Motorcycles

By the end of this topic you can

• You can actively search for motorcycles at intersections and before lane changes.
• You can leave a larger following distance behind a motorcycle.
• You can give a motorcycle the full width of its lane.
• You can judge that an approaching motorcycle may be closer and faster than it looks.

What you need to know and understand

• Give a motorcycle the full width of its lane. Never try to share a lane with one.
• Motorcycles can often stop in a shorter distance than cars, and their brake lights are harder to notice, so follow farther back than normal.
• Because they are narrow, motorcycles are easy to lose in blind spots and behind other vehicles.
• Many crashes happen when a car turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
• Riders often move within their lane to avoid potholes, gravel or wind blasts.
• Lane splitting (riding between lanes of traffic) is legal in California. Many states do not allow it, and a few allow only limited forms. Check your state manual.
• A motorcycle's turn signal may not cancel by itself, so do not assume a flashing signal means the rider will turn.

Why riders are hard to see

A motorcycle is a fraction of the width of a car, and its single headlight can blend into the lights of traffic behind it. Your brain is used to looking for car-sized shapes, so a rider can be in plain view and still go unnoticed.

The fix is deliberate searching. At every intersection and before every lane change, tell yourself to look for motorcycles, not just cars. Turn your head to check blind spots, because a rider can sit completely inside the area your mirrors miss.

Space around a motorcycle

• Following: leave at least three seconds, and more in rain or at speed. California's handbook recommends a three-second gap.
• Passing: change lanes fully to pass, just as you would for a car, and do not cut back in close.
• Sharing: never drive alongside a motorcycle in the same lane.
• Stopped traffic: leave room, as riders may need space to move away from a car behind them.
• Parking: check for riders before opening a door into traffic.

The left-turn trap

A rider's turn signal may stay on after a lane change. Wait until the motorcycle actually starts to turn before you pull out in front of it.

1. Before turning left, look for oncoming motorcycles as well as cars.
2. Assume a motorcycle is closer and moving faster than it seems: its small size makes speed hard to judge.
3. If you are unsure whether there is time, wait.
4. Check again just before you commit, as a rider may have been hidden behind another vehicle.

Common mistakes

• Glancing only in mirrors before changing lanes: always turn your head to check the blind spot.
• Tailgating a motorcycle: give extra room, because riders can stop very quickly.
• Turning left across an oncoming rider: if in doubt, wait.
• Trying to squeeze past a rider in the same lane: they have the whole lane.
• Trusting a motorcycle's turn signal: wait for the rider to actually turn.

Test yourself: Motorcycles

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Truck No-Zones, Bike Passing and Motorcycles