Riding a motorcycle in city traffic

City riding is full of small risks: cars turning across your path, doors opening, sudden braking. Most of them are avoided by one habit: assume nobody has seen you, and give yourself space and an escape route.

Intersections need the most attention

Many crashes happen at junctions, often when a driver turns across the path of the rider or pulls out without seeing them.
Slow down as you approach, cover the brakes and look at the front wheels of cars waiting to turn, since they show where the car is going before it moves.
Make eye contact if you can, but do not rely on it. A driver who looks at you may still not register you.
Do not accelerate through a junction just because you have priority.

Choose your lane position

Ride where drivers can see you in their mirrors, and where you have room to move.
The centre of a lane can have oil and fluid drips, especially at junctions and where traffic stops, so ride in the wheel tracks of cars where it is cleaner.
Avoid riding in the blind spot of a car or a truck. If you cannot see the driver’s mirror, they cannot see you.

Keep a safety cushion

Keep more distance from the vehicle in front than a car driver would. A bike can stop quickly, but you need time to react.
Leave a car door’s width when you pass parked cars, because doors open without warning.
At a stop, leave the gap in front, stay in gear and keep an eye on your mirrors for a car that is not slowing.

Buses, trucks and the unexpected

Large vehicles need much more room to turn. Stay out of the space beside them.
Watch for pedestrians stepping out from between vehicles, and for cyclists and scooters.
Wet roads, tram tracks, manhole covers and painted lines are slippery. Cross them upright.

Filtering between lanes

The rules for riding between lanes of slow traffic differ by country and sometimes by city. Check what is allowed where you ride, and if it is, go only a little faster than the traffic, and stay alert for car doors, lane changes and drivers who do not expect you.

Be visible

Wear a bright or reflective jacket and a light-coloured helmet, keep your headlight on and use your signals early. Do not rely on any of it, and keep riding as if you are invisible.

This guide is general. Traffic laws differ by country, and the safest speed depends on the traffic, the weather and your experience.

Sources: Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Links do not imply that these organisations endorse MotoCircleX.