Never Too Good

THINK! You’re never too good to be a better rider

chasdaviesIn September (2014) the Department for Transport (DfT) in Great Britain, launched the first of four videos (videos below) aimed at motorcyclists.

The campaign launched through the government’s THINK! road safety campaign which encourages riders to undertake further training to improve their safety on the road.

World superbike rider Chaz Davies and famous comedian, writer and author, Alan Davies (usually in last place on the quiz programme QI) took part in the series of four videos and were joined by eight regular riders recruited through the campaign’s THINK BIKER Facebook page and through the motorcycling magazine Motorcycle News (MCN).

Despite racing bikes since 1995, former world champion Chaz Davies only took his road test this summer. Last month he completed further training to sharpen his skills on the road and show riders that no matter how much riding experience you have, you’re never too good to learn something new.

The group are filmed completing their further training course that covered key principles of advanced riding, including using a planned system of riding, positioning, speed and observation.

Chaz Davies said: “You really are never too good to be a better rider – it’s as simple as that. I’ve been working for 15 years to try and be better on the track and that applies on the road as well.

There are so many more variables on the road and I think people can get a little bit over confident, but you are never too good. You never know what’s around the corner.

The training really got me thinking. The instructors pre-empted every situation that I spotted a couple of seconds later. It really showed me the importance of being one step ahead and reading the road.”

The Transport Minister Robert Goodwill encouraged anyone who is a rider to get online and sign up for further training to help you stay safe, adding, “There is always more to learn – even if you are a professional rider.”

Honed Riding Skills

By the time of the final Chaz, Alan and the rest of the riders have covered hundreds of miles and have honed their riding skills, Alan Davies said, “I’ve become more relaxed on a bike than I have ever been, I’m just barely touching the handle bars most of the time,” adding, “what I used to do was follow the curve on the white line, turns out that is the worst thing you can do.”

That last sentence stirred our curiosity which relates to positioning on the road to give a “better” view approaching a left hand bend and the “risk” of the possibility of another vehicle coming the opposite way to be on “your” side of the road.

In a conversation on the Survival Skills Facebook page Ride It Right’s Trevor Baird said, “I have a twelve mile ride across country when leaving home to get to civilization. While the road stays the same, my interaction with it is always different.

Like Kevin (Survival Skills) says, “I use the ‘wide line for a better view’ but well aware of what could be oncoming near that centre of the road.”

Trevor Baird, “There is one series of ‘s’-bends that ends with a sweeping right hander – right in the middle there is a small metal service cover – I know that I can go to the left of the cover and to the right and I can also ride over the top of it without any mishaps – but try not to”.

As Duncan (MacKillop) said in the conversation, “The best line through a corner can only be evaluated in hindsight”.

Trevor Baird, “My point without rambling too much – Have I got pre hindsight on this one? Is riding a bike like riding a bike – but riding a road is not.”

Maybe it’s time to get some further training?

Riders can find out more about further training on the THINK! Website and for riders in Northern Ireland details can be found on the Ride It Right website at – The Ride – Click Here

Trevor Baird – Ride It Right

Original Source – Gov.uk – Click Here

Links & Information

Never Too Good on Facebook – THINK! BIKER
Motorcycle Training – GB – Click Here
Northern Ireland post test training/assesments – Ride It Right – The Ride – Click Here

Never Too Good – THINK! Biker – Videos

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