JTF,
The reaction time is addressed in the MSF courses by several different methods. The first is to teach the proper mental skills necessary for safe riding. The mental process of S-I-P-D-E is:
S - SCAN constantly. Ahead, to the sides, in the mirrors, the road surface, weather, everything........ INCLUDING an alternate path of travel!
I - IDENTIFY any potential hazards. A hazard is defined as ANYTHING that will affect your path of travel.
P - PREDICT what the hazard will do. Always predict the worst !
D - DECIDE what your course of action will be. Slowing down, gearing down, braking, evasive action, etc.
E - EXECUTE your plan of action.
All this repeats every second of riding! You mentally go through each phase of the SIPDE with every movement of your eyes, constantly. The SIPDE process is taught to the students on Saturday during the weekend course. When they left on Saturday evening, I would make it a point to tell them to practice SIPDE in their cars on the way home and when coming back to the range on Sunday morning. When talking about it in the classroom on Sunday morning, the commets were the same, all were amazed at how well it works..... even when driving a four wheeler.
BUT...... as Hippo stated so well above, all the course can do is teach the basics and the mental principles. It is up to the rider to implement what he or she has learned, each and every time they ride. It has to be worked at until it becomes second nature. Forgetting the principles just once can be the one time they are needed the most. Each rider will also adapt what he or she has learned to their own riding style.
Then there are the physical skills like braking, swerving, emergency braking in a curve, braking then swerving, and swerving then braking, but also lots of simple things like covering the front brake and clutch while riding in traffic, gearing down while approaching a green light at higher speeds so you can take advantage of the transmission to help you slow if something unexpected happens.
There is so much more that can be listed JTF, but I guess the short answer is that the quick reaction necessary for safe riding has to be developed by each rider.... but it all starts with putting the brain in gear before putting the motorcycle in gear. And as a side note to that thought, it is amazing how many riders are 'brain impaired' when they are riding because of being tired, under the influence, etc. Even over the counter cold remedies can leave a rider 'brain impaired' when riding.
I used to tell my students to always think negative, and that is a positive way to ride. For example.... in the scan, identify and predict phases of being mentally prepared.... that car WILL turn left in front of me, that kid WILL chasee the ball into the street, that dog WILL run out in front of me, that car WILL turn right on red and does not see me, there WILL be deer where the signs say, there WILL be gravel in the turn, it WILL rain like the weather forecast said, etc,
One thing to keep in mind when talking about those 2 seconds as a reaction time....... at highway speeds, a rider usually has LESS THAN 2 seconds to COMPLETE all collision avoidance activities. Kind of a sobering thought.............................................
DaveT
