I'm in the US, and I very nearly pulled out in front of a motorcyclist, but he did the swerving maneuver at the last moment, and then I saw him and stopped. It turns out that I was looking right at him, but didn't see anything; no motorcycle at all appeared in my vision. Then, when he did the swerving maneuver, all of a sudden he appeared in my vision. It was really strange. It even made a big imprint in my brain to this day. It happened about four months ago, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday. He was a young guy, on a solid white colored sport bike. For reference, I have never ridden a motorcycle in my life. I ride a bicycle on the road, and am watching these videos because I am thinking about getting a motorcycle.
Extremely late reply, was linked this video, but the reason this happened likely has to do with the way our brains interpret what our eyes see. Fortnine has a great video on it, and it boils down to our brain taking "snapshots" of what we see since our eyes move so quickly, then "filling in the gaps" with what it thinks is there, which can lead to objects like motorcycles being filtered out.
I've used this a number of times since first seeing this video a few years ago. I only use it as a "last resort" if I think the driver doesn't see me. I have literally seen cars stop as they were starting to pull out and I believe it's because they saw my smidsy. I don't think this is something you need to use all the time but it's another tool in our defensive driving toolbox, along with the horn or my high-vis jacket.
The principle behind this technique is sound, but the suggested method creates its own set of problems, as many commentators have observed. I am an advanced rider and observer who's lived and worked in both the US and the UK, so I agree that the weaving would be frowned on in the US (and looked at with some confusion even in the UK). The UK police riders, for example, are well aware of the SMIDSY problem, but they don't resort to weaving (as a general rule). A simple shifting motion in your lane (my default position is 1/4 in from the oncoming traffic, so I'd shift (not weave) to the 3/4 position once or twice) is really all that is required. The 'side-to-side' motion, even a subtle one, is normally sufficient to trigger the awareness of a driver. If you can't make the side-to-shift in time before you reach the junction, then slow down! By contrast, the making eye contact BS is lousy advice, as countless bikers and cyclists who survived to tell the tale can attest.
Auxiliary lights in the front helps, making a triangle with lights using the headlight as the top of the triangle and two extra lights at the bottom of the bike giving them as much possible separation.
@@1TruePatriot Sorry, they're so common that I didn't think there would be any confusion. A headlight modulator flashes the high and low beans, back and forth, rapidly. The brain sees this as "motion" and pays more attention than to a steady headlight beam.
I have shared this video many times because it has saved my life multiple times. God bless you for sharing it. I believe the "SWERVE TECHNIQUE" IS one of the MOST IMPORTANT moves we will ever use. Being PREPARED and watching EVERY CROSS STREET AND EVERY CAR WAITING TO PULL OUT IS IMPERATIVE if you ride a Motorcycle.. TopGun/Goldwing Pilot (98,500 SAFE MILES IN 4 YEARS IN TEXAS)
Unless you spoke to each and every cager after the near collision, I'm wondering how do you know for sure that it saved your life 'multiple times?' It is possible that the driver may have taken steps to avoid a collision even if you had been riding straight as an arrow.
It's amazing how after a while you just KNOW when someone's gonna pull out on you, a 6th sense. The worst ones are when you have a queue of traffic to you right and some nice persone decides to let a car out of a side road straight into your path! They assume that coz they are being let out, the road must be clear. The other thing I hate is when cars come barrelling up to a junction from a side street and slamming their brakes on at the last second, you never know what they're gonna do! cagers!
this completely changed my life about 10yrs ago. Before I was turned out in front of twice and hurt very badly. I send this to literally every new rider
Hello, I am in Adelaide Australia, and I just want to say thanks on a great information service, well done, you must have saved a lot of lives by now! Cheers.
Great explanation of why drivers do not see riders, however still relies on the driver to see riders therefore not really helping to avoid an accident. The best way to avoid a SMIDSY is to Ride Invisible. In other words be ready to stop or get out of the way, you should ensure you are on the far right of your lane which gives you the most options to avoid an accident. I think this video was also recorded before facebook!!! RSMF-*RI* Mr B
I've had plenty of SMIDSYs but never found this necessary. As others have said, shifting lane position a bit usually does the trick, and if you can't stop or swerve, you're going too fast.
My 1st motorcycle accident happened just like the one in the video at a "T" intersection; I didn't hit the car, but I did slide down the pavement. Over the last year or so I had reason to rethink the accident & was wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent it & came up with this same idea of weaving to increase my visibility. Nice to see that I am thinking correctly
HI, David from Australia , just want to say thanks for the tip! It all helps. We get to ride most times of the year, so now I can act to avoid a crash.
I hope I'm reading this right, but if I am not, be careful. If by flicking the brights on, you mean a steady high beam, that works. However, if you mean flicking them on and off, that is often taken as "go ahead." I'm not trying to be condescending, just trying to clarify just in case (for your and others safety).
Good explanation, I have used my flash to pass, twice and the car driver stopped before the crash. Weaving is considered stunting where I live, so I am thinking of use a small strobe light like the kind cyclists use. Same concept as as a rear brake strobe pattern increases visibility wakes up the brain.
I've been riding for over 40 years and have well over 500 000 km's of off-road and road experience. And, while I do practice safe, skillful riding I must admit that it's been more luck than skill that's kept me alive. After all these years I'm amazed at what I don't know! So, thanks. I'll certainly add this anti-camouflage technique to my repertoire of stayin' alive maneuvers!
I have handgaurds with led's on which help in the winter gloom. But most importantly I have an "Oxford Ultra Torch Pro 300 Headlight (£24.99)" mounted to the top of my crash-helmet. I have this set to "flash", the same as cyclists (with a preservation complex) do. It is a flashing light not mounted on the vehicle, so is not illegal. There is absolutely no way you are ever camouflaged (unless maybe a low sun directly behind you). It is more effective than a loud pipe (loud pipes save lives) and unlike loud pipes, it doesn't annoy the neighbours when you leave early for work! In the UK it is fantastic for filtering. Car drivers see you much earlier than with just a loud pipe. I seriously can not recommend this defensive tool enough! I am now shocked when I ride without it at how little reaction or awareness of me there is. Camera mounted on your lid... Why film them killing you! Warn them you are there.... Get a flashing torch!
