Despite the reputation, it's better, more practical transit than you might think.
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The case for commuting by motorcycle
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I commuted via motorcycle (actually a maxi-scooter) for years before getting my car license, and I think two things are simultaneously true:
a) Riding a motorcycle is much more dangerous than driving a car, particularly because of "SMIDSY" problem, which just seems to be getting worse as cars get ever larger, with correspondingly larger blind spots.
b) There are a whole lot of lunatic motorcycle riders out there who do things that skew the statistics to make it appear more dangerous than it actually is. For every rider who is just commuting to work carefully, paying attention to other cars, there seems to be another one who wants to weave through traffic to "make progress", and then on the weekends, speed through blind-spot infested back roads so they can "get the knee down".
Barely a week went by riding to work where I didn't have to take action to stop a car from changing lanes into me. But I was watching for that, and taking my safety seriously. It was rare that I actually got close to a collision, because I made room as soon as I saw them indicating or beginning to veer towards my lane. So, ultimately, I don't know how many were just positioning to change lanes, and how many would have actually posed a problem. I never gave them the chance.
The one accident I did have was ridiculous, though. I was slowly coming down a hill on a narrow one-way road on the entry to the university campus, and a car suddenly reversed out in front of me. I stopped and waited, and the car kept coming. I honked and yelled, and the car kept coming. I moved as far to the side as I could out of its way, and it kept coming. Then I dropped the bike right as it was about to hit me. Then it kept coming.
The driver then got out and yelled at me: "you saw me coming, I gave you plenty of time, why didn't you reverse out of the way, you idiot!". Reverse?
a) Riding a motorcycle is much more dangerous than driving a car, particularly because of "SMIDSY" problem, which just seems to be getting worse as cars get ever larger, with correspondingly larger blind spots.
b) There are a whole lot of lunatic motorcycle riders out there who do things that skew the statistics to make it appear more dangerous than it actually is. For every rider who is just commuting to work carefully, paying attention to other cars, there seems to be another one who wants to weave through traffic to "make progress", and then on the weekends, speed through blind-spot infested back roads so they can "get the knee down".
Barely a week went by riding to work where I didn't have to take action to stop a car from changing lanes into me. But I was watching for that, and taking my safety seriously. It was rare that I actually got close to a collision, because I made room as soon as I saw them indicating or beginning to veer towards my lane. So, ultimately, I don't know how many were just positioning to change lanes, and how many would have actually posed a problem. I never gave them the chance.
The one accident I did have was ridiculous, though. I was slowly coming down a hill on a narrow one-way road on the entry to the university campus, and a car suddenly reversed out in front of me. I stopped and waited, and the car kept coming. I honked and yelled, and the car kept coming. I moved as far to the side as I could out of its way, and it kept coming. Then I dropped the bike right as it was about to hit me. Then it kept coming.
The driver then got out and yelled at me: "you saw me coming, I gave you plenty of time, why didn't you reverse out of the way, you idiot!". Reverse?
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"It's not a Goldwing you fucking moron" is the first response that comes to my mind
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If you are a Republican, or other selfish fuck, by all means, feel free to commute by motorcycle. The organ donations will be appreciated.
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Actually, a city street is far more dangerous than the highway. Well at least the risk is much much higher. (while admittedly the consequences may be much higher on the highway.)
You have people driving parellel next to you, head on, and potentially crossing your path perpendicular coming from either side in the city, with blind intersections, etc. etc.
A highway, specifically freeway, every one’s going the same way., with controlled access, on ramps and off ramps. Long sight lines, and unobstructed views, excepting other vehicles.
I’ll commute about once a week on one of my motorcycles. 25 miles into MKE, 15 through and 5 to the outskirts.
I treat it like combat, and wear all my armour.
Stick to the fast lane so I avoid the ramps and only have idiots on one side of me, with escape room to the left. I’m going to be going faster than 98% so I’m the one overtaking and have more control. Then plan well in advance based on traffic and what’s going on when to cross the lanes for my exits.
You’re focused.
You constantly apply SEE
Search for hazards and hazardous situations.
Evaluate where you need to be and do, where your escape path is.
Execute the plan and position yourself.
I’m actually more nervous once I pull off the highway for the last few miles to work.
