Hey, how you doing'? This month the RoadHouse is going to cruise the interstate

checking for safety and passing on some guidelines to improve your safety

strategies. We'll also look back on some friendly folks down south and recognize

some ERC Graduates from our Chapter. Smear on the chapstick, sun block and

shades, were hitting the road. Oh, and don't forget the helmet!

Riding the interstate system used to be a no-brainer, just jump on the on ramp,

make a head check and settle back at 70 M.P.H. and watch the scenery roll by.

Not any more. The idiot behind you is crawling up your tailpipe at 80 M.P.H.,

talking on his cell phone while rolling the wrapper back on his `Big Mac'. Does he

see you? I don't think so. You accelerate to keep from being run over, however the

semi in front of you blocks your view and as you enter a work zone blind, you

notice too late that the pavement has been milled, so your bike starts to bounce like

a basketball blurring your vision. Where have the good times gone?!?!

Safe riding on the interstate has become more difficult the last few years due to the

increase traffic and the unending construction season. Strategies to survive on the

open road at highway speed are more critical now than EVER before. Let's look at

some safe strategies for high speed riding.

First, your vision. It's your first line of defense. On the highway always position your

bike to obtain the best view. One that allows you to see as far ahead as possible. If

your view is blocked by a semi or motor home, pass (when legal and safe) as soon

as possible. If that's not an option, back off and increase your space cushion.

Remember that your space cushion is the area in front of your bike that lets you

stop, swerve or increase your reaction time. At 70 M.P.H. your covering 50 feet a

second. The normal reaction time for a motorcyclist is 1.9 seconds. That means

your going to cover a hundred feet BEFORE you can translate your command

(brake, swerve, etc.) to your bike. Space cushioning buys you the time it takes to

react. Always increase it when your field of vision is restricted.

Second, continuously plan your escape route. Be aware of the condition of the

shoulder and the availability of the left lane. Use SIPDE continuously and

aggressively, making note of the vehicles around you, especially their speed,

formation and driving style. Around the Muncie area when I ride up on Friday and

Saturday nights to the school, I pay special attention to the college students heading

home for the weekend or the parties Saturday night. I know the last thing on their

mind is me and my motorcycle. Wear brightly colored clothing, heavy on the

retroreflective striping. Make the vehicle behind you see you. Use exaggerated hand

signals, change lane position from time to time. Anything that gets you noticed-

remember you're riding invisible.

Third, remember that the most dangerous places on the interstate are the off & on

ramps. This is what injures most motorcyclists. The scenario is the same, bike

exiting too fast or bike enter too fast and control is lost. Indiana DOT is pretty good

about posting speed signs for exit-on ramps. They tend to be pretty accurate. If

they say 45 M.P.H., then they MEAN 45 M.P.H.! Remember to brake before

entering the curve on the exit ramp and keep a steady throttle throughout the turn. It

keeps the suspension stable and the bike feeling solid throughout the turn. Entering

the freeway is even more critical. Using a continuous head check at the top of the

ramp and gauging your final position on the freeway it should be a smooth, gradual

process of acceleration, turn signal and positioning in the fast flowing traffic ahead of

you. Don't wait till your on the acceleration lane to pick your spot in the traffic flow,

know where your going before you enter the freeway. Acceleration on your

motorcycle is your best friend. Using it to adjust your speed to the others around

you quickly is an asset. Make sure your bike is tuned and properly serviced before

taking on an interstate. Lugging your engine in front of a speeding semi is not

healthy!

Road rage is wide spread these days. Indiana is no exception. A recent report by

the government put Indiana in the top third of `roadway incidents'. Something to

think about. Tactics on surviving `road rage' are simple. Be alert for aggressive

drivers and give them plenty of room. Don't challenge them with hand gestures or

mouthed threats. You'll lose. Instead, back off and get their plate number and call it

in to the State Police. The troopers I've talked to are VERY interested in finding these

people and making their day turn sour. The amount of bad drivers and poor road conditions

are enough to keep us busy. Don't let those jerks with their twisted brains spoil our day.

Ride smart.

Entering construction zones on interstates are another area of high concern. Usually

it means pavement that is milled off, uneven or covered in loose gravel or sand.

