Make no mistake that riding a motorcycle here in Toronto is dangerous. Intentionally or not cages (cars) do dangerous things, endangering the life of the motorcyclist. Talking on the phone is especially hazardous to riders. When anyone makes a mistake and there is contact, the motorcyclist will take a trip to the hospital. An interesting motorcycle strategy that is new to me is called aggressive but cautious. Central to this strategy is to ride 20-30kph over the speed limit.
There is some sense to this strategy. By riding 20-30kph over the speed limit and the flow of traffic the rider can be in greater control of the riding environment. Tailgaters are completely eliminated, as the rider is riding at above the average flow of traffic. The rider lane split when appropriate, and passes cars with speed and precision, thereby avoiding illegal lane changes, being boxed in, being stuck behind slow traffic or large SUVs, buses, and increasing overall visibility. Bikes are much more maneuverable than cars and aggressive cautious exploits this advantage.
Many riders use this strategy and claim it increases their level of safety. I do believe aggressive cautious does have its benefits. There are, however, also many negatives.
First and foremost, an aggressive cautious strategy is without a doubt illegal. You are speeding way above the flow of traffic. This increased speed also means increased force if and when you have a crash, thereby increasing the likelihood that the rider will have more serious injuries. The most dangerous aspect of this strategy is that in the eyes of the rider it legitimizes their need to ride at speed. “I speed because it is safer, riding at the speed limit is dangerous”. Increased speed means less time to react to the same threat as compared to riding at the speed limit.
While 20-30kph over might be sufficient on a city road, on the highway this strategy uses 50kph over. Here in Ontario, going 50kph over and getting caught by the police is considered “street racing”, resulting in immediate loss of bike and license for 7 days, as well as the charge of street racing. Many riders that use the aggressive cautious strategy now complain that they are Ok with getting a +50kph over ticket as the cost of riding safer, but the immediate loss of bike and license for 7 days, and associated costs are too high for them. Their solution: run from the police. Toronto Police rarely chase other vehicles when the speeds get too high, because of the risks to the speeder, the public and to law enforcement. The aggressive cautious strategy also exploits this fact.
While a reasonably sane person would question the decision to do +50kph in the first place, some riders opt to run at speeds well in excess of this. Some riders even state that the “real” speed limit on Ontario highways is 130kph, and therefore they need to increase their speed to 180kph for safe riding. They believe that +80kph is a better ceiling limit rather than the current +50kph.
The aggressive cautious strategy can also annoy other vehicular traffic. Speeding, lane splitting, aggressive lane changes and such can alarm other drivers. The aggressive cautious strategy is low on “share the road”, and more in tuned to the motorcycle rider playing a variant of the old video game frogger. By annoying other drivers, future riders that these drivers encounter may suffer their wrath. Is ti really worthwhile to possibly endanger fellow riders with this strategy.
There is no one way to reduce the risks of riding a motorcycle. By reading traffic, trying to predict and avoid potential hazards and riding cautiously these risks can be reduced but not eliminated. Riding at the speed limit put the rider in the flow of other cages, but also reduces the speed and therefore the intensity of the crash impact. It’s also easier and faster to slow down when you are going slower to begin with. How about sharing the road with other people and follow the rules of the road. Do not excessively speed, do not attract the attention of the police, do not run from the police. When a potential risk presents itself, slow down and prepare to stop.
One of the most common and dangerous threats to any motorcyclist is the left hand turner. This occurs especially at traffic intersections but can also occur on side streets and one way streets. The aggressive cautious strategy only increases the risk of this threat. By slowing down and being prepared to stop, the risk of serious injury is reduced. Increased speed does not reduce this risk.
The most interesting aspect of the aggressive cautious strategy is the paucity of the cautious component. It seems like a contradiction of terms. While we cannot control how other riders ride, if you ride fast, get caught and are charged with “street racing”, have your ride and license confiscated, then get onto an internet forum and find out how to beat the charge, surely you are missing the stated premise of the aggressive cautious strategy: increased motorcycle safety.
The aggressive cautious riding strategy seems to have some advantages, but overall it is sub-optimal for overall motorcycle safety. There is no magic bullet here: slow down, read traffic, follow the rules of the road, avoid hazards and ride responsibly.
