Copy of Concepts Review (16/16)
The APE Barrier
Hazard Analysis
Throughout the lengthy Impassable Hazards chapter, we systematically broke down the relationship between motorcyclist and motorist. As the student has surely realized, the implications of riding within traffic are many. Identifying ways that the rider can detect incoming danger early, and determine the real time threat of specific vehicles is imperative to consistently minimize the risk of collisions. Impassable Hazards are both the most dangerous and most frequent threat that the motorcyclist will encounter. Over time, the motorcyclist will connect the dots on traffic flow, allowing them to dynamically fluctuate with traffic. Ground zero for staying ahead of Impassable Hazards hinges on a shift in priorities. The rider must put their plans on the back-burner in order to put a focus on getting into the heads of those around them. After the rider has developed the habit of prioritizing the Drive Plans of other vehicles is when the Ride Plan will be implemented with proactive intent.
Ride Plans
The Ride Plan strategies talked about throughout Passable Hazards have been expanded on significantly during Impassable Hazards. Pavement awareness equates to Basic Ride Plans, whereas, pavement, plus environmental awareness, equates to Advanced Ride Plans. Ideally, the rider will be well acquainted with the handling and navigation of their motorcycle so that a majority of their attention can be directed to monitoring Impassable Hazards. In general, the threats of vehicles takes precedence over the threats to traction or stability. Only major Passable Hazards will pose serious risk to the rider, but any vehicle could turn into a critical threat at almost any moment. That being said, in order to perform evasive manoeuvres, the motorcyclist must ensure that the current traction and stability offered to the motorcycle will tolerate assertive changes in operation.
Assuming that all is in order with motorcycle operation, the rider has a multitude of ways that the Ride Plan can be modified in order to balance the varying aspects of their environment. Depending on the individual and their riding style, they can tailor their Ride Plan to better suit current conditions how they see fit. Mindful positioning, distance buffering, Line of Sight, Lead Time, Evasive Potential, and Secondary Ride Plans provide a solid foundation for the motorcyclist to mobilize against Impassable Hazards in real time. The way that the rider applies these components of the Ride Plan is flexible. Prioritize the strategies that resonate with you the most, but do not neglect any area completely as they are a each a building block of consistent risk management.
Fluid Execution
Moto Instincts has a building-block style lessons structure. Some may have wondered why it wasn’t until this point that we finally started to discuss the most frequent of all the hazards. That is because everything up until this point positions the rider to deal with the threat of vehicles consistently. Fluid Execution was introduced several chapters ago but the skill progression outlined since then has had the main purpose of giving the motorcyclist the necessary skills to be a vehicle dodging ninja. Understanding motorcycle physics, developing a strong connection with your motorcycle, learning to navigate pavement thoughtlessly, practising Evasive Muscle Memory, and being able to squeeze a motorcycle into a tight spot are all necessary components to be an elusive motorcyclist that can always avoid collisions. In addition to the actual evasion, a rider with Fluid Execution can apply a significant portion of their attention to traffic. This makes the detection and avoidance of Impassable Hazards that much easier.
The 13 Deadly Risks of Riding
Dressing For the Ride, Not For the Slide
Gear is not just for slides, because it also protects the rider from concentrated impacts. Every vehicle you see while out riding has the ability to cause an instant deceleration impact (not to mention trees, poles, guardrails, curbs, etc.). Accidents even at a measly 50 km/h (31 mph) can break bones and provide enough trauma for brain injuries or death. At highway speeds, these impacts can shatter bones and maim the body with ease. Protecting the fragile human body from impacts with metal and cement is a necessary practice for those who want to manage their risk properly.
Poor Machine Connection
Emergency manoeuvres are so abrupt that they may look aggressive to an onlooker. Being able to quickly and accurately change motorcycle operation is not a skill that develops on its own. Not only can the failure to do this create a personal hazard, there is little hope of avoiding collisions if the rider cannot assertively control their motorcycle. There is more here than the Evasive Potential of the rider, as well. Thoughtless motorcycle control allows the rider to focus much of their attention on the creation, modification and implementation of both Ride Plans and Secondary Ride Plans. If the rider has to focus on the operation of the motorcycle, managing the risk of Passable and Impassable Hazards will not be possible.
