5 Seconds is NOT Much Time to Save Your Life! 

I see the scammers are at it again this morning. If someone responds with a message that looks like it might be from me and asks you to "text them"...it is a scam. I have deleted multitudes of messages in the last few days and a few from this video already. #RU-vid needs to do something about this. On a side note, you can become a member of MCrider, watch videos ad-free (no scammers), get access to the forum and field guide, and more. Your membership allows me to continue to run MCrider and release videos like this. Become a Member: www.MCrider.com/Member Thanks for watching, Kevin

Thanks, we really can’t hear that advice enough times. It’s foundational. To your point that riders should be focused on “me” - that which we have control over - is critical. I would add, leave your ego parked at home. If someone runs a stop in front of you, but you were prepared for it, keep your cool. Getting bent out of shape will only makes things worse for you for the ride ahead.

I am such a huge fan of the consistent message of this channel. Been here watching for 5 years now. The message is consistent. Take responsibility for yourself. Stop being Prima-donnas and drama queens (you know who you are). Being on 2 wheels does not elevate your privileges on the roads. Practice. Practice. Practice. Great work! Keep it going!

Prayer for safety before, and thankfulness after every ride is only a very good thing in my journeys. No matter how observant and cautious I am, there is always a point in an intersection where things are completely out of my hands. I try to do my best, but the unexpected close call will eventually present itself in an unforeseen way. Early one morning just before daylight, I looked in the mirror and thought I saw a car about a hundred feet back, and just a couple of seconds later there was another sport bike next to my left side riding aggressively. I let him go on by himself. A near collision with another unknown rider for absolutely no other reason than pride. I did not have that 5 seconds. If I would have moved to the left side of my lane It would have been a catastrophe. Thanks for helping motorcyclist stay safer.

So sobering to hear the concept laid out this way.

Kevin! You didn't mention the acronym to remember this technique: SEE. I've got it programmed into my GL1800 computer startup screen to remind me to use the technique on the ride ahead. A guy once told me many cycle accidents occur within the first few miles or minutes of a trip. IDK if that is true but when "SEE" flashes up on the startup screen I'm reminded to get my head focused on the present ride and to scan for hazards. Helpful.

MCrider, Best motorcycle training channel.

I wanted to say thank you for your videos. They have given me a lot of tools that I didn't know I had available to be a better, safer rider. I was fortunate enough to have put numerous tools in my arsenal of defensive riding strategies over the last few years. This weeks topic really came in useful this last week as I was headed home from work. The car in front of me was turning right into a parking lot. I could see a car getting ready to pull out of the same driveway. I slowed, adjusted my lane position to try and be more visible, and prepared to react. I knew there was nothing in either of the two lanes to my left. So, when the car pulled out in front of me I was ready to evade the threat. Again, thank you for providing the tools to help keep me from becoming a statistic.

Yes, rolling at 60 mph equals 88' per second. 5 seconds of braking starting at 60 mph is easily 200' of braking distance. Oh yeah, if you see two baby elk crossing the road in front of you, be on the lookout for mamma elk following behind them. Always interesting and informative, thanks!

Very good advice. It's called defensive driving. Make sure they are looking at you, slow down have your hand and foot over the brake, check your mirrors, always expect the unexpected. Just like when I was driving a truck.

Thanks Kevin, very good message and so true. I had a recent crash because I was totally focused on getting back to take a picture of some birds I had just passed and wasn’t thinking about a curve I had just gone through. It felt like I had 1 second to decide what to do, the decision was to ride off the road and let the grass slow me down. My 360 video showed me that the mistake was to cover the front brake to help slow down, but the bucking of the bike caused me to squeeze the brake hard and the front tire dug into the sand and flipped. The bike is fine, I’ve got a couple more months of healing. Stay focused is so true.

I wholly subscribe to this mentality that I can only control...ME. I am one of those with driving lights on the front, and extra lights around the sides and back. I even have fast stroking brake lights, and a switch-actuated "Sho-Me" flasher module wired into my amber turn signals that I turn on when I'm approching standstill traffic. I also understand I can't rely on those lights to save me. I keep in mind something I've heard you say on this channel: "I don't want to put myself in a situation where I have to rely on someone else to make the right decision." I use lane positioning, weaving, slowing down in congestion, and even getting "4-wheel escorts" from time to time (since drivers at intersections are more likely to see the 4-wheeler beside, or close behind me) to give me the best chance to make it home...without having to fall back on emergency maneuvers.

