[This article is written by Beaverton resident David Murray. Murray is a daily bike commuter and an avid motorcyclist who has toured the U.S., Canada, and many European countries.]
The Other Two-Wheelers
When I first encountered the City of Portland’s “I Share The Road” campaign, I was happy to find a group of people who are active in promoting safety for everyone in our area. Their logo, with a “Portland Shares The Road” inscription, wraps cleverly around a yellow rose. Also included are icons of a truck, train, car, bicyclist, and a parent/child depiction of pedestrians. That’s us. That’s who we are, and where we live. And, for the most part, it’s a good representation.
But, missing from that picture are another significant portion of road users. I’m referring to motorcyclists and the ever-increasing number of scooter and moped riders.
In a time and place where bicyclists generate a great deal of interest and attention, (both the favorable and unwanted) it’s understandable that their agenda comes to the forefront while tying into the notion that all users of public roads have rights and responsibilities. To further this discussion, let’s examine the role of riders utilizing internal combustion powered two-wheelers.
“Naturally, two-wheelers slip to the low end of perceived danger, and are thus often entirely overlooked.”
If we look past many of the current stereotypes applied to motorcyclists (“Outlaws”, “Speed Demons”, “Stockbrokers Gone Wild”) and scooter pilots (“Urban Hipsters”, “Starving Students”, “Pseudo-Euros”) what we find are ordinary citizens of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and affiliations. In fact, there are more than 25 million of them in the U.S. today.
No one is “typical”, and the reality is, most have interests that overlap with our own. Many of these folks also use pedal power. Where the real differences lie are in the challenges faced while traveling our streets and highways.
During my thirty-plus years riding motorcycles, the closest calls (and one unavoidable collision) were caused by motorists turning into my right-of-way. While this is also a concern of pedalers, motorcyclists must always be aware that we can be easily overlooked in a mix of automobiles and larger vehicles. Much of this can be mitigated by diligent lane positioning and making oneself conspicuous, but being in the traffic pattern is inherently more risky than traveling near it.
Other issues are not so obvious.
(Photo © J. Maus)
A diesel spill on the road can quickly dump a rider under the wheels of other traffic. Hard braking or panic stops can only be safely accomplished in a straight line. A balance between front and rear brake application must be attained to avoid “high-siding” and being pitched off the bike. Keeping stability through corners depends on the rate of travel and available traction. The same is true for bicyclists, but normally higher speeds up the ante for the go-by-gas crowd.
Our Northwest climate can have adverse effects too. The difficulty of seeing and being seen climbs during the many rainy months. Modern riding gear helps keep us relatively warm and dry, but dedicated riders regularly cope with elements that are of little consequence to the warm and dry “cagers” on four wheels.
Scooter and moped riders may tell you they live the worst of both worlds.
(Photo: VJ on Flickr)
Until recently, the majority of these smaller motorbikes lacked the power to comfortably keep up with auto traffic. Combine those limitations with less than optimum braking, and the “scooteristi” face a rough go of it (and 100 MPG doesn’t always make up for a general lack of respect on the road).
A problem shared by bikers in every camp has its roots in human evolution. Psychologists have shown that motorists continually perform a sub-conscious “threat assessment scan” and prioritize their engagement strategy. Naturally, two-wheelers slip to the low end of perceived danger, and are thus often entirely overlooked. It isn’t fair, it isn’t right, but we have to account for it or suffer the consequences.
In the final analysis, users of two-wheelers of any sort have a lot in common. We share a passion for our chosen modes of transport, and hope and deserve to be safe every time we venture out. We can all do our part in making that possible by educating others and riding responsibly on our chosen cycle.
As I ride a motorcycle frequently, and continue to ride a bicycle nearly every day, I also look forward to a time when motor-powered bikers are more widely accepted. A place for us on the “I Share The Road” logo is something that will help the cause too.
[Editor’s note: Now the question is, should all two-wheelers unite and use our combined numbers to help make our voice stronger? If so, how should we connect with our motorized brethren? One possible way might be to organize with motorcycle riders for the upcoming Ride to Work Day on July 16th.
On the other hand, will aligning with motorcycles hasten the regulation of bicycles (which some people feel is inevitable anyways)?
— This article was written by David Murray. If you’d like to contribute a Guest Article to BikePortland.org, send us your story.