I often use a similar movement in flowing traffic. When things get busy cars will often crowd into your space. I have found that a little pro-active weaving can help move other vehicles back. I suspect it makes you look a little out of control and maybe a little nuts so it's wise to give you a wide berth.
Very professional commentary, remember though that high vis still doesn't guarantee visibility so don't rely on this alone, it just INCREASES your chance of being seen... When I saw the weave I laughed, what IS he doing? Simple solution is to move position out to middle of the road, reduce speed and consider sounding the horn. Nice video up to that point. Lol.
Roadcraft Nottingham I think that is good advice and might get you out of danger when somebody is making a left turn as you can slip down the centre line to get out of the way. If the emerging car was taking a right turn I’m not sure what you can do the bar sound the horn as you say and reduce speed. I always used to wear high viz and a white helmet has white stands out at night time and high viz during the daytime. I think it did make little difference. I was always very cautious when approaching a side road to the right and For a split second I was behind the drivers front near side windscreen pillar where I was at a 45° angle to his vision. PS I love your videos and you are at the top of your game concerning motorcycle training.( Emerald Driving School )
It's part of the same thing, I've heard it called the "Buick syndrome". Buick was always one of the biggest boats on the American road. Buick drivers were said to see nothing smaller than their Buick. That included motorcycles, VWs, compact cars, and others. I think you get the picture.
I often use the swerving technique when filtering on motorways, two reasons the first obviously but the second because the road repairs are usually along the lines creating ridges, Good Video!
Interesting. Did my advanced about 2 years ago, was never taught this. Will consider it for future rides. Need to brief a pillion before riding though or they're going to get a shock if you do it unannounced.
I use this frequently. I try to time my acceleration or deceleration so I won't be at the intersection the same time as LHT, but if I feel like we are going to arrive at the same time I always use a SMIDSY. I don't care if they are looking right at me. I'm an optometrist .They are many Mr. Magoos out there. And airheads. Any cop who stopped me for doing a SMIDSY will be in for a lecture.
In the US, not so much used, but it's "Sorry man, I didn't see you!" Headlight modulators can make a big difference, but doing the SIAM while kicking high and low beam will seriously get the point across.
@DuncanMacKillop Duncan, good to see you continue to advance riding safety. this video has been circulating on the MSF listserve the past few days. Please stay in touch. Willie
I like this.. i don't agree with the weaving motion.. but it's good thinking.. i tend to expect the car to pull out and anticipate it. Keeping your head in the game, and ride defensively is the only way.
I buy the brightest headlight bulbs I can find and flick the brights on when I'm in this kind of situation. Weaving isn't always possible dependong on road conditions and if you are on a curve.
That's part of it. Also, even if the car is stationary and you can see the background behind it moving, that makes it more noticeable to YOU! If you see someone and you are moving towards them and the background behind them is moving, then they are seeing the same thing, the background behind you is moving! This makes you much more noticeable because you look as if you are moving and not a part of that background.
I wear all black kit specifically because it makes me FEEL vulnerable.......that reinforces my daily, all year around commute attitude into a deeply felt avoidance system. I assume that a) 50% of drivers are out to 'get' me, and b) that the other 50% of drivers will do absolute the wrong thing at exactly the worst time for me as a motorcyclist. One thing that barely anyone talks about is the 'body language' of a car......that includes EVERYTHING that the car and its driver do on the road, from the relative acceleration used as a proportion of that car's power available, the flash of a face as it looks left, right etc, the inputsd to the sterring, the cadence of its braking and whether the braking is before, during or right through a corner and basically everything up to and including whether they have a tartan blanket on the back shelf, stickers on bumpers, whether they avoid catseyes when changing lanes and a myriad of other things fromn the blatant to the thinbgs that you can pick up without even realising it.....it all adds up to this 'body language', but can be far more important than using the conventional interpretation of that phrase to feel if a member of the opposite sex fancies you.....for us as motorcyclists, identifying and reacting to a vehicle's body languagfe can literally mean the difference between life and a smeary red death. As a counter to riding in black kit, I also run DLR leds on the front of my bike spaced out as widely from my centre line as practical, plus I have a module that makes my indicators glow at half strength all the time until I indicate.....this makes my front profile 'grow' far better to a potential SMIDSY candidate and from experience, makes the semi road illiterate Dereks appreciate the fact that I'm coming and at what speed. Lastly, I also take total responsibility for an accident (no such thing bythe way!) because responsibility does not matter at all if you're in a 6 foot hole when the SMIDSY is found guilty of not paying attention.......tough shit, you're dead, so what if he/she was in the wrong. Ride to live, full stop :)
A friend of mine asked me about this video. Where this is certainly not bad advice at all, I might suggest one could [and probably should] alternatively just slow down. The problem I see with this maneuver is if you're zigzagging and watching the SMIDSY to see if they eventually notice you or not you're probably not paying attention to everything else that can be equally, if not more so, as dangerous. If you're aware enough to zigzag, you're aware enough to just roll off the throttle a bit.
Buffer. Set up brakes. Perform riding at or just below speed limit. Weaving like this might be ok if a last resort. Question. What happens if i need to perform emergency techniques during this weave? Braking And weaving is usually called crashing. . I would advise. . Slow down. Buffer. Set up brakes.. start the squeeze if you're still unsure. Plan an escape. By buffering alone and setting up brakes you've closed reaction time and reaction time relative to stopping distance / speed.This was terrible. (as bad as this was written)
Add a headlight modulator if legal in your country. It causes a continual contrast. Drivers REALLY see this. Black clothes blend in with asphalt more often than a multi color jacket and helmet. I sometimes have problems seeing a black or dark grey car, riders in those colors are at a a disadvantage.
