Comments on: Managing Risk While Riding in Fog

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 01:50:12 +0000

In reply to Dar/Princess+Scooterpie. More and more I watch what's happening behind me. It's sand that so much attention is required in that direction.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 01:49:12 +0000

In reply to Stew Koontz.

Stew, I bet riding in Myrtle Beach is a bit different than State College, at least once you get out of town. Warmer, more sand, greater chance of alligators…. I’ll try and keep sharing some Happy Valley scenes.

I’ve never ridden the scooter on the Blue Ridge Parkway but I have in a car and can imagine how dense fog could get up there. Sometimes retiring from the road until the weather passes is the absolute best choice.

Ride safe!

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 01:41:41 +0000

In reply to dom. Being visible is an ongoing challenge and not just in fog. Even on a clear day and I come to a stop I will make some big body movements to try and make sure the traffic approaching from the rear sees me.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 01:40:09 +0000

In reply to Jim+Zeiser. I hadn't thought of that but it makes sense. I have a small windscreen on my Vespa to keep the wind blast off my chest, especially in cold weather, but it's not effective in keeping my face shield clear. Fog isn't so bad for me, the bigger face shield problem is when the temperature drops below freezing and my breath turns to ice on the shield. I've tried breath boxes but they haven't worked.

By: Dar/Princess+Scooterpie

Dar/Princess+Scooterpie — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 20:19:13 +0000

Fog is definitely not my favourite thing to ride in. We get a lot of it here in October usually and last year when I was going to work I was almost rearended by a driver who was not paying attention and was fiddling with a cellphone and the fog only intensified the experience, because all of a sudden she saw me. Good thing I was watching my mirrors and leave good space margins in front of me, because I was able to ‘escape’. I even wear a hi viz yellow traffic vest when commuting in the winter and it still wasn’t conspicuous enough.

By: Stew Koontz

Stew Koontz — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 14:51:10 +0000

Steve, the absolute worst fog I ever rode in was while on the Blue Ridge Parkway ie:Skyline Drive. We hit the fog near the restaurant and basically walked our bikes into the parking lot. After breakfast, we had trouble finding where we parked our bikes, so back to the restaurant for another cup of joe and wait for the fog to lift.
I retired from PSU and am now down in the Myrtle Beach area where different, but just a hazardous motorcycling conditions greet us daily.
I look forward to receiving your column as it brings back great memories of cruising thru Happy Valley.
Stew

By: dom

dom — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 13:24:53 +0000

Good advice Steve, even my fire engine red Ural with white stripes is hard to see in dense fog, much less that pretty silver Vespa!

The biggest worry for me in fog or snow, is the other vehicles on the road…..am now thinking of a hi-viz frogg-togg coat of some sort for the upcoming Winter riding.

By: Jim+Zeiser

Jim+Zeiser — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 11:57:05 +0000

I would have to add one thing. If you ride constantly in fog and rely on your bike or scooter consider buying a windshield. I found a while ago that being able to duck behind one in the right way leaves your face shield clear. The one good thing about my Chinese replica of a Helix is that I sit in a bubble of air leaving my face shield clear and only having to cope with the limited visibility of the fog itself, not a clouded visor. Previous motorcycles had a wind shield and it proved quite valuable. They were equally good for rain deflection.