Disregarding The Right Of Weight
The whole purpose of this Deadly Risk is to tune the motorcyclist into the proper approach to public riding. The bigger the vehicle, the bigger the priority it has on the roadway from a physics standpoint. As the smallest fish, the motorcyclist must always remember their place at the bottom of the food chain. Be cognizant of what motorists are doing around you and make it your top priority to be out of their way. Remember that you must be ready to yield to the Right of Weight at every moment.
Assuming Motorists See You
Adopting an Invisibility Mindset works in lockstep with the Right of Weight. When riders assume that they have been seen, they leave themselves vulnerable to right of way infractions. Motorcycles are harder to detect and some motorists will have trouble gauging their speed. Assuming that motorists do not see you is a way to account for human error at incredibly high levels that will allow traffic flow to unfold in the same manner, whether or not the motorcyclist was there. A proactive motorcyclist is never in the way.
Forgetting About Murphy
Last chapter we were talking about the chances of encountering Passable Hazards at random. Evasive Potential is a pivotal part of the APE Risk Management System, but is far more important for Impassable Hazards than Passable. Other occupants of the roadway are usually predictable, but are typically in motion and can sometimes make unexpected moves. In order to maintain the ability to deal with the unexpected, it is of utmost importance that the rider always be looking to maximize their Evasive Potential through purposeful positioning and deliberate practice. Failure to do so can have devastating consequences when Murphy shows up and emergency manoeuvres are needed.
Ignoring the Hit On You
Pretending there is a hit on you is designed specifically to work against Murphy’s Law. How does this relate to Impassable Hazards? Simply put, expect that vehicles are out to get you. When every vehicle is expected to have a secret goal of doing you harm, the rider is always prepared when mistakes are made and a collision is imminent. If the rider does not properly uphold levels of fear, they will inevitably become desensitized to the traffic around them making the detection and reaction to Impassable Hazards sluggish. By maintaining fear of the vehicles in the environment, the rider will always be on the lookout for potential Ride Plan disruptions which will maximize their emergency preparedness.
Blindspot Complacency
Blindspots go from a minor concern when talking about Passable Hazards, to a major concern when talking about Impassable Hazards. A motorcyclist on a collision course with a motorist that is hidden behind a visibility restriction is arguably the most dangerous Hazard Stack in the world of motorcycles. It is imperative that the rider train Peripheral Perception to detect Blindspots. Once a Blindspot is detected, determine whether or not distance and speed need to be adjusted in order to ensure the ability to respond to danger that could be lying in wait. Smaller Blindspots that can be partially seen through (passenger vehicle with clear windows for example) pose a smaller risk compared to a large Blindspot that allows no light through. Bigger, opaque Blindspots must be approached with a higher degree of caution.
Charging Intersections And Turns
Charging into intersections has resulted in some of the most devastating crashes known to motorcyclists. When approaching intersections, the rider must check all Hazard Entry Points, look for Blindspots, estimate Drive Plans, and then use that information to adjust their position, Line of Sight, Lead Time, and Evasive Potential, if necessary. At a busy intersection, this is a mentally taxing process, even at the speed limit. Adding excessive speed into the mix makes it impossible for the rider to ensure that all the boxes have been checked before proceeding through the intersection. Excessive speed effectively causes the rider to go blind into the intersection, with extremely low Evasive Potential.
Motorists are usually where they ought to be when rounding turns, but this is not always the case. Charging into turns increases the risk of collisions because the higher the speed, the higher the Lean-Angle which commits the rider more and more to their Ride Plan with every degree of increase. When encountering any hazard mid turn, the rider has a much higher chance of evasion if their operation provides the flexibility to do so.
