President’s Message: Easy Riders

Do I look like a former biker to you? Probably not.

In the past, I rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle all around Colorado. The biker community is tight-knit, with the bonds of friendship lasting a lifetime. Bikers look out for one another, an assurance that made me feel safe. Now it’s time to expand that community from bikers to all road users because the lifetime of Colorado bikers is being cut short, in record numbers. According to Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) motorcyclists make up just three percent of vehicles on the road but account for 18 percent of overall fatalities.

Each autumn in Colorado brings a surge in motorcycle traffic in the mountains, as bikers join motorists on scenic rides in search of fall color. Expect motorcyclists to be around you, so check and double-check blind spots, look twice at intersections or a shadow alongside other vehicles. Bikers … remember to also look twice.

Other tips for both motorists and motorcyclists alike to arrive home safely:

• What might not look like a road hazard to the motorist may be dangerous to a motorcycle rider. Anticipate motorcyclists’ response to hazards such as oily and wet surfaces, road debris, and sudden traffic stops.
• Truckers often experience blown tires and pieces of the tire “road alligators” can be left in the traffic lane. When hit by the motorist they can be propelled into the biker.
• Always be aware what you throw out your window such as trash or cigarettes. These items can end up in the face of the biker.
• If you see one biker, be aware there may be others riding in a pack.
• When a vehicle drifts to the shoulder of the road, small rocks and road debris will oftentimes be launched into bikers’ path.
• Under ideal conditions—good weather, an open road, law-abiding drivers—allow a two-second cushion between you and a motorcyclist. At night, or at higher speeds, or under stormy conditions, add several seconds to that distance.
• Using a turn signal helps everyone anticipate your intent to turn or change lanes. Bikers look for any sign they can, because their lives depend on it.
• A small number of motorcyclists are “lane-splitters,” driving between motorists in a bid to avoid traffic. Lane splitting is illegal in Colorado but is legal in other states. Watch for out-of-state visitors that might not be aware of this law.
• Lastly for the biker, always look to where you are headed and stay focused on the road ahead of you.

If bikers and motorists looked out for each other more often, fewer bikers would die. That’s the kind of expanded, safety-minded, Colorado community I hope to see.