Great topic and suggestions today Kevin. This week I had to deal with the last part of SEE, Execute. I was on a sweeping but somewhat blind left curve when an oncoming car crossed the center line. Normally they snap back, but not this time. Asleep, distracted, drunk - I don't know, but the car just continued coming into my lane. I swerved right, to the shoulder and ended up riding through the grass at 40-45 mph. I remember distinctly thinking, don't try to brake, don't try to steer, keep the handlebars straight and no abrupt inputs. When it looked like I was heading towards bad stuff, I "urged" the bike left back to the roadway and fortunately had a smooth transition back onto the paved surface. Sometimes you have to deal with a bad situation, no matter how well you search and evaluate. Might be some part of a future discussion.

Good advice, but I found the music distracting

Eeek yes!! This message needs to be implanted in every riders head!! How to utilize road strategies is a must every time we mount our bikes!! Stay safe everyone!!

This gets back to my comment from last week about learning how to drive defensively. I play the "What's this idiot going to do next game" where I try to guess what the drivers on the road are going to do next. After a little while you get pretty good at it. It has saved me more than once. Keep the good stuff coming Kevin.

Great topic and presentation Kevin!!!

One second for a deer is right. Yesterday I was heading into town, and if it wasn't for keeping a good lane position, it would have been bad. There is a section of trees and thickets that block the view coming out of a cluster of woods adjacent to a corn field. When I got to the section, a deer jumped out of it onto the edge of the road. I started to do an emergency braking, and it turned on a dime and reversed direction. Almost needed to change my underwear in town. Hahahaha.

I ride rual a lot, I live outside of town, go figure! I'll watch side roads diligently and generally give a friendly beep beep on approach and a wave as I go by. I think that helps initially and long term if they missed me at first. Great video! Thanks!!

Thanks Kevin wise words amigo 👍

100% agree! All the gizmos and gadget help. However, it gives some a false sense of security. I am in control of me when it comes to riding, and I try to use what I know to make sure I arrive and come home safely. As always, thank you for you always GREAT content here sir...RUBBER SIDE DOWN!

The spoken truth! I practice this every time i'm out riding, and I often find myself in situations that would kill me if I didn't have this mindset in place. Love your channel, and take a lot of what you teach with me on the road. Here in Norway the traffic seems to be more aggressive since covid, but we can't let that take away the pleasure of riding. We just have to be more vigilant and on the ball.

Taking personal responsibility. What a unique concept!

This advice cannot be repeated enough. Thanks for saying it again 👍

Been a subscriber for a long time and I continue to appreciate the advise and instruction. I had an encounter with a small deer just the other day. Riding country roads down by the river after a rain. Noticed a lot of deer activity in the adjacent fields and decided to back it down a few notches. a few minutes later later that proved to be a good decision. Two yearling deer playing in the front yard of a house ran out in front of me. One made it by, but the next one did not. Thankfully I was going slow and recognized what was about to happen. Awareness and emergency braking paid off. We made contact, but miraculously the small deer bounced off the front tire and I stayed up. I credited God for his protection and taking the advise you share on this channel for staying up.

Great video as usual!!👍🏾

Enjoy your Weekend Kevin

The basics always pay off👍

I've been riding since I was 5, but a licensed operator since I was 15. I call it the "Drive for Everyone Else" strategy, because most times they aren't! I also watch for multiple potential problems as far as I can possibly see. This may sometimes alter my route of preference, but I'm on 2 wheels, so I enjoy all the time I can get on my bike! If I'm in a hurry, weather looks particularly nasty, or I'm not at my physical best, then I drive the cage. Even then, I have to be extra careful that I don't end being the half-assed driver that I try to avoid on my bike.

Thanks again. I do as much urban riding as I do rural and my strategy varies by the location I am riding in. Regardless of the local, I am constantly searching. I can pick up a vehicle crossing over the dashed lines beside me and quickly determine (evaluable) what I do next. Usually it is a quick toot of the horn (thank you Honda for the loud horn on my '19 Goldwing). Intersections/crossroads capture my attention the most . In traffic, I spend probably more time scanning the rear view mirrors that looking ahead. In open country more time scanning the sides of the road than looking ahead.

If available use other cars as cover so cars won’t pull out in front of you and be sure to have a safe distance behind the car. Don’t speed up to traffic. Roll off the throttle covering the brake lever while weaving a little so other cars have a better chance of seeing you. Look both ways at stoplights/sign. Stay out of drivers blind spots. Always leave an escape route. Leave your ego at home.

