1. Always alert
Respecting the rules of the road, staying in your lane or even on your side is not enough. It’s essential to keep your eyes wide open at all times, scanning the road to the right or left and looking down. For
your safety at the wheel, move off and keep a greater distance between your motorcycle and others for greater prevention and protection. Anticipate the intentions and mistakes of others. Don’t wear headphones.
All your senses must be alert and focused on the road, other road users and driving.
2. Even at a green light, slow down
(Beware of carts, bicycles and motorcycles without headlights, or only dimly lit ones).
Make sure you look to the side when you pass a green light, especially early in the morning or late at night when traffic is flowing. Don’t miss traffic lights and stop signs when there are few cars around, even in broad daylight. At red lights, make sure the person behind you also slows down in advance and doesn’t hit you, especially at amber lights.
3. Do not exceed the speed limit
There is zero tolerance and no margin for error. The gendarmerie and police strictly enforce the speed limit. Exceeding the speed limit by 5 km/h can be considered as speeding, and will result in heavy fines. So pay close attention to the speed limit if you don’t want to pay a fine.
If you’re stopped for speeding, ask whether it’s a laser radar or a radio-frequency radar, to check the error rate of radio-frequency radars and to see the photo proving the offence, bearing in mind that they’re not obliged to give it to you, but you never know. Personally, I’d simply advise you not to speed. By going too fast, we take unnecessary risks and miss out on the scenery.
4. Show your intention to other drivers
Use your hands and arms when it’s safe to do so to signal that you’re slowing down or about to turn… and above all, don’t accelerate abruptly; you need to give others time to see you and take your maneuver into account. It’s essential to drive in a way that communicates to other drivers what you’re doing and what you’re trying to do. It’s best to accelerate slowly, especially when cornering. When cars come out of nowhere, other drivers don’t have time to see you and react, which increases the risk of an accident.
5. Communicate with other drivers and pedestrians with gestures, eye contact and... honk!!!
Many things are communicated by simple eye contact. To park in a crowded parking lot or get out of a traffic jam, it’s essential to make other drivers and pedestrians understand what you’re trying to do. Make eye contact, use hand gestures, and sometimes the best way is, of course, to honk your horn.
6. Be aware of who has the right of way at traffic circles
The asphalt in the traffic circles is too smooth for my liking. Add to this the oil, fuel and liquids leaking from the garbage trucks… Accelerate gradually and don’t brake suddenly. In recent years, traffic circles have sprung up all over the United States. Some give way to vehicles already on the road, while others give way to oncoming traffic. Pay close attention to the signs on the approach roads. A stop sign or yield sign means that vehicles already on the road have the right of way, but in the absence of a sign, drivers on access roads have the right of way. Traffic lights are sometimes installed at the entrances to traffic circles, indicating priority. Police sometimes stand near traffic circles to check that you are yielding the right of way.
7. Think of the centerline and traffic lanes as "guidelines".
Cars often swerve out of traffic lanes, and even out of the central yellow lines. Don’t get angry, drive around them or keep your safe distance. Driving is much smoother in Morocco.
8. Check your documents before you leave
In Morocco, motorcycles don’t have a sticker, but make sure you have your vehicle registration document, insurance, up-to-date license and international insurance if you’re coming from abroad.
9. Pay attention to these three points when driving on the freeway
First of all, beware of extremely fast cars travelling at 180 km/h. These are usually German luxury cars. Secondly, beware of extremely slow vehicles travelling at less than 60 km/h. These are mainly old vans or overloaded trucks. And thirdly, watch out for pedestrians on the freeway. It’s probably unheard of in Europe, but don’t be surprised to see hitchhikers or fruit sellers along the freeways. The problem in Morocco is the lack of safe crossings on freeways, as well as bus stations in villages and small towns. Many people in rural areas simply prefer to cross the freeway rather than travel several kilometers over an overhead or underground bridge.
10. Learn to differentiate between signals
Drivers make headlight calls to tell you, “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you to pass.” But sometimes it can also mean that there’s a speed camera or police checkpoint ahead.
11. Use gestures to say "sorry" or "thank you
Don’t forget to say hello to other drivers, to apologize if you’ve made a mistake or to thank them for giving you the right of way. And above all, don’t get nervous! I’ve seen so many motorcycle accidents caused by nervousness, then excessive speed to overtake or lecture a motorist who was too distracted or had cut him off…