Remember to use constant speed and gradual steering inputs to move the

motorcycle around in these areas. Constant throttle is a must for transferring from

low to high pavement. Always attempt to cross a lip of pavement at a 90 degree

angle. If that's not possible, then arrange your approach angle so that it will give you

more tire contact at the ridge. Avoid contact with the sidewall of the tire, try to meet

the ridge of pavement with as much of the tread face as possible. Remember to roll

on the throttle just before making the transition of the uneven pavement, this will

lighten the front of the bike and increase your chances of a smooth cross over.

Finally, remember yourself on interstate travel. Protection from the wind, sun, rain

and cold are vital to your comfort and safety. If you chap your lips from the wind or

sun, then your mind will be thinking of your lips instead of your driving. Plan ahead

and carry the things that make you comfortable. It's ALWAYS colder out on the

bike than you think is. It's always a surprise when the rain catches you 50 miles

from home. It's part of biking-the surprise.

While the interstates offer the quickest route most of the time, they also offer the

greatest dangers to motorcyclists. The speed, the inattentiveness of drivers and the

constant concentration required sometimes make the slower, old back roads more

appealing.

On Saturday, May 19 & 20 two ERC (Experienced Rider Courses) were held. In

the Saturday session, four of our members participated and passed the day long

course. Congratulations to Mike M., Gordon W., Dee J. and

`Big' Joe C.. The class taught riders advanced skills and provided the

opportunity for students to use their our motorcycles to ride the exercises. Some of

the skills taught were controlling rear wheel skids, braking in a curve, maximum

braking and low & high speed swerving. All of our members passed with flying

colors. A special salute to `Dee' as she was the only female in the class. Not only

did she hold her own, but passed with one of the top scores!

The Sunday session brought in the `Marion HOG Chapter'. The 12 riders from

up north were treated to the same great weather and a full day of riding. I want

thank Jay Jackson and Rich Harding for giving up their weekend to come teach

with me. Because of their efforts, `Team Muncie' should receive their ERC

certification sometime later this summer making it possible for ERC's to be held in

Muncie without outside Instructors having to be brought in.

The Harley-Davidson State Officer received a warm and friendly welcome from

Indianapolis Northside Chapter #1 and Hoosier Hills `Chapter of Firsts' of

Bloomington. I want to thank Steve Y. from Indy and Norm & Debbie N. from

Bloomington for having me. I talked about Harley's Group Ride Video and

some of the things we do at Muncie for our great group rides. At the Indianapolis

meeting, members and guest were treated to cookies and free soda for their

meeting. Bloomington held their meeting at the dealership and announced the ground

breaking of their new expansion, possible completion by July, just in time for the

State Rally. Jeff Stevens, owner of Bloomington Harley, attended the meeting as

was involved with the entire process. Next to Phil & Steve, he's the only dealer I've

encountered that is committed to his H.O.G. Chapter. Nice job, Jeff!

Let's close out this session with a reply to the on-going discussion of the

`face-in-mirror' following distance for group riding. Jim Hoff bought up a valid point

about the correct spacing during a group ride, the concern that positioning your bike

with the rider face in his/her mirror was too close. The Road Captains had a fairly

lively discussion about this issue via E-mail. Having read all the entries, including

Teresa's, I'm very confident in all our Road Captains and their strong common sense. They

Have agreed (more or less) that a longer following distance is more appropriate, usually

two to four seconds between bikes. More if road conditions dictate.

The face-in-mirror `rule' came about as a guideline to base spacing on. It was not a

hard, fast rule. Nothing in motorcycling really is. Our sport is dynamic. Your own

safety depends on your ability to make rapid adjustments to speed, cornering and

braking. As I mentioned in the first page article, space cushioning is critical to buy

you time in an emergency. The more space you have in front of you, the more time

you have to maneuver.

I want to thank all of the Road Captains for being involved with this discussion and

for taking the time to improve safety in our Chapter.

I want to thank Nick G. for his kindness in taping the Memorial Dedication off

of the newscast and making me a tape. It's just another member proving what a

great Club we are.

Next month we're going to go to Deal's Gap, the Blue Ridge Parkway and I'm

going to get hit by a car. Don't miss it!