Road Conditions (Beware)

Biker Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez on the way home from a ride to the Grand Canyon

Always be cautious of the road conditions in which you ride. Unlike in a car, the motorcyclist only has two wheels and is at the mercy of the road. I have personally almost crashed due to gravel in the road, and have handled motorcycle accident cases where bad road conditions were the sole cause of the crash. I have personally witnessed motorcycle riders go down due to bad road conditions.

Look out for pot holes, gravel, rocks and debris in the road, water, black ice, and other hazards which could ruin your day. If you see a sign that warns of Black Ice, slow down, way down! If you have ever hit a patch of black ice in your car, you know that you lose complete control of the steering while going though the ice, and that is with two wheels doing the steering in a car. You can imagine the horror of hitting a patch of black ice while on a motorcycle with only one wheel for steering.

In certain parts of the Country Deer and Moose are a major cause accidents and death amongst motorcyclist. These animals are amazing. They will run like heck when you are hunting them, but they will run right into the path of your motorcycle, or simply stare at you in the middle of your lane as you approach them on a motorcycle, especially at night.

They are a real danger. I was once riding from the south Part of the Grand Canyon at night on the only major road out of the park. I observed the Deer and Moose warning signs but did not really give them a second thought until I actually saw one standing by the side of the road. I slowed down after I saw the deer. While continuing to ride along I could actually see the glowing eyes of the deer on the side of the road peering at me as I rode by. Watch out for Deer and Moose.

There are Deer repealing devices on the market that are supposed to scare these animals away. I have no clue as to whether they work or not.

Riding in the Rain – I personally will not ride motorcycles in the rain unless I absolutely have to! It is flat out dangerous and not recommended under any circumstances. Even slow speed turns in the rain can cause your rear tire to slide out from under you and cause an accident. At high speed the hydroplaning (water between your tire and road) is even worse. Furthermore if it has not rained in your area for a while, the rain will bring up the oil on the road that has built up during the dry season and cause the road to be even slipperier.

I have ridden through thunderstorms in the deserts of Arizona, downpours and hail in San Francisco, massive downpours in Durango Colorado, and bad weather all over the country. I always recommend that you get off the road as quickly as possible and wait for the Storm to pass. If this is not possible, slow down, and be very careful in turns or curves. Do not make any sudden movements if you are riding in the rain.

Do not let your friends or peers pressure you into riding in conditions which you know are not safe. It’s better to go home safe and unhurt than spend a month in intensive care at the hospital, or an eternity in the grave just to prove to your friends that you have to guts to ride in bad weather conditions!

Big Rig Trucks / Sand and Trash Haulers – As you probably already know, riding behind a Sand and Trash Big Rig is not fun, especially if you are not wearing a jacket or full face helmet. These types of trucks spew out sand, grit, and yes, trash. It can not only be a painful experience, but if the sand gets into your eyes it gets even worse, especially if you are riding at 65mph and cannot open your eyes. I recommend that you do not ride behind these types of trucks because it is not safe. I have seen metal shards fly off of trash haulers. One narrowly missed my head.

Take my hundreds of thousands of miles of riding experience to heart. I have experienced these conditions, and I am now passing it on to you. Get past these pest as quickly as possible.

Beware of anything on the road – Always keep your eyes open for any hazards, and always keep a safe distance between you and a rider or car in front of you. I consider a safe distance to be at least 3 seconds or more. The more distance, the better.

DO NOT TAILGATE, especially on a motorcycle.