“The Life Saver” – Taught as a standard part of motorcycle and cycle training, this is a last quick look over your right shoulder before committing to a right turn.

The idea being that you’re riding along, you’re coming up to a right turn, you look over your shoulder, signal, manouver out to the middle of the road. Now comes the dangerous part, as you’re rolling along or even stopped in the middle of the road, there’s a high probably that some very important moron in a car will see you and decide you’ve held him up just enough and PASS YOU ON THE RIGHT!!!

The life saver is that last second check to stop you going under the wheels of the car.

This happened to me this morning. I’m rolling along quite quickly, about 20mph, look over my shoulder, there’s a Naravo or whatever they’re called quite a way back, I signal, move out. Another check over my shoulder and the pickup is still some way back, I’ve still got my hand out by the way. No other traffic about so this should be no problem. It should be noted I’ve not yet actually held up the car.

Approach the turning, life saver… VROOOMMM! The fat knobber has passed me on my right. I almost went as well, lots of wobbling, lots of angry shouting, maybe a couple of fingers. Naravo brake lights go on. AWESOME! I jump on the pedals and chase after the knobber but as I reach him he floors it off.

FAT
STUPID
KNOBBER

Do the life saver kids. It’s called that for a very good reason.

local lad was killed like that, big old 4×4 ran him over turning right into the estate on his moped, couldn’t wait had to overtake . The thing that galls is they’ve seen you they know you are turning and Its no risk to them in their tank.

A lot of riders would do well to use the Lifesaver. It’s very appropriately named…

I include the guy in Brixton earlier this summer who pulled out to pass a bus and very nearly put himself under the wheels of a 10 tonne truck.
Or the guy in Hyde Park on Friday who forgot that the Lifesaver comes before you move, not at the same time!

The lifesaver is not just for motorbikes, drivers of all vehicles should always look over their shoulder before changing lane or turning right or pulling out to overtake a car (just in case someone behind has already started to overtake you). Just today in my car I had to take evasive action to avoid some silly woman in her BMW swinging out into my lane without checking if I was there. Luckily the lane next to me was clear so I could avoid having to slam on the anchors and risk the boy racer 2 inches off my rear bumper from smashing into me. Just to confirm that she was a moron, I passed her further up the road – she made a point of overtaking me only to immediately brake to turn left! These people just need their licences taking off them.

Its dangerous out there, no matter what form of transport your in.

The lifesaver is not just for motorbikes, drivers of all vehicles should always look over their shoulder before changing lane or turning right or pulling out to overtake a car

Amen. I was taught (driving lessons) to check my blind spot whenever I move out and it shocks me that most people weren’t. It has prevented incidents in cars on a motorway and also when riding a bike.

Big Fan! There should be a be a national ad campaign alerting joe public to its existence.

The life saver check has done exactly what it says it does several times for me. Did motorbike test 10 years ago, and it changed the way I rode a bicycle on the road drastically. When I started driving lessons about 4 years ago it was instinctive to do it in a car too.

Back to the simple fact. Put your life in your own hands don’t expect others to look after you and you won’t be disappointed. As I’ve said before the moral high ground is pointless if your dead.

A last look over the left shoulder is super important too when turning left. It sounds really daft but the number of times I have seen cars try and undertake me using a hatched section of road or empty parking bays despite me indicating I will turn left is staggering. This is in the city centre and not out on fast roads which makes it even more baffling.

It’s the most important part of turning right, more so than actually signalling. I’m always amazed how many people will just throw an arm out and then swing across the road assuming their signal will be seen and stop traffic overtaking.
In my opinion, in order of importance, from least to most:

Signal
Positioning
Lifesaver

Look over left shoulder also important to avoid daft cyclists undertaking past junctions.

As I’ve said before the moral high ground is pointless if your dead.

But the view’s good up there Mike 😉