CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 4 MICHAEL ECKHARDT
B Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Calvary Regiment
Simmons Army Airfield
Fort Liberty, North Carolina
It was a beautiful, sunny Hawaiian day with the thermometer resting comfortably in the 80s — perfect weather for a motorcycle ride along Oahu’s North Shore. After a quick check of my trusty steed, a new Suzuki GSX-R1000, I donned my personal protective equipment (PPE) and headed for the gate.
I had recently graduated from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Experienced RiderCourse and considered myself a competent rider. I’d been riding since I was 4 years old, including competing in professional motocross racing since high school. I’d also been riding sportbikes for several years and felt confident in my skills.
As I rode down Kamehameha Highway toward Haleiwa that Saturday morning, I was amazed at the number of tourists on the road. I thought about the upcoming race at the Kahuku motocross track that weekend. At the same time, I was reminding myself to stay alert to the dangers along my route.
As I approached an intersection, I saw I had the green light and a clear road around the sweeping right-hand turn. While there were cars stopped on the left side of the intersection, I wasn’t concerned. After all, I had the green light. I wasn’t prepared when, at the worst possible moment, a white van crossed the road and pulled into my lane.
I knew I couldn’t stop in time, so I instinctively grabbed a handful of front brake and started looking for maneuver options, but they were limited. There was no road shoulder — only a pineapple field to my right. Riding into it would ensure a crash, so that wasn’t a good option.
I guided my bike to the left in hopes of passing the van when, to my horror, I saw a car in the oncoming lane. It was too late to go to the right, so I began contemplating how a mouthful of that van would taste. Fortunately, the oncoming car’s driver suddenly pulled into a ditch on his side of the road, allowing me to thread the needle and pass the van on the left.
I immediately pulled over. I was shaking as I removed my helmet. The fact I’d narrowly missed a very bad crash hadn’t escaped me. I suddenly no longer felt like riding. As I sat there regaining my composure, I began evaluating what happened and where I’d gone wrong. I realized I made a number of mistakes.
First, although I was familiar with the road and knew that intersection could be dangerous, I didn’t give it the respect it deserved. Second, I was going too fast for the road and the conditions. The posted speed limit was 55 mph, but I was going closer to 65 mph when the van pulled out. Third, I was overconfident in my abilities. As it turned out, despite my experience in motocross racing, very little of what I’d learned on the track translated to the street. Lastly, I overestimated my bike’s capabilities. When the van pulled out in front of me, not even the GSX-R’s amazing braking capability could stop me in time. Complacency, too much speed and overconfidence in myself and my bike left me without options when I needed them most.
I learned a lifetime of lessons in that fraction of a second. Never let the deceptive calm of a beautiful day blind you to the risks while riding. The moment you stop looking for the risks, they’ll start looking for you.
FYI
Approaching Intersections
The greatest potential for conflict and a chance of collision between you and other traffic is at intersections. An intersection is anywhere traffic may cross your path. It can be in the middle of an urban area or at a driveway on a residential street. Over 50 percent of motorcycle/passenger vehicle collisions are caused by drivers entering a rider’s right-of-way. Vehicles turning left in front of you, including those illegally turning left from the wrong lane, as well as vehicles on side streets pulling into your lane, are the biggest dangers. Your use of the SEE process (Search, Evaluate, Execute) at intersections is critical.
There are no guarantees others will see you. Never count on eye contact as a sign that a driver will yield to you. Too often, a driver can look right at a motorcyclist and still fail to see him or her. The only eyes you can count on are your own. If a vehicle can enter your path, assume it will. Good motorcycle riders are always looking for trouble — not to get into it, but to stay out of it.
Increase the chances of being seen at intersections by riding with your headlight on and choosing a lane position that provides the best view of oncoming traffic. Maintain enough space around your motorcycle that permits you to take evasive action. As you approach an intersection, select a lane position that increases your visibility to the driver. Cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce reaction time. Reduce your speed as you approach an intersection. After entering the intersection, move away from vehicles preparing to turn. Do not change speed or position radically. The driver might think you are preparing to turn.
When you approach a blind intersection, move to the position that brings you into another driver’s field of vision at the earliest possible moment. If you have a stop sign or stop line, stop there first. Then edge forward and stop again, just short of where the cross-traffic lane meets your lane. From this position, lean your body forward and look around buildings, parked vehicles or bushes to see if anything is coming. Make sure your front wheel stays out of the cross lane of travel while you are looking.
For more information and products related to motorcycle safety — including checklists, videos, small-unit leader cards, rider refresher exercises, posters and more — visit the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center’s website at https://safety.army.mil/OFF-DUTY/PMV-2-Motorcycles.
Source: California Department of Motor Vehicles Motorcycle Handbook