Riding With An Unfit Mental State
Poor mental states generally affect the rider’s ability to make sound decisions and manage their attention effectively. Much of the signals that Impassable Hazards give off are subtle. Poor ability to focus will certainly result in a rider being oblivious to the rising risk of traffic. Staying ahead of Impassable Hazards demands not only a high degree of focus, but high levels of attention management, as well. Between Hazardous Traffic Formations, Drive Plans, Blindspots, Hazard Entry Points, Traffic Dynamics, and Motorist Telegraphs, the rider has no chance of maintaining proper awareness of these external factors. That’s not to mention the internal factors that the rider must also manage! On top of all that, the rider must also manage their habits, motorcycle operation, and risk management tendencies, Riding With An Unfit Mental State is an incredibly poor idea when we consider the implications of riding within traffic.
Restricting And Out-Pacing Line of Sight
Now that the Ride Plan is in conjunction with fluctuating traffic conditions, the motorcyclist will constantly be battling reductions in Line of Sight. Vehicles are a steady source of visibility restriction which decreases the rider’s ability to detect both Passable and Impassable Hazards alike. The motorcyclist must always be cognizant of traffic shifts that impact Lead Time. Luckily, the motorcycle’s small size allows the rider to position in ways to increase Lead Time with lane position. When this is not enough, reducing speed is always an option to get back Lead Time lost to restrictions in visibility. By riding on the inside of turns and the outer portions of lanes, the motorcyclist will habitually be in a location that tends to offer great Line of Sight corridors. The better the Line of Sight, the more the Ride Plan can be proactive.
Inattention To The Surroundings
With so many variables to keep track of, it is impossible for the motorcyclist to react instinctively if APE Flow State is not synchronized with the surroundings. Traffic has a typical ebb and flow that the motorcyclist must learn to fluctuate with. From internal factors, to external factors, to emergency manoeuvres, there is much that needs tending to. Fortunately, the environment is constantly supplying all the answers to the observant rider. Managing awareness at high efficiency levels allow the motorcyclist to hear all of the quiet suggestions that their surroundings make. Improper development of awareness or attention misplacement can easily cause near misses with Impassable Hazards, or worse.
Operating Without a Ride Plan
Moving throughout the environment without a plan leaves everything to luck. Being constantly surrounded by vehicles that can cause instant deceleration makes this an obviously risky practice. Assuredly, it is now apparent that the Ride Plan is not a simple Point A to Point B. The motorcyclist has a plethora of ways to vary the Ride Plan to manage Impassable Hazards. Vehicles take up considerable space and are usually in motion, which makes their avoidance a much more delicate process compared to Passable Hazards. When utilized properly, the Ride Plan aims to be as proactive as possible to give the rider the best chances of detecting and reacting to Impassable Hazards at the earliest moment. Due to the difficulties and risk associated with collision avoidance, it is an extremely good idea to avoid allowing these situations to materialize. With a methodical Ride Plan synced to the environment, dealing with emergency situations should be a very rare occurrence for the proactive motorcyclist. When dealing with Hazardous Traffic Formations, the Ride Plan shifts from risk management to emergency preparedness. It is not always possible to avoid situations where vehicles could cut you off (vehicles turning left, stopped at a red light, vehicle waiting to pull across the road, etc.), but it is possible to determine the worst case scenario and develop a Secondary Ride Plan for said scenario. Combining these two forms of Ride Plan management sets the rider up to minimize the risk of being cut off, and to react instantaneously when they are.
Taking Risks Outside Your Skill Bubble
There are several components that the rider should develop to be adequately prepared to deal with Impassable Hazards. Developing a reasonable connection with their machine while building Ride Plan management skills are necessary to control the risk of collisions. First we started with parking lot skills, which were expanded onto public roadways. The next step was learning to plan a line and, ideally, navigating it with little thought input. As the rider manages a Ride Plan while keep their attention unlocked is when they can start to work on their Peripheral Perception skills. Connecting all these dots allows the rider to focus their attention onto traffic while still managing themselves, their motorcycle, and pavement navigation. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to Advanced Ride Plans. Is it mandatory to master all of these aspects of riding before exposing yourself to traffic? Not at all. Realistically, the only way one can truly master all of these components of riding is by riding in a public setting which will contain varying amounts of hazards.