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I mean, yeah, all of that. But also, shit happens real fast sometimes.
I was hit nearly head-on by an SUV coming the opposite direction, both of us going about 45 mph. I glanced in my right mirror for one second to check traffic behind me, and when I looked back up, contact was imminent.
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In the US, fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles on motorcycle vs car are about 20x higher, 30ish vs 1.5ish. If you ride 1000 miles, that’s a 0.03% chance of dying on average. That’s significant, but you’d think it was 2000x higher with the comments in here.
The US has pretty bad motorcycle culture, with a ton of helmetless, gearless guys on Harleys, which surely doesn’t help. Low ridership also doesn’t help, since a significant portion of motorcycle accidents are caused by other drivers violating their right of way (from memory, something like half?). Sometimes that’s due to riders having low visibility, but often it’s due to distraction or simply not looking for motorcycles.
You should take it very seriously if you do it, but you should also not confuse the worst outcomes with a guarantee.
The US has pretty bad motorcycle culture, with a ton of helmetless, gearless guys on Harleys, which surely doesn’t help. Low ridership also doesn’t help, since a significant portion of motorcycle accidents are caused by other drivers violating their right of way (from memory, something like half?). Sometimes that’s due to riders having low visibility, but often it’s due to distraction or simply not looking for motorcycles.
You should take it very seriously if you do it, but you should also not confuse the worst outcomes with a guarantee.
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Late to the story, but will add my 2c on the dangers.
My Dad was a firey. He and a bunch of the crew all road motorbikes. Within the space of a month 5 of them were in accidents and 2 were serious enough to lose work time over.
After that the entire crew pretty much gave them up.
E-bikes and E-scooters are fine IF they are speed limited. The problem with them is some are almost as quick as motorbikes, and ultimately its the speed that kills.
Mass transit all the way.
My Dad was a firey. He and a bunch of the crew all road motorbikes. Within the space of a month 5 of them were in accidents and 2 were serious enough to lose work time over.
After that the entire crew pretty much gave them up.
E-bikes and E-scooters are fine IF they are speed limited. The problem with them is some are almost as quick as motorbikes, and ultimately its the speed that kills.
Mass transit all the way.
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Cars should be banned from streets of they are so dangerous to have around. The bike didn't seem to be the problem.
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With all due respect to the motorcyclists posting in this thread, I do not believe that y'all are a representative sample of typical motorcyclists. I don't believe that my experience commuting is a representative sample, either, but some robust patterns have nonetheless emerged from that experience.
One consistent pattern is that motorcyclists tend to be some of the most reckless, most foolish vehicle operators on the road. Clearly not every motorcyclist is a stunting asshat, but a large proportion are, perhaps even a majority.
This has caused me to regard motorcycles like I do lifted trucks: with incredible suspicion directed toward the operator, actively assuming the worst. If I assume the worst and nothing happens, great, but shitbaggery has occurred often enough with those two vehicle types that failing to make that assumption puts me at a disadvantage.
Riding a motorcycle or driving a lifted truck is a choice, one that provides some insight into the mindset of the operator. For motorcycles and lifted trucks, the main takeaway for me is "I do what I want." In other words, "I don't care about the costs and consequences of my actions to others."
To me, motorcycles and lifted trucks are emblematic of the tragedy of the commons. Roads are a public resource. Motorcyclists degrade this resource, directly, by utilizing the resource recklessly, and indirectly, by creating more work for the people responsible for maintaining the resource, e.g., first responders.
I don't wish harm to any motorcyclist, but I do see them as adversaries just as I do other reckless drivers.
One consistent pattern is that motorcyclists tend to be some of the most reckless, most foolish vehicle operators on the road. Clearly not every motorcyclist is a stunting asshat, but a large proportion are, perhaps even a majority.
This has caused me to regard motorcycles like I do lifted trucks: with incredible suspicion directed toward the operator, actively assuming the worst. If I assume the worst and nothing happens, great, but shitbaggery has occurred often enough with those two vehicle types that failing to make that assumption puts me at a disadvantage.
Riding a motorcycle or driving a lifted truck is a choice, one that provides some insight into the mindset of the operator. For motorcycles and lifted trucks, the main takeaway for me is "I do what I want." In other words, "I don't care about the costs and consequences of my actions to others."
