Motorbike safety

Prepare yourself
Bikers are advised to ride safely, protect themselves and consider other road users. Remember, riding a motorbike is more physically demanding than driving a car and involves a high level of concentration. For this reason it is even more important to ensure you are fit and healthy, do not feel tired and have not been drinking any alcohol.

It is essential to ensure the correct clothing is worn when riding as, unlike driving a car, there is nothing else to protect you from injury in the event of an accident. A helmet is the best defence against head injury and is also a legal requirement. It is recommended that the following are worn at all times when biking:

• A helmet
• A long sleeved shirt or jacket, which fits closely around the wrists.
• Long pants to provide protection from the hottest parts of the bike
• Full fingered gloves to protect against abrasion and help maintain control of the motor bike
• A visor or goggles to ensure good visibility is maintained and to protect the eyes from dust, wind and debris
• Robust footwear for maximum grip, preferably covering the ankles, with no laces as these can be dangerous if they become tangled in the pedals.
  

Prepare your bike
Stability is the main difference between a car and a bike (only two wheels). The bike needs to be in top operating condition to ensure safety. Before setting off it's essential to check the following:

• Oil and fluids - Check brake, coolant and clutch fluid levels and of course petrol. Also check the hoses, lines and reservoirs for leaks.
• Controls - Check all levers, control cables and hoses to make sure they are in good working order and will not interfere when riding the bike. In addition, make sure that your throttle moves freely.
• Lights and electrics - Make sure the battery terminals are clean, electrolyte fluid is sufficient and the battery is properly secured. Check that all the lights work properly and that there are no cracks in them. Check the routing of wires and beware of frayed or cracked wires.
• Chassis - Check condition of the frame, forks and shocks. Check the chain or belt for tension, lubrication and wear. Ensure all the fasteners, bolts and cotter pins are in place and not broken, loose or missing.
• Tyres - Check for proper inflation as under inflation will wear the sides of the tyres, whereas over inflation will wear the middle of the tyres. Also check that there are no foreign bodies embedded in the tread. Remember a flat tyre is a major problem on a bike as there is no spare.

If you believe that something is not operating properly, don't ride the bike.

Don't overload
You are advised to check your owners' manual to find out the bike's carrying capacity and do not exceed this. Distribute the weight of the load evenly - the bulk of the weight should be positioned low and as close to the centre of the motor bike as possible. Ensure that attached loads are securely fastened and not moving freely. It is crucial that the load does not interfere with your control of the bike.

Safe riding tips

Here are a few tips worth remembering:

1. Be careful on bends and don't overtake if you can't see the road ahead
2. Learn how to handle the power of the motor bike
3. Learn to brake properly without going over the handlebars, as a motorbike's stopping power is nearly all in the front wheel. Equally don't use the back brakes alone as this can cause the bike to skid.
4. Wear protective clothing (above)
5. Ensure the bike is safe to ride (above)
6. Don't do anything outside your own capabilities or take unnecessary risks
7. Don't succumb to peer pressure when riding in groups
8. Don't ride if you feel tired or unwell

Carrying passengers

Unless you are a very experienced biker you are advised against carrying passengers.

If you do carry a passenger, check that the bike has a suitable seat with footpegs. Refer back to the manual to check you don't exceed the maximum weight capacity of the bike. Finally, make sure the suspension is adjusted for the extra weight.

If you ride as a passenger on a motorbike remember the following:

1. Wear appropriate clothing
2. Keep feet on the footpegs
3. Try to sit as still as possible
4. Always lean with the angle of the motor cycle
5. If you are nervous about riding, it's probably better not to!

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Teach your Teen to drive : Part 1

BECOME THE COPILOT AND STAY COOL!
BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND

GET A VIEW FROM THE COPILOT’S SEAT
The curb isn’t quite as close as it seems, however, if you are generally the driver, it may look as though your teen driver is going to run into it.

