Heels & Horsepower Magazine

Tip of the Week: Here’s Why It’s Hard To Spot Motorcyclists

By H&H Admin

There are many reasons why motorcyclists are not always visible to other road users; the main one is that too many motorists drive distracted.  

Another relates to the simple fact that human vision has limits and cannot easily detect small objects moving at high speed.  

If motorists had vision similar to that of a hawk, humans would be better equipped to identify small, fast-moving objects from afar, which would go a long way towards reducing incidents between cars and motorcycles. 

The thing is, a motorcycle takes up very little space on the road compared to a car, bakkie, truck, or bus. Coupled with speed, motorcycles not only take up a small portion of space on the road but also takes up a small portion of a motorists’ vision.  

If a rider is travelling at high speed, a driver may not register the rider’s presence until it seemingly ‘pops up from nowhere’.

The answer is for all road users to be vigilant at all times and aware of their surroundings.  Using Bluetooth and indicators (yeas, those stalks on either side of your steering wheel), go a long way towards keeping the road a safe space for motorcyclists, and other motorists.

Car Tip of the Week: Beware when driving around trucks and buses

Don’t fall in directly behind trucks or large vehicles that obstruct your view of the road ahead or hide your view of other motorists.  Don’t rely solely on your mirrors. Check your left and right hand sides as well as over your shoulders before changing lanes, overtaking or turning. Always be aware of your position on the road in relation to the vehicles around you at all times.