To me, motorcycles and lifted trucks are emblematic of the tragedy of the commons. Roads are a public resource. Motorcyclists degrade this resource, directly, by utilizing the resource recklessly, and indirectly, by creating more work for the people responsible for maintaining the resource, e.g., first responders.
I don't wish harm to any motorcyclist, but I do see them as adversaries just as I do other reckless drivers.
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Ultimately I decided that no matter how careful I was sooner or later someone would kill me.
I had a incident just on dusk and as it had started raining, My light turned green with the rain I very gently pulled away as it would be slippery on the crown.First rain in months.
Someone ran the red light while speeding. They did not even look to the side as they passed perhaps 2 metres in front of me. Sure side on my bike was probably not that visible but since they had just ignored the red light I doubt they cared.
Yes I knew that road was a favourite of people racing from the city to the airport before they added a motorway 2k away but the reason I was so gentle was I did not want to slide the back wheel.
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Cars are already one of the top causes of death so 20x higher is pretty bad. If you multiply that by 10 for annual mileage and 40 for commuting your whole career, it's around 1.2% which is much higher than what I'd want.
That said, I've also looked into this before and in most motorcycle fatalities the rider was either drunk, not wearing gear, or speeding, or all of the above. I've no delusions about my potential abilities, but it should be pretty easy to avoid these if you're just commuting and taking all the precautions.
I'm pretty seriously considering a little bike like a Grom for moving around the city as car traffic and especially parking is a pain. Public transport is as good as it could realistically can be, but still pretty limiting, slow, and definitely not as fun.
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Both my instructor (ex Hells Angel) and Dr. Royce Creasey (involved in Quasar project) gave the same advice: the essential trick in motorcycle safety is not being where the other vehicles are.
If that sounds a bit Zen or even stupid, it makes sense. It's about anticipation of the traffic ahead and behind, and plotting the route that keeps you as far away from it as possible.
Many years later I conclude that this doesn't work any more. In the 1970s and 1980s, few cars had a lot of acceleration and their ability to steer quickly was limited by the tyres. Now, my little EV would beat a Jaguar e type from 0 to 60, and a late model Smart car would beat most sports cars of the era round any short circuit racetrack. Numpty drivers have access to technology which when I was riding a lot would have required very deep pockets. And that is what keeps me off a bike.
If that sounds a bit Zen or even stupid, it makes sense. It's about anticipation of the traffic ahead and behind, and plotting the route that keeps you as far away from it as possible.
Many years later I conclude that this doesn't work any more. In the 1970s and 1980s, few cars had a lot of acceleration and their ability to steer quickly was limited by the tyres. Now, my little EV would beat a Jaguar e type from 0 to 60, and a late model Smart car would beat most sports cars of the era round any short circuit racetrack. Numpty drivers have access to technology which when I was riding a lot would have required very deep pockets. And that is what keeps me off a bike.
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I used to commute with a Honda Shadow to work, and I made a couple trips with it as well. Comparing it with the electrical bike mentioned, the efficiency is almost the same! Though some friends had Harleys that would travel 3-5x longer before needing to refuel; having to pause every 100km in a gas station raises many complaints from others, but my butt thanked me lol
Too bad this Can-Am looks to ugly, otherwise I could consider it. I'm more of a cruiser guy, my legs are short, and I don't want to fall over every time I stop lol
I had my fair share of small accidents, twice because of rain, another because of oil on the road, and almost another because of sand on the road. Let's say that losing friction isn't very fun on a motorcycle. In all situations, having pants on saved me some second degree burns from touching the burning hot motor with bare legs. I once melted part of the soles of new shoes I bought for a travel because the wind was too strong and to not let my feet loose, I touched my heels on the exhaust pipe lol
Too bad this Can-Am looks to ugly, otherwise I could consider it. I'm more of a cruiser guy, my legs are short, and I don't want to fall over every time I stop lol
I had my fair share of small accidents, twice because of rain, another because of oil on the road, and almost another because of sand on the road. Let's say that losing friction isn't very fun on a motorcycle. In all situations, having pants on saved me some second degree burns from touching the burning hot motor with bare legs. I once melted part of the soles of new shoes I bought for a travel because the wind was too strong and to not let my feet loose, I touched my heels on the exhaust pipe lol
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I considered this a few decades ago. My wife was not happy. She did an intern with the emergency services and said the motorcycle accidents were easy to recognize when they were brought in. I will spare you the details. Asked around anyway. To my own surprise, ally friends that had a motorcycle had an accident. Some got lucky others not. So I listened to the wife.
