Having completed the Advanced Rider Course with BRAM in 2019 and successfully passed the Advanced Test, I had been on many rideouts where the advice and guidance I’d received had helped me have a safe non-eventful ride.
One part of an Observed session with Observer Calvin always stuck with me, as I do a fair amount of motorway riding. This was “MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE TO OTHER VEHICLES BY PUTTING YOURSELF IN THEIR MIRROR SO THEY CAN SEE YOU.” This could mean overtaking in position 3 and not close to the vehicle you are overtaking.
This lesson may well have saved my life, when, after riding to Scotland and Northumberland I was travelling back towards Manchester on the M62 and was about to overtake a car in the middle lane. I’d positioned myself in the outside lane and into position 3 of that lane. Just as I was at the rear quarter of the car it suddenly and with no indication, swerved into my lane. The driver was on the phone and oblivious to me being in lane 3. The fact that I had positioned myself to the far right of the lane had undoubtedly saved me from a potentially fatal accident. My riding partner, who was riding behind me said it made him feel sick at the possibility that the car could have pushed me into the central reservation.
So thank you Calvin and thank you BRAM, without you I might not have been here today to tell this tale.
Written by Mark Richardson