Your top two odd improving behaviors?

[Irreverend Joe]

1. I try to never let another driver get into a place where they could hurt me.  If I'm in their blind spot, I go somewhere else.

2. I never assume that other drivers (and animals) will necessarily do the smart thing.

3. At intersections with cars waiting at stop signs where I have the right of way, I always watch the stopped cagers' front wheels - if they start to pull out in font of you, they can't move more than a couple of inches without you seeing their wheels start to turn, the rotation is obvious well before they've started to really get moving. 

4. Intersection are DEATH TRAPS for motorcycles, never take them lightly.

[Salish14]

Top TWO Irreverend Joe! Shoot, we could all write novels. Though I like your 3 and 4 quite well, and do those myself

[Ranger Jim]

1. Don't do stupid things.
2. Expect others to always do the stupid thing.

[Swampcat]

To build off Irreverent Joe's last two:

1. I always stay in first gear at a traffic light. If I need to get out of the way of someone, I'm ready. (Gear and bike adjustments, etc., are handled by pulling off the road.)

2. Make sure you have an exit route at the light. I will stop so I can scoot between the cars ahead or onto a shoulder.

[smithr1]

I don't think it is smart to pull into the shoulder if you think the car behind you is not going to stop.  It is much better to pull between the cars in front of you but not much.   What would you do if you can't stop and a bike is in front of you stopped?  You are going to try and swerve to the shoulder to miss the bike.   If the bike then also heads for the shoulder,

[Swampcat]

I don't think it is smart to pull into the shoulder if you think the car behind you is not going to stop.  It is much better to pull between the cars in front of you but not much.   What would you do if you can't stop and a bike is in front of you stopped?  You are going to try and swerve to the shoulder to miss the bike.   If the bike then also heads for the shoulder,

Good point on using the shoulder. Of course, the car swerves assuming the driver has seen you. They may not. That's not a route I'd normally consider if I can get between two cars and get some protection that way.

Two weeks ago I was on an interstate on ramp and about 5-6 vehicles ahead of me a car plowed into the car ahead because the driver didn't realize the traffic on the ramp was stopped. Maybe the driver was on his phone; I don't know. But he didn't slow down one bit nor swerve in either direction.

[Boomer]

Trust your instincts. Your subconscious sees things you don't consciously notice. (Use The Force Luke)
Everyone else is trying to kill you. Paranoia is a survival tactic!

[MizzouMike]

I also follow #2 in the fact that I will accelerate to get into a more 'open' spot when on the interstate / commuting.  I have more awareness of what is in front of me, than what is behind me, so often that means moving a bit faster than the flow (within reason).  For me it is usually brief, but I was also ticketed for 85 in in a 60 for that.  It was gameday football traffic, and I was looking for a hole/open spot in traffic.   Most of the folks were decked out in their fan gear, and texting / talking / etc...  I sped into a pocket only to find myself pulled over by the Highway Patrol.

He was a bit surprised to find an 'old guy' under the helmet, but I still go the ticket.  In hindsight I would have been a little less enthusiasic in my approach, but I still was very uncomfortable in the four full lanes of traffic.

1 Never Tailgate

2 Always move through traffic at a pace faster than the flow looking for open real estate.

3 If people are passing you its time to park your bike and get a new hobby.

If I always rode faster than the flow here I'd be at triple digit speeds all the time...lol .

[Thud300]

1. Do your best to be seen (conspicuity, lane position, weaving a bit at oncoming left turners)

1.5. See them before they see you.

2. Assume they never see you, despite your best efforts to actually be seen. 

[Salish14]

1. Do your best to be seen (conspicuity, lane position, weaving a bit at oncoming left turners)

1.5. See them before they see you.

2. Assume they never see you, despite your best efforts to actually be seen. 

I'd not heard of the weaving, but like that idea. I find myself often flicking my brights at every intersection or anyone possibly pulling out into my lane from a side road.

And if I had listed a #3, I would agree with those saying to assume the worst of everyone. My mantra is that I assume everyone is TRYING TO KILL ME, BUT THEY ARE CLEVER! They try to hide their intentions to better catch me off guard. This pisses me off just enough to keep me on my guard!

[Dave Scott]

1.  when in town, I always watch vehicle actions and changes, not the driver.  for example, I watch for a wheel to turn, or a slight roll.  characteristics of the vehicle while they stop.  or their lane positioning when riding with flow.  I never trust eye contact with a driver.

2.  never relax on the bike to the point that I am riding on it.  I'm upright and attentive in my riding style to better handle the bike and circumstances.  arms bent, core strength, pegs on the balls of my feet.

[Thud300]

I'd not heard of the weaving, but like that idea.

https://youtu.be/eqQBubilSXU

[antibus]

Look ahead at least 12 seconds.
Keep my speed legal.

[works4me]

I find myself often flicking my brights at every intersection or anyone possibly pulling out into my lane from a side road.

I would caution against this practice.
Drivers may misinterpret this as "go ahead"
and pull out into your path.

