Navigating Traffic On Your Motorcycle

No matter how you ride your motorcycle, you’ll likely end up in many different traffic situations, including congestion on a freeway, downtown jams and bottlenecks. On a motorcycle, you’re at more risk of getting into an accident than you would be in a car, which is why you need to be vigilant and ride safely in traffic.

Doc's Harley-Davidson in Kirkwood has been your Missouri motorcycle dealer since 1955. We’ve got some tips to help you safely navigate traffic on your motorcycle so you can get wherever you’re going safe and sound.

On the Freeway

Highways, interstates and freeways are busy roads with high speeds and a lot of lanes of traffic. Thus, they are the most dangerous place for a motorcyclist. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid using them, however. You just need to exercise a little more caution.

Move to the furthest left lane as soon as you can so that you can keep all traffic to your right. High-occupancy vehicle lanes are open to solo motorcyclists, so take advantage of this, as they are often less congested. Be mindful of designated entrance and exit points for HOV lanes.

If you’re passing a big-rig truck, accelerate quickly out of their blind spots and only change lanes when you’re a few car lengths’ ahead of it. With other drivers, try to stay where you can see the driver’s face in their rear-view mirror since this means they can also see you and you’re not in a blind spot.

On City Streets

While traffic may be slower on city streets, that doesn’t make it hazard-free. One-way streets can create confusion and narrower roads with cars parked on both sides mean that you’re constantly at risk of a parked car door opening in front of you suddenly. You’ll need to be vigilant and keep a safe distance between yourself and other vehicles. Try to ride in the center lane of one-way streets so that you can monitor traffic more easily. Be watchful for metal grates, sewer plates and light-rail tracks that can cause you to slip if you’re not careful, especially in wet weather.

General Tips

Here are a few extra tips for safe motorcycle riding when there are a lot of cars around you:

• Don’t ride when you’re upset, as this can distract you and ruin your focus.
• Scan left-to-right often to check for obstacles that may be coming from an unexpected direction, like a car pulling out of a driveway.
• Anticipate what other motorists will do.
• Wear brightly-colored reflective motorcycle gear to ensure that you are visible.

Ready to visit St. Louis’ premiere motorcycle dealer? Come on down to our Kirkwood, MO, location to browse our wide array of new and used motorcycles for sale. You can discuss trade-in values on your current bike as well as financing options to help fund your purchase. Doc’s Harley-Davidson proudly serves greater St. Louis, including the city of St. Charles, MO.