Whether you are chased by a dog, or you encounter a deer while scooting the mountains, if you don’t know what to do, these encounters can result in serious collisions.  Many experts say that the best approach to survive such a collision is to safely avoid hitting the animal. The California Motorcycle Handbook adds: “If you are in traffic, however, remain in your lane. Hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting something big—like a car.”

Here are some basic tips you might find useful.

Tips to avoid hitting a deer

• If you encounter a deer on the road, be extremely cautious passing it. Slow down and be prepared to stop.
• Watch for deer crossing signs. If it is a deer inhabited area, slow down, cover your brakes and watch the sides of the road. Slowing down will decrease your braking distance and will give you more time to react.
• Deer are most active at dusk and dawn, so be extra cautious at those times.

• Deer travel in groups, so if you see one, probably there are more, slow down and be prepared.

• If a deer freezes seeing your headlight, flashing your headlight may break the spell.
• Note that, if you swerve to avoid the deer, you might hit something else instead, such as an incoming vehicle or a tree.

What to do if you are chased by a  dog

If you are chased by a dog, start by slowing down and approach the animal slowly. As you approach it, accelerate away and leave the animal behind.

The post Tips on animal encounters first appeared on scootcats.

National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA)’s findings show that some novelty helmet users attempt to make their helmets appear to be compliant with DOT standards by misleadingly attaching stickers that have the appearance of  legitimate DOT certification stickers. Sellers and distributers of these labels claim that those letters coincidentally resemble the legitimate certification labels and that they stand for something other than “Department of Transportation”.

Now, NHTSA is taking action, to make it more difficult to label novelty helmets misleadingly, effective May 2013, with a new rule, the certification labels on motorcycle helmets are going to change as follows: “DOT FMVSS No.218 Certified”. Review the full rule here.

So, what is the meaning of this sticker, what does it mean to be DOT compliant? In 1973, National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) issued a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218 for Motorcycle Helmets. The standard, specifying a set of safety performance requirements, is aimed towards reducing motorcycle deaths caused by traumatic brain injury and other types of head injury. And a DOT sticker on a helmet indicates that it fulfills the requirements of FMVSS No.218.

But today not all riders wear helmets that are FMVSS No.218 compliant. According to NHTSA, a significant number of riders wear novelty helmets. Tests performed by NHTSA showed that novelty helmets fail the safety performance requirements specified in the standard and that they will not protect the riders during a crash and will not likely be retained on the riders’ heads in case of crashes.

Figures below show American motorcyclists by helmet type and helmet use by region (source: Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note, NHTSA).

The post NHTSA takes action against misleading helmet DOT stickers first appeared on scootcats.

April 18, 2011, Pike Research, Press Release

As electric passenger cars become increasingly familiar to consumers around the world, electric motorcycles and scooters are also growing in popularity.  E-motorcycles and e-scooters are already used in significant numbers in China and other parts of Asia Pacific, due in large part to urbanization trends, and people in many countries are accustomed to using two-wheel vehicles as a primary mode of transportation.  In other regions, improving customer perception, government incentives, and high petroleum fuel costs all contribute in some part to the demand growth for electric motorcycles and scooters.  According to a new report from Pike Research, the number of e-motorcycles and e-scooters on the road will increase from 17 million in 2011 to 138 million by 2017.

“Electric motorcycles and scooters have strong appeal for many consumers,” says senior analyst Dave Hurst.  “They are relatively low cost to own, do not take a lot of space, and are easy to maintain, therefore making them attractive for city dwellers.  Governments also like these vehicles because they can utilize existing transportation and electricity infrastructure without the congestion problems and emissions impacts of conventional automobiles.”

Hurst adds that, fueled by those same market drivers, e-scooters will represent a much larger industry, outselling e-motorcycles by a factor of more than six to one on a global basis.  However, he expects that the mix will be considerably different in certain regions, such as North America, where e-motorcycles will represent 59% of combined sales due to their higher speeds and longer range than e-scooters.

Pike Research’s analysis indicates that the growth in electric two-wheel vehicles will also have a meaningful impact on demand for batteries.  The vehicles will utilize both lithium ion (Li-ion) and lead acid batteries.  The firm forecasts that the market for Li-ion for e-motorcycles will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24% between 2011 and 2017, while Li-ion for the e-scooters market will increase at a CAGR of 19%.  The lead acid battery market will grow, as well, particularly in emerging markets, with the e-motorcycle sector garnering a 27% CAGR and e-scooters a 29% CAGR for the same period.

Pike Research’s study, “Electric Motorcycles and Scooters”, provides a comprehensive examination of the market forces, technology issues, government incentives and regulations, and key drivers of the growth of e-motorcycles and e-scooters.  The report includes e-motorcycle and e-scooter sales forecasts and battery technology forecasts through 2017, as well as profiles of key industry players.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets.  The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors.  For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1.303.997.7609.

The post 138 Million Electric Motorcycles and Scooters to be on the Road Worldwide by 2017 first appeared on scootcats.