+bishplis. Good for you. if that cat is facing the other way you won't see it. 20-10 vision here so that isn't an issue. Many studies confirm black and Gray blend into the background.
A thought... YEARS ago the trains were experiencing a similar issue. Studies were done, and it was discovered that 1 (even very bright) light was difficult to identify in regards to "speed" and "distance". Thus, the US mandated all trains use a triangle pattern of lighting. Thus, an IMMEDIATE reduction of strikes. Consider using a triangle pattern of lights on your MC. (It works!) This, along with the SIAM - you should be golden! K
Agreed. Headlight modulators are effective. Since adding them to our street bikes my wife & I have experienced more drivers of other vehicles yielding to us at intersections and also commenting to us about the modulating headlight. There is also a fallacy in the SMIDSY concept. Of course the other drivers say that. Do you expect they'll say: "Sorry, I saw you but drove into you anyway."?
The SIAM is a great was to help a driver perceive a motorcycle when they're zoned out and scanning for cars. I also think bright LED conspicuity lighting helps - not just brighter lights but lights in unusual patterns that are more difficult for a cager's brain to ignore. I ride with the bright LED high beam headlight during the day, and I'm installing LED auxiliary lighting lower and to the sides. I ride with a couple of guys who have bright yellow conspicuity lighting that really stands out on the road. I know this because when I'm in the lead I can glance in my mirror and quickly see the bright yellow light to know they're still there. That yellow lighting is very noticeable. The bright yellow LED lighting is so different that drivers perceive it quickly and it draws their attention. Identifying what is different is hard wired into our lower brain function at the predator avoidance level. Our reptile brains are scanning for dangers (predators back in the day) and we tend to ignore what we see all of the time. SIAM and conspicuity lighting work because they make us more visible, and a large part of that is making us look different from the background. The SIAM makes us a wider visual target moving against the background and conspicuity lighting also provides more lumens in addition to changing the pattern and color of the lights to look different. It's counter intuitive, but the data seems to show that hi-viz clothing isn't very useful. There's a form of camouflage where naval ships are painted pink, yellow and blue, in geometric shapes. It works by breaking up recognizable patterns and confusing the brain. The contextually incongruous data is ignored by the brain.
some good information in this video, the section on looming is good i watched with interest until i saw the swerve action and was horrified. if on aproach to a jct you are that unsure that a driver has seen you a drop in speed and a plan for evasion would be far more beneficial.
I rode for a total of 33 years and after I had picked up some experience I followed everything in this video long before even seeing it. And my one and only SMIDSY was when I was inexperienced, having only been riding for three months. So it must work. The biggest thing in this video is BE SEEN. Apart from anything else if the driver of the car knows you are there they will be careful not to hit you in case their paintwork gets scratched. One thing not mentioned though. Keep your speed down. When a driver sees you in the distance they will do a quick mental calculation to work out how long it will be before you get to them. This calculation will be based on you doing the speed limit for that road or maybe a little more. If the speed limit is 40 and you are doing 60 that calculation will be way out. Resulting in...
The SIAM could have a downside for the rider: as you weave from left to right it will reduce your ability to detect whether the car is moving forward or not. A further point for riders riding in groups is to ride in a staggered formation - alternately hugging the left/right of the lane behind each other (never alongside) as depicted in the video at 6:55 but not described. This will increase the perceived approaching bulk for waiting car drivers.
Good video. People on the Revcounter forum, who drew my attention to this video, make the point that rather than weaving - which can alarm a driver and cause a knee-jerk reaction - it might be better to move smoothly in a 'Z line'.
to anticipate a car that may not see you. You would then slow to either allow more time to execute the maneuver or slow to allow more time for stopping or avoiding distance if you need it. Learn it. Practice it in a parking lot. Then apply to the road in practice. Then it will have a chance to make a difference in a real potential smidsy situation.
The problem with the example of a motorcycle remaining small until the last minute is that the camera obviously has a wide angle lens which exaggerates distance and perspective. Human eyesight isn't wide angled, so it doesn't work that way.
So I got, One headlight, and 4 Aux lights. ON AT ALL TIMES. And a massive horn. I always slow down and I make sure to get their attention either by horn or flashing lights and my bike is big af :D Side bags and top case plus Versys 650. IF YOU STILL CAN"T SEE ME. You're definitely blind or driving a truck.
This video really frustrated me, as a motorcyclist this kind of information can prove lethal for any ability level of rider. First of all, when spotting a car at a junction, the LAST thing you want to do is make a shoulder check, that second you take could mean if the driver pulls out you have a lot less time to stop. At 30mph you travel at around 13 meters a second, think about that. Secondly, if you start weaving, and he pulls out on you, you're gonna have to hit the brakes hard whilst leaning
The human eye/brain is geared to spotting movement as part of human survival. It is in our genes and therefore part of us. The weave attracts the attention of the driver, as suggested. Good film.
Well the area of the world I live and ride, if you start doing weaving as said too, it will get you a ticket really fast, or at the very least draw undue attention to your riding, I am not joking saying this !
Well maybe not to you or even me, but we have cops that think otherwise, and boy there is a bunch of them, some reg cars marked, but they have a fleet of all type that are unmarked, and they love to give tickets at gun point, it is a bit crazy to me, and unneeded. But all are not so gung ho, some are good people doing their jobs the right way, treating people as people ! People from other places who drive through this county & stay awhile, they can not believe the amount of law enforcement presence, that is what they say, and I have been in many other states & county's to judge we are the exception for such a small county. I would say the name of the place in question, it is in TN, but for the good ones I will not lump them all together. Take care. yl
I've been doored twice on my bicycle. Both being the result of a smidsy. The actual cause though? Both drivers being neglectful and not actually taking a look. They didn't see me because they never even bothered to check if anyone was coming. This takes the "sorry mate" out of smidsy and just results in a pathetic and dishonest excuse. Own up to your mistakes, don't forget to exchange details when the rider is still in shock, and report your incident to the police as required by law in many jurisdictions. I don't like being injured, but what's worse is that I hate being injured and then spoken to in a condescending and untruthful manner. If you're going to take out somebody on a bike (motor or not) you need to own up to it.
