SuperBike Magazine January February 2021

24 SuperBike
ROAD
SAFETY
BEHAVIOUR
Hi Clinton,
When you gave advice on what
could keep one safe on the road
while riding on your October issue
opening, I wished you could have
mentioned intoxication and fatigue.
These are the other two factors that
I have seen playing a big role in motorcycle
accidents.
On a normal rally for instance, we
arrive at the pre-party venue Friday
evening on our bikes from our
different work environments, then the
alcohol indulgence begins. We sleep
a few hours after midnight at some
lodge away from the pre-party.
Then, Saturday morning we are up to
join the mass ride. Spend the whole
day busy with activities and yes,
enjoying our beers, gins, whiskeys
you name them. At night, the real
party starts and sleeping is not part
of the plan.
Sunday, one is tired, dehydrated,
hungover and the road is calling.
It’s time to go home. In most cases
that’s where the trouble starts. One
is unable to exercise good judgment
and concentration ultimately getting
involved in an accident.
I am of a belief that for as long as
we keep promoting all night events
combined with alcohol consumption
and external accommodations away
from event’s location, we will keep
on having an increase in motorcycle
accidents.
Regards,
Karabo.
Hi Karabo
Funnily enough, in this issue we have
the details about our Road Rider
Training we did with Suzuki at Red
Star Raceway end of November. We
actually brought this exact topic up
but we actually found that anticipation,
or lack thereof is actually the
biggest contributor to motorcycle
accidents. But you bring up a valid
point. I have been a keen supporter
of getting more in touch with our
African Biker Brotherhood. If you’ve
followed our magazine you would
have seen we are proud supporters
of the Kuruman Rally, Sapa Yopa,
Swazi Rally and most others.
The difference with the old school
rallies was that they traditional were
always held in one place with everybody
actually staying over in that one
venue, from Friday to Sunday, you
entered had your party, slept over,
and after coffee on Sunday morning
you rode home with a “babalaas”.
With the new rallies, the whole
town gets taken over, all B&B’s get
the advantage but you have quite
intoxicated individuals revving their
bikes in front of a very enamoured
female audience when they want to
go home in the early hours of the
morning.
Add into this pea-cocking situation
and a little bit of alcohol infused
bravery backed up with a lack of
rider skill and you have a very volatile
situation with slender chance of a
happy ending. I’ve seen it with my
own eyes, and here I
firmly believe that the
blame should squarely
lie with the Club President
and their Road
Captain. I mean why
has a club got a Road
Captain if their man is
not going to step up
to the plate and take
some responsibility for
his clubs riders. Throttles
and Bottles do not
mix, no negotiations.
In this modern age with
Uber and the like on offer,
I’m surprised at the
lack of input from some
of the Presidents.
While I’m on a moan,
I’d also like to see the
motorcycle industry
back the new AMID Director Arnold
Olivier with his quest to make the industry
invest in the Road Rider Training
initiative. We need to stop new
riders from getting hurt unnecessarily
or worse dying, because nobody is
selling another motorbike to a dead
person. That sounds harsh but I say
it the way I mean it. We have got
a social responsibility towards the
people we are getting into biking by
making it safer. And in truth, speak
to every single rider that attended
the school, all of them feel they have
a bigger safety margin riding home
after the training and tips we gave on
the course. Make sure you book your
club in next time.
Cheers
Clinton