Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Intersections are particularly dangerous. 70% of motorcycle-vehicle accidents occur at intersections. Be alert for vehicles making unexpected turns or pulling out in front of you. Be ready to react quickly.
• Check rear-view mirrors. Do so before changing lanes or making sudden stops to prevent rear-end collisions.
• Be aware of road conditions and traffic. Even minor road hazards, such as a small pothole, can be very dangerous to bikers. Painted roadway markings and manhole covers can be extremely slippery when wet.
• Position yourself to be seen. As one experienced motorcyclist said, “Assume that you are invisible to other motorists and operate your motorcycle accordingly.” Ride with your headlights on at all times and stay out of other vehicles’ blind spots.
• Stay off or get off the road at the beginning of a rain storm. The first few minutes of rainfall are most dangerous for motorcyclists as this is the time that oil and other automobile droppings on the roadway are most slippery.
• Brake wisely. Use both brakes together. Brake firmly and progressively.

All riders should be aware of their own limits and ride within them.

Think about it.

With spring comes mosquitoes … and motorcycles. Every spring, it seems Fairbanks' motorcycling crowd loses a few good men (or women) - while a few more are maimed. So much of this could be avoided by simply LOOKING TWICE when we drive our cars.

Statistics show that most motorcycle operators are safe. We only seem to remember the few idiots who race on the Richardson Hwy. between North Pole and Fairbanks … It's like airplanes - we only remember the ones that crash. But in reality, most motorcyclists are safe. The real danger out there is we, those who drive cars. Because motorcyclists belong on our roads, it is up to us to LOOK TWICE.

Like the recent automobile / motorcycle wreck at the intersection of Third Street and Eagle, most crashes occur because the automobile driver wasn't paying attention: "I never saw the motorcycle" is an all too common statement.

Do yourself a favor when driving Alaska's roads this spring: LOOK TWICE and (maybe) save a life.

So as I was watching a couple of the national companies advertise for insuring more motorcycles I thought it was important to write about a couple of things to keep in mind:

- Check your UIM coverage. If it says the words "difference of the limits", that means that your coverage will actually be subtracted by the defendant's ( person at fault's) coverage. So go ahead and accept that you are buying $30,000 less coverage than the policy says. So if you bought $30,000 in UIM coverage you probably bought nothing.

- Does the property damage really take care of your bike?

- Unless you have purchased separate no fault coverage for wage loss and medicals bills, you don't have that coverage. So make sure that you have heath insurance and disability coverages available. Or talk to a company that does provide No Fault for motorcycles.

- Ask your agent what coverages you have and make notes. I am amazed how many times I hear that a person has asked for "full coverage" and not gotten anything near what they wanted.

- If you have an umbrella coverage, make sure you know what it covers and what it doesn't. It is not unusual at all to have a person buy extra protection and find that they only covered liability (fault) for themselves and did nothing to cover their own damages.

We are always available to look at a policy for you if you set up a time to do it. After a horrific collision, it is too late to find out that you don't have the protection you thought you did.

So as I was watching a couple of the national companies advertise for insuring more motorcycles I thought it was important to write about a couple of things to keep in mind:

- Check your UIM coverage. If it says the words "difference of the limits", that means that your coverage will actually be subtracted by the defendant's ( person at fault's) coverage. So go ahead and accept that you are buying $30,000 less coverage than the policy says. So if you bought $30,000 in UIM coverage you probably bought nothing.

- Does the property damage really take care of your bike?

- Unless you have purchased separate no fault coverage for wage loss and medicals bills, you don't have that coverage. So make sure that you have heath insurance and disability coverages available. Or talk to a company that does provide No Fault for motorcycles.

- Ask your agent what coverages you have and make notes. I am amazed how many times I hear that a person has asked for "full coverage" and not gotten anything near what they wanted.

- If you have an umbrella coverage, make sure you know what it covers and what it doesn't. It is not unusual at all to have a person buy extra protection and find that they only covered liability (fault) for themselves and did nothing to cover their own damages.

We are always available to look at a policy for you if you set up a time to do it. After a horrific collision, it is too late to find out that you don't have the protection you thought you did.

Research shows that the head, arms and legs are most likely to be injured in a motorcycle crash. Protective clothing serves three primary purposes: (1) protection from the elements; (2) injury protection; and through the use of bright colors or reflective material, a means to increase the visibility of bikers to other motorists.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations recommends the following protective clothing and equipment:

• Helmet. By far the most important piece of equipment, helmets should fit comfortably and snugly. Make sure your helmet has a DOT label. Both the driver and the passenger should wear helmets.
• Eye Protection. Choose high quality goggles, glasses with plastic or safety lenses, or a helmet equipped with a face shield.
• Jackets and Trousers. Ideally these should be brightly colored. They should also be of durable material (e.g., synthetic material or leather) and have long sleeves/pant legs. Avoid baggy pants to prevent entanglement with the chain, kick starter or foot pegs.
• Gloves. Durable gloves with non-slip grips are best.
• Footwear. Leather boots are best as they protect the feet, ankles and lower parts of the leg. Durable athletic high-tops are the next best option.

In selecting your protective gear, you should also look for gear with reflective material so as to increase you visibility.

Think about it.