Or Don’t Ride
— If you haven’t controlled your drinking, you must control your riding.
•
Leave the motorcycle
— so you won’t be tempted to ride. Arrange another way to get home.
•
Wait
— If you exceed your limit, wait until your system eliminates the alcohol and its fatiguing effects.
STEP IN TO PROTECT FRIENDS
People who have had too much to drink are unable to make a responsible decision. It is up to others to step in and keep them from taking too great
a risk. No one wants to do this — it’s uncomfortable, embarrassing and thankless. You are rarely thanked for your efforts at the time. But the alter-
natives are often worse.
There are several ways to keep friends from hurting themselves:
•
Arrange a safe ride
— Provide alternative ways for them to get home.
•
Slow the pace of drinking
— Involve them in other activities.
•
Keep them there
—Use any excuse to keep them from getting on their
motorcycle. Serve them food and coffee to pass the time. Explain your
concerns for their risks of getting arrested or hurt or hurting someone else.
•
Get friends involved
— Use peer pressure from a group of friends to intervene.
It helps to enlist support from others when you decide to step in. The more people on
your side, the easier it is to be firm and the harder it is for the rider to resist. While you
may not be thanked at the time, you will never have to say, “If only I had...”
FATIGUE
Riding a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car. On a long trip, you’ll tire sooner than you would in a car. Avoid riding when tired. Fatigue
can affect your control of the motorcycle.
•
Protect yourself
from the elements — Wind, cold, and rain make you tire quickly. Dress warmly. A windshield is worth its cost if
you plan to ride long distances.
•
Limit your distance
—Experienced riders seldom try to ride more than about six hours a day.
•
Take frequent rest breaks
— Stop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours.
•
Don’t drink or use drugs
— Artificial stimulants often result in extreme fatigue or depression when they start to wear off. Riders
are unable to concentrate on the task at hand.
EARNING YOUR LICENSE
Safe riding requires knowledge and skill. Licensing tests are the best measurement of the skills necessary to operate safely in traffic. Assessing
your own skills is not enough. People often overestimate their own abilities. It’s even harder for friends and relatives to be totally honest about
your skills. Licensing exams are designed to be scored more objectively.
To earn your license, you must pass a knowledge test and an on-cycle skill test. Knowledge test questions are based on information, practices and
ideas from this manual. They require that you know and understand road rules and safe riding practices. An on-cycle skill test will either be
conducted in an actual traffic environment or in a controlled, off-street area.
KNOWLEDGE TEST
(Sample Questions)
1. It is MOST important to flash your brake light when:
A. Someone is following too closely.
B. You will be slowing suddenly.
C. There is a stop sign ahead.
D. Your signals are not working.
2. The FRONT brake supplies how much of the potential stopping power?
A. About one-quarter.
B. About one-half.
C. About three-quarters.
D. All of the stopping power.
3. To swerve correctly:
A. Shift your weight quickly.
B. Turn the handlebars quickly.
C. Press the handlegrip in the direction of the turn.
D. Press the handlegrip in the opposite direction of the turn.
4. If a tire goes flat while riding and you must stop, it is usually best to:
A. Relax on the handlegrips.
B. Shift your weight toward the good tire.
C. Brake on the good tire and steer to the side of the road.
D. Use both brakes and stop quickly.
5. The car at right is waiting to enter the intersection. It is best to:
A. Make eye contact with the driver.
B. Reduce speed and be ready to react.
C. Maintain speed and position.
D. Maintain speed and move right.
24
14
Test Yourself
If you wait an hour for each drink before riding:
A. You cannot be arrested for drinking and riding.
B. Your riding skills will not be affected.
C. Side effects from the drinking may still remain.
D. You will be okay as long as you ride slowly .
Answer - page 25
Summary of Contents for HSMV 71905
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