You could probably argue that I?m not the best person to be doling out advice on how to avoid a crash. I have, after all, crashed more bikes than I care to remember. But, on the other side of the coin, perhaps I can help you learn from my mistakes; not that I seem to have learnt much from them myself. So, in a sort of ?do as I say, not as I do? kind of fashion, here are some top tips to avoid a crash. I hope it helps?

Don?t stare at that really bad thing

Target fixation can catch even the most experienced riders out, whatever they?re riding, wherever they?re riding it. If you?re on track and someone runs wide just in front of you, chances are if you?ve got your eyes on them, you?ll run wide too. If a car nudges out of a junction and you stare at its bonnet, you?ll probably end up pointing your bike at it; and that?s obviously the last thing you want to do. Don?t get me wrong, you?ve got to look at these things to see them. You?ve got to notice them to avoid a crash. But once you?ve clocked them, don?t stare at them. Staring?s bad.
Decide where you want to put the bike and focus on that instead. Eyes on the prize, and all that. If you?re on a track, that might be the apex of a turn. If you?re on the road, it?s probably going to be the bit of tarmac that doesn?t have a car on it.

Build your confidence on track or off-road

In other words, just become a better rider. Lots of crashes are caused by people panicking as soon as they think they experience ...