We make better drivers and riders

Riding in the wind

Blog post posted on 17/02/16 |
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Advice

#wheelsinwinter

This week IAM RoadSmart's head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, offers motorcyclists six top tips on riding safely in wind.

  1. Take control of your bike in strong winds by using the throttle and counter steering to balance out the effects where possible.
  2. Remember loose clothing will flap around and cause distraction – make sure it is done up correctly.
  3. Anticipate where you think gusts of wind will be worse, such as gaps in buildings or exposed bridges – side winds can be equally challenging, so be prepared to lean into the wind.
  4. If you’re being buffeted and feel like you’re losing control ease off the accelerator and reduce your speed.
  5. Larger vehicles can offer shelter. However, make sure this does not make you vulnerable to another vehicle being blown towards you.
  6. Give other road users more room when filtering through traffic. If roads are congested and you or any other road users are vulnerable to high winds simply avoid overtaking.

Richard said: “Keep your eyes peeled for anything being blown about on the road, giving anything on the ground a wider berth to avoid it flying up in front of you. Riding in the wind can be challenging but these tips should help you have a safer and more enjoyable."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Richard Gladman is IAM RoadSmart's head of driving and riding standards.
2. IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety debates on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

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