Rain/Storms                                     

 

R a i n
Most riders get used to riding in the rain by accident. They take off on an all day ride when the sun is shinning and by afternoon they realize they're going to get their first taste of wet asphalt, like it or not.
Riding in the rain is an unavoidable part of riding, however if properly prepared, one that can be done safely. Obviously the risks are greater due to reduced traction and visibility, however a few basic tips will help manage that risk.

Tire maintenance, air pressure and visual inspection, are not something to do when it rains; it's done before it rains. Tires that are worn below acceptable tread depths dramatically affect the ability of the tire to squeeze water away from the roadway and the tread face. Smooth steering inputs and gradual even pressure on the brakes provide the most effective and safe operation of the motorcycle. Speed, the final element, is one that must match the conditions you’re riding in. Wet pavement doubles your stopping distance, traction is greatly reduced and maneuverability is lessoned.

Windshields help in wet weather, however they are not a cure-all as they accumulate water and distort light. Eyewear should fit snugly and be free of scratches and/or blemishes. Your visual lead is your safety net, the farther ahead you can see, the more time you have to react to it. Remember, it's what you don’t see that can hurt you.

A rain suit does more than keep you dry. It keeps you warm and visible. Brightly colored garments with reflective stripes and/or markings increase your visibility and your safety.

Note: If you have the convenience of saddlebags, pack your rain gear in the right side saddlebag. In the event the road captain decides to pull over, this will give you safe access to your rain gear without being in the line of traffic.

Painted lines on crosswalks can be unsafe for motorcyclists, particularly if you're turning right or left and crossing the lines at an angle. Slow down more than usual and make the turn straight up, rather than in a lean.

Oil is everywhere and it’s very illusive. Those little red and blue rainbows on the ground mean danger. Ride slow and straight up. If you're caught in the first rain following a few dry days remember the roads are covered with lots of oil and dirt that will be lifted from the surface in the first 30-60 minutes of a new rain. Take a break if you can.

Adapted from: www.soundrider.com and www.hogchapters.com/Muncie

Weathering the Storm

You are out for a ride and a storm blows in.

Should you ride out the storm?  If not, what should you do?

No doubt you have heard that because your tires are made of rubber, and because rubber is not a good electrical conductor, so long as you keep your feet on the pegs lightning will not hit you since it cannot find a path to ground through you and the bike. WRONG!!!

Though rubber is a pretty good insulator at the normal voltage levels we mere humans deal with, it is not very effective against the voltage in a lightning bolt.

On the other hand, you may also have heard that if a lightning bolt hits a car the occupants are safe because the car is riding on rubber tires, etc. Actually, this is almost true! So long as the occupants stay away from anything metal they will more than likely survive a lightning hit without any injury whatever.

What protects occupants of a cage is not their rubber tires, but the fact that they are enclosed in a metal container. If a lightning bolt hits the surface of the car it spreads around the occupants, NOT THROUGH THEM, and goes to ground.

A lightning bolt that hits you or your motorcycle is a different matter entirely.

Here’s the magnitudes we are dealing with here. The master fuse on your bike handles about 30 amps before it blows. An average lightning bolt produces a current of about 20,000 amps. Even 30 amps can easily kill you because it disrupts your heart's electrical system and the heart then simply stops working. Your heart doesn't stand a chance against a lightning bolt.

Deaths due to weather/weather related phenomena in FLORIDA: 1959-1993

• Lightning 53.1%
• Drowning 16.1%
• Tornadoes 12.9%
• Hurricanes 8.7%
• Wind 4.2%
• Cold 3.5%
• Misc 1.5%

Total Number of people killed by Lightning in FLORIDA: 1959 - 1994

• 351 Killed
• 1178 Injured
• Average Number Killed per year - 10
• Average Number injured per year - 33

Based on the numbers above, odds are about 1 in 4 that you will be killed if struck by lightning.

Anyway, if you are out in the open on your bike when lightning flashes begin, and if you can hear the thunder caused by those flashes and the flashes are less than three seconds from when you see the flash, it's time to stop your bike and get off it.

• IF there is no building the get shelter from.
• Immediately find low ground, but NOT under a single or small group of trees.
• Squat on the ground with your legs together, head lower than back, but NOT touching the ground.
• Do NOT lie on the ground.
• LET YOUR CLOTHES GET WET!!! (In this way, if you are hit the majority of the electricity will follow the moisture of your wet clothes around your body.)

Incidentally, lightning can, and DOES, hit the same place twice - frequently.

If there are more than 5 seconds between the lightning flashes and your hearing that thunder, head for shelter. This is the only time trying to ride out from under an electrical storm makes any sense.

Best shelter, of course, is a hard covered surface connected to ground with metal. Get under it and wait out the storm.

http://www.msgroup.org/DISCUSS.asp (By James R. Davis of The Master Strategy Group)
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/holtgstats.html (Florida lightning statistics)

 

RETURN TO TOP