Concepts Review (17/17)
Concepts Review
The APE Barrier
Hazard Analysis
With regards to the APE Barrier, The 13 Deadly Risks of Riding are focused in the Hazard Analysis portion of the barrier. The Deadly Risks are all personal rider hazards that manifest as behaviour and are a direct result of improper mentalities. Hazard Analysis is at the forefront of the barrier for good reason. If a rider is not perceptive of hazards, the ability to manage risk isn’t possible. It is a mistake to approach motorcycles and focus safety efforts on outside hazards that may be encountered. In some circumstances, this can shift the focus onto the hazard, instead of on the rider. The more focus that is put onto the hazard, the less control the rider has. For example, if a motorcyclist is approaching an intersection and fixated on spotting a car that will cut them off, their eyes will be darting around or fixated upon one car, they will be tense, and they may miss other important aspects of the situation. On the other hand, if a motorcyclist is approaching an intersection and is managing their operation with the 13 Deadly Risks, they will be put into a position of proactive power to identify and manage the risk of being cut-off. They will be considering the Right of Weight, be riding with an Invisibility Mindset, travel with strong Line of Sight, have advantageous lane position, approach at an adequate speed, and manage their Ride Plan for hazards in the area. The second rider will be more prepared to manage a cut-off despite not purely focusing on vehicles. By creating good habits for thinking and behaving, the road is paved for all other risk management strategies to travel. As you understand more and more that the way you think and act is the most influential aspect of your ability to manage risk, the easier it becomes to manage risk. When the 13 Deadly Risks of Riding become first nature, danger is regularly spotted and reacted to in advance, which is the ideal situation for us vulnerable motorcycle riders.
Ride Plans
It is true that there was a slide dedicated to operating without a Ride Plan, but the slide is concerned more with the risk of not applying a Ride Plan than the actual execution of the Ride Plan itself. As you progress through the course, you will come to realize that a Ride Plan is too complex to be contained in one lesson. The idea of the Ride Plan will be greatly expanded during Passable Hazards. Not formulating and adapting the Ride Plan to current conditions is a Deadly Risk, but the Ride Plan itself is centred around managing threats of the outside world, not the inside.
Fluid Execution
N/A
Mentality Hazards Summary
There you have it, the most risky behaviours you can engage in on a motorcycle. Having these skeletons in your closet could come back to haunt you one day. The motorcyclist must always be on the defensive due to the vulnerable nature of riding. Proactive ways of thinking and acting can ensure safe riding tendencies. By applying The 13 Deadly Risks, a large amount of motorcycle danger can be managed while riding. When these Mentality Hazard lessons are used to create risk management strategies, all accountability is placed on the rider. With so much on the line, it is very unwise to trust anyone or anything other than you and your motorcycle. Undertaking all responsibility is necessary to turn into an assertive motorcyclist that is in control of herself, her machine, and her surroundings. Years of riding without incident can desensitize you to dangers that are ever present. It is extremely important to never lose sight of your fragility and how vulnerable you are on two wheels. Complacency kills, maintain vigilance.
With the 13 Deadly Risks of Riding, we began our journey by forming the necessary mentalities that will create proactive thought patterns and behaviours. A defensive mentality creates the base for the Hazard Hierarchy and provides the stability to tackle all other hazards groups. To ensure risk management prowess, the next layer of the Hazard Hierarchy must be dialed in with surgical precision; handling your motorcycle.