Which of the following effects should you take into account during a long ride on a single-track vehicle in sodden clothes?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
B. Overcooling of the body.
Explanation
In the photo a motorcyclist is riding round a bend with U-3 chevron boards behind a barrier - on an open road where it can easily start to rain. During a long ride on a two-wheeler in soaked clothing, you must take into account that your body will get too cold - answer B.
The Road Traffic Act requires you to avoid any action that could endanger road safety and to ride at a speed that ensures control of the vehicle, and getting cold takes this ability away gradually and without you noticing. Wet clothing draws heat away from the body many times faster than dry clothing, and the airflow at 90 km/h acts like a gale-force wind - even in summer, within a few dozen minutes your body temperature drops, you start shivering, your fingers on the levers stiffen, and your thinking and reaction time slow down. Overheating (answer A) is more of a risk in hot weather in a tightly sealed motorcycle suit, not in a wet one. Answer C plays down the problem - it is not just discomfort, but a real weakening of your ability to ride. That is why a motorcyclist carries a rain suit, and when soaked, stops, changes clothes or warms up, instead of "pushing on to the destination".
Legal basis: Art. 19 para. 1 and Art. 3 para. 1 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)