If we got caught weaving on the road here we would be done for reckless riding. Not to mention what the the drivers are thinking coming the other way. Hard to believe a man of his age and experience would suggest this.
I haven't read all of the comments, so I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, I think they could cut down the probability of an accident by not driving on the wrong side of the road.
What type of background movement does he mean at 05:37 he's talking about seeing or not seeing background movement relative to the car? What types of movement exactly?
Cross traffic from an intersection, located behind the rider, for example. If there are lots of moving cars behind you, then you are going to stand out more if you stay stationary.
Very few actually.. According to the UK Department for Transport in less than 20% of such accidents is ANY fault assigned to the motorcyclist. What happened to the series btw? fwiw I was very impressed by this pilot
I’ve never been a biker cus of one simple reason - I would have been a twat. It really is that simple. In my youth speed was king so imagine that with me being an 18 year old on a bike. That’s a killer combo and possibly would have. For a while I’ve been watching a lot of video’s and one thing I always do is what I just call a ‘white line biker check’ whenever I change lanes or overtake on any roads. Merely not just glancing in my offside mirror, but looking in the gaps down the White line / centre of the road in case there is a biker. I’ve been driving 34 years now and I will say that mostly the days of the all Black leather clad biker have gone and had to be replaced with higher visibility gear. We need the help! Thanks for it as well.
And on the point of anticipating the driver pulling out, if you're banked over on a weave, you're braking/ accelerating ability will be reduced due to the lean of the bike. I wouldn't want to be trained by this guy!!
As long as you stay in your lane you are legally permitted to occupy any part of the lane you desire, including weaving as long as you are fully in control of your motorcycle. You will not get a ticket for this. Slowing down and being ready to brake also does not increase your visibility to the driver. I would prefer that the driver *see* me rather than pull out in front of me while I'm riding slower.
Very helpful tactic. You can also flick your high/low beam headlight switch while you are weaving as an added measure. Movement definitely catches attention though.
This is a terrible idea _if you aren't weaving_ ; many drivers will interpret a flick of the beams as "I see you, and I'm letting you go" whereupon the car will pull out. Please don't do this unless it's in concert with the weaving.
How can you be in control of a motorcycle if you are weaving across the carriageway? If you see a car in a junction slow down, it is much simpler and far more effective.
Not all roads are 30mph, you can't look ahead if you are checking your shoulder, and also you can't have full control of the bike if you weave all over the road.
If the background behind the car is moving, then the background behind you is moving too! Therefore you stand out from your background and are more visable. Doesn't mean the driver will see you so best to slow down too.
If there was a police car behind you, you wouldn't do it because the car at the junction will notice the police car and, obviously, the bike in front of it! I think it's a pretty interesting idea.
Some point out that this might be perceived as a signal that you are giving folks the right of way. I guess it wouldn't deliver that message if you, let's say, flashed it 5+ times in succession quite rapidly, but it's hard to say if the driver will catch that fully anyway. Besides that, it might even be blinding? I guess you should give yourself the space for an emergency brake, but tailgaters might become a problem there..
That's why I usually own bikes with bright flashy colors and ride with lights. I've seen this new thing with kids that like to have all black bikes & cars. Seeing them is challenge enough, now they're trying to be stealth... Doh!!!
I'm in the US, and I very nearly pulled out in front of a motorcyclist, but he did the swerving maneuver at the last moment, and then I saw him and stopped. It turns out that I was looking right at him, but didn't see anything; no motorcycle at all appeared in my vision. Then, when he did the swerving maneuver, all of a sudden he appeared in my vision. It was really strange. It even made a big imprint in my brain to this day. It happened about four months ago, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday. He was a young guy, on a solid white colored sport bike.
For reference, I have never ridden a motorcycle in my life. I ride a bicycle on the road, and am watching these videos because I am thinking about getting a motorcycle.
Extremely late reply, was linked this video, but the reason this happened likely has to do with the way our brains interpret what our eyes see. Fortnine has a great video on it, and it boils down to our brain taking "snapshots" of what we see since our eyes move so quickly, then "filling in the gaps" with what it thinks is there, which can lead to objects like motorcycles being filtered out.
I've used this a number of times since first seeing this video a few years ago. I only use it as a "last resort" if I think the driver doesn't see me. I have literally seen cars stop as they were starting to pull out and I believe it's because they saw my smidsy. I don't think this is something you need to use all the time but it's another tool in our defensive driving toolbox, along with the horn or my high-vis jacket.
Mate, I've only watched this once, but you're supposed to do the SIAM to avoid the SMIDSY. Don't do the SMIDSY. Cheers!
The principle behind this technique is sound, but the suggested method creates its own set of problems, as many commentators have observed. I am an advanced rider and observer who's lived and worked in both the US and the UK, so I agree that the weaving would be frowned on in the US (and looked at with some confusion even in the UK). The UK police riders, for example, are well aware of the SMIDSY problem, but they don't resort to weaving (as a general rule). A simple shifting motion in your lane (my default position is 1/4 in from the oncoming traffic, so I'd shift (not weave) to the 3/4 position once or twice) is really all that is required. The 'side-to-side' motion, even a subtle one, is normally sufficient to trigger the awareness of a driver. If you can't make the side-to-shift in time before you reach the junction, then slow down!
