Reactive or proactive

I reached 64 (and retirement) in July, having ridden bikes all over Europe since I was 16, so some degree of self-preservation is working.

I would categorise most car drivers as being in a ‘reactive mode’, whereas I would describe my reading of the road and other road users as ‘proactive mode’.

In a reactive mode drivers wait until they need to make a manoeuvre or overtake, then plan it. This requires less concentration and is adopted by many drivers paying more attention to a discussion, phone call, argument, or text on their mobile, than other road users.

In a proactive mode you are observing how the vehicles around you will react, often as a result of a third vehicle being driven in ‘reactive mode’.

This requires another level of concentration and observation. I think many bikers have learned this, probably having had a few scares over the years; as little as possible then comes as a surprise.

Lets take a couple of motorway scenarios: I am riding at a similar speed to the car in front of me on a motorway. I can see that both of us are closing down the gap to a third vehicle further ahead.

A reactive driver will catch the vehicle in front and be forced to slow down before it is safe to perform an overtake, or pull out at short notice.

As a proactive rider/driver I would already be checking – based on speed distance – whether there was a gap to pull into in the next lane in order to maintain speed, overtake and then pull back in.

I am riding in the middle lane and can see the car in the lane to my left is catching a third car in that same lane.

If driven in reactive mode, is the driver to my left going to pull out on me in order to maintain its speed, or need to come out into my lane with little time to spare?

On an A or B road we should be looking to the vehicle in front and maybe a few beyond that, trying to tie that in with our reading of the immediate road in front of us and upcoming bends, vehicles in front and coming towards us.

I could not ever consider listening to any music when riding my bike.

The level of proactive concentration required means I get off after a ride, seldom having had another thought go through my mind.

However, in my car I do listen to music and the radio, so does that mean I must then be concentrating less?

Nobody can eliminate the totally unexpected, but the more we try to anticipate what could happen, the safer we are if it does, bike or car.

Ride Safe

Dave Johnston