Calgary police promote motorcycle safety as riding season starts

The Calgary Police Service is promoting motorcycle safety as the weather warms up and the riding season starts.

Sgt. Dale Seddon is urging motorcyclists to tune and check their bikes before heading out for a ride. The engine, electrical systems and tires may not be working properly because the motorcycles have been sitting in a garage or storage unit all winter, he said.

He also encouraged motorcycle enthusiasts to ride in less busy areas to get used to their bikes again.

“You got to get that rust off when you first start riding at the start of the season,” Seddon told Global News.

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“The roads aren’t going to be in summer conditions. There’s spring runoff and loose gravel and with the temperatures, conditions can be volatile in the spring.”

But the roads can be a dangerous place for motorcyclists, and Seddon urged people to follow the rules of the road.

There have been two motorcycle fatalities and one serious motorcycle collision so far this year, Seddon said.

On Wednesday, a man was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition after his motorcycle crashed into a bush near Highway 762 and 352 Street West just after 1 p.m.

“The first thing everyone should do, just like you should when you learn to operate a car, is to take a course that teaches you the fundamentals of motorcycle riding. There are lots of nuances to riding a motorcycle that you need to be familiar with,” the sergeant added.

“Motorcyclists need to be aware that when with increases in speed, you significantly increase your chance of being involved in a collision. So again, as much as that responsibility is a shared responsibility for safety out there, it’s incumbent on motorcyclists to follow the rules of the road as well.”