By contrast, the making eye contact BS is lousy advice, as countless bikers and cyclists who survived to tell the tale can attest.
'
Auxiliary lights in the front helps, making a triangle with lights using the headlight as the top of the triangle and two extra lights at the bottom of the bike giving them as much possible separation.
TOO MUCH light makes you INVISIBLE (see the Yehudi project of WWII). Instead of the triangle, you want a modulator, that attracts the eye.
@@SoloPilot6 Don't tell us what you mean by a "modulator"--just let us guess--it's so...helpful. /s
@@1TruePatriot Sorry, they're so common that I didn't think there would be any confusion.
A headlight modulator flashes the high and low beans, back and forth, rapidly. The brain sees this as "motion" and pays more attention than to a steady headlight beam.
I have shared this video many times because it has saved my life multiple times. God bless you for sharing it. I believe the "SWERVE TECHNIQUE" IS one of the MOST IMPORTANT moves we will ever use. Being PREPARED and watching EVERY CROSS STREET AND EVERY CAR WAITING TO PULL OUT IS IMPERATIVE if you ride a Motorcycle..
TopGun/Goldwing Pilot (98,500 SAFE MILES IN 4 YEARS IN TEXAS)
Unless you spoke to each and every cager after the near collision, I'm wondering how do you know for sure that it saved your life 'multiple times?'
It is possible that the driver may have taken steps to avoid a collision even if you had been riding straight as an arrow.
GarnetAvenue he rides a Goldwing, its the size of a bus, Everyone can see him.
It's amazing how after a while you just KNOW when someone's gonna pull out on you, a 6th sense.
The worst ones are when you have a queue of traffic to you right and some nice persone decides to let a car out of a side road straight into your path!
They assume that coz they are being let out, the road must be clear.
The other thing I hate is when cars come barrelling up to a junction from a side street and slamming their brakes on at the last second, you never know what they're gonna do! cagers!
this completely changed my life about 10yrs ago. Before I was turned out in front of twice and hurt very badly. I send this to literally every new rider
Hello, I am in Adelaide Australia, and I just want to say thanks on a great information service, well done, you must have saved a lot of lives by now! Cheers.
Great explanation of why drivers do not see riders, however still relies on the driver to see riders therefore not really helping to avoid an accident. The best way to avoid a SMIDSY is to Ride Invisible. In other words be ready to stop or get out of the way, you should ensure you are on the far right of your lane which gives you the most options to avoid an accident.
I think this video was also recorded before facebook!!!
RSMF-*RI*
Mr B
Every rider should see this video.
This is a great video... Very informative, no wasted screen time, good visuals, while still keeping interest.
Thank you for this lesson! I am a new rider and I will practice this from now on.
I've had plenty of SMIDSYs but never found this necessary. As others have said, shifting lane position a bit usually does the trick, and if you can't stop or swerve, you're going too fast.
My 1st motorcycle accident happened just like the one in the video at a "T" intersection; I didn't hit the car, but I did slide down the pavement. Over the last year or so I had reason to rethink the accident & was wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent it & came up with this same idea of weaving to increase my visibility. Nice to see that I am thinking correctly
HI, David from Australia , just want to say thanks for the tip! It all helps. We get to ride most times of the year, so now I can act to avoid a crash.
Great video that gets straight to the point and doesn’t waste time with a bunch of frivolous irrelevant content. Subscribed!
This is a brilliant description of an all too common problem with excellent advice for avoidance.
I hope I'm reading this right, but if I am not, be careful. If by flicking the brights on, you mean a steady high beam, that works. However, if you mean flicking them on and off, that is often taken as "go ahead." I'm not trying to be condescending, just trying to clarify just in case (for your and others safety).
Now if we could just get drivers to stop texting.
Good explanation, I have used my flash to pass, twice and the car driver stopped before the crash. Weaving is considered stunting where I live, so I am thinking of use a small strobe light like the kind cyclists use. Same concept as as a rear brake strobe pattern increases visibility wakes up the brain.
Excellent video. I've done the SIAM in the past, but know I know when it's likely to be more effective. Thanks
I've been riding for over 40 years and have well over 500 000 km's of off-road and road experience. And, while I do practice safe, skillful riding I must admit that it's been more luck than skill that's kept me alive. After all these years I'm amazed at what I don't know! So, thanks. I'll certainly add this anti-camouflage technique to my repertoire of stayin' alive maneuvers!
I have handgaurds with led's on which help in the winter gloom.
But most importantly I have an "Oxford Ultra Torch Pro 300 Headlight (£24.99)" mounted to the top of my crash-helmet. I have this set to "flash", the same as cyclists (with a preservation complex) do. It is a flashing light not mounted on the vehicle, so is not illegal.
There is absolutely no way you are ever camouflaged (unless maybe a low sun directly behind you). It is more effective than a loud pipe (loud pipes save lives) and unlike loud pipes, it doesn't annoy the neighbours when you leave early for work! In the UK it is fantastic for filtering. Car drivers see you much earlier than with just a loud pipe.
I seriously can not recommend this defensive tool enough! I am now shocked when I ride without it at how little reaction or awareness of me there is.
Camera mounted on your lid... Why film them killing you! Warn them you are there.... Get a flashing torch!
"Why film them killing you?" LOL
I often use a similar movement in flowing traffic. When things get busy cars will often crowd into your space. I have found that a little pro-active weaving can help move other vehicles back. I suspect it makes you look a little out of control and maybe a little nuts so it's wise to give you a wide berth.
This is fantastic, really well done and put together. Thank you!
Very professional commentary, remember though that high vis still doesn't guarantee visibility so don't rely on this alone, it just INCREASES your chance of being seen... When I saw the weave I laughed, what IS he doing? Simple solution is to move position out to middle of the road, reduce speed and consider sounding the horn. Nice video up to that point. Lol.
