"12 Second Rule" and "Fisherman Vision" will make You 90% Safer!

12 second rule is one of the most effective ways to prevent motorcycle accidents. What’s it all about?
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On Moto Control channel you will find videos about motorcycles, motorcycle riding techniques, tips & tricks and online motorcycle training for beginner and advanced riders!
A little info about me. My name is Andrei Bodrov, originally I'm from Moscow, Russia, and now I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Back in Moscow I was a motorcycle instructor and creator of Moto Control Beginner & Advanced motorcycle rider courses, which quickly became the most popular courses in Moscow (well, at least the advanced one😁). My advanced training course makes emphasis on slow speed riding techniques at first (such as good clutch and throttle control, proper riding posture, proper use of vision, etc.), then proceeds to more advanced techniques (such as aggressive braking, trail braking, maximal lean angle). The course incorporates a lot of exercises from DOSAF slow speed riding (similar to police rodeo like motorcycle training in USA), braking and cornering exercises and motogymkhana style riding. And now, since I actively learn English - I decided to post some useful videos for both your and mine practice!😉
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Since everyone writes this, it's necessary, I suppose 🤷, so here we go. Disclaimer: Ride at your own risk, you are responsible for your own safety. Me, Andrey Bodrov and my channel, Moto Control disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of riding techniques from this channel. Use common sense, wear full protective gear and ride in a safe and predictable manner!
#motorcycle #motorcycles #moto

[@em8194]

I work in a hospital ER. I see many horrible motorcycle injuries, but I ride my motorcycle everywhere with over 100,000 miles on my bikes. Two rules. One, always, always wear a full-face helmet. Second; I always ride thinking I am invisible. I have convinced myself that NO ONE can see me ever and that they will drive their car as if I was not there. That causes me to be on my breaks and drop my speed some at every intersection. If a driver does not make eye contact with me or their front tire begins to move, I go into full stop mode until I know I am safe. I have added extremely bright extra stop lights and I control my slowing and stopping knowing there might be someone behind me. I have never had an issue with someone behind me almost hitting me. Sure, this wears out my breaks faster and drops my fuel mileage some, but after 100,000 miles on motorcycles, I am perfectly healthy and can't wait to get on my bike again.

[@roygoodwin1259]

As a rider for sixty years, all that is needed is common sense, anticipation, and respect for everyone else on the roads.

[@middleagemoto]

You assume that common sense is common. It's not

[@jmejias12]

All of those are great to have out on the road but definitely need to practice skills like emergency braking and slow speed maneuvering. Staying safe is 50% responsible riding 50% skills. Stay safe!

[@JhoelSLC]

oh man! 60 years! Im wanting to buy a motorcycle with all my heart, but everybody tell me that its almost a sure death. Did you had close encounters?

[@lassebrustad]

​@@JhoelSLCgo buy a motorcycle and practice. if it's too dangerous, then it's your fault, I bet. riding safe will be fun, close calls are most likely something you will experience multiple times, but following good tips and tricks, training in safe areas both alone and together with someone, and you will be way safer than people who think they're good riders, just because they survive being idiots. being an idiot on 2 wheels will most likely kill you

[@brianlarkin8208]

You have to drive defensively as well as offensively

[@ronbatt756]

We who drive motorcycles cannot be reminded of these self defense methods too often..!

[@umbrellacorporation3206]

Always a good Ride for you 👍

[@fs5866]

Riding defensively will actually make you a much faster rider than the average person because you're already reading everything that could potentially happen and adjust on the run to any possible obstacle or hazard removing any element of surprise. In turn that can make you quite fast and make you seem a lot more fearless to other riders but your fearlessness come from all the inputs you brain receive and taking the best route. Sounds complicated but it usually is effortlessly even though you're aware of all that happens.

[@jarikinnunen1718]

It been keep I alive.

[@jenniferferris44]

Maybe, I find I don't need to be reminded of one of my fav childhood games. Predict it, where I would scan the rink, predict the possible actions of every skater and determine which ones they will be taking and what actions I need to take to avoid them while practicing figure skating routines. Got good enough 1.5 seconds meant I had 5-15 seconds of predicted data. I used to think it was the funnest game ever. Now it feels like a calming form of meditation. I'm not skating backwards or across the rink while doing difficult jumps on a bike so it's much much easier. Teach your kids how to play 'predict it' while also doing something else and they'll have no issues with mental effort from it when they're older and switch from skating to riding. Maybe that's just an autistic ADHD thing what with the hyper focus and inability to stay focused on any single thing when unmedicated

[@samshoffner]

I like this, I pretend every car is trying to kill me.

[@tudm91]

I've been using this logic since I started driving cars and have applied it to riding a motorcycle. Being perceptive and aware of your surroundings is essential. If something goes doesn't feel right or "normal" when you're observing, be prepared for evasive maneuvers, let off the gas, and be ready to brake. TRUST YOUR GUT. At some point you can start predicting the behavior of other drivers/riders by the slight movements of their vehicles. Ride safe and have a good time everyone!

