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The best drivers on the road also ride motorcycles in traffic, or did so at one time. Part of the reason is the Darwin syndrome, where foolish motorcycle riders tend to eliminate themselves from the species in dramatic and violent crashes, oftentimes before reproducing. This in turn helps eliminate the foolish genetic material from our gene pool, although the impact is quite minuscule.

Wiser motorcycle riders live to ride another day and to drive their cars around town and country. They take with them, usually, the skills learned while riding motorcycle, which can be summed up as follows:

Nobody can see you, so you have to watch out for them.

Right-of-way is like world peace, nice idea but it doesn't mean anything on the road.

You don't have to be there. You need to be here.

Turn the other cheek. Cut me off? Thanks for not hitting me, and carry on.

Wait. It's always good to wait.

Making right turns are easier and safer than left turns, so try to do as many rights as practical. And there's nothing political about this strategy, so you can stay liberal if you want.

Pay attention! Your life depends on it.

Motorcycles have an advantage over cars: The rider knows, or should realize, at all times that there's no protection in the form of an auto body. With cars, protection in the form of an auto body is pure illusion. What surrounds you can also maim and kill. It depends on what hits you or what you hit, so the idea is to not hit anything and to avoid being hit.

Motorcyclists look ahead and anticipate. They look behind and anticipate. They look to the sides and anticipate. Sometimes they look up, such as when approaching a bridge. The good ones do anyway, the ones who will grow old. They do this when in a car, truck or SUV too. Paying attention and anticipating the worst is what keeps motorcyclists alive.

Car drivers tend to bunch up into troops (like troops of monkeys), but not motorcycle riders who happen to be in a car. That is, unless these motorcycle riders do the same thing while on their bikes, which isn't such a great idea either if safety is the plan. Being cool and part of the club is different, a psychological need beyond the scope of this article and my understanding of human behavior. So, when possible, keep out of traffic troops, unless I suppose your psych need outweighs your survival instinct. Maybe you're just lonesome.

Motorcycle riders usually know the condition of their tires. A blowout can be handled, but why ask for trouble? Keep the rubber in good shape,

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