Roadcraft Nottingham I think that is good advice and might get you out of danger when somebody is making a left turn as you can slip down the centre line to get out of the way. If the emerging car was taking a right turn I’m not sure what you can do the bar sound the horn as you say and reduce speed. I always used to wear high viz and a white helmet has white stands out at night time and high viz during the daytime. I think it did make little difference. I was always very cautious when approaching a side road to the right and For a split second I was behind the drivers front near side windscreen pillar where I was at a 45° angle to his vision. PS I love your videos and you are at the top of your game concerning motorcycle training.( Emerald Driving School )
@@michaellong8250 thanks for the kind words Michael. Russ
great video! found it to be pretty informative. even as an experienced rider it's always good to know I'm not the only one riding defensively.
This is an awesome vid. Why aren't there more?
It's part of the same thing, I've heard it called the "Buick syndrome".
Buick was always one of the biggest boats on the American road. Buick drivers were said to see nothing smaller than their Buick. That included motorcycles, VWs, compact cars, and others. I think you get the picture.
I often use the swerving technique when filtering on motorways, two reasons the first obviously but the second because the road repairs are usually along the lines creating ridges, Good Video!
Perhaps a full eagle-feather warbonnet Lakota Sioux headdress would be prudent.
imagine having to assemble one of those that'll withstand highway speeds!
Interesting. Did my advanced about 2 years ago, was never taught this. Will consider it for future rides. Need to brief a pillion before riding though or they're going to get a shock if you do it unannounced.
I use this frequently. I try to time my acceleration or deceleration so I won't be at the intersection the same time as LHT, but if I feel like we are going to arrive at the same time I always use a SMIDSY. I don't care if they are looking right at me. I'm an optometrist .They are many Mr. Magoos out there. And airheads. Any cop who stopped me for doing a SMIDSY will be in for a lecture.
In the US, not so much used, but it's "Sorry man, I didn't see you!" Headlight modulators can make a big difference, but doing the SIAM while kicking high and low beam will seriously get the point across.
@DuncanMacKillop
Duncan, good to see you continue to advance riding safety. this video has been circulating on the MSF listserve the past few days. Please stay in touch. Willie
The main Video starts at 5:04, thank me later
Good videos.
Where did you get the throttle wind breakers? Ie plastic hand warmers?
I like this.. i don't agree with the weaving motion.. but it's good thinking.. i tend to expect the car to pull out and anticipate it. Keeping your head in the game, and ride defensively is the only way.
Please don't call them accidents - they are properly referred to as collisions, because so very often they are not accidents.
I buy the brightest headlight bulbs I can find and flick the brights on when I'm in this kind of situation. Weaving isn't always possible dependong on road conditions and if you are on a curve.
That's part of it.
Also, even if the car is stationary and you can see the background behind it moving, that makes it more noticeable to YOU!
If you see someone and you are moving towards them and the background behind them is moving, then they are seeing the same thing, the background behind you is moving! This makes you much more noticeable because you look as if you are moving and not a part of that background.
One of the most sensible and adult explanations of car/bike accidents. There is no point of bikers being in the right but dead.
thats a very simple but very effective technique, i'll be using it from now on
I wear all black kit specifically because it makes me FEEL vulnerable.......that reinforces my daily, all year around commute attitude into a deeply felt avoidance system. I assume that a) 50% of drivers are out to 'get' me, and b) that the other 50% of drivers will do absolute the wrong thing at exactly the worst time for me as a motorcyclist. One thing that barely anyone talks about is the 'body language' of a car......that includes EVERYTHING that the car and its driver do on the road, from the relative acceleration used as a proportion of that car's power available, the flash of a face as it looks left, right etc, the inputsd to the sterring, the cadence of its braking and whether the braking is before, during or right through a corner and basically everything up to and including whether they have a tartan blanket on the back shelf, stickers on bumpers, whether they avoid catseyes when changing lanes and a myriad of other things fromn the blatant to the thinbgs that you can pick up without even realising it.....it all adds up to this 'body language', but can be far more important than using the conventional interpretation of that phrase to feel if a member of the opposite sex fancies you.....for us as motorcyclists, identifying and reacting to a vehicle's body languagfe can literally mean the difference between life and a smeary red death. As a counter to riding in black kit, I also run DLR leds on the front of my bike spaced out as widely from my centre line as practical, plus I have a module that makes my indicators glow at half strength all the time until I indicate.....this makes my front profile 'grow' far better to a potential SMIDSY candidate and from experience, makes the semi road illiterate Dereks appreciate the fact that I'm coming and at what speed. Lastly, I also take total responsibility for an accident (no such thing bythe way!) because responsibility does not matter at all if you're in a 6 foot hole when the SMIDSY is found guilty of not paying attention.......tough shit, you're dead, so what if he/she was in the wrong. Ride to live, full stop :)
Great advice, I had no idea I had been doing this and that it is an accepted practice among motorcyclists.
A friend of mine asked me about this video. Where this is certainly not bad advice at all, I might suggest one could [and probably should] alternatively just slow down. The problem I see with this maneuver is if you're zigzagging and watching the SMIDSY to see if they eventually notice you or not you're probably not paying attention to everything else that can be equally, if not more so, as dangerous. If you're aware enough to zigzag, you're aware enough to just roll off the throttle a bit.
Buffer. Set up brakes. Perform riding at or just below speed limit. Weaving like this might be ok if a last resort. Question. What happens if i need to perform emergency techniques during this weave? Braking And weaving is usually called crashing. . I would advise. . Slow down. Buffer. Set up brakes.. start the squeeze if you're still unsure. Plan an escape. By buffering alone and setting up brakes you've closed reaction time and reaction time relative to stopping distance / speed.This was terrible. (as bad as this was written)
Add a headlight modulator if legal in your country. It causes a continual contrast. Drivers REALLY see this. Black clothes blend in with asphalt more often than a multi color jacket and helmet. I sometimes have problems seeing a black or dark grey car, riders in those colors are at a a disadvantage.