[@commonsense718]

I call it my spider sense

[@1MansOpine]

Excellent advice, great video! I was raised on mini bikes, dirt bikes, etc., and when I began riding street bikes in 1990, I took a military Motorcycle Safety Course and the instructor taught us the S.I.P.D.E. or pronounced “Sip-dee” method meaning, Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute, and to this day I ride as you say, Scanning for any possible threat, Identifying potential threats, Predicting what they can possibly due, Decide my action, and Execute as necessary. Riding like this is absolutely lifesaving.

[@lassebrustad]

your message should be pinned as a summary of the video, because it's a short explanation of the whole video, but with a simple way to remember it

[@samsherwen6912]

Sounds similar to UK Police riding handbook - Information, Speed, Gears, Acceleration. Changed the way I ride and drive to maximise situational awareness and provide time to decide what to do and execute in a smooth controlled manner. Also saves brake pads!

[@mhoeij]

2:15 Countless lives would be saved if riders learn this lesson. One thing I'd like to add here is that there is a "point of no return" where it's too late to brake and the strategy changes from "braking" to "swerving and/or speeding up". But any action that we'll take, we should decide it *before* the car starts to move. Your video, showing with the difference in reaction time, explains it perfectly. As always, excellent work!

[@mscottsimon]

Amen. Riding is a constant assault of potential threats & potential reactions for the rider.

[@dxrevelations5111]

car is on your right thus he has the right of way. slow tf down

[@atranimecs]

Very true. started riding again after a 10 year break and i had to get back in this mode. whenever i see a car even possibly turn out on me from a distance i reduce my speed to the point where braking before impact is possible.

[@atranimecs]

@@dxrevelations5111 Thats assuming its a 4-way stop which is not the case in the video. A yield or stop sign right of a THROUGH TRAFFIC intersection does not mean you have the right of way. And in the video he was not overtly speeding and even slowed down in anticipation of a driver FAILING TO YIELD to through traffic which is the citation an officer of the law would've give had a collision occurred in this scenario, ask me how I know.

[@medler2110]

@@dxrevelations5111 What country do you ride in, where a vehicle coming out of a side turning has right of way over those on the main carriageway?

[@miloskuzmanovic]

Keeping the distance in traffic maybe the moust important thing. Not that you are giving yourself time to react but giving everybody around you especially people behind you time to react.

[@GeekOfAllness]

You're also giving yourself much better line of sight. If you're following 1 second behind a guy, then he suddenly swerves to avoid a head-on collision, you're distracted by his swerve then have like half a second to recognize and react yourself. If you're following 3 seconds back, the other guy is blocking much less of your vision, so you'll see the head-on car much earlier (perhaps before the other guy does), and, additionally, have more time to react to things you don't see earlier. Now, if you're doing 20 mph, 3 seconds is a bit overkill, especially if there's a car immediately behind you (at a safe distance, so they're blocking you from getting rear-ended by someone flying up behind you). 20 mph is about 30 ft/s (it's 29.33... but 1½:1 is a good rule of thumb to convert mph to ft/s). It takes about 1 second to stop on a good surface (typically a bit under 1 gee, or 32 ft/s², which will call 30 ft/s²), during which time you travel about 15 feet (while decelerating, your average speed is half your max speed, assuming fairly constant braking, which isn't a bad assumption). 15 feet is how far you'd travel in 0.5 seconds at your full speed, so 3 seconds back (90 feet) gives you 2.5 seconds of reaction time, when 1.5 seconds (2 seconds total) is probably enough. At 10-15 mph, you could get away with 1 second of following distance. Conversely, 4-5 seconds is better on the highway. 60 mph is about 90 ft/s, which takes about 3 seconds to stop from on a good surface, during which time you travel about 135 feet, which corresponds to 1.5 seconds of your following distance. If you're only 3 seconds behind, that gives you 1.5 seconds to react. That's usually enough, but at those speeds, it starts to become harder to determine what people are doing at the relevant distances, so your reaction time tends to be a bit worse. At 85 mph (the highest speed limit I know of in the U.S.), you're doing about 125 ft/s. It takes a bit over 4 seconds to stop, during which time you're traveling 260 feet. That's about 2.1 seconds of following distance. At 3 seconds, you're only getting 0.9 seconds to react, and things are much further away when you need to be reacting. So 5-7 seconds of following distance is better. Note also that motorcycles don't stop quite as well as cars under perfect conditions, and it's harder to stop (near) perfectly on a bike than a car. So you really want an extra half-second or so of following distance on a motorcycle. On the other hand, bikes can squeeze into smaller spaces, so sometimes you can get away with less following distance if you're good at swerving. And if you're not on a good surface (rain, snow, gravel), you want even more distance. If you're using metric, the kph to m/s conversions don't work quite the same, but both systems use seconds for time (other than a couple years in the 1790s where they had proper metric time), so the following distances and reaction times in seconds are the same.

[@miloskuzmanovic]

@@GeekOfAllness Sometimes collision is inevitable and distance allows you to slow down enough not to hit full speed on, avoiding major injury or worst. Security is the game of precents it can never be 100% safe but the more things you use and learn you are closer to that bar.

[@mozzfather]

I absolutely agree on the defensive driving approach but it's somehow funny to see how you slip through the cars on the white line, which is something in Germany nobody would ever do.

