by: Maricon Williams
What speed am I going to maintain? Is it time to swerve? To stop? Or just go slow? Riders are oftentimes facing a situation that absolutely needs a split-second decision in order to escape collision. In times like this background on risk management is a crucial remedy.
Generally, risk management is understanding risks and doing something to circumvent or reduce the same. Thus, an expert rider knows his all the physical, environmental and vehicular limits. Risk management comes in the form of having the appropriate safety gears, motorcycle apparel, parts and proper training. This may also result to lesser risk of liability in an accident. The rider who appreciates the worth of risk management is the rider who experiences fewer collisions and is enjoying the most.
There are few steps to consider in risk management. These steps are:
1. Acknowledging the existence of risk. The fist step is to admit that there is a risk in riding. By this reason, the rider rides accordingly because risk to people and property may be at stake.
2. Risk Assessment. This is a learnt skill. Those who are newbies are somewhat groping when it comes to assessment skills. Thus, they must exert more effort and take advantage of time to increase their skill. The lack of protective gears while riding is a clear manifestation that the rider has poor risk assessment skills.
3. Risk Recognition. One cannot manage risks if he does not recognize them. There are two forms of risks – the subjective and the objective. The subjective risk is that which is inherent in a rider's attitude. Objective risk, on the other hand, is created by environmental, vehicular and roading conditions.
Risk management should be a natural effect of riding. It includes lots of factor like weather, motorcycle condition, road conditions, rider's health and more. Sometimes riders are unaware that they are already implementing it. This is subconscious application. It is something innate that even if you do not think about it, it just comes out as a constructive defense against probable road dilemma. External factors like rider's philosophies and attitude may affect his risk management skill. Thus, it will be better if he has this possitive outlook and the urge to desist trouble and injuries.