approach speed and speed through corners is the 'Vanishing Point' also known as 'Limit Point' and 'Convergence Point' - In simple terms, as you approach a bend in the road look for the point where, from your point of view (to the left of your lane for a right-hander or towards the centre line of the road, oncoming traffic allowing, for a left-hander), the two sides of the road (verge, curb, edge of tarmac) appear to join, this is the 'vanishing point’
If this seems to be getting closer to you, the bend is tightening up, if it is moving away from you, the bend is opening out...[more]
 

Approach speed at juntions
Sometimes a little less speed will actually get you where you're going quicker! This is an extract from a comment from a fellow rider after an assessed ride with a Police motorcyclist at a recent BikeSafe event:
"The riding too fast bit was evident at a couple of T-junctions where my speed on entry forced me to stop and look for other traffic before pulling out (they were 'give ways'). He pointed out to me that if I approached a little slower I would have been able to assess the traffic and go through the junction without stopping."

Roudabouts
‘Roundabout and roundabout and roundabout we go, roundabout the table, the table in the nursery…..’ (AA Milne Now We Are Six)

Roundabouts are brilliant tools for shifting lots of traffic. They are in essence short circular one-way streets. They are one of the places where good observation accompanied by good anticipation and accurate planning, can really pay off – isn’t it rewarding to arrive at the junction at the same time as the gap you want. And talking of gaps, try not to travel beside the traffic in the other lane – travel beside the gaps in it instead.

As for the rights and wrongs, well any collection of advanced riders will probably come up with different notions and who are we to judge. Most drivers do what they were originally taught or something based on that, so it not surprising there are variations

Try starting simply however; the 1959 Highway code advise was ‘ There are no rights of way in general on roundabouts’ ....That was it!

Over time more advice has been given on signalling: the generality might be summed up:

If the exit is after 12 0’ clock (related to an entry at 6 o’clock) it would be a right turn and left would be for the first exit. As for signalling – left to go left, right to go right, none to go straight on and in all cases signal left as you pass the exit before the one you are leaving on.

But what about line? for this we turn to Dave Jones’ ‘The Assessment of Advanced Motorcycling’ the following are edited extracts from page 71.

‘Selecting the best lane on approach is crucial. When entering the roundabout the rider should occupy the lane for his intended destination where marked. Whenever possible he should take the straightest course from entrance to exit.

If the straight course is not immediately available due to traffic, the rider should consider a slight speed adjustment to create an opportunity of creating such a course. This is most beneficial when the road is wet as he remains more stable.
 

Lane dropping
We’ve all heard of ‘name dropping’ but what about ‘Lane dropping’ Many busy high speed road and motorway junctions employ ‘lane drops’ – this the Highway agency’s official name for them although many of us may know them better as ‘exit lanes’- as a means of easing traffic flow.

Basically a lane drop is where lane 1 of a motorway becomes a dedicated exit lane some distance from the actual exit point. The start of lane dedication is identified by overhead direction signs. So we know what lane drops are but how should we deal with them? Well there is little formal guidance so seemingly we must rely on our own intuition and commonsense.

Gwent police in response to a request from the Gwent Group of Advanced Motorists have kindly proffered the following:

When approaching a junction, look well ahead for signals and signs, particularly those relating to drop lanes. Direction signs may be placed over the road. If you need to change lanes to enter the drop lane, do so in good time. It should not be done aggressively; it should be unobtrusive and cause no inconvenience to other road users. Only get into drop lane if you wish to go in the direction indicated on the overhead signs relating to that drop lane.
You should drive in the drop lane as if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a slower moving vehicle that is travelling in front of you in the drop lane ensure that is not done aggressively; it should be unobtrusive and cause no inconvenience to other road users. Return to the drop lane once you have overtaken all the vehicles or if you are delaying the traffic behind you’

Extracted from an article by Stuart Hutchinson in Gwent Group of Advanced Motorists magazine Oct 2007
 

Indication...
Q. When is it useful to give a signal?’
A. When it might benefit someone.
Need any more be said?
 

 
Which foot to use to support the bike when stationary?
When we are stopped at traffic lights or are waiting for traffic to clear then we have to support the bike with either the left or right foot on the ground. The mechanically sympathetic biker will also have engaged neutral and released the clutch lever so as to reduce wear and tear on the clutch linkage (also a safety tip - if you are shunted from behind with luck you may keep the bike upright but that's less likely if the bike's in gear and you drop the clutch as a result of the unexpected 'impact' from behind).
Posers may also wish to adjust the angle of his/her shades with their left hand!
 

Ok, so which foot to use?

Here in the UK, learner riders are instructed to use the left foot to support the bike while the right foot is covering/applying the rear brake. This is a mandatory technique in order to pass the UK Riding Test.

Once he/she has passed the test, the skilled and thinking biker will use the RIGHT FOOT (assuming your bike's gears are on the left side of your bike!)
 

Why? Well if you think about it, using the left foot to support the bike will cause you to start what we nickname in the UK as the "Hendon Shuffle" when you decide to change gear and continue your ride. To engage gear with your left foot you will need to change the support for the bike to the right foot. This causes a delay and looks decidedly uncool. Had you used your right foot to support the bike then your left is immediately available to change gear and make progress.

"What if I am on a gradient? When I take my right foot off the foot brake the bike will start to roll backward/forward" I hear you ask.

This is true and that is why we use the front brake to keep the bike stationary. 
 

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