[sailrider]

Years ago, when I was working in pipeline safety, I was certified as a "Smith System" driving instructor.  You guys are talking about some very good points.  To sum them up using Smith System jargon, and keeping with two odds improving behaviors, I'd offer the following:
1. Situational awareness
2. Always leave yourself an out

Mark aka sailrider

[4Bikes]

I find myself often flicking my brights at every intersection or anyone possibly pulling out into my lane from a side road.

I would caution against this practice.
Drivers may misinterpret this as "go ahead"
and pull out into your path.

I learned that this was a no-no at the Stayin Safe Advanced Riding course.  To reinforce that point, they showed a video of a ride group leader flashing his lights at a truck pulling a horse trailer waiting to turn right.  The driver of the truck interpreted that flash as a "go ahead and pull out" and the group had to endure following that slow truck through the best twisties on the entire ride.   

[Salish14]

Among the many values of these sorts of hive mind forum threads is the chance to learn and calibrate what is best practice. As far as flashing brights, I see the dilemma. We know the main goal is to be seen. Swerving is one way to try and be seen, and would work many situations. I live here in the very rainy PNW, and this may play some part. Water spray and dirty windshields further reduce visibility.

I hear the concern about brights flashing, and yet see a role for it at times still. If I am flashing brights, I am only seeking to be seen. If I am flashing brights, I have seen that threat from some distance. That means my eyes are on them. If they see my brights flash, and interpret that to go ahead, then they have seen me. So far so good. If I am going a reasonable speed, and have sight distance in play, even if they are boneheads and pull out I have time to evade. Seeing me, and seeing them, is still the highest priority.

On a dry day and dry road with good sight lines, I would be way less concerned and see swerving as a good approach.

Or maybe I will go ahead with my plan to build an LED powered billboard mounted to my windshield, about 8X8 feet, that displays a picture of a big scary 18 wheeler with skulls and rim spikes barreling down on them.

[Dave Scott]

last year I took a motorcycle safety course taught by the NC Police departments. http://ncmotorcyclesafety.org/courses/

it was really a more basic course, but also included half day of road riding and critique by officers.  one of the things they mentioned was riding the bike back/forth across the lane to get more attention.  from what I gathered, any attention you can get while riding is generally good in terms of being seen.

[WillyP]

1... Don't put your knee down unless you are on a track and wearing knee-sliders. If you hang off the bike in a turn keep your knee tucked in, the pavement is closer than you think!

2... Don't get more than one speeding ticket in any one area. Or more than a couple in one state. Because, if you do then you might find you have to ride without a license, which (so I'm told ) is very dangerous.

[Uncle Rob]

On four lane roads with heavy and crossing traffic, I always ride to the left side of the left lane.  This is to make myself more visible to oncoming or cross traffic.  If you ride in the right lane, vehicles in the left lane act as rolling screens and it is much harder to be seen.

[NeroW]

Told to me when I was 16 by a Professor of Physics who rode a bad-a** Z1.

1. Be as predictable as you can be to the other vehicles, without impeding your own safety.
2. The inherent danger of any situation is proportional to the number and proximity of other vehicles.
3. Any danger you bring upon yourself is called "stupidity".

Simplistic perhaps (and one more than you asked for), but found I've never been able to fault them.

[lars]

Bunches of excellent ideas!

Mine:

1.  Don't doddle in another vehicle's blind spot.  Kick it up a notch until you're even with the driver.

2.  On a busy/crowded freeway move to the left lane,  go whatever speed they're going, maintain a safe following distance, and do the look 12 seconds ahead, and try to divine what other drivers might do.  The idea being that in this situation trouble will only come from your right.  You don't need to worry about merging cars or the kamikaze driver that will blindly cross three lanes of traffic to make the next exit, or cars changing lanes from either side.

 

[who me?]

Told to me when I was 16 by a Professor of Physics who rode a bad-a** Z1.

1. Be as predictable as you can be to the other vehicles, without impeding your own safety.
2. The inherent danger of any situation is proportional to the number and proximity of other vehicles.
3. Any danger you bring upon yourself is called "stupidity".

Simplistic perhaps (and one more than you asked for), but found I've never been able to fault them.

3 cracked me up for some reason but it is true

[Mcfly]

You don't need to worry about merging cars or the kamikaze driver that will blindly cross three lanes of traffic to make the next exit, or cars changing lanes from either side.

Just keep your eye out for the kamikaze driver that will blindly cross three lanes of traffic going from the acceleration lane to the left lane....   

[rcannon409]

Years ago, when I was working in pipeline safety, I was certified as a "Smith System" driving instructor.  You guys are talking about some very good points.  To sum them up using Smith System jargon, and keeping with two odds improving behaviors, I'd offer the following:
1. Situational awareness
2. Always leave yourself an out

Mark aka sailrider

I was trained in the Smith System a year ago, and just finished a follow up course, and I agree completely.

The companies trained us in this to save money on accidents, but the system is great for motorcycles too.

We do not get to do the instructor course unless we have an accident.  I had someone hit me, from behind, but it happened so quickly, they did not blame me, so no instructor course.