[@KF1]

Same in Canada. I can't recall ever seeing a motorcyclist thread between lanes. I thought that was just something they do in the movies to amplify a sense of danger and urgency.

[@mozzfather]

@KF1 Let's be honest - it's super stupid to do and even more to teach others this riding style, sorry...

[@KF1]

Don't be sorry if you're not. I completely agree that it's dangerous and, to add to the danger, could be rage-inducing in certain cases. That said, people gonna do what people gonna do. Not my call. @@mozzfather

[@mozzfather]

@KF1 oh yes, this would definitely make everybody feel insulted and lead to some road rage scenes. As everybody knows, the Germans like their autobahn clean and tidy ;)

[@scottmckenna9164]

The lane splitting is freaking me out! No room for error, you are at the mercy of the car driver.

[@hgm8337]

Its legal in Europe and car drivers are less freaked out by it as a consequence

[@MisuracaAntonio]

It might break your mind, but in Europe, car drivers actually look to the sides before changing lane

[@philcarr7015]

We can't get people to stop texting and driving here in the U.S.A. While doing that, they don't use turn signals while changing lanes.

[@okhan78]

In Southern California drivers don't use turn signals at all! Drives me nuts 😊 In general US drivers are terrible compared to what I've seen in Europe.

[@BruceWayne-qc5sz]

Filtering / lane splitting is illegal in Greece. Most people riding motorcycles do it anyway. Most car drivers change lanes without checking their mirrors or using their turn signals. That's why I only lane split / filter when I'm absolutely sure it's safe and I ride like everyone is trying to actively kill me.

[@amp2amp800]

Thankyou. This is such an important video for every rider to understand. At 4:30 is exactly the scenario where I lost my leg. I identified the threat way ahead, focussed, prepared, kept watching him like a hawk, dropped down a gear kept covering the brake.... and all this time the driver stayed put, as if he was waiting for me to enter the death zone before he pounced. I was already in a lower gear at reduced speed and instantly on the gas to get out of his way... but found myself moving sidewards, and then in the air instead. This strategy has saved me many many times before that, but never forget that you are vulnerable on a bike (whatever you do). Still alive, still riding, and still using it. Keep safe everybody!

[@stestar09]

Sorry to hear about your leg , glad your still riding. I ride expecting every side road driver to pull out on me & its served me well for the last 20 years . Also run bright led headlights on all the time , that also helps 👍

[@amp2amp800]

@@stestar09 That was and still is my riding practice too. The driver that hit me was stationary in the middle of the road waiting to turn off, over the path of oncoming traffic (so on the other side from the nearside road joiners - but its a similar story). He didn't move as I approached him warily, watching his every move. He only started to turn his steering wheel when I was already too close to change to a braking strategy, I gave it gas instead to try to get our of his way but he accellerated hard into the side of the bike. I had full headlights on. His behaviour was consistent with being a psychopath - both at the time (when he left me lying on the road bleeding out, while he tried to move his car to a less incriminating spot) and during the court case where he didn't show up and sent a lawyer to lie for him. So no-one will ever know for sure what he was thinking or doing. But he was a married man turning into a brothel car park and had driven 100km over the border to keep his guilty secret. I guess that had a lot to do with it.

[@CyberChrist]

@@amp2amp800 If you slow too much, they often take it as an invitation to pass.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

Defensive riding explained well! Also - do not travel faster than you can stop in about half the visible distance ahead and don’t exceed your abilities.

[@simongiavaras7787]

This is a big one, coming from operating trains of all things, our SOPs say the same, we call it operating on sight distance

[@BelialSpade]

the 12 second rule is taught here in australia, it is drummed into our brains in our learners course. i also when i see a car breaking, is to look over the top of the car(if i can) to see why they are breaking, while also applying the break myself slowly, because if they are breaking, they are breaking for a reason which will likely be a concern to me aswell

[@GeekOfAllness]

I've seen 6 seconds, 8 seconds, 10 seconds, and 15 seconds. This is the first time I've ever heard someone say 12 seconds. It's not really important, since you really can't adjudicate where 6 seconds away is with terrible accuracy, let alone anything further. And the "rule" is really just suggesting you look out as far as you can see, whether that's 2 seconds away or 20. 12 seconds is an eternity in a car or on a bike, and nothing that's safe 12 seconds away is remotely guaranteed to be safe 10 seconds later when you actually need to start reacting. About the only thing I look for that far down the road is obviously-parked traffic at highway speeds. For everything else, you can look 4 or 5 seconds away and be fine. Of course, it's pretty trivial to occasionally look to the horizon, but I have seen people who spend too much time looking way out yonder when the real threats are 2-3 seconds away. The worst of the threats tend to be a couple seconds away and off to the left or right since those tend to be the hardest to avoid. Almost anything straight in front of you can be avoided by simply slowing down, as long as you maintain a decent following distance. Of course, if you start running 100 mph through 60 mph traffic, you start having to look several seconds ahead and right in front of you all at the same time, since it's all a threat. But that shouldn't be most people's typically drive to work.

