A quick tip for this entry in the “Staying Safe on Your Motorcycle” series --

Beware the opening car door.

When riding in metropolitan areas, this can really be a danger.  People tend not to check the traffic very well before they open their car doors to exit.  I know there have been one or two times when I’ve opened before looking myself...

So, be extra cautious when you pass cars that have just parked.  The driver might be in a hurry--which means they’re likely to open first and look later.

As a general rule, when riding your motorcycle, always try to ride far enough to the left (2 and a half times the width of a car door will be a good rule of thumb) to stay out of danger.

You can find entries #1 - #19 of the Staying Safe on Your Motorcycle series in the Old Blog archive here.