The role of experience and advanced training on performance in a motorcycle simulator

Abstract

Motorcyclists are over-represented in collision statistics. While many collisions may be the direct fault of another road user, a considerable number of fatalities and injuries are due to the actions of the rider. While increased riding experience may improve skills, advanced training courses may be required to evoke the safest riding behaviours. The current research assessed the impact of experience and advanced training on rider behaviour using a motorcycle simulator. Novice riders, experienced riders and riders with advanced training traversed a virtual world through varying speed limits and roadways of different curvature. Speed and lane position were monitored. In a comparison of 60 mph and 40 mph zones, advanced riders rode more slowly in the 40 mph zones, and had greater variation in lane position than the other two groups. In the 60 mph zones, both advanced and experienced riders had greater lane variation than novices. Across the whole ride, novices tended to position themselves closer to the kerb. In a second analysis across four classifications of curvature (straight, slight, medium, tight) advanced and experienced riders varied their lateral position more so than novices, though advanced riders had greater variation in lane position than even experienced riders in some conditions. The results suggest that experience and advanced training lead to changes in behaviour compared to novice riders which can be interpreted as having a potentially positive impact on road safety.3

Hazard Perception and Prediction test for walking, riding a bike and driving a car: “Understanding of the global traffic situation”

“…Other HP tests have analysed the HP skills of motorcyclists without driving experience [28] and in Australia the HP of car drivers and motorcyclists has been compared [29]. HP tests were also designed from the perspective of motorists in the UK [30,31] and in other countries such as Italy [32,33]. Recently, HP from the perspective of professional drivers has been studied.…”

Prediction of safe driving Behaviours based on health belief model: the case of taxi drivers in Bandar Abbas, Iran

“…Without sustained action, road traffic crashes are predicted to become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030 [ 2 ] . Related literature has attested to the key role of safe driving in reducing the rate of driving-induced injuries, offenses and violations [ 3 ]. In the Iranian context, the foremost factor involved in the occurrence of car accidents is human factors [ 4 ].…”

Effects of motorcycle simulator configurations on steering control and gaze behavior in bends.

“…Thus, the introduction of physical tilt in the roll axis did not lead to significant changes in rider behavior, nor did it add to the perceived realism of the simulator. This is in contrast with the idea that motorcycle tilt is an important contributor to the riding experience in a simulator (Cossalter et al, 2010;Crundall et al, 2014;Lobjois et al, 2016a).…”

“…Lobjois et al (2016b) showed that the in-lane position adopted by motorcyclists was shifted towards the inner edge line with a standard deviation of 30 cm, suggesting that they negotiated bends by spending most of the time in the inside part of the lane. Crundall et al (2014) revealed a similar 'racing line' strategy. Investigating the effects of rider experience on steering strategies, Crundall et al (2012) showed that riders crossed the lane center before the apex of the bend, suggesting that they preferentially adopted a 'racing path'.…”

“…Whilst Crundall et al (2012) elicited the expected experience-related differences between groups of riders, the above-mentioned studies all used static motorcycle simulators, Steering path and visual control of steering in motorcycle simulators 7 with steering control based on a direct steering control model (i.e., turning the handlebar in the same direction as the turn). As acknowledged by Crundall et al (2014), the lack of physical fidelity may have affected riders' behavior in bends. This gives rise to the question of whether the introduction of roll motion and reverse steering would influence subjective experience and steering strategy in a bend negotiation task.…”