The scariest thing for motorcycle enthusiasts is the suspicion that they are invisible to other motorists.
“We as motorcyclists have close calls most every day,” says Shaun de Jager of Toronto, founder and spokesperson for Riders for Road Awareness. “Unfortunately, we are the least visible vehicles on the road and the most at risk. The major problem is complacency and lack of situational awareness.”

De Jager is trying to do something about this complacency with a website addressing the hazards motorists pose to motorcycle riders — RoadAwareness.org.

He is in turn raising the profile of that website and the problem of complacent drivers with a series of motorcycle rallies in and around the Greater Toronto Area. Two have been held this year in the GTA while a third featuring 100 riders took place in Norfolk on Sunday.

“We want motorists to notice motorcyclists,” says Sandra Dawson of Port Dover, a hostess for Sunday’s event. “We want them to notice our signs. We want them to watch out for us.”

Motorists can make life much easier for motorcyclists by following a few simple rules. The most important is to accept that there are a large number of motorcycles on the road during the pleasant months of the year. From the end of March to mid-November, motorists should assume they will encounter several motorcycles on any given trip.

RoadAwareness.org also wants motorists to know that motorcycles need as much space on the highway as any other vehicle.