More advice for a new rider...
1) Learn that to turn right, you need to turn the handlebars to the LEFT (and vice-versa)! In panic situations, cyclists often steer toward the very thing they would like to avoid because they tend to revert to their car instincts of steering away from the situation.
2) Know your riding capabilities and ride within them.
3) Never split (weave) thru traffic. It's just plain wrong.
4) Realize that speed differentials between vehicles create dangerous situations.
5) Become comfortable with the use of your front brake. In a safe place while going straight, see how much pressure it takes to lock the front wheel (but do let go as soon as it locks).
6) Know that your bike is gyroscopic in that the faster its wheels spin, the harder it will be to turn.
7) Know that heavy braking needs to be accomplished before you attack a turn.
8) Before entering an intersection, sit up straighter, lift your head slightly, and cover your brakes. Sitting up/lifting your head may get you extra attention due to the fact you've moved. This extra attention reduces other driver's tendency to inadvertaently cut you off. Covering your brakes gets you ready to deal with those who still aren't ready for you.
9) Know that car drivers are more inclined to pull out in front of a cyclist going 50 mph than a truck going 40 mph. They tend to interpret your smaller size as if you are either going more slowly or farther away. Either way, it's unfortunate for you, the cyclist. Nevertheless, expect this behavior.
10) Know that the codger driving the '72 Gremlin in front of you knows not the ferociousness with which your 'Busa can pass him. Expect him to change lanes (with no directional) just as you are about to blow past him. Good measure, assume he doesn't have any mirrors.
11) Assume drivers in front of your do not see you in their mirrors. (How can you expect anyone to see you in their mirrors if they don't use them in the first place?)
12) Never ever change lanes without verifying your next lane is clear. Either glance quickly to the side, or lean forward toward the appropriate mirror so you get a better view of your blind spot.
13) Know that the road is most slick when it first begins to rain. While there is enough water to make the road slick, there is not enough to cleansing effect. Be especially wary of that oily strip down the middle.
14) Going fast on a straight road is relatively easy, but unless you know there is no access to your lane via crossroads, turnarounds, entrance ramps, etc... it is still unsafe.
15) Know that your braking distances increase with the square of your speed. If you can stop from 30 mph in 30 feet, stopping from 60 mph will take 120 feet. Since 60 mph is twice as fast as 30 mph, the theoretical braking distance becomes: 30 feet x [(60/30) squared]. By extension, the braking distance from 180 mph becomes 1,080 feet (about 2 tenths of a mile). In practice, your stopping distances from these higher speeds will be higher because your brakes lose their ability to dissipate heat (becoming less effective) and because you'll be reluctant to fully apply your brakes at these speeds.