Then one of my younger colleagues decided to go for it. I told him my story, he waived it. His motorcycle was total loss two months later. He was shocked but fine. A car did a clumsy manoever it was not his fault.
I live in Belgium, traffic is crowded, but reasonable. Maybe it is calmer where you live but be ware of this.
Then one of my younger colleagues decided to go for it. I told him my story, he waived it. His motorcycle was total loss two months later. He was shocked but fine. A car did a clumsy manoever it was not his fault.
I live in Belgium, traffic is crowded, but reasonable. Maybe it is calmer where you live but be ware of this.
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They’re not even better for CO2. Most motorcycles have the same or worse mileage than an ordinary four seater car. Emissions requirements are much less stringent for motorcycles too.
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I commute by bicycle now and I really like it! Much better than sitting in a car!
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Yeah, Out of all the people I have know that ride motorbikes regularly, roughly 75% have had serious injuries. Most of them due to someone elses fault or a freak accident.
One person I knew was riding with his wife on separate bikes. She was in front when someone flung their car door open, she went through the window, ripping both her arms and legs off... Her husband watched it all happen in front of him... She survived but obviously it was life changing for them both. Someone else I know hit an oil patch and came off and crushed between his bike and the kerb. Smashing his pelvis. He had to learn to walk again. Other has just had serious broken arms and legs etc, most of them now have pins in their bones.
I think I would rather the crumple zone be metal rather than my body...
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I’m not sure countering the anecdotes with an anecdote is going to have the meaningful impact you think it will.
You can make riding safer, but you can’t make it safe. Drivers, by and large, are idiots. I’ve only had one car accident in my life, and I was in a stationary car at the time when someone not paying attention drove into me. If I was on a bike, I’d have probably been dead.
The statistics speak for themselves though. And I don’t mean to take away your zen, but fact of the matter is that even if you do it right it’s still more dangerous.
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Very helpful article. Thanks.
I'm now entirely convinced not to commute by motorcycle.
I'm now entirely convinced not to commute by motorcycle.
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I've commuted in LA since 2017 with no issues. I've saved months of my life riding in LA
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That doesn't sound enjoyable at all.
Really more work than it's worth.
I still have my endorsement but that's as far as I'll go at my age.
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No splitting/no helmet here.
I'm fine with that. If someone wants to road pizza themselves then that's their problem.
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lalaltcdata
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
It's funny the how different standards vary by country.
Here (Argentina, capital city), almost everyone uses 150cc's bike for city driving (myself included, i own a 190cc).
For highway commuting, a 250cc here is enough to get you to a comfortable 120km/h speed with a little space to go up to 140km/h if you need to overtake someone.
But there is another thing here going on... PRICE.
A 150cc new is USD4000.
A CB300F is USD8000
CB500 hornet is USD12.000
CB750 hornet is USD18.000
And or wages... are very low. The used market is a joke. So we are stuck with low cc bikes.
Here (Argentina, capital city), almost everyone uses 150cc's bike for city driving (myself included, i own a 190cc).
For highway commuting, a 250cc here is enough to get you to a comfortable 120km/h speed with a little space to go up to 140km/h if you need to overtake someone.
But there is another thing here going on... PRICE.
A 150cc new is USD4000.
A CB300F is USD8000
CB500 hornet is USD12.000
CB750 hornet is USD18.000
And or wages... are very low. The used market is a joke. So we are stuck with low cc bikes.
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lalaltcdata
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
I'll second that. If a morning i'm drowsy, there a lot of humidity (so, water in the streets) or low visibility... i'll take the car that day.
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That would be pretty sweet imo.
Then just low speed travel with helmet and no 'gear' as gear is too hot.
Basically a city of bikes, no cars allowed (only delivery vans).
