Workshops to “resume the handlebars”
If you are bikers, special attention must be paid when arriving at sunny days, but also during the strong rainy episodes, like those on Saturday May 3. “So there, you have the oil, petrol plates and the gravels that go up on the roadway: this can strongly affect grip, especially in roundabouts,” explains Philippe Villeret, coordinator of the French Federation of Bikers Angry from Côte-d’Or (FFMC 21), slipping that the “worst danger is perhaps the great sun”. “With a good weather, we want to put the handle in the corner. Roll at a speed suitable for the road and traffic conditions, even if sometimes it is very tempting to take advantage of the turns, ”he advises. His federation and the police, organize “handlebars” days, which allow bikers to revise the trajectories on a technical platform as well as the steering tips. A “trajectory day” took place on April 6, in the presence of the gendarmes of the motorized brigade of Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur and the prefect of Côte-d’Or.
Motorcycle equipment and revision
Philippe Villeret hammers that to “ride a motorcycle, it is crucial to wear adequate protective equipment in the event of a fall”. The specialist advises to wear boots that protect the malleolus – “because the ankle is a [des] part[s] of the body that repaired[nt] The least well ” – a” Kevlar motorcycle jeans “and a” equipped with back and shoulders “jacket. The helmet must be “approved – idem For gloves – equipped with a CE label and standard 2 “and ideally” have five reflective bands “. “Despite that, I still see bikers in flip-flops, shorts and T-shirts,” he regrets.
Regarding the two-wheelers, “After a wintering season, or you [le] Revise yourself, or you bring it to a dealership for a quick revision ”. Watch out for crutch motorcycles on the side for several months: this can create deformations on the tire gum.
Adopt “defensive” conduct
The FFMC 21 coordinator would like to remind you: “When you are on a motorcycle, it’s zero alcohol, zero stup”. “You also have to drive at suitable speeds and adopt a so -called defensive conduct”. This consists in “driving for others”, “constantly monitoring the environment, other road users and traffic conditions”.
-It is therefore necessary to “anticipate” the unpredictable behaviors of motorists, in particular “changes of management without flashing or non-compliance with a stop”. To do this, try to observe the driver’s eyes, through his window or by his reflection in the mirrors. “If your eyes meet, we can say that he has seen you. Otherwise, it’s up to you, even if you have the priority, ”says the seasoned biker. Who wishes to remind motorists “that you have to look at its blind spot and put your turn signal before turning”.
Already almost a dozen accidents since early spring
François Sauvadet, president of the department of Côte-d’Or, unveiled, at the end of March, the 2024 accidentalization assessment on the departmental road network: it was learned that motorcycle accidents remain over-represented, with 11 injured and two killed, while this category of users has only for 1.6 % of global traffic.
Since the beginning of spring, we have already noted almost a dozen accidents on the network, involving more or less serious injuries. On April 26, an accident also occurred on the RD 1083 at the level of the town of Plainoiseau, in the neighboring department of the Jura. A man and a woman died after the pilot lost control of his vehicle, a three -wheeled motorcycle.