Recall that the proper order of awareness development is as follows: personal, motorcycle, pavement, environment. If, and, whenever possible, focus on developing awareness in that order. Stacking awareness in this order is not only the safest way to learn, but it will teach the rider how to split and bounce their attention between the different forms of awareness. Taking on too many forms of awareness will slow development and leave weak points in attention, potentially allowing Impassable Hazards to sneak in. It is recommended that before riding in heavy traffic, at high speeds with traffic, on challenging roads with traffic, or in adverse weather conditions with traffic, that the rider has learned positive riding habits, is able to manage their Ride Plan without much thought input, and has begun to experiment with Evasive Potential. Having these aspects of riding in order will allow the motorcyclist to focus more attention on traffic, and have the operational skills to deal with emergency situations.
Without these aspects in order, it is much more likely to experience a Panic Reaction during an emergency situation. Additionally, if a rider is feeling overly anxious in traffic, they will lack conviction in their operation, as well as, decision making. In the presence of an over-active fear response, the motorcyclist must take a pause to determine why they are feeling this way. It is normal to feel anxious when surrounding by motorcycle smashing machines, but only to a certain point. If these feelings do not fade with time, or they are to the point of affecting mental and/or physical performance, the rider should return to lower risk riding situations to put a focus on building more confidence with less hazards in the vicinity. Becoming adept at emergency manoeuvres will shake the anxiety in most situations, as these feelings arise from the subconscious feeling vulnerable. We cannot remove the vulnerable nature of riding, but we can build the confidence to counteract the vulnerability through the acquisition of motorcycle agility. When the subconscious recognizes its ability to avoid danger in the vicinity is when anxiety becomes replaced with confidence. Another cause of excessive fear can come from negative outcome bias from the psyche of the rider. Think about this as a Tunnel Vision on negative outcomes. It is okay to be on the lookout for danger, but there is a fine line between assuming there is danger and assuming that you will succumb to a crash/collision. By assuming that an accident is imminent, the fight or flight response will be on high alert causing high levels of anxiety for the individual. Shake these thoughts from your mind and focus on the present moment, not how bad it could be if things go wrong.
The A.P.E. Risk Management System
Clearing Impassable Hazards
Eliminating An Impassable Hazard
If an Impassable Hazard’s Drive Plan does not intersect with the Ride Plan, then that vehicle threat can be considered eliminated. In the event that a motorcyclist gets cut off, eliminated the hazard through means of avoidance is the only option available. Inability to evade a collision will always end poorly for a rider and their machine. The best way to ensure the highest chances of evasions is to create as much distance from Impassable Hazards as conditions allow. The further the distance, the greater the safety. Once the motorcyclist has developed the necessary skills to read the telegraphs of motorists, it becomes easier to stay clear of vehicles.
Controlling An Impassable Hazard
The reality of public riding is that most vehicles encountered pose varying degrees of risk to the Ride Plan. Due to being in motion and their ability to change course, eliminating Impassable Hazards completely is not possible under most circumstances. This is where the APE Risk Management System comes in to equip the rider with many tools to control the risk that other vehicles pose. Awareness of traffic and motorist nuances allows the motorcyclist to modify the Ride Plan to counteract the most risky vehicles in the environment. Almost the entire Impassable Hazards chapter was dedicated to ways of controlling the risk of other vehicles. If you take a look at the individual lessons, only one lesson (Code Red) was centred around elimination through evasive operation. If the motorcyclist is able to adequately control risk through positive habits, recognizing Hazardous Traffic Formations, spacing, Line of Sight, and Lead Time, they will infrequently have close calls with Impassable Hazards. When Murphy shows up, the proactive motorcyclist will set themselves up for emergency situations by controlling their Evasive Potential and having a Secondary Ride Plan locked and loaded.
Mitigating An Impassable Hazard
The gear a rider wears can help mitigate the risk associated with not being seen by other motorists. Wearing eye catching colours, as well as, riding a brightly painted motorcycle, can aid the rider in being detected. Let’s look at some strategies to make the rider the most visible.
