Tips to Ride a Bike in Foggy Conditions

In bad weather conditions, the chances of your bike suffering damage, even due to a minor mishap, are higher even if you are being careful. A comprehensive bike insurance policy will not only cover the damages to your vehicle but will also protect you from third-party damages caused to another vehicle or person.

Getting insurance for your bike is the best you can do for your two-wheeler, especially if the weather conditions are not favourable during your bike trip. Even though winters in most parts of the country are pleasant and ideal for bike rides, a bike ride in the fog during these cold months can be dangerous. Keeping that in mind, here is what you can do to have a safe journey in such poor weather conditions.

Ideally, you should refrain from going out on your bike when the weather is foggy. But in some situations, you may have to travel for work in foggy weather conditions. Winter mornings are notorious for the thick fog that pollution levels can further deteriorate. In such cases, there isn’t much you can do about the weather other than riding in the fog.

Foremost, ensure you wear a helmet and have insurance for your bike. If you get in an accident and damage your bike, the insurance can compensate for the repair cost (as per the insurance policy). And in case you don’t have one or need to renew the bike insurance policy soon, you can quickly get comprehensive bike insurance online policy from Tata AIG’s official website.

• Use Safety Gears

Keeping other drivers and pedestrians in sight and being visible to them is important in poor visibility conditions. If the fog is dense during your travel, ensure that your bike’s hazard lights and brake lights are working properly. Wear a helmet and keep the visor as well as the bike’s reflective surfaces clean for better visibility. If possible, use safety gears specially designed for bikers so that there is little to no chance of an accidental collision or any serious injuries.

• Keep a Safe Distance

Since visibility is an issue in foggy weather, it is best to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the road. By doing so, you give other vehicles and your bike enough space on the road so that everyone can travel without worrying about an accident and reduce the chances of collision. In case a driver in front of you suddenly hits their brakes, this distance will give you a buffer and stop before you hit the vehicle ahead.

• Avoid Speeding

Avoid riding your bike at full speed since the fog can be an obstacle in such situations. As such, over-speeding is dangerous, and in poor visibility conditions, there’s no saying what could go wrong if you suddenly need to use your brakes, but the bike’s high speed causes a mishap. Just maintain a steady speed on the road and don’t try to overtake every vehicle, even if they attempt to do so.

• Fill your Fuel Tank

When you’re on the outskirts of the city, coming across a petrol pump can be difficult, or you may have to change your route to find one. During your trip, if the fog is dense, you may also end up not seeing a gas station from a distance. Therefore, before leaving on your adventure, plan your journey such that your fuel tank lasts through your road trip or at least map out where you can stop to refill your fuel tank if needed.

• Service your Bike

In dicey weather conditions, the last thing you want is your bike giving up on you. Before you go for a ride anywhere on your bike, service your bike to avoid any breakdown in the middle of a lonely road. If the climate is foggy, your bike’s breakdown could mean that you might find it difficult to leave your bike on the roadside while you go somewhere nearby and ask for help.

Most bike owners, especially those who need to travel on their bikes frequently, tend to opt for long-term two-wheeler insurance so that there are lesser chances of missing out on the renewal of the policy each year. This is because if the policy lapses due to the non-renewal of the policy, no bike owner would want to risk travelling without their bike insurance policy to protect their bike from damage.

With Tata AIG, you can also buy a comprehensive long-term bike insurance plan if you do not want to renew your policy each year and instead want a longer policy tenure of 2-3 years!

When you go on a long and leisurely bike ride, you want to enjoy every moment of the trip without having to worry about your bike’s safety. Hence, no matter which part of the country you need to take your bike, check the weather conditions while travelling, especially during the winter or even during monsoon so that the foggy weather does not come in the way of your road trip.

And most importantly, remember to keep your valid bike insurance policy with you at all times when using your bike, as it will not only help you out of difficult situations but also safeguard your bike against any potential damages.