+bishplis. Good for you. if that cat is facing the other way you won't see it. 20-10 vision here so that isn't an issue. Many studies confirm black and Gray blend into the background.
A thought... YEARS ago the trains were experiencing a similar issue. Studies were done, and it was discovered that 1 (even very bright) light was difficult to identify in regards to "speed" and "distance". Thus, the US mandated all trains use a triangle pattern of lighting. Thus, an IMMEDIATE reduction of strikes.
Consider using a triangle pattern of lights on your MC. (It works!) This, along with the SIAM - you should be golden!
K
Agreed. Headlight modulators are effective. Since adding them to our street bikes my wife & I have experienced more drivers of other vehicles yielding to us at intersections and also commenting to us about the modulating headlight.
There is also a fallacy in the SMIDSY concept. Of course the other drivers say that. Do you expect they'll say: "Sorry, I saw you but drove into you anyway."?
The SIAM is a great was to help a driver perceive a motorcycle when they're zoned out and scanning for cars. I also think bright LED conspicuity lighting helps - not just brighter lights but lights in unusual patterns that are more difficult for a cager's brain to ignore. I ride with the bright LED high beam headlight during the day, and I'm installing LED auxiliary lighting lower and to the sides.
I ride with a couple of guys who have bright yellow conspicuity lighting that really stands out on the road. I know this because when I'm in the lead I can glance in my mirror and quickly see the bright yellow light to know they're still there. That yellow lighting is very noticeable. The bright yellow LED lighting is so different that drivers perceive it quickly and it draws their attention. Identifying what is different is hard wired into our lower brain function at the predator avoidance level. Our reptile brains are scanning for dangers (predators back in the day) and we tend to ignore what we see all of the time.
SIAM and conspicuity lighting work because they make us more visible, and a large part of that is making us look different from the background. The SIAM makes us a wider visual target moving against the background and conspicuity lighting also provides more lumens in addition to changing the pattern and color of the lights to look different.
It's counter intuitive, but the data seems to show that hi-viz clothing isn't very useful. There's a form of camouflage where naval ships are painted pink, yellow and blue, in geometric shapes. It works by breaking up recognizable patterns and confusing the brain. The contextually incongruous data is ignored by the brain.
some good information in this video, the section on looming is good i watched with interest until i saw the swerve action and was horrified.
if on aproach to a jct you are that unsure that a driver has seen you a drop in speed and a plan for evasion would be far more beneficial.
I rode for a total of 33 years and after I had picked up some experience I followed everything in this video long before even seeing it. And my one and only SMIDSY was when I was inexperienced, having only been riding for three months. So it must work. The biggest thing in this video is BE SEEN. Apart from anything else if the driver of the car knows you are there they will be careful not to hit you in case their paintwork gets scratched. One thing not mentioned though. Keep your speed down. When a driver sees you in the distance they will do a quick mental calculation to work out how long it will be before you get to them. This calculation will be based on you doing the speed limit for that road or maybe a little more. If the speed limit is 40 and you are doing 60 that calculation will be way out. Resulting in...
The SIAM could have a downside for the rider: as you weave from left to right it will reduce your ability to detect whether the car is moving forward or not.
A further point for riders riding in groups is to ride in a staggered formation - alternately hugging the left/right of the lane behind each other (never alongside) as depicted in the video at 6:55 but not described. This will increase the perceived approaching bulk for waiting car drivers.
Good video. People on the Revcounter forum, who drew my attention to this video, make the point that rather than weaving - which can alarm a driver and cause a knee-jerk reaction - it might be better to move smoothly in a 'Z line'.
to anticipate a car that may not see you. You would then slow to either allow more time to execute the maneuver or slow to allow more time for stopping or avoiding distance if you need it. Learn it. Practice it in a parking lot. Then apply to the road in practice. Then it will have a chance to make a difference in a real potential smidsy situation.
The problem with the example of a motorcycle remaining small until the last minute is that the camera obviously has a wide angle lens which exaggerates distance and perspective. Human eyesight isn't wide angled, so it doesn't work that way.
Uses an AUDI for the demo for added realism.
Lol!
Just get a headlight modulator. No silly weaving required to be seen.
Ha ha! At the 1:10 mark I was thinking I'd be seeing a head on collision! Yes I am American & briefly forgot about your traffic patterns. :D
So I got, One headlight, and 4 Aux lights. ON AT ALL TIMES. And a massive horn. I always slow down and I make sure to get their attention either by horn or flashing lights and my bike is big af :D Side bags and top case plus Versys 650. IF YOU STILL CAN"T SEE ME. You're definitely blind or driving a truck.
This video really frustrated me, as a motorcyclist this kind of information can prove lethal for any ability level of rider. First of all, when spotting a car at a junction, the LAST thing you want to do is make a shoulder check, that second you take could mean if the driver pulls out you have a lot less time to stop. At 30mph you travel at around 13 meters a second, think about that. Secondly, if you start weaving, and he pulls out on you, you're gonna have to hit the brakes hard whilst leaning
The human eye/brain is geared to spotting movement as part of human survival. It is in our genes and therefore part of us. The weave attracts the attention of the driver, as suggested. Good film.
Well the area of the world I live and ride, if you start doing weaving as said too, it will get you a ticket really fast, or at the very least draw undue attention to your riding, I am not joking saying this !
***** it rains a lot where i live so this wouldnt be a good idea either. you would just start sliding and then denis would drive right over your ass
Don't know where you live, but denis seems a little on the rough side, or they just can't ride ? lol
"Draw undue attention"
If it draws attention to you and prevents them from crashing into you then it wasn't not undue! Where do you live?
Well maybe not to you or even me, but we have cops that think otherwise, and boy there is a bunch of them, some reg cars marked, but they have a fleet of all type that are unmarked, and they love to give tickets at gun point, it is a bit crazy to me, and unneeded.