[@Mo0shii]

@@KurtFrederiksen European are better driversd out of the books, due to lessons only.

[@yveslegrand9826]

I made a quick computation and 12 second is a lot. On twisty road, 55 mph, it's about 330 yards. On easy road it's very easily a quarter mile...on the drag track it's...more than the whole track length 😂. Besides the joke, constant vigilance is the key. The slower you go...the more likely you are to let your brain wandering about something no related to riding and it's getting very dangerous. Keep focused on your riding at all times!

[@__Razer]

It applies even on a 1/4 mile drag straight. If there is an obstacle at the end of the 1/4 mile track, don't launch.

[@Kraken9911]

Been riding 22 yearsand i never formally learned aboutthe twelve second rule but I've been naturally doing it. I always just called it a "threat assessment loop". Constantly identifying what is the most immediate dangerous potential and then assigning everything else downwards in priority. As priority one gets eliminated, #2 moves up and I dedicate focus to that. On and on. You dont think actively play this out in your head as an active thought it's just natural instinct built on years of experience. On a side note I spent my first 13 years riding in america and the remaining 9 years in the Philippines. My threat assessment loop is on constant overload due to 3rd world riding conditions. Im exhausted after 2-3 hours of riding while in America I could do two hours riding los angeles and barely feel a thing.

[@alexugurie]

Excellent. I learned this kind of defencive driving in Germany when I started out in the 1970's. Thing is, it's so easy to get complacent. It's therfore necessary to always remind oneself on a regular basis!

[@waynerobertson511]

Yeah absolutely on the vision thing. You really do have to drop things from your nearby vision - already gone. Ignore them and look ahead. Great video!

[@mrc4910]

I love it. Teaching motorcycle safety skills while simultaneously weaving dangerously through traffic.

[@goodkebo]

yeah. I was a little nervous watching him in traffic.

[@mikeybooks54]

YEAH, HE IS RIDING DANGEROUSLY

[@mikeybooks54]

GOOD ADVICE ON 12 SECOND AND FISHING CASTING OF THE RIDER'S EYES.

[@paulhope3401]

For the average rider perhaps... but this guy has max awareness of what is going on around him and more skill and bike control than >90% of us.

[@SethJayson]

This is crucial for driving a car safely as well, and also should be second-nature to bicyclists. Years of commuting on the smallest, most vulnerable 2-wheelers puts your eyes and head on a swivel for sure. Keeping your mirrors as part of your sweep pattern is also important. I'm amazed at how many people only use them once in a while (or never). I install blind-spot mirrors on everything so that I can keep my head pointed forward and have full view all the way around.

[@j3tztbassman123]

That's why I'm not a fan of under bar mirrors, too hard to use them.

[@GTAmaniac1]

Yup, riding 50cc Tomos bikes on the Twisties is terrifying if said bike isn't outfitted with them, had a few occasions on a 80 km ride where a car was overtaking me in a corner and cutting off my line. P.S. the bike wasn't mine, it was my uncle's, otherwise I would've installed mirrors. Still whenever I'm riding every 30 seconds or so I turn my head around to see the situation behind me and if there are any impatient drivers who won't be able to wait until the next straightaway to overtake me.

[@theutgardianchannel1952]

Man, I just wanted to say that I started to watch your videos before I got a license, that was 8 months ago and so far I haven't gotten in an accident yet. Thank you so much!

[@timtaylor8557]

Not driving in between cars on the road can reduce your chances of being in an accident by 100x.

[@johnschlesinger2009]

I would add: always look for an escape route, even if it means going off road, and practice hard braking often, in safe places obviously.

[@poerava]

Another important tool is to always accelerate out of possible areas/blind spots, thus reducing your likelihood of a collision.

[@davidtruong9367]

I have learned so much from all of your videos and become a much better rider and more importantly a safer rider. “Ask me how I know?” as you say 😃 I had my first group ride EVER when I participated with my motorcycle organization this morning and the “Tail Gunner” rider who protects everyone from the rear said I was a very skilled rider and did great. Thank you, Moto Control! You’re number 1 as a motorcycle instructor 🏆🏆🏆

[@ozgurkus]

Thank you, I like the fisherman analogy to the looking method. I watched all of your videos, they are all wonderful, thank you for all. It would be so nice seeing videos about off road technics Spasibo 🙏🏼

[@MrDertien]

Ghost Rider sees 120 seconds in advance...and Chuck Norris around 500 seconds.

[@brianlarkin8208]

Chuck is a god

[@Zero_dice]

It is one of the best advices for everyone. I am doing this since i started riding a bike. The DO IT thing have already saved me hundreds of times. Congratulations

[@Kenicavus]

This goes the same for other vehicles too. My legs is ready on the brakes when i drive when I'm around intersections and i pay attention to brake lights

[@dugandaniel165]

These are good points, but you cannot preach about safety while doing what you did at 4:48...the trafic is light, no need to pass like that between the cars

[@bjorndunderbeck]

I failed a driving test hazard awareness computer program for car drivers, because I hit the button too many times. they said that I was mashing the button randomly. I said that as a motorcycle rider of 20 years a potential hazard i treat as a hazard until im past it. When violence and pain are your teachers you pay attention. but since driving a car now for about the same amount of time you can get away with being more relaxed, I still observe what is going on more than other car drivers it seems but I would probably get a headache from the processing required to ride as I used to. If you are new to riding bikes, pay attention, no one sees you, few care about you and you pay more than anyone for mistakes on the road. If someone pulls out on you legally its their fault but if you didn't see it, thats your fault and you get injured. so don't put your safety in the hands of a stranger. Also these days I see lots of riders shaking their heads at drivers who do half asleep lane changes at the speed limit and don't check for lane splitting motorcycles. Its like yeah they should've seen you but ffs you were speeding and put yourself in that position! your fault! don't do it!