Drive in the passengers’ seat prior to experiencing it with your new driver for the first time. This way, you will have a better feel for what the road looks like from the passengers’ point of view, and you will have one less surprise when your teen takes the wheel.

Example: It can be difficult to tell from the passenger seat if the vehicle is centered in its lane if you normally see the road from the driver’s seat.

Take note: The road looks very different from the passenger side.

PLAY THE ROLE AS THE “NEW DRIVER”
You act as the “new driver” with the experienced driver giving you instructions. You may find being told what to do, for e.g. “turn left”, “stop there”, can be awkward and annoying! This exercise will help you understand how the new driver may feel and what they hear once your practice sessions with them begin.

STAY ALERT
It’s vital for you to stay alert.
Take note: the minute you may start to relax may be the minute your teenager requires your help. Be comfortable, but be alert.

REMEMBER WHAT YOUR GOAL IS
It is important that you acknowledge that only so much can be taught about driving in a limited time-span. However, practicing with your teen can pay off in the years to come and you can help them make decisions and judgments rather than rely on trial – and sometimes error.

FIRST PRACTICE SESSIONS
Attempt to practice as often as possible. Start off with sessions of 15-20 minutes then increase the practice periods to lasting approximately an hour. Practice during daylight hours and then at night and during poor weather conditions as well. Take advantage of the opportunity to practice every time you get into the vehicle with your new driver. Take a break when you or your teen become tired or frustrated. Driving will not improve under tense conditions.

START IN A PARKING LOT
Empty parking lots are a great environment for you to see whether your teen can drive in a straight line forward and backward, start up and drive a short distance, and stop the vehicle smoothly.
Test your teens' ability to turn the wheel and accelerate. Decide on a point in the parking lot to turn right. Make sure they turn without cutting the corner or first drifting to the left . Make a left turn the same way, then try making a right or left turn after coming to a complete stop.

Take good care of your car, and it will be far less likely to let you down.

Avoiding problems

Neglect almost inevitably leads to breakdown. Routine maintenance may be boring, but it is the best way to steer clear of trouble. You don't know the first thing about cars? Anyone can learn - at least the basics. Take time to read through your handbook. It contains lots of information and is designed to be easily accessible to non-technical owners. Give it a try.

On a daily basis

• Be alert for any sign of change. If, for example, the engine seems to be running a little less smoothly, the brakes seem less positive than usual, or the steering feels vaguely odd, don't dismiss it as imagination. Trust your instinct, and investigate the reason, or seek advice.
• Keep an eye on the tyres - your only contact with the road. Any cuts, damage or reduction in pressure need urgent attention.
• Be aware of the fuel gauge. An empty tank is an all-too-common cause of breakdown.

Weekly

• Check tyre pressures, and if necessary adjust them to the correct level shown in the car handbook. Don't forget the spare.
• Check and top up the windscreen washer bottle, and include an additive to tackle grease and squashed flies in summer, or icy conditions in winter.
• Even if you haven't time to clean the car, clean the windows and wipe all the lights to keep them at maximum efficiency. Check for any blown bulbs.
• If your car does not have a sealed-for-life battery, check the level in the cells and top up with distilled water as necessary.
• Remove rubbish from inside the car. A tidy environment is safer, it avoids distraction while you're driving.

Monthly

• Check the level of oil in the engine, and ensure it is between the maximum and minimum marks on the dipstick.
• Check for sufficient liquid in the cooling system. Most modern cars have plastic coolant reservoirs, where you can see the level. In an older car, when the engine is cold, unscrew the radiator cap to check the coolant level. Top up as necessary, and include antifreeze in the mixture, in winter and summer. It helps protect against overheating, as well as frost damage.
• Give the car a good wash and polish to guard against the bodywork ageing.
• Watch for the first signs of rust forming, and treat it before it gets worse. Look for any signs of water leaks that could trigger corrosion.
• Check tyre tread depths and look for signs of uneven wear, showing suspension problems.