But all are not so gung ho, some are good people doing their jobs the right way, treating people as people !
People from other places who drive through this county & stay awhile, they can not believe the amount of law enforcement presence, that is what they say, and I have been in many other states & county's to judge we are the exception for such a small county.
I would say the name of the place in question, it is in TN, but for the good ones I will not lump them all together. Take care. yl
Hi Viz my arse, if a driver can't see a firetruck in their mirrors with lights blazing etc. what will a small vest achieve?
I've been doored twice on my bicycle. Both being the result of a smidsy. The actual cause though? Both drivers being neglectful and not actually taking a look. They didn't see me because they never even bothered to check if anyone was coming. This takes the "sorry mate" out of smidsy and just results in a pathetic and dishonest excuse. Own up to your mistakes, don't forget to exchange details when the rider is still in shock, and report your incident to the police as required by law in many jurisdictions.
I don't like being injured, but what's worse is that I hate being injured and then spoken to in a condescending and untruthful manner. If you're going to take out somebody on a bike (motor or not) you need to own up to it.
If we got caught weaving on the road here we would be done for reckless riding. Not to mention what the the drivers are thinking coming the other way. Hard to believe a man of his age and experience would suggest this.
I haven't read all of the comments, so I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, I think they could cut down the probability of an accident by not driving on the wrong side of the road.
What type of background movement does he mean at 05:37 he's talking about seeing or not seeing background movement relative to the car? What types of movement exactly?
Cross traffic from an intersection, located behind the rider, for example. If there are lots of moving cars behind you, then you are going to stand out more if you stay stationary.
Very few actually.. According to the UK Department for Transport in less than 20% of such accidents is ANY fault assigned to the motorcyclist.
What happened to the series btw? fwiw I was very impressed by this pilot
Excellent advice
I’ve never been a biker cus of one simple reason - I would have been a twat. It really is that simple. In my youth speed was king so imagine that with me being an 18 year old on a bike. That’s a killer combo and possibly would have.
For a while I’ve been watching a lot of video’s and one thing I always do is what I just call a ‘white line biker check’ whenever I change lanes or overtake on any roads. Merely not just glancing in my offside mirror, but looking in the gaps down the White line / centre of the road in case there is a biker. I’ve been driving 34 years now and I will say that mostly the days of the all Black leather clad biker have gone and had to be replaced with higher visibility gear. We need the help! Thanks for it as well.
When I ride, I simply never assume that anyone sees me, ever.
Sometimes it makes things awkward, but I'll take that over dead any day.
And on the point of anticipating the driver pulling out, if you're banked over on a weave, you're braking/ accelerating ability will be reduced due to the lean of the bike. I wouldn't want to be trained by this guy!!
Great video! Thank you so much
Excellent video!
theres big bands in our vision that we cant see things in and our minds fill in the blanks, this gets around the bands.
@thewizardofrhythm Here in Norway the most common cause is single-vehicle-accidents.
are there other videos like this one?
Awesome video!! Really informative :D
As long as you stay in your lane you are legally permitted to occupy any part of the lane you desire, including weaving as long as you are fully in control of your motorcycle. You will not get a ticket for this. Slowing down and being ready to brake also does not increase your visibility to the driver. I would prefer that the driver *see* me rather than pull out in front of me while I'm riding slower.
Very helpful tactic. You can also flick your high/low beam headlight switch while you are weaving as an added measure. Movement definitely catches attention though.
This is a terrible idea _if you aren't weaving_ ; many drivers will interpret a flick of the beams as "I see you, and I'm letting you go" whereupon the car will pull out. Please don't do this unless it's in concert with the weaving.
Concur Dave. Remember also, that weaving can be considered a sign that you are drunk. Be careful how you do it.
Don't do this. Headlights are directional - a weave will modulate your light intensity considerably on its own.
Yup! And any sane driver will stay out of the way of a drunk, rampaging motorcycle. Mission accomplished.
Excellent video.
How can you be in control of a motorcycle if you are weaving across the carriageway? If you see a car in a junction slow down, it is much simpler and far more effective.
Never had any sort of info on smidsy's etc on my cbt... you learn quick though...
Great video! Thanks for sharing!
What a very cool video!!
I have learned something new. cheers.
If you look this guy up on FB I notice he doesn't put any info up about himself!! Wonder why?????
This makes a lot of sense!
Excellent video!!!!
Not all roads are 30mph, you can't look ahead if you are checking your shoulder, and also you can't have full control of the bike if you weave all over the road.
Thank you mate!
Greetings from Germany
If the background behind the car is moving, then the background behind you is moving too!
Therefore you stand out from your background and are more visable.
Doesn't mean the driver will see you so best to slow down too.
Thank you for the good advice!
If there was a police car behind you, you wouldn't do it because the car at the junction will notice the police car and, obviously, the bike in front of it! I think it's a pretty interesting idea.
Motorbikes should have a mini horn to warn drivers when youre near if you suspect they wont see you. Not to say they wont hear you as well though...
How about flashing the high beam with pass button?
Some point out that this might be perceived as a signal that you are giving folks the right of way. I guess it wouldn't deliver that message if you, let's say, flashed it 5+ times in succession quite rapidly, but it's hard to say if the driver will catch that fully anyway. Besides that, it might even be blinding? I guess you should give yourself the space for an emergency brake, but tailgaters might become a problem there..
That's why I usually own bikes with bright flashy colors and ride with lights. I've seen this new thing with kids that like to have all black bikes & cars. Seeing them is challenge enough, now they're trying to be stealth... Doh!!!
What does the SMIDSY look like on North American roads
The opposite lol. Makes up for all the US bike vids that we have to swap over in our heads
zhukie All happens on the right side.
excellent info! thanks!
Thanks for the tips.