Barely Avoided! The Moment Motorcycle Riding Was in Danger

In 2021, due to the corona crisis, the popularity of motorcycles has revived as a “commuting method” and “leisure” to prevent crowds. However, on the other hand, news of accidents is also reported almost every day. Although riding a motorcycle is exhilarating and easy, it cannot be denied that if you fall or have an accident, you are more likely to be injured than if you were to ride a car.

This time, I would like to introduce a case of "I was in danger of becoming an accident" from the results of a questionnaire conducted for Mynavi News members.

Just in the nick of time! Have you ever been in an accident?

Q.Have you ever been in danger while riding a motorcycle, even if you didn't get into an accident?

According to the results of the survey, 76.0%, or 3 out of 4 motorcycle riders, have experienced a near-accident. No matter how careful you are when riding, on public roads, you will see other vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, and other vehicles driven by various people. There are other bicycles and pedestrians, so don't let your guard down.

I was able to avoid the accident, but I broke out in a cold sweat!

On public roads where various vehicles come and go, road traffic laws, signals, and signs are in place to prevent accidents. However, humans still break the rules and make careless mistakes. What exactly made you feel threatened?

■ Overtaking and overtaking near-miss

Have you ever been surprised to be overtaken by another motorcycle or car in the same lane, even though you were driving safely at the legal speed limit? ?If it was a big truck, the feeling of dread should be very big too. Also, trying to pass a parked car, or suddenly opening the car door when slipping through a traffic jam. It is necessary to check not only the front but also the rear view with the rearview mirror from time to time, and be careful and keep a safe distance when passing near other vehicles.

■ A near-miss due to a sudden jump

At an intersection with poor visibility and no traffic lights or signs, many people should be aware of other vehicles and pedestrians. , Children and bicycles may pop out in unexpected places. You should be especially careful in areas such as the school zone when children go to and from school. Bicycles are also a type of vehicle that must comply with the Road Traffic Law, but they are not yet sufficiently protected, and many people jump out of the sidewalk into the opposite lane.

■Close calls at intersections

Most accidents occur at intersections where vehicles intersect. Even if a traffic light is installed, not all vehicles are perfectly protected, and some vehicles enter the intersection while accelerating at the timing when it changes from yellow to red. Since these vehicles are in a hurry, it is better to think that sufficient safety checks have not been performed. Especially scary for motorcycle riders are "right turn accidents" and "left turn entrainment", but even if the headlight is on, the motorcycle is small and it is easy to be overlooked or misunderstand the distance, so you need to be careful enough. there is.

■Close to the side, close calls

Although it was also an overtaking item, it is frightening when a car or truck, which is also a large lump of iron, suddenly approaches. Some drivers and riders get frustrated when they see small bikes cruising on an empty road and try to overtake them. In addition, even if there is no malicious intent, there are cases where a motorcycle in a blind spot is overlooked, and it becomes a form of approaching when changing lanes or merging.

■In addition, there are unexpected incidents

Because a motorcycle runs on two tires, it does not have the stability of a car. Light scooters lose their balance due to ruts and dents in the road surface, and even medium-sized and larger bikes can be swayed by strong winds. Also, no matter how safe you drive, unexpected things can happen. If visibility is poor or you are driving on a road for the first time, it is better to slow down and give yourself plenty of time to deal with unexpected events.

"Accident Risk" Learned from Near-miss Experiences

If you have been riding a motorcycle for a long time, you must have experienced "near-miss" once or twice. Even though I was careful about accidents that are often likely to occur, such as "right-turn accidents" at intersections, "rear-end collisions" due to looking aside, and "running out" of bicycles and pedestrians, I could not have imagined irregularities. encountering an event.

In the case of a car with a metal body or airbags, minor injuries can be avoided in a minor accident, but this is not the case with a bare-body motorcycle. Even a small accident can cause serious injuries that leave aftereffects, and if you are unlucky, you may even die. That's not to say that all cars care about motorcycle safety.

It is difficult to eliminate all the risks that a motorcycle has, but in order to enjoy riding for a long time, it is better to take measures to protect yourself until you are satisfied. It goes without saying that you need to have safe equipment, understand traffic conditions, and drive with a sense of urgency while observing traffic laws.

Next time, I will introduce a specific example of accident countermeasures taken by motorcycle riders.

Survey period: September 3, 2021 Survey target: Mynavi News Number of members surveyed: 1,009 Survey method: Internet login questionnaire