I 100% agree and find myself in few close calls using these strategies. It's like over time you can read and predict most things before they happen. Wildlife is a challenge. Never hit a dear, but had a bald eagle hit the top of my helmet, wings fully spread, during takeoff from the road. Don't think I'll ever see one that close again, 😆.

Thanks Kevin. So many things to consider and employ to keep yourself safe while riding.

Came within inches of making contact with Bambi. All happened so fast that I don’t think it all took one second. Grateful for cat like reflexes and skills that allowed me to escape without a scratch. Had to change my shorts shortly after. 😝

I totally agree, love this stuff Kevin, Thank you. They say you can learn from experience, But if you attribute the blame as being 100% someone else's fault, then you give yourself 0% chance of learning from the experience.

Always a great pause for thought, coolio

Great video. I always tell fellow bikers to ride like every car is trying to run you over. When I come to a intersection I assume the car is going to pull out in front of me and prepare for it. Best to be ready.

100%. Surviving the mean streets depends of cool heads.

Thanks Kevin!

Hello from Latvia! 🙂 Your videos are very helpfyll for me, as I'm learning how to ride a motorcycle. Thank You!

Another good one Kevin. I use all the techniques you mentioned all the time & rarely have a car pull out in front of me issue. Deer are of course another matter. I think of them as the Great Wild Card of riding.

Great advice

I calculate risks all the time when riding or driving

Thank you. This is an excellent reminder!

I needed this reminder today after an event that happened yesterday, thanks Kevin 👍🏻

All great advice. Listen to the last two videos today. And I would agree that a small bike to learn on is a very sound place to start getting rider skills down. I would like to add to your rider prep is to be rested and alert or the other plans do not work for me at lest.

All very good advice Kevin. Someone gave me a good tip a while ago about cars at junctions (Uk) or intersections and it works for me. So when there’s a vehicle waiting and you think they might pull out In front of you, the best way to see if they’re moving is to look at their wheels to see if they’re moving, because sometimes it’s not easy to see just by looking at the vehicle itself. Thanks.

I enjoyed this video very much, thank you.

Great topic and video, Kevin....thank you!

Excellent information, as always. Thank you.

Great advice, I do all these habits in intersections.

You're absolutely right i wait at least 8 counts in most of the times

Great video

I was coming home(northwest Arkansas) from a trip to Utah - pushing the last day and Night to get home a day early. I was following a car a little too close (using their headlights to see farther) and hit a possum. If I was a little further back from the car; I might could have negotiated around it. Tough call Kevin.

So good!

That’s right thanks Kevin.

Excellent!!!

Kevin good advice, thank you very much! By the way music in the beginning of video is distracting..

100% agree. Riding habits leave lights and fluro vests in a far 10th place. Being right in hospital is of little help. Drive and ride defensively, even if you have the right of way.

I believe visibility is extremely high on the list. As we know they will look at you and pull out not actually seeing you. What I try and do is as soon as I recognize the little pause of time as I approach I’ll adjust my speed if needed but I will flash my high beams off and on rapidly to the point of being annoying to get them to notice me. I don’t do it all the time but when I feel that pause moment as I approach I do.

totally agree - I do this every ride and I don't ride if I can't do it - e.g. if tired

Hi Kevin. Got one of those spam messages you mentioned a little while ago. Hope no gets fooled.

Deer are very dangerous. Their fur does no reflect light well, they are masters of concealment, they usually travel in groups, they are VERY fast and agile, and during the rutt (fall breeding season) completely oblivious to your vehicle. Riding from sundown to sunrise is something I no longer do. It's just too risky.

Wanted to share, got myself in accident on my motorcycle on the 11th of August. At rush hour, I was slowing down preparing to get off the highway. Took the off ramp that merges on a 3 lane service road with 3 possible exits. Was busy doing S-E-E for possible cars slowing down in front of me or cutting me off or speeding up on my right side. The car that I was following didn't do anything weird indicating a possible hazard in the off ramp. A block of wood 4in x 2ft x 2ft appeared between it's rear wheels. By the time I registered the hazard and started reacting to it, it was to late and I hit the block. My bike jumped and landed on the front wheel. I was almost ejected. I was able to apply the front brakes to slow me down and put down the rear wheel. The bike started to swing as soon as rear wheel touch down and I did a highside at +/- 60KMH (37 MPH). Was wearing full gear with armour and avoided major road rash. Major bruises on my upper back left leg and an acromioclavicular dislocation garde 3 on my left shoulder. No broken bones. If I was riding in the left side of the lane instead of the middle I would have probably avoided the hazard, but I was preparing to merge on service road on my right side.