Before any long journey

• Walk around the car and look for any signs of potential trouble, especially tyres and lights.
• Check tyre pressures, spare included.
• Check all fluid levels and top up as necessary.

Recognising problems

What does it mean if:

You turn the key and nothing happens

• Switch on the headlights. If they're dim, the battery's flat.

The engine won't fire and there's a clicking sound

• Could be a loose battery connection. Check the terminals.
• May be a faulty starter motor. Seek help.

The starter turns over but the engine doesn't fire

• Could be damp electrics. Try a moisture-repellent spray.
• May be an ignition fault. Seek help.
• Might be fuel starvation. Is there enough in the tank?

You are driving and the engine starts to cough

• Most likely low fuel. Check the gauge and urgently refuel.

The car starts to smell hot and steamy

• Engine overheating.
• Stop immediately and let it cool.
• Let the temperature go down before topping up the radiator.

There's a burning smell but no steam

• Could be an electrical fire.
• Stop but don't open the bonnet.
• Seek immediate help.

The engine falters and stops in hot weather, or won't re-start after a brief stop at the end of a long drive

• Fuel vaporisation.
• Wait about 15 minutes with the bonnet open and try again.

The engine becomes noisy or loses power

• One of several potentially serious problems. Seek help.

Recognising warning signs

If a light suddenly appears on the dashboard, don't ever ignore it. Treat it as a danger sign and investigate.

Dashboard warning lights - what they show:

• Red - danger.
  Stop and check. A red light means potentially serious trouble. Do not drive the car.
• Orange - caution.
  Shows something requiring urgent attention, such as low fuel, low oil level or low engine coolant.
• Green - reminder.
  Indicators flashing, for example. A memory jogger, not a problem.

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Bad drivers to lose licences

TOUGH new measures to combat reckless driving could result in large numbers of drivers losing their licences by the end of the year, provincial Minister of Transport, Bheki Cele, warned on Thursday.

Plans to implement the traffic demerit system which is going to "revolutionise" driving in the province are under way. It is expected to be operational by mid-year.

Speaking at a press briefing in Durban, Cele said: "We will be introducing this new points system very soon and I am very excited about it.

"I have been more than impressed with the way in which it has been working in some countries."

"I'm sure that by the end of this year half of our drivers are likely to have their licences suspended," said Cele.

The implementation of this new system is just one of the tools which the department is hoping will help to curb road accidents and deaths as well as to ensure that people drive cautiously.

Cele, during his festive season report, also said that having visited countries like Australia, he had come to the realisation that South Africa's road laws are far "too soft".

"The National Minister of Transport, Jeff Radebe, feels very strongly about this and we are trying to change our laws," he said.

He gave the example of people who are found to be responsible for killing others on the roads. He said they should not be charged with culpable homicide, but with murder.

Differently

"Killing someone on the roads is like pulling a trigger, so the cases should not be treated differently," he said.

The department is also planning to reintroduce roadside courts which have in the past assisted in prosecuting motorists speedily.

"I have spoken to the minister of justice and we are working on bringing back these courts," said Radebe.

The transport department's decision to implement the point system in the country has been supported by local organisations.

The South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD) organisation has also welcomed the new demerit system.

Gary Ronald, spokesperson for the Automobile Association reportedly said that they have been waiting for the system for a very long time.

Ronald said the system worked well in other countries, but corruption could be an obstacle to its successful implementation.

This is how the point system will work.

Every driver will be given 12 points every year.

But drivers can lose points for some of the following actions: speeding, not carrying a driver's licence, losing a licence, not wearing a seat belt, car lights not working, drinking and driving, running over a pedestrian, not stopping at a stop sign or using a cellphone while driving.

If drivers lose 12 points in a year, they will have their licences suspended for a year; and worse, after receiving three suspensions from the traffic department, the licence will be cancelled.

