In this edition we look at being conspicuous and the advantages and necessity of being conspicuous from the safety viewpoint. We shall also delve into the aspects of right positioning and approaches.

Conspicuity does not translate into hooliganism. It does not mean behaving like a crazed rider and drawing attention to oneself by noisy, inconsiderate and lawless styles of riding.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of drivers who constantly turn up in your lane, cutting and slicing across your bows, stop and think before you give in to doing the same unto them. They may not all be at fault. Examine your own riding style and approach to other road users. Can they see you? To stay alive, motorcyclists have to be seen - by drivers in the same lane, as well as oncoming and cross traffic.

Compared to cars, motorcycles are unobtrusive. Lamp posts, trees, pedestrians or street furniture at fairly close range can obscure them, particularly when approaching head-on.

Positioning on the road will vary with circumstances. For instance at multi-road junctions, drivers have a great deal to take be wary of and there is every chance that a bike moving up on the offside of a line of traffic will go unnoticed. Do not ride squarely behind the vehicle in front either. You could be unseen in one of the driver's blind spots and if the vehicle brakes, you will probably ram into it.

Riders who insist on travelling up the inside of a traffic lane cannot be seen by drivers. Passengers often hop out on the nearside, usually without looking behind them. To be conspicuous give others a chance to see you.	The rider has passed a vehicle without a clear road ahead and ends in a dangerously cramped position. Although he is visible to the approaching traffic, his presence will be overshadowed by the two larger vehicles.

Ride so that the driver ahead can see you in his rear-view mirror, and avoid riding close to the near side. Near side mirrors (wing mirrors on the left) when fitted, are quite often ignored and overtaking moves are not expected along that side. The near side creeper is denied forward vision and could get boxed in, finding it difficult to avoid parked vehicles. Riding nearer the centre of the road makes you more visible to other road users.

Daytime headlights, compulsory in Japan and many European countries and frequently recommended elsewhere, have a limited value; if other road users are not looking your way, you will never been seen and if your headlamp is set with its beam too high, you will cause aggravation. In poor visibility a dipped headlight is essential. Most drivers find it difficult to judge the speed of oncoming motorcycles and even though you may be seen, don't assume that your intentions are understood.

Over take lines of traffic only when you are absolutely certain that you can be seen. Ensure that you can stop safely within the distance of the road that you can see clearly. If unable to pass the whole line in one go, then overtake one vehicle at a time, letting each vehicle driver know that you are there. Keep in mind that at anytime a vehicle could pull out of the line to pass the vehicle in front, so do not begin to pass unless you can see the road ahead is clear. Use the turn signal throughout the maneuver.

Use the horn. But that isn't a carte-blanche authority to burn or blast other road users off the road. Many drivers resent being honked at and using your horn to blow someone's ear drums will not make him move out of the way, on the contrary he would be enticed to take you out and eliminate the menace. Give the horn signal from a point behind the vehicle which will enable the driver to notice you and react to your presence. Avoid honking as you pass; wait a moment, the driver could react unexpectedly and dangerously to your close presence.

Conspicuous warning clothes do work. They can be seen from a long way off. Daytime headlamps should make bikes more visible. Use them constantly in rain or poor weather. A clean bike stands out in the gloom and faults can be spotted easily.

Keep you bike clean. It may sound irrelevant from a conspicuity point of view but fact of the matter is that a clean bike is more conspicuous than a dirty bike, in addition to being more reliable (and of course attractive). Bright paintwork and metal work to reflect back sunlight and streetlamp light but more importantly the condition of a bike is a reflection of the owners attitude. The rider who exercises skill, give good road signals and considers others is noticed by more people than you might think.

It is prudent to wear something bright and or reflective. Reflective taping on your helmet and jacket will make you more visible especially in the dark. Give other road users every opportunity to see you!

That's it for conspicuity. In the next edition we shall delve deeper into advanced bikecraft. Till then ride safely and strap on that helmet.

Author: Sirish Chandran