A motorcyclist has three relative areas that another motorist uses to detect their presence. The helmet is the most visible from all angles and is also the highest point of the rider. The jacket of the motorcyclist is fairly visible, but visibility can be reduced by viewing angle and motorcycle configuration. The same is true about the pants of the rider. The motorcycle itself is often quite apparent from the side, but not so much from a straight on angle. If the rider wants to maximize how striking they are visually, its not only about bright colours but also making the three areas (head, body, motorcycle) clash with one another. Doing so makes it easy for onlookers to pick out the head, body, and motorcycle, consequently, resulting in earlier detection by the brain. As outlined in the Deadly Risk Assuming Motorists See You, wearing bright colours can aid in the detection of the motorcyclist, but it can never guarantee it.
Another way to mitigate the threat of vehicles is through the use of flashing lights. There are aftermarket lights (headlights/brake lights) that periodically flicker to alert motorists to the presence of the motorcycle. The visual system is constantly scanning for changing light variables in the environment, with the keyword being changing. Having a flickering headlight or tail light greatly reduces the chance of being missed by other motorists, as eyes will be drawn to the flickering lights. Giving the high-beams a flash when approaching an intersection can alert a complacent motorist of your presence (do not go overboard as high beams can be irritating to some). The same goes for rear brakes, as the rider can activate the rear brake several times manually to achieve the same affect. Additionally, having a headlight cluster with 2 headlights reduces the risk of an onlooker missing the motorcycle from the front. If you have a machine that illuminates 1 of 2 headlights on low-beam, riding around with high-beams on during the day is recommended.
Hazard Stacks
Now that we have graduated to Advanced Ride Plans, Hazard Stacks will be commonplace. However, just because there are multiple hazards nearby, does not necessarily mean that they pose more risk to the rider. Only Hazard Stacks that interfere, or could interfere with the Ride Plan, need to be taken seriously. When possible, aim to separate Passable Hazards from Impassable Hazards. Usually, this can be accomplished with lane position and respecting No-Ride Zones. If the rider notices that the current Pavement Section is posing more risk, more of a distance buffer should be maintained with other vehicles to account for the decrease in Evasive Potential. Making evasive swerves around Passable Hazards when vehicles are near is a risky practice. Recall that evasive manoeuvres are initiated best when the motorcycle is riding with a constant speed and direction. By deviating from a neutral velocity, the rider is actively decreasing Evasive Potential when they could potentially need it for nearby Impassable Hazard(s). When there is more than one Impassable Hazard, determine which one poses more of a risk and prioritize the Ride Plan to manage that hazard first and foremost. Even with multiple Impassable Hazards, the motorcyclist is usually able to adjust speed and/or distance in order to encounter one hazard after the other, albeit, in quick succession.
The worst Hazard Stacks generally have a combination of Line of Sight restriction and a critical hazard. Maintaining adequate Line of Sight is multipurpose, as it also tends to increase hazard perception times, manage distance from Impassable Hazards, make the rider more visible, and provide increases in Evasive Potential. There are nuances within Line of Sight itself, but if the rider has great Line of Sight, they will generally tend to have great risk management potential.
Evasive Potential and Secondary Ride Plans
Evasive Potential becomes quite dynamic and important when applied against Impassable Hazards. Due to the large size of vehicles, significant changes to motorcycle operation are needed to evade them in cut off scenarios. Large changes in operation require large amounts of space. As a rider becomes more adept at handling their motorcycle, smaller and smaller amounts of space are needed for evasive manoeuvres. Heavier motorcycles will always need more area to evade than lighter ones, but a little practice goes a long way. Being able to assertively control one’s motorcycle in any direction and into tight areas should be a top priority for all riders. After some experimentation, the motorcyclist will be able to plan and execute Secondary Ride Plans with high accuracy. With being on such a small machine, there is almost always a legitimate escape route for the rider to take. Generally, the centre of the road will offer the best Evasive Potential and Line of Sight to the rider in most situations. In practice, however, hazards in the immediate surroundings can force the rider to take differing lane positions to tackle risk in real time.
