Hazard Recognition and Emergency Handling
Scanning and anticipating
Hazard recognition is a skill you practise continuously. Scan far ahead, then middle distance, then near - and keep your eyes moving. Look for clues: brake lights ahead, pedestrians near the kerb, wet patches under trees, gravel on bends, and vehicles emerging from side roads. On Bermuda's roads, watch for uneven surfaces, roadworks, and loose material after rain.
Emergency actions
If a hazard appears, the priority is to reduce speed and create space. Brake firmly and progressively with both brakes, keeping the machine upright; avoid snatching the front brake, especially in the wet. If a collision is unavoidable, aim to reduce impact speed and choose the least harmful path.
Skids need calm hands: ease off the brakes or throttle, keep the bars steady, and look where you want to go. If the front wheel locks, release and reapply smoothly. If you must swerve, separate braking from swerving where possible, because doing both at once demands more grip than the tyres have.
Breakdowns and incidents
If you break down, move the machine off the carriageway, switch on hazard lights if fitted, and get yourself to a safe place. After a collision, stop, check for injuries, call emergency services, and exchange details as required by law.
Traps to watch
- Fixating on the hazard instead of the escape route.
- Grabbing a handful of front brake in the wet.
- Braking and swerving simultaneously at speed.
Rule of thumb
Look where you want to go, not at what you fear, and always ride with a plan B.