Different road users have different needs, it’s just basic math. A car driver, for example, doesn’t need to worry so much about the road surface compared to a motorcyclist. A car’s closed cabin, thick insulation and climate control do an excellent job of filtering out the road.
For motorcyclists, however, we rely on feedback from the bike, as well as a high sense of anticipation in all aspects of riding. Keeping your head on straight is an essential part of road safety. While instilling road safety in individual riders is indeed essential, improving the roads so that they are safer for riders is always a good thing. This is exactly what a project in the west of Scotland hopes to achieve.
Transport Scotland, the government agency responsible for road safety, among other transport-related things, recently tested new road markings known as Percetual Rider Information for Maximizing Expertise and Enjoyment, or PRIMEs. These road markings were strategically placed on blind bends on winding roads (in Scotland’s case, left-hand bends, since you drive on the left-hand side of the road there).
PRIMEs are designed according to the simple principles of “push psychology”. In other words, riders are prepared in advance so that they know what to expect when approaching a bend. So, instead of going in too fast to be surprised by a curve with a decreasing radius, motorcyclists know in advance that the curve they are approaching is sharp or gradual.
As you can see in the image above, the arrows inform riders of a continuous left-hand bend, while the road markings instruct them on the ideal position on the road when entering the bend.
These markings not only encourage drivers to reduce speed well before entering the bend, but also contribute to the driving experience by encouraging drivers to adopt the best path around the bend.
Transport Scotland set up a total of 22 PRIME test sites covering 1207 square kilometers across the West of Scotland. And, unsurprisingly, the results were extremely successful.
The agency reported that there was a significant reduction in speed, particularly for drivers entering bends. Perhaps most importantly, the positioning of drivers on the road as they approach the bend and at the apex of the bend has improved significantly. In addition, there have also been improvements in braking behavior. Best of all, there have been no accidents involving motorcycles at locations with PRIME markings since the trials began.
The science behind this is really simple and, frankly, it’s a shame we don’t see things like this in other parts of the world. It’s really great to see governments working to make the roads safer and more pleasant for motorcyclists, rather than imposing tons of restrictions and regulations on motorcycle use.