Anyone driving a vehicle has a responsibility toward other road users. Part of that means doing their best to see everyone around them.
If you ride a motorcycle, you will have noticed that many drivers fail to see you. It can apply to all sorts of drivers, yet some are worse than most:
Drivers who have never ridden a motorcycle
Once you have ridden a motorcycle, you become more aware of the dangers anyone on one faces. There is also something called inattentional blindness at play. Drivers see what they expect to see, so drivers who ride a bike are more likely to see you because bikes are part of their world.
Drivers in oversize vehicles
Many people choose SUVs or pick-ups, thinking the high seating position gives them a better view. It does, but some of the other features of these cars work against that. The long bonnets and raised fronts make it more challenging to see anything small in front of the vehicle. Unfortunately, that includes the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. SUVs also have extra thick pillars supporting the roof, further reducing drivers’ ability to see out.
Drivers in semitrucks or dump trucks
The bigger the vehicle, the bigger its blind spots. If their driver fails to see you, you could get squashed under their giant wheels or caught up and dragged down the road.
Drivers with poor eyesight
Some people are only permitted to drive with prescription glasses. Yet sometimes, they do not wear them. Older drivers, in particular, tend to have weaker eyesight.
Motorcycle crash injuries can be catastrophic, and if you suffer one, you need to understand how to hold the driver who failed to spot you responsible.
