FIGURE 3.1
In Figure 3.1, we can see how riding left of the center of your lane allows you to see past the vehicle ahead and gives you a good angle of view of the oncoming lane.
Another common situation that is made worse by target fixation is when a vehicle performs a threatening maneuver. The rider stares at the car and heads right for it even though he or she may have been able to steer around it.
You may not have thought about it, but traffic traveling in the same direction can also present the chance for target fixation. If you fix much of your vision and attention on the car ahead, you risk being lead in a direction you don’t want to go. Look past vehicles you are following to maintain your path.
RIDING TERM
Target Fixation
When an individual becomes overly focused on a single object that their ability to avoid it diminishes.
Vision Blockers
Some factors hinder vision, including solar glare, incorrect eye protection, nighttime riding, and impairment caused by aging, alcohol, drugs, or emotional distraction.
Solar glare is caused by the low angle of the sun and occurs in the morning and late afternoon. Sunglasses and tinted shields work to minimize the effects of solar glare but do not completely solve the problem. Some helmets have an integrated pull-down tinted shield that is always available when needed. Open-faced and dual-sport hybrid helmets often include integrated sun visors, which can be a real help in combating solar glare. Full-faced helmets lack the option of a visor for blocking the sun, but I’ve had some success by simply putting a strip of electrical tape across the top of my shield.
Nighttime visibility is always a challenge. Even with good headlights and clear eye protection, you must accept that you will not be able to see hazards as readily as in the daytime. This means that you must ride at reduced speeds.
There are times when your ability to identify hazards is significantly compromised, such as when riding in rain or fog or when riding impaired. Of particular concern is the use of alcohol or drugs. Not only is this illegal, but it will significantly affect your visual acuity. Impairment from emotional distraction is also a problem because it can cause your mind to fixate on what’s bothering you and not on what is right in front of you.
Cornering Vision
The benefits of looking ahead are obvious when it comes to dodging hazards and other roadway users, but your eyes also play a critical role in cornering. Your vision is used for judging proper corner entry speed, as well as in being able to spot hazards around a corner. These hazards include surface debris, such sand, gravel, or diesel fuel, or the road itself if the curve tightens unexpectedly or drops downhill suddenly. The best riders can “read” the characteristics of an upcoming corner.
Visual Timing
Before you decide when to initiate lean, you need to know where you will actually begin your turn and how quickly you must get the bike leaned. This critical information comes from looking at the corner characteristics, such as apparent radius and surface quality. Once you get the information you need, you can then make those decisions with confidence.
Ideally, you will perform a single steering input to precisely carve into the turn. And you should plan to countersteer only after you’ve identified your next visual target. So, look first, and then turn. Wait to see where you want the bike to go, and then lean the bike quickly or slowly as needed to achieve your goal.
Corner Positioning
Cornering lines are an important and often underutilized technique for increasing your angle of view to identify mid-corner hazards. The typical cornering line consists of an entry that is near the outside of the lane, heads toward the inside near the middle of the turn, and drifts outside at the exit. This “outside-inside-outside” path gives a better look into the curve.
There are many hazards that can appear mid-corner. Road debris, slippery spills, and broken pavement all threaten to increase the risk of a crash. These types of hazards and unexpected changes in corner radius can be thwarted by an early look through the turn. Cornering lines are effective in increasing sight distance, but you will still encounter corners that are obscured by vegetation or some other roadside feature. This is why it is important to choose a conservative entry speed that keeps plenty of lean angle and traction in reserve. Savvy riders scan aggressively for information and choose cornering lines that help them get the best angle of view possible. (Cornering lines are discussed fully in a later chapter.)
Visual Direction Control
Seeing hazards is important for staying safe, but your eyes also play a significant role in motorcycle control and confidence. You may have heard the phrase, “you go where you look.” By pointing your eyes toward the corner exit, you help direct the motorcycle on the desired path. Riders who discover the power of “looking where they want to go” make great leaps in motorcycle control.
You may be thinking, “I already look ahead.” Perhaps; but there is a difference between looking ahead in the mid-distance and really looking ahead all the way through the turn, toward the corner exit. On your next ride, try lengthening your vision to a point in the distance that is at least 4 seconds ahead. You’ll find that looking deeper into corners will help you to enjoy the full benefits of visual direction control.
Part of the reason that visual direction control can increase confidence is because it puts your eyes and mind ahead of the situation and prepares you for what is about to happen. In contrast, near-distance scanning often leads to anxiety because you don’t have the time to process what is about to happen. This leaves you less prepared for corner hazards and less able to select the proper lean angle and speed to complete the turn skillfully.
Even though you want to look well ahead, you will also need to get a closer look at possible road surface hazards as they approach. This means using quick downward glances but, once you’ve gotten a look at the possible problem, returning your eyes to the corner exit.
An effective way to look through a turn is to “ratchet” your eyes as you round the corner, looking for visual clues about road surface condition, camber, turn radius, and the like. Your eyes register the information early and signal that it is either okay to proceed at the given speed and path or alert you to the need to adjust speed or direction to manage a hazard or to stay in your lane.
Don’t be surprised if looking far ahead is disorienting at first, but with practice it will become a natural part of your riding skill set. If you find yourself reverting back to looking in the near-distance, you may be experiencing anxiety—probably because you are riding a bit too fast for your comfort level. In this case, slow down to re-establish your wider vision and restore confidence.
Visual direction control helps you go where you want to go, but it is only one component of the turning process. Looking where you want to go simply makes the cornering process easier.
RIDING TERM
Visual Direction Control
The tendency to go where you look.
Visual Targets
To improve your visual precision, you must actively identify “visual targets” that can help you to direct your motorcycle. On the racetrack, visual targets are easy to spot. They often include bright cones at the entry, apex, and exit of the corner. Other visual targets might include pavement patches or cracks, curbing, and other trackside features. These targets help place the rider and bike in the preferred location, lap after lap.
On the street, visual targets help determine which way the road goes and how tight the radius is. Unfortunately, visual targets aren’t as obvious here, which makes the characteristics of each