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lalaltcdata
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
In Argentina, we are allowed to lane split. And the number of crashes i avoided being not in the same lane as a car... Driving looking at a cell phone is WORSE than drunk driving.
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lalaltcdata
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
Yes, mostly low speed (40-80km/h), but even in 40°C weather in summer here, i wear boots, jacket, gloves and a good full face helmet. I rather not be a meat crayon.
Also i started riding when i was 30 years old (i'm 46 now) so my sense of danger was normal.. and not the typical young teenager "nothing bad will happen to me".
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lalaltcdata
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
Also.. when you drive you focus on driving and nothing else. In a car you have a lot of distractions... music, messages, etc... also if you're drowsy you can have worse reactions that if you drink alcohol...
With a bike, is 100% focus on driving and NOT THINKING IN ANYTHING ELSE. That is therapy for me.
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That's both amazing and infuriating. Has me lol'ing and making a stern rage face at the same time
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Yeah I'm right out there. AC in car for me.
Give me a small island, 70f sunny 100% of the time, no cars and mopeds/bikes/small cycles and we're talking.
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Scooters have great leg covers for bad weather, giant windshields, built-in gloves for hand protection, don’t go as fast, have storage compartments, VERY efficient engines, low-cost fuel and simple maintenance, some have built in speakers and most have phone chargers, comfortable upright position, seats easily big enough for two, and can be parked close to entrances. Turns the vehicle into a 9-month ride. I avoid the highways (which are nearly always clogged with traffic) and can easily take secondary or tertiary roads. I’ve gotten to see so many cool things that one would never see on the highway. Plus, great way to ignore the incessant demands of phone communication. I tell people sorry, can’t respond, I’m riding
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Your dad's accident is exactly why lane-splitting at low speeds is allowed in the Netherlands. It's considered safer to slowly drive between cars than be the last vehicle in a queue that gets rear-ended by someone updating their Instagram or checking their make-up. Do not that this doesn't hold when traffic is moving at a significant pace again, so it's no excuse for lane-splitting traffic that's already doing 50 mph.
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I got my first motorcycle at 15, sold my 5th and last almost 30 years later. I commuted as long as it was 38* and rising (got caught in a sudden snow storm once, not fun). Finally after all that time I sold the bike and bought a convertible. I was ATGATT, defensive and a good rider. It wasn't me it was everyone else and ultimately the rise of too many cell phone droids that couldn't pay attention to their surroundings.
I might get another, almost certainly it would be electric this time, but for now I enjoy my RadWagon electric cargo bike and commuting on paved trails to work with almost no traffic for either ride in or back home.
I might get another, almost certainly it would be electric this time, but for now I enjoy my RadWagon electric cargo bike and commuting on paved trails to work with almost no traffic for either ride in or back home.
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Two wheels fun, but for me, two wheels+throttle = trauma. As a bicycling kid the family tried to introduce me to motorbikes, but I zoomed the thing out from under me a couple times and then a scrambling relative lost some finger joints. My smol brain was all nope nope nope.
Do love my ebike, though.
Do love my ebike, though.
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Commute on a motorcycle - as in: ride twice times a day, in peak traffic, in any weather? What could possibly go wrong.
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Mungus the Unhyphenated
Ars Tribunus Militum
I really don't know what the modern statistics of careless driving is in the US today, but my anecdotal experience as a driver and former motorcyclist is that the "me first" attitude is the rule and not the exception on the road, period. Motorists are distracted, inattentive, and have no concept that they're sharing the road with countless other vehicles of all kinds. The excuse after collisions is consistently "I didn't see the xxx", where "xxx" can be 'motorcycle', 'bicycle', 'car', '18-wheeler', 'pedestrian', 'telephone pole' --whatever. If it's on or adjacent to the road, they "didn't see it" because they're so self-absorbed and distracted that they fundamentally aren't actively in control of their own vehicle. (Or their own self, really.) Safety goes out the window in the face of that kind of carelessness.
Heck, the same "me first" attitude manifests too frequently in bicyclists, pedestrians and even people pushing shopping carts at the supermarket. People are being self-absorbed, self-centered jerks everywhere in what seem to be increasing numbers. It's ridiculous out there and doesn't seem to be showing signs of getting any better.
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