[@lindsaymac01]

I always work on the 3-second rule: Never let a motorcycle take you where your brain wasn't 3 seconds earlier.

[@jeanpequignot80]

My father taught me this back in 1986, although you do it much better. I just got to your channel and it's quite amazing. Thank you very much from México city.

[@adrianalexandrov7730]

Nice explanation of a simple rules. There's a book by Tom Vanderbilt "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)" worth reading, but why I'm mentioning it is that there was an experimental program in rural US where you can drive at 16, so they'd put some equipment in the car to record abrupt maneuvers, braking, the equipment would record video of what happened before and after such event and would send it to a person for evaluation. The idea, AFAIR, was to better understand how to teach young drivers, what mistakes they make etc. So the kids started to anticipate what might happen and maneuver or slow down in advance in order to "fool the system" )))) P.S. I liked that moment around 5:05 when you've merged into white sedan's blind spot and I'm like "car on the left might not see you, 18-wheeler on the right, oh man..." and you roll of the throttle just a bit to let it pass. Nice.

[@mikegish5759]

It's called "Situational Awareness", and I started practicing it as a youth. On a bike, I was very aware of physical exposure and lack of protection; in a car, not so much. I drove/rode primarily to prevent injury. So in a car, I'd push the limits more; on a bike, I rode like everyone else would do the stupidest thing possible and was prepared for that. My old lady said she felt safer on a motorcycle with me than in a car.

[@wehrwolfe69]

Great wideo! You and motojitsu are the KZbin greats of motorcycle teachers! Thx for your expertise!

[@kenmcdougall6106]

Thank you for this, excellent video and I will remember the fisherman rule! I've been riding for about 35 years, I'm a naturally cautious rider, but you're never too old to learn. Also love the way you say 'peripheral vision' and if that helps me remember it, that's a good thing too!

[@volkerdorr8537]

A good explanation of how to survive on your bike. Even as a cyclist. And that's one of the reasons, why motorcycling is mentally challenging - and exhausting. In the other hand this method of scanning the surrounding will reduce peak stress because you are much more prepared to a dangerous situation. But this in fact can be appied to mosty anything in life. Observation, awareness and anticipation are the keys for success in many fields.

[@tdmxross]

I've been using this sort of logic while riding since i had been in 3 major accidents. These accidents almost cost me my right leg, my elbow and my life. So I started to pay attention to everything that could be a reason of an accident. Never had any panic moments or sudden breaking since then. Thank you for sharing such information. Very helpful. (Especially here in india, it's very useful)

[@peterwilson8039]

I think of it as watching patterns in the traffic. Be aware of situations where a driver might turn left in front of you, merge into your lane, or hit the brakes unexpectedly. You watch situations like that because they might impact you. When it happens it doesn't catch you by surprise because you're already expecting it.

[@nickpalko9334]

Love your videos man! They’ve helped me pass my tests and make me feel so much more comfortable on the road. Cheers! 🍺

[@bathroom_joke]

Thanks for these kinds of videos! I'm just starting to learn to ride and they've been a huge help so far

[@DopravniPoradce]

I do it since I don't know when while driving car, even before I had a licence for a bike. I call it "10 seconds rule" and the principle is roughly "actively anticipate what will happen in next 5 - 10 seconds and solve only what differs from your assumption". With experience you realise nothing or very little does so, and you will have very relaxed way of driving / riding, cause your brain will idle most of the time while being absolutely conscious about your whereabouts. This extrapolates to secondary rule - "if you are unable to anticipate correctly everything that will happen in next 5 - 10 seconds, slow down". You realise after some practice, that you know that someone will make a mistake few moments prior the very person decide to make it. When somebody doesn't believe it's possible, I describe what will happen and when it happens the non-believer is stunned how can I predict future. I can't I just know what leads to what and how the people will react.

[@HJC1950]

Look for situations where a motorist's vision is blocked. Keep in mind that there are motorists who will make decisions even when their vision is blocked, which may result in their violating your right of way and injure you. In other words, don't just scan for immediate hazards, go a step further by scanning for dangerous situations where another motorist's vision is blocked. Many serious accidents happen in this way and you must do your best to avoid these types of accidents.

[@10secondsrule]

I've never had a faster reaction when during the fasting. It was Incredible.

