Riding on the road is full of dangers, and still we do, why? Because we are riders, that’s why! Yet, of all the dangers that we encounter, animals have to be the deadliest of them all. They are small, unpredictable, and there is nothing we can do about it in case of a crash. Neither can they pay for damages, nor can they be arrested and tried for gross negligence. So the only thing we can really do is to suck it up. Yet there is something even better that we can do, and that is to be careful and avoid them altogether. So to help out all our fellow bikers out there, I have devised a small list of precautions to take care of while riding and making sure you do not end up with an animal on your face.
Beware of the dogs:
Dogs are pretty much the most notorious of animals of the lot. The man’s best friend is not really the best friend when it comes to being on the road. They are wild and happen to jump onto the road at any moment of time without considering the vehicular traffic. And most importantly it always happens when you are expecting it the least. So especially, when driving in India and on the open roads, always keep a lookout for dogs. In case you happen to be driving on the highway, cows are your biggest threat. Know that they are bigger in size and weight compared to you and your bike combined. So the cow might only be injured a little depending on the impact, but you are sure to turn into a beef jerky in case that happens.
Invest in good lighting:
Most of the accidents related to animals occur in the dark and especially because the rider failed to spot them completely until it is too late. The major reason for this is the lack of proper lighting to illuminate the road and the objects lying ahead due to which the rider happens to miss it altogether and ends up crashing. The best way to avoid this is to invest in some good lighting. Get some high intensity lights or auxiliary ones which can illuminate the road in front as well as a bit of the sides as that is where the animals pop up all of a sudden.
Keep a long line of sight:
Almost 5 lakh accidents occur in India annually out of which half are motorcycles and a major share of those contain animal related accidents. This happens because the rider is going at a fast pace on the road and does not get enough time to react when the animal suddenly makes it on the road in front of them. The best way to avoid this is to get a long line of sight. This is possible by checking out the road in front of you and accordingly adjusting your riding speed. If you can see the road far long ahead, you could take the risk of going a bit fast knowing if anything does pop out, you can hit the brakes and stop. But in case if you cannot see the road up ahead or have a blind spot, slow down and access is with caution to avoid any untoward incident.
Horn your way out:
If there are animals blocking the path, do not go on and tussle with them for unnecessary reason. If enraged, animals could get dangerous. Instead you could simply apply your horns and hope that they do get away from the road. And in case not, then it is better to wait out for a while until they finish their business and move on. Engaging them is not advisable in any circumstances.
Hit the brakes:
If you see an animal in front of your which is stationary, do not try and swerve away from it, they are unpredictable and could result in they moving in your direction resulting in a crash. The sane option here is to simply hit the brakes and halt first or at least slow down to a trickle pace and then make a move away from the animal so that both you and animal have navigated safely without an awry incident.
These are some key precautions to take when riding your motorcycle. Know that the dangers are imminent and there are plentiful. The best one is to stay calm and keep a constant lookout for one. Remember that even a small lapse in concentration could end up in you being in the hospital due to a goat that decided to go on a suicide mission. And also do not forget to wear proper gear when riding.