Peripheral Perception
Advanced Ride Plans is where Peripheral Perception really begins to shine. Detecting changing variables for Passable and Impassable Hazards simultaneously is not possible without it. There is too much to catch without the efficient direction and application of vision and attention. After the motorcyclist has practised navigating a Basic Ride Plan with the peripherals, they will have the skills to manage incoming Passable Hazards while keeping a lightly unfocused vision centred above their Ride Plan. Advanced Ride Plans add another layer where the rider will now being doing all of the above, while watching for Impassable Hazard clues. Firstly, they will avoid risky locations around vehicles. Secondly, they will use Peripheral Perception to watch for Hazardous Traffic Formations, Hazard Entry Points, and Blindspots. These will hone the rider in on areas that need more attention. Use Binocular Vision to focus attention to any vehicles in risky areas, shifting traffic conditions, and navigating past Blindspots. In situations where vehicles pose a risk of intersection with the Ride Plan, the motorcyclist must maintain attention to this vehicle until it can be cleared in one way or another (usually by passing by the vehicle or by observing low-risk telegraphs). As always, as soon as Binocular Vision is no longer needed, it is best to return to Panoramic vision to begin scanning for more pressing hazards. Scan. Lock on. Assess. React.
To refresh yourself on some activities to build skills with Peripheral Perception, please refer to The APE Risk Management System.
Impassable Hazards Summary
The most frequently encountered hazard of the motorcyclist has finally been broken down for your digestion. The implications are many with regards to other motorists. For every implication, there is a counteracting risk management strategy. The amount of information may have been overwhelming, but will become more intuitive with time. The easiest place to start is determining areas of the road that other vehicles can occupy quickly. Avoiding, or being wary of, such areas will start to tune the rider into the intentions of other motorists, as well as, build a habit of being out of the way. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid the Drive Plan of another vehicle. The rider must be attentive to their surroundings in order to pick up on Hazard Traffic Formations, as well as, shifts in traffic flow that could create a dangerous situation. When the Ride Plan intersects, or could intersect with a Drive Plan, is when the motorcyclist must consider their options and proceed with caution. Thankfully, the motorcyclist has a multitude of ways that they can control the risk of collisions with vehicles. Putting a focus on Line of Sight, Lead Time, and Evasive Potential will set the rider up for success in almost every scenario.
What sounds easy on paper is not always so easy in practice. Most of the lessons within this chapter were done so from a bird’s-eye view. When looking from above on a freeze-frame diagram, it is obvious how the motorcycle rider can manage their risk. A challenge that all students must undergo is to take these bird’s-eye view lessons and translate them down to street level while in motion. In addition, many of the situations portrayed throughout the chapter were moments before a would-be collision. In the real world, the motorcyclist must recognize when these situations are forming, not when they have already formed. Ideally, the rider will realize ahead of time so that they can avoid the situation entirely, and not become a part of it. A smart motorcyclist knows that she is hard to detect, but a wise motorcyclist will realize when she is not visible, or when other motorists are not paying attention. Such a state of riding gives the motorcyclist expert level foresight that not even Murphy’s Law can keep up with.
With so much going on, the subtle cues that traffic gives off can easily be missed by the distracted rider. It is for this reason that the mastery of motorcycle navigation and Peripheral Perception are so critical to the motorcyclist. Misplaced attention or visual distractions can inhibit the ability to sense these vital hints given off by the environment. When the personal, motorcycle, and pavement awareness have be adequately developed, the rider will be able to remain calm and free their attention to monitor the changing variables around them. As with all other hazards, when Impassable Hazards are detected early, they can be thwarted with ease. Due to their large size, Impassable Hazards are nearly impossible to deal with at the last second. To fully manage the risk posed by other vehicles, the rider must be hypersensitive to the nuances of traffic, never hesitate at the slightest hint of danger, and be capable of handling their motorcycle in an evasive manner without batting an eyelash. Such motorcyclists are poised to stay one step ahead of the most dangerous hazard that we commonly encounter.