The bright side of the demerit process is that if in a year drivers do not receive any suspensions, they will be given an additional 12 points the next year, plus a bonus point.


How the system will be rated

If a motorist is found with an unregistered vehicle, two demerit points will be taken away and a fine of R500 will be imposed.

Driving without a licence will cost a driver two demerit points and a fine of R500.

If caught not wearing a seat belt, drivers will get one demerit and pay a R250 fine.

Traffic violations including not stopping at a stop sign, not stopping at a traffic light and overloading will cost drivers three demerit points for each violation.

Overloading will also result in a fine of R1 250.

Speedsters will find themselves losing points and getting hefty fines depending on the speed at which they were caught driving.

There is a sliding scale of points and fines for those driving from 20km per hour over the speed limit to 60km per hour.

For going 20km an hour faster than the speed limit, the fine will be R250 and no demerit points, while those travelling at 60km an hour faster than the speed limit will attract a fine of R1 250 and three demerit points.

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New driver's licence test

In a bid to cut the carnage on South African roads the National Department of Transport is to make major changes to the driver's licence test next year.

The pilot project to turn out more skillful and safer drivers will kick off in KwaZulu-Natal in February or March next year and will be extended to the other provinces by the end of the year.

Spokesperson Collen Msibi said the department would work with driving schools and licence station inspectors to make them aware of the new rules and tests incorporated into advanced manuals.

He said that at present driving schools were more interested in getting drivers to just pass their tests on the specific day but with a more specialised and advanced driving school manual, they would help to "drastically" improve road safety.

Drivers would be taught many of the skills encountered in the real world on the road such as dealing with situations when robots stop working, overtaking safely, reversing out of difficult places to get on to busy roads, dealing with busy intersections, driving in wet and rainy weather and manoeuvring in traffic congestion.

"Rules on overtaking will be emphasised as we believe each and every driver needs to be able to do this without any problems. We want to be sure that when a person walks away with that piece of paper containing their drivers' licence, they can indeed call themselves drivers," Msibi said.

"KwaZulu-Natal may have it introduced by February or March next year shortly after a week-long awareness campaign is carried out. All driving schools will have to comply with the manual by law.

"We are confident that these new rules will help create safer drivers who are able to deal with situations faced on a daily basis," he said.

"The present K53 manual contains just the basic methods of teaching drivers and we want to move away from that," he said.

The Department has also consulted with traffic authorities to get their input on "problem areas" and ways in which additional testing can be incorporated to improve driving standards.

Other provinces like Gauteng and the Western Cape will have the new manuals introduced by the end of the year, according to Msibi.

"We will be reviewing the manuals every two to three years to make sure they keep up to the standards," he said.

Local traffic authorities have praised the department's decision, saying that the number of accidents and fatalities caused by unskilled drivers were "frightening".

Durban Metro Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Thozamile Tyala said they were glad about the implementation of the new manuals.

"We have found that many accidents on our roads could have been avoided if the drivers were skilled and equipped to deal with a situation where they had to avoid an obstacle or a car or taxi that swerves into their lanes.

"There have been incidents where motorists dangerously swerved into oncoming lanes and crashed into other vehicles.

"Currently driving schools concentrate more on the operation of vehicles rather than the traffic laws. When traffic lights go faulty motorists just all want to rush and go forward. However, by following some simple rules, they will then be able to ensure that traffic flows smoothly."

Road Traffic Inspectorate spokesperson Rajen Chinaboo said the standards of driving needed to be improved as this would contribute to safer roads.

"Judging by the numbers of collisions caused by drivers failing to carry out simple techniques like overtaking safely or swerving to avoid a pedestrian, we need to have a more specialised way of teaching drivers.

"The improved manual will definitely assist in creating more order on our roads and hopefully reduce the number of collisions."

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Safety checks for your caravan

It pays to spend a little time getting your caravan ready for the touring season – both in terms of safety and looking after your investment.

Here is a checklist to put you on the right track.