Great video. When I ride it is as if my head is on a ball joint looking at everything on both sides of the road. A few years back I was riding south out of Yellowknife when a yearling black bear, hidden in the ditch on my right, hauled out and charged across the road. My speed was about 90 kph [ 25 m / s ] and we missed each other by no more than 15 meters. I don't care what kind of skills I had or what strategy I might have planned, surviving a situation like that is just pure blind luck.

The three factors he mentioned apply in all conditions. However, I'd like to add one item. It is far, far easier to implement, and practice those three safety factors he mentions during the daytime, in good light. I decided to go see a movie this week, and I decided to ride rather than drive. The movie ended at about 10:00PM The ride was about 15 miles each way. Fifteen miles on say an interstate with little traffic is less likely to be a problem than riding between two cities connected by 2 interstates with a maze of merges, and exits, and being forced to exit into city streets to then get back on the interstate, and then get to within 2 miles of home to have a clueless driver emerge from a side street. I managed to slow to within a walking speed as the clueless driver, accelerated spinning his wheels. There was probably less than 2 feet distance between the beat up car, and my front wheel. Night riding is far more dangerous.

excellent!

I do...what I think is an excellent job creating distance most of the time. What I find most frustrating is the car drivers that speed ahead and cut in - ruining the distance I was managing. I also am getting frustrated w/all the illegal tints of windows that our police aren't enforcing. They used to. Those windows create a block from seeing through...so I have to adjust. Drivers are full of bad behaviors that I can't manage. Lights do work (mostly at night), but loud pipes don't work - my opinion from being a Texan that lived on the 405 in LA w/lane splitting. I've seen enough to know that loud pipes scare people, but not in the favor of the biker most of the time. Bottom line is, and I agree - you can't control most of it, but you can build up actions/disciplines - that become reactive once someone violates your safety "net". It doesn't stop me from complaining....but I don't ever expect a fool to adjust his/her behavior - and especially don't wait for it. That's why you have throttle and brakes - to get away from bad people. Bottom line is, and I agree - you can't control most of it, but you can build up actions/disciplines - that become routine behaviors that will keep you safe. It w/b unfair of me to say - I see motorcyclists everyday that give us a bad name also. So you manage yourself, not them.

I plan to drive at most 80 kph (that's less than 40 mph). What do you think of my seconds? Will I have more than 5? Will purchase my bike soon

Can't disagree or find anything wrong here. I was in an accident 2 months ago yesterday, 55 mph speed limit traveling through a green light at about 45 mph . a jeep liberty decides to make a right on red in front of me ( the intersection is not a 90 degree) I had great lane position and evaluated ( quickly) my escape path was to the left as there was no oncoming traffic. As I maneuvered left he decided to make an immediate left into a parking lot( less than 30feet from the intersection. I had no choice but to continue trying to avoid him left and got into a rear wheel skid bike sideways and we collided, My right side into his left rear door, we continued across 2 lanes of roadway together and came to a stop in the parking lot where I let the bike fall and walked into the parking area. Even if you think your doing everything right, something may upend your plans, I had bruises and abrasions from impact on my right arm the bike is repaired but all in all I do believe I had the absolute best outcome of the situation.

We need a shirt, patch, hat that reads: “MCRider Saves Lives”

I had a deer hit me from right, jumped out from bushes, going 55mph in my Truck. All happened in less than what it seemed a second, just enough time to reach for the brake but got hit none the less. On my Goldwing, I might have 1 second. Because of that incident, I do my best to ride my bike on left side of the road, to give myself an additional half a second chance to survive the crash. MANY drivers had cut me off but, luckily I have not gotten hit...yet😅 This video is a reminder AND a reality check for us who ride...if only vehicle drivers get this type of lesson and reality checks.

Kevin, I have a question I'm not sure if you have covered before. If a crash is unavoidable, what is the best way to survive.??? Should one jump up off, hang on, no time to lay the bike down. Do you have any advice?

The background music is very loud and distracting.

Here in Australia we have the added fun of Kangaroos, wombats, Dingoes and other wildlife as well as introduced species like deer, camels and livestock.

Kevin, I am a member and really appreciate your videos. However, please, please stop with the background music. It only serves as a distraction from your valuable lessons. Thank you,

I never ride on secondary highways at dusk or dawn.... Most active times of day for deer....

Question on the lights thing. Is it ok for me to ride around with my brights on during the day or night?

I can only ride now with two fingers on front brake. To hold throttle now with five fingers feels uncomfortable.

