[DE Nichols]

I agree with Dodsfall. Take your time. Keep practicing what you learned in the course and we all need to watch McRider on YouTube. He teaches tons of stuff that was in my 2 day safety course, but you know what the good stuff is the basics.

I'm 2 years a rider now and I've been watching McRider when I feel like it since I was worried about my skills and safety after the winter break.

Applying countless videos to real riding has made me better, safer, and well, not less nervous, but in comparison to how I was riding, that riding would make me nervous now! LOL

One of things he changed riding in heavy traffic was to follow the concept of always be in the part of your lane which allows you to see the farthest ahead. This is more important than correct lane position. Generally, the left side or position 1 of the "3" lanes which is in each lane is a good spot to ride in, but I like to jump from 1 to 3 or 3 to 1 when I gives me more distance while crossing someone's blind spot.

In another video from McRider, he talked about how much it isn't our skill, but the gyroscopes giving balance to the motorcycle on it's own. Be calm. Allow the motorcycle do what it's designed to do. Always ride within your limits and the physical limits of the motorcycle so there is spare acceleration, braking, and lean angle left over in spare for when you need it.

 

[DE Nichols]

Really, just ride at your own speed. If you're not comfortable going over 45, then it's not a big deal to keep the needle below the magic number. I wouldn't recommend going under the speed limit on divided highways or more traveled 2 lane roads (car drivers can get pretty aggressive) but on most surface streets it's perfectly acceptable. It's funny, on my bike I typically feel less flustered when stuck behind slow moving traffic while on my bike and commuting to work, than when the same thing happens in my SUV. The comfort will come with time and experience, but as long as you focus on enjoying the experience, how fast you are (or aren't) going doesn't really become too much of a concern.

You're absolutely right. I'd get caught in bad traffic any day on my motorcycle now over being in my truck. Sure there's people who aren't thinking with their dipstick and they're on their phone or in heavy traffic literally drive over you (just a month of heavy Raleigh/Durham NC traffic) but stay aware, be in the position of your lane which helps you be seen so long as you can still see running forward, be aware, and I know you don't have this issue now, but don't speed past unmoving traffic in a lane which is moving, someone will dart out thinking it's open and not seeing you.

I'm grateful to have started my riding in California, because when I would have been driven over, but I simply lane splitted back into my own lane. The drivers here aren't comfortable with that, but because I can do that, I didn't have to break a sweat over the people who would have driven over me.