[@stevefowler2112]

I grew up on two wheelers and earned an AMA Expert/Pro License in both motocross (125cc Motocross) and Road Race (250cc/350cc Road Race) and raced in the '75 Daytona 200. I have had a long list of top of the line Superbike street bikes (i.e. Liter class sport bikes with my current scooter being a Ducati Panigale V4 R). I have gotten off a couple different street bikes at speed but have never been involved in a crash with another car/bike. I believe it is due to my skills but also primarily because of my rule when riding on the street. It's a simple rule: Assume every vehicle you see, the operator is going to try his best to hit you. It is your job to not let that happen.

[@MichaelWhite-cx4ho]

Good advice, yet there you are going faster than most anyone else and weaving in and out of lanes and traffic.

[@MotoControlEn]

Not really🙂 It's Buenos Aires, motorcycles are not expected to drive like cars here. It's also something we have to consider when riding, we can't ride the same way in London and Mumbai.

[@lucascarracedo7421]

@@MotoControlEn I second this. I am from Buenos Aires, and while I started riding relatively recently I had driven cars here for a couple decades. At first I tried to ride the way I drove, which sort of worked for a bit, but then I felt ready to go out and practice during peak hours and in more intense parts of the city, and the problem is that cars don't know how to deal with bikes that behave like cars, especially when drivers are really stressed because of work and also delivery motorcycles which are a nightmare. I still try to keep my place in the lane, and not filter because it's technically "not allowed" (whatever that means in Argentina, sadly), but sometimes they basically push you into doing so or staying where you were becomes very unsafe.

[@MichaelWhite-cx4ho]

@@MotoControlEn Sounds like fun and explains why you're passing everyone. Looks dangerous. Bet the rate of motorcycle accidents in high relative to the U.S. if that type of driving is the norm.

[@lucascarracedo7421]

@@MichaelWhite-cx4ho are you sure? The US isn't a good example of anything related to safe driving / riding. I live in the same place where he's riding in the video, and while I don't ride like that (also aren't anywhere as experienced so I would feel completely out of my depth) I have rarely seen accidents in those situations. And I've been along that same road on and off for over 20 years now.

[@dgphi]

It's safer to keep progressing through traffic otherwise you become invisible. Also it's good to get away from the cars wherever possible.

[@abdotaher17]

Great advice, can’t get reminded too often!

[@renes9966]

I have my module 2 test (final practical test before getting full license) here in the UK next week. This was a great refresher with some useful practical tips. Thank you!

[@stestar09]

How did that go 11 days on , did you pass ?

[@renes9966]

@@stestar09 yes indeed woohooooooooooooooooo!!! A few minor faults for going under speed limit and “undue hesitation” at roundabouts but it was my first time on a big bike in the rain - I was being very cautious. Now to go bike shopping!!

[@royfearn4345]

Although not a motor-cyclist, I learnt defensive driving many years ago and it has always served my well. Total awareness is another way of thinking about it.

[@cbroerse]

I really do like your videos. I was an experienced biker, but stopped riding when the children were born. A few months ago, after twenty years of not touching a bike, I bought my son's bike and started driving to work. Your videos are very entertaining and especially helpful for me as I discover I lost a couple of skills in the years and with age comes a slower brain... That said, I think this video is somewhat misleading. What you describe (very clearly!) is not a skill that can be learned. It is a skill that comes only with riding your bike many hours. Any experienced driver will, after hours and hours of driving, have a brain that filters out everything that is predictable, leaving the objects that need attention. A beginner drivers brain can't do that, forcing the driver to pay attention to everything around them. They will look at all road signs, all cars, all road markings, potholes, barriers, pedestrians, trees etc. The result is that they only have time to look at things that are close by. An experienced drivers brain will filter out most of the surrounding, leaving the driver with ample time to look far ahead and think about his actions.

[@motorbikeLV]

2:57 "to react to the possibility of a hazard, not just the hazard itself!" Very good explanation of what hazard perception skills are, as taught in British advanced motoring certifications and asked in the British driving licence test.

[@invadervim9037]

I drove a 1960 pickup with 4 manual drum brakes for a good while, I picked up this habit real quick.

[@clintow]

My dad always called this "assume every car on the road is actively trying to murder you" 😂A little morbid but it does help keep you safe and he's never had a two vehicle motorcycle accident

[@jenniferferris44]

I'm autistic and ADHD so my mind is constantly searching for something to focus on and play 'predict it'. A game I thought I made up myself, spot all the objects and determine any and all actions it can possibly do, and determine which one it is likely to do and all reactions I have available to me in getting around it. I got good enough at this game I could perform figure skating routines without crashing into people or being concerned about the direction I was skating. 1-2 second look and got 5-15 seconds of predicted actions memorized, legs head and weight distribution. It's a little different with vehicles because I can't see the driver's head to know if they're focused somewhere, however I've noticed its similar enough patterns to predict, a car's wheels speed and drift will tell me what actions the driver is considering on taking. It's a fun game and I've never understood why allistics have trouble with it. When I'm not playing that game I'm studying higher education material while chatting on twitch or playing video games cuz literally my mind does not know chill so riding is what I would consider my meditation time where my mind is finally relaxed and calm.

[@puneetbshah]

I have been doing this subconsciously, since a long time. I scan possibilities almost 20 seconds ahead. I am the slowest rider in my group, but also the only rider with zero accidents!!!!