• Tow bar - check the condition and operation of your tow bar – and lubricate if necessary.
• Tyres - check the condition of the caravan’s tyres and replace if damaged, cracked or worn.
• Lights– make sure all rear lights on your caravan are working correctly before setting off.
• Number plate– make sure the number plate on your caravan is intact. Don’t forget to change the number plate if you have bought a new car recently.
• Window seals - replace any rubber window seals that look perished.
• Exterior - clean the caravan body thoroughly with a car shampoo and protect with polish or wax.
• Interior - vacuum carpets, curtains and upholstery. Wipe walls, ceilings, fixtures and fittings with anti-bacterial solution. Leave windows ajar for a few hours on a warm, breezy day to air through. Test to ensure that all kitchen appliances and internal electrics are working correctly.

Tyre Maintenance

Check Your Tyre Inflation
Proper tyre inflation is essential for safe driving and long tyre life. It's wise to check your tyres' air pressure at least once a month with an accurate tyre pressure gauge. Be sure to check pressure while your tyres are cold and have not been used recently. Even driving a mile will cause your tyre pressure to increase and give you an inaccurate reading.
Should you experience continuous loss of inflation pressure, it could be an indication of a possible tyre or wheel assembly problem. Consult your tyre professional immediately if you encounter this situation.

Check Your Tyre Tread
Another way is to look at the tread wear indicator bar that's molded into your tyres. The bars are located at the bottoms of the tread grooves in several locations around the tyre. When a tyre is so worn that these bars become visibly flush with the adjacent tread ribs, it's time to replace the tyre.

It is suggested that you check your tyre tread using either method every 4 800Km.

Know What Certain Wear Patterns Mean
As tyres wear, sometimes wear patterns emerge that can indicate problems with your vehicle or tyres. If you see any of these patterns, have your tyres checked by a professional Goodyear Retailer. Here are some wear patterns to watch for.

Wear on both edges: UNDERINFLATION

Underinflation of a tyre reduces its treadlife by increasing the tread wear on its outside edges, or shoulders. It also generates excessive heat which reduces tyre toughness. Finally, it reduces fuel economy through increased rolling resistance because soft tyres make your vehicle work harder. Abnormal tyre wear may also be caused by misalignment or mechanical problems.

Wear in center: OVERINFLATION

When a tyre is overinflated, the center of the tread bears most of the load and wears out faster than the outside edges. Uneven wear reduces the useful life of a tyre. It could also be the result of misalignment or mechanical problems.

Cups or dips in the tread: WORN PARTS

Cupping (also called dipping) is most common on front tyres, although rear tyres can cup as well. It may be a sign that wheels are out of balance or that suspension or steering system parts are worn out.

Sawtooth edges: MISALIGNMENT

If the edges of your tyre tread take on a sawtooth or feathered appearance, it's because of erratic scrubbing against the road. The solution is an alignment correction.


Tyre Balancing
If your tyres are unbalanced, you'll notice vibration. This can lead to driver fatigue, premature or irregular tyre wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. Your tyres should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after repair. Check your tyre balance at the first sign of vibration or shimmy.

Vehicle Alignment
Your vehicle is properly aligned when all of its suspension and steering components are working smoothly and when its tyre and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. If you notice uneven tread wear, it could be due to a misalignment and your vehicle should be serviced by a professional.

Tyre Rotation
While many people are knowledgeable enough to rotate their own tyres, the procedure is especially quick and easy for a professional. Your vehicle's owner's manual will specify the proper rotation pattern and schedule for your vehicle. If no specific schedule is indicated, a good rule of thumb is to rotate your tyres every 9 600 to 12 800 Kms.

Tyre Repair
Tyre repairs should be made by a trained tyre professional. Proper repair procedure includes dismounting the tyre from the wheel. This allows for thorough inspection of the tyre for damage, as well as the use of a patch and plug to repair any punctures that fall within the guidelines for repair.

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