I have found from watching videos of these guys complaining about "cagers". Is that excessive speed played a huge factor in most of their near hit situations. Best advice I got years ago was to follow the speed limit.

Riding home from work to my right a parking lot, lady speeding through parking lot. I said to myself she going to pull out in front of me she did, but I was ready.

What about the cap your wearing when will those be available

Hello. Many years ago my colleagues and I started talking about the available amount of time we have in the event of avoiding an impact with another vehicle or wild animal. As the conversation increased, it soon became apparent that this casual discussion had turned into a heated debate. Based on a distance of 60 feet and a traveling speed of 50mph, very soon, alll logical reasoning and the whole concept of common sense was becoming non existent. One chap iwho entered the debate was proclaiming that as a motorcycle rider he would be able to take evasive action quicker than any car user. Feelings on this subject were running high, so it was down tools for a halve hour to bring it to a close. I paced out 60 feet of flooring space and posing the question directly at the chap "how much time do you believe you would need to evade this obstruction at a speed of 50mph" placing a cardboard box at the spot. To our disbelief he said "2 seconds and then I would go around it". We soon became annoyed at this chaps inability to see common sense, let alone logical reasoning. A few months later he was on his bike belting it through some quiet country roads, at a speed around 60-70mph. He saw a deer jump out from the woodlands landing straight into the centre of the road. He tried to make evasive manoeuvres, but he ran out of time and hit the deer square on. He spent the next 8 weeks in Hospital with bone breakages and fractures. When we visited him, the medical staff were amazed he was still alive when they got to the cash site. His brand new Japanese motorcycle was smashed to pieces, and to be honest, when a colleague showed me a photo of it, that image has never left my mind. He was indeed a very lucky man. And the deer...well he can remember watching the deer rise to its feet, shake itself, and then ran into an open farmers gate. Brian UK.

Turn on your headlights strobe

Riders, please stay focused on the road. I MCRoder says, "Never assume the person in the car sees you. No matter how many lights you have on your bike. People in cars quite often just don't pay attention. The main thing is "NEVER ASSUME".

Great video with alot of valid points. I was in a terrible motorcycle accident last year. After riding 152000 miles a deer jumped exactly in front of me with zero reaction time. I ended up on the other side of the guardrails. I was in FULL GEAR. I had to be life flighted with eight fractures. I always understand the danger of our riding passion. I still ride but mostly off road. Thanks for making these videos I enjoy them all!!

Can't fault your logic: take responsibility for your safety!

Don't waste critical seconds reaching out for the horn, rev bomb or showing your anger. Squeeze that brake first.

Meh not sure about the music. Distracting...

👍🏍👍

Loud pipes saves the lives of Motorcyclists, Pedestrians, and Disabled Pedestrians.

If you ride like 18 wheeler you can in 5 seconds. If you ride like car driver you can in 3 seconds if you have riding skills. If you are stooped rider no time will help.

1 2 3 4 5 youtube ad

WOW 5 seconds? I had less than 2 one time. I was on a sweeping left turn only 5 miles faster than the posted 45 mph. Maybe I wasn't watching far enough around the turn. Suddenly I'm aware of a cow standing on the center line with about two feet of body in my lane, facing to the right. I was curving toward the center line because I was about halfway around the curve. Thank God I remembered what I was taught in Motorcycle Safety Foundation class. Stand bike up, brake as hard as safe, ease off brakes, steer out of danger. I did that, I think it took a whole second for the brain to take action because it sure looked like I was going to crash. Then I pushed hard on the right grip to avoid the cow, released brakes so I wouldn't skid, but then I was heading straight for the gravel. AARGH. shove left grip hard and wow I was right on the edge of the blacktop making my way around the curve. I carefully ease the bike back to the center of my lane and remembered to breathe. Without that course I probably would have locked the brakes and hit the cow. Later, it occurred to me it was a black and white cow standing on new dark blacktop and there were trees causing botches of light and dark on the road. That cow was perfectly blended into the blacktop.

Hi Mcrider. Could you please check your messages in Patreon? I am having hard time joining to your forums for about a week as a new patreon subscriber. I couldnt join forums via Paypal because Paypal does not work in my country, so patreon is my sole choice. Thanks!

The background music was very distracting. Sorry to dislike a video, but please don't do background music (like this) again.

Be a defensive rider always,it's only as dangerous as u make it

SIPDE. SCAN IDENTIFY PLAN DECIDE EXECUTE! This is the acronym I use.

Great video