[@niscent_]

i like to describe it as "try to be a smart ass" rule. just try your hardest to be the guy who think "and now that car is gonna ignore the priority, while that one is gonna speed up to pass at the orange light......... told you." if you make it a game about catching mistakes before they happen, you will catch things before they happen.

[@doctor9228]

I intuitively developed such techniques while riding a bicycle. Now im learning to ride a motorcycle and it helps me.

[@oxfordbikerboys]

I like the theory you were talking about when you were doing some dangerous filtering 😂

[@Ram.Saketh]

Hello there Andrey, thanks for the amazing analysis, and for putting figures to safety - it's what I arrived at after years of riding but I had no way of putting figures to it. This is the perfect way to analyse this. Thank you my friend. I'm sure this will certainly save some lives. Here's my humble contribution to show how much I love this "invaluable" video of yours in particular.

[@MotoControlEn]

Thank you my man! ☺️

[@anonymous-rj6ok]

Great advice. Make sure you apply this even when you're on roads familiar to you. The risk is you neglect defensive riding because your brain tells you nothing can happen because you know these roads. Don't fall into that trap.

[@adrianvital5563]

I always assume people will do the wrong thing like: they will not see me, they cut me off, they will try to pass the wrong way, etc... and I try to prepare for it and by having a scape plan. It was exhausting at first, but eventually, I was able to be fully engaged and relaxed at the same time.

[@rcraven1013]

In the UK we presume that the thinking time is only 2/3rds of a second for the giving of safe stopping distances. However further more recent studies have shown that if the danger ahead is a difficult one to understand and if there are a number of options other than just to brake hard it may take 3 second or more to work out mentally what action to take before one actually makes the physical decision to brake or swerve , alter course etc. A lot depends on how alert we are and how knowledgeable to a variety of different and difficult circumstances or situations. . This is where both training, years of experience and motoring knowledge and skill does pay dividens.

[@motoringwithmouseball1219]

Watching motocontrol saves lives

[@howardwarren7683]

Here in Australia we call this looking for trouble while riding, not to get into trouble but to avoid it.

[@benjysshed1883]

Great video 👍 Everyone on the road should be driving like this all the time, for those of us on 2 wheels it's critical.

[@patriotsheepdog]

Weaving in and out of lanes like that is not smart either.

[@youtuberdriver]

For sure not, the idea is to do it mentally not particularly with the eyes

[@supernova82]

It's even more funny that the person giving safety advice to others doing that lol

[@peglegjim57]

When lane splitting became legal in California, my prosthetist said that his “leg business” expanded by 700%. Let that sink in…..

[@alphapaintltd.7049]

Riding a little faster than the cars around you is actually safer.

[@JPX8]

Actually this anticipation of what happens in front of you is what I actually like about motor riding, it makes you much a more active road user.

[@vijayam1]

The fisherman technique is well worth it.. Thank you.

[@simonebanana]

Watching your videos I'm learning lot of things but i also discovering myself to be a pretty safe driver already. I'm happy of that. Great videos.

[@SaveWesternCivilisation]

4:47 You could never ride this close to cars in Australia because many of them will change lanes - no indicator, no looking. Every single car on the road is just about to do the stupidest thing possible in order to end your life. When riding, I frequently look at the drivers I'm passing - a huge number are playing on their phones...

[@bramweinreder2346]

Not hust covering, but also preloading the brakes. This will make braking less jerky and saves time. Remember that we are less visible and not everyone wants to kill us. Don't be afraid to use a dominant and visible lane position. More importantly: one where we can look ahead as much as possible. Also use the horn if you have to. Watch your six. Don't surprise the tire, but also don't surprise the driver begind you, if traffic from behind is anticipated then the foot break will increase survivability when you're rear ended.

[@SteveInskip]

When there’s a car waiting to pull out, I’m looking at the driver, not the car. If he is looking at you, chances are he’s not going pull out. BUT I normally consider that they’re WILL pull out and take the preliminary actions as you suggest. If you’re not accelerating at that point you’ve got a lot better chance of stopping.

[@pdxbk]

Yes!! I do this while on my non-motor bicycle 100%. If I'm a ghost on my motorcycle, I'm like 110% a ghost on my bike. I do realize it's not their fault or intention to not see me, they're just used to seeing big things like other cars. So it's on me.

[@Badenhawk]

I was told to drive like everyone on the road is actively trying to kill me, creates a hightened awareness that most people dont have when driving a car.

[@rollysj384]

Tips and videos like these should be included in driving school courses.

[@PRH123]

Very wise advice. When looking up the road you should also be thinking of "where is my escape - alternate path" in case needed... never assume or leave anything to chance... one accumulates wisdom with time, and you should know where problems are likely to occur, and hang back and prepare... you can insulate yourself from 99.9% of danger situations if you back off -25% from max and stay wise...

[@jsredecio]

This is one of the good applications of overthinking in which it will mean your safety.

[@scubarubanzaii]

Perfect. I more recently started driving semi trucks and I can say that you should ride with as much planning as a semi trucker needs to drive with when fully loaded.

