If you’re planning to ride to Biketoberfest®, you’ll most likely find yourself on freeways for at least some of the journey. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you leave the quiet side roads for the speed and noise of the thru-ways.
Wear bright clothing. Add bright decals to your gear and bike. Do whatever you can to become more visible to drivers who may have been on the road a long while and are not as alert as they should be. Be sure to check your mirrors when you change lanes or turn and, if it’s at all possible, flash your brakes a few times before you stop or slow down. Flash your brakes when a vehicle is tailgating you and, if that fails, change lanes.
Whether you ride in the left lane, where vehicles are apt to go faster, or in the right lane, where there are more trucks and more vehicles coming onto the road, stay to the right or left portion of the lane. You’ll be away from the center of the lane where oil, leaky fluids, and exhaust accumulates to make a slick surface.
Trucks cause wind turbulence. You’ll be hit with turbulence when they pass you. If you pass a truck, you’ll feel turbulence as you begin to pass and then you’ll be sheltered. But when you get ahead of the truck, turbulence will blast you again. All you can do is be prepared.
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
