The 'SMIDSY', a word that sends shudders down the spine of many motorcyclists but, with the increase of traffic on the road, social pressures and general life-stresses it is more relevant now than it has ever been.
For those bikers still scratching their heads, the SMIDSY refers to the classic phrase, 'Sorry Mate I Didn't See You!" and I am sure that many riders have experienced this in one form or another during their time on two wheels. I want to highlight the SMIDSY along with Collision Mitigation & Conflict Avoidance as there are some uncomfortable truths which need to be recognised in ourselves, before we can declare the righteous authority to shout and rant at our fellow road uses.
Debunking Myths. I have been on the receiving end of a number of cars pulling out of a junctions and fortunately (up to the point of writing) have been aware of the hazard and reacted accordingly. Most of these occasions were classic SMIDSYs with a massive wave and apology from a submissive car driver. Some however, refuse to make eye-contact and go even further to avoid any apology, possibly out of guilt but I suspect also due to fear of confrontation. But I have also been on the receiving end of a 'I did see you but pulled out anyway', most recently when returning to Devon from Wales. This infuriated me as the driver watched me, as did his front seat passenger, but decided I was sub-human and pulled out anyway. They felt the full wrath of my puny motorcycle horn, which ultimately resulted in me fitting a 120 db Denali Sound Bomb. Motorcyclists can also commit a SMIDSY, as a biker but also as a motorist driving their car. The thing is, the unintentional SMIDSYs, the genuine SMIDSYs are a fact of life. We cannot eradicate them because they are part of human nature. Scanning for targets, prioritising threats, assessing and reacting to them is all part of human nature. 99% of people do not intentionally want to hurt you or knock you off your bike, but their minds simply do not see you! Junctions, especially busy ones, can cause stress and if not stress - worse still, complacency!
So firstly, accept that you cannot educate all drivers to look for motorcycles. While most drivers are conscientious, decent and considerate many still simply don't give a crap. Even with the new additions to the Highway Code prioritising roads users, they don't give two hoots and won't give two hoots right up to the point they are being told off by the magistrate for 'Causing Death by Due Care.'
There is a silver lining to our SMIDSY cloud, and it is one that I have preached for many years, The person you can influence, the road user you can have a direct impact on is YOUSELF!
Why should I? Simple answer - Your loved ones! No matter how aggrieved you feel about this, you need to take personal responsibility for your own safety because no one else has you at the top of their priority list - It may shock you but 'getting to work on time', 'remembering the shopping list', 'reading my text', 'which route has the biggest queues this time of day' all take greater priority on the average road users 'driving plan' than your safety or the future well-being of your family.
So it comes down to you, the only person you can genuinely rely on, to adjust their riding attitude and awareness to the SMIDSY.
Attitude is key to your survival - Approaching junctions with the expectation that a SMIDSY will happen will help you avoid them if and when they actually do happen. Have a contingency, which should involve reducing speed, throttling off, changing road position, making yourself visible - passing the hazard/junction and then building your speed again if appropriate - but also - how are you perceived on the road - If the other driver/rider cannot see you - why not and what can you do about it?
Just because you are wearing the latest brightest and most expensive Hi-Vis gear is doesn't make you conspicuous - it won't make you stand-out. You need to consider many things, your background, your position on the road, the environment, the weather, the time of day, the position of the sun, roadside furniture, the list is endless.
Kevin Williams MSc writes about the 'science of being seen' in his word-press blog and I would encourage everyone to read it.
Along with 'being seen' consider how you are being seen - As Kevin Williams highlights.
many collisions occur because another party failed to judge the speed of an approaching motorcycle or, even mis-read the signals given - the classic lifting of the headlight as you accelerate can be mis-read as a 'flash' which in turn can be wrongly interpreted as a 'you may pull out/across' something the Highway Code goes to great lengths to highlight is not the correct use of a headlight flash!
As well as how we are viewed, think about your own attitude to riding. Are you Valentino Fogarty and looking to set land-speed record? Always have right of way, everyone gasping at your skill as your ride past with your knee down? There is no point arguing 'right of way' from 6 feet under - no one can hear you! Re-calibrate your attitude!
GET TRAINED!
Accept that no one is a perfect rider - NO ONE!
Invest in yourself! Get some rider training - Whether it is with IAM, ROSPA or a genuine private rider training company, get some! Google 'Advanced Motorcycle Training'. Many groups run free taster sessions. Get the image of tweed jackets and tucking trousers in to your socks out of your head - These guys and girls have your safety at heart and they will make learning fun. At the very least you will get out on your bike and make some new mates, at the most, it may save you life!
Moto Ventura Motorcycle Tours - Maximum Smiles Per Gallon
'Open Road... Open Mind'
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