[@t.c.494]

You are trying to teach people about safety, and riding between moving vehicles? You don't find that paradoxical? Not only that, it is rude, you should wait your turn.

[@TessaTickle]

What I do is to maintain an inventory of the cars (hazards, whatever) that enter into my sensory field. When they enter, I assess what they seem to be doing. You can determine a few things within one second: is the hazard on a steady course (speed direction) or not. If it's on a steady course that doesn't intersect with you, you can push it to the bottom of your attention stack. If it's not on a steady course (either it's changing speed or its changing direction away or towards you, regardless), i.e. it's in flux, keep it at the top of your attention stack. Maintain at least peripheral attention on the hazards that are in flux until they stabilize into a harmless state (you've passed them, they've passed you, whatever). On the other end of the spectrum, you have items that are stopped (people at an intersection) which could become a problem if they decided to suddenly drive in front of you. Look for their face, try to see if they're looking your way or if they're distracted. If you're not confident that they're safe, start planning for a swerve.

[@236260]

In US driving classes, they call it SIPDE. Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute.

[@brikfiend]

When I'm riding , EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is my enemy . Simples .

[@prospectorsoils1240]

Best training ever is ride around town on a bicycle with no lights in the dark. Teaches you real quick that nobody can see you.

[@taterbapple9847]

I never thought I'd get motorbike safety advice from a Meerkat? Great video though.

[@wastafus]

Dude, I think all your advice is totally negated by passing other vehicles on the right. I do not consider meandering between cars in the middle lane as a safe practice either. But then again, when in Rome.... If passing on the right and meandering is common practice and allowed in your country, I totally understand you do it. Passing vehicles on the right is, in my humble opinion is suicidal. Especially because many drivers, including myself cannot have full situational awareness at all times. Keep safe!

[@HRAZZI]

I absolutely agree, being observant and scanning continuesly is not too difficult as people think. As a matter of fact I honestly belive it is essential.

[@KF1]

One thing that helps me is to remain aware of the side mirrors so I know in advance if I can swerve lanes if necessary. I find myself doing this especially when rounding curves that approach intersections of limited sight lines etc.

[@jeremyreid9582]

All of the advice here is both correct and informative. The most dangerous occupier of the road, is that (pedestrian, biker or motorist) that is NOT thinking defensively/safely, but is hooting and swearing at and overtaking the safe/defensive driver … these idiots put EVERYBODIES’ life in danger. 😳🙏🏼

[@moustachio334]

I'm blessed my dad was a truck driver. He taught me very similar methods. I've had a perfect driving record for more than a decade. Knock on wood.

[@deckyputra1281]

Good point, believe it or not, i learn to scan traffic and surrounding better after rode a fixed gear (with front brakes attached for emergency brake 😅) for years on the street. I had almost the same mental technique in this video even though this is the first time i know the term "12 second rule" It transform my motorcycle riding style from aggressive to enjoyable and safer riding. Even my wife felt and say that. She doesn't suffer a cramp and scary thought anymore when riding with me even though im still rode a bit fast 😂 Not to mention, the technique in the video will make a parts on motorcycle last longer, especially in the drivetrain, tires and brake pads 😊 (from my personal experience riding and caring motorcycle for years)

[@oliveroliver7330]

I don’t understand what the 12 Seconds have to do with your tutorial ? The concept is clear. Thank you for explaining

[@Gruuvin1]

This should be taught for driving cars and trucks too. There are certain cultures and stereotypes that, much more than others, seem to be oblivious to surrounding traffic. Asians, teenagers, women, people obsessed with their phones, etc.

[@wavydavy9816]

Every morning for the past 3 months I've had to ride my really nice motorbike down a horrible, single track, tarmaced, country lane, for about two miles. This includes tall hedges, blind corners, steep slopes, loose surface material, mud, wildlife (wild boar, deer, badgers sheep, occasional cow or horse), agricultural vehicles and ladies driving their children to school (coming in the opposite direction). I travel at about 13 mph and am expecting someone or something to attempt knocking me off at EVERY stage of the journey. So far, I've twice had to stack it into the hedge to avoid the ladies.

[@marcfalardeau6058]

When I ride I see everything but look at nothing! I also practice 10-15 minutes on a parking lot before every ride…or almost. Marc, Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦 Ride safe! 🏍😉

[@_skud]

Fisherman's vision is a good way to explain it!

[@David-th2ug]

This is why motor cyclists make better car drivers, they are aware much more than motorists what is happening around them, and take into account weather and road conditions.

[@hazeldejesus]

This makes me feel a lot better as I already do this when driving my car lol

[@orlandominichiello]

Good advice , also practice emergency braking every season at a safe spot and ride within our ability.

[@danielpoulis9855]

In QLD Australia they teach us to keep 6 seconds of visible distance at all times (light visibility, corners) and 3 seconds following distance. They have this program that is a requirement to get your learner license that teaches you how to ride but also roadcraft such as this. So road positioning, how long it takes to stop. It's a good mindset to have.

[@honestlion17]

Thank you for this sound advice. Hopefully people will heed.

[@5thgearouttahere]

Great advice & very well presented 👍

[@jupiter22177]

one of my favorite channels. great videos all the time.