Think Bike to crusade for motorcycle and road safety

Think Bike is about safety first, and these messages explain the essence of the campaign

MBOMBELA - A group of concerned motorcyclists has decided to do something to raise awareness around motorcycle safety.

It decided to bring Think Bike, the well-known and established national motorcycle safety awareness drive, to the Lowveld.

What started out as a campaign that handed out bumper stickers and leaflets on safety, Think Bike quickly grew to a community of safety activists that visit schools and shows to spread the message.

It also established a marshalling service that provides safety officers for events such as road cycling and mountain biking.

The local Think Bike team invited every motorcyclist in the Lowveld to get involved with the campaign. To spread the message of motorcycle and road safety is everyone’s duty.

Experienced riders are welcome to assist in spreading the message and inexperienced ones are welcome to join and learn how to ride safer.

The training Think Bike facilitates is for low-speed handling. Most motorcycle accidents actually happen at low speeds and that is where the drive would like to see rider skills enhanced. Low-speed handling skills translate well to higherspeed riding and these could be life-saving.

ATGATT (all the gear, all the time). Always ride with the proper gear, even if it is just a quick trip to the shops for bread and milk. Proper riding gear starts with a proper helmet that is properly fastened, a jacket that offers protection against impact as well as abrasion, gloves that are fastened and will offer protection against abrasion, riding pants that offer protection against abrasion and impact or at least a pair of jeans, and strong shoes with laces, preferably with some ankle protection.

Go for training. You can never ride too well, so you will not waste time by going for rider training. Think Bike has been training its marshals and will also facilitate some skills training in the Lowveld.

Ride within your ability. If you want to push your comfort zone, do it on a racetrack. Attend a track day at Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria, Kyalami in Johannesburg or Red Star outside Delmas.

Obey the rules of the road. They are there for a reason.