Every time the stats on motorbike crashes are revealed, the same spot on the roads always comes out on top for two-wheel danger: junctions.

It’s no surprise, then, that when riders are polled on the manoeuvre they least like attempting, emerging from a side road is their number one pet hate – particularly turning right across traffic.

But let’s banish those fears, and make junctions more rider-friendly.

The problem…

One of the biggest errors inexperienced riders make is they let their fear of the junction make them stop well short of the white line when pulling up, then inch forward to get a better view. But this slow crawl can make your bike feel unstable, increasing your stress and taking your attention from the number one goal – seeing if the coast is clear, and spotting that safe gap in the traffic to turn into.

Try riding more confidently up to the Give Way line by rolling off the throttle and lightly applying the brakes, stopping smoothly just before the Give Way line.

Now we’re on a secure footing and in a great spot to see clearly both ways, we’ve given ourselves the perfect platform to plan how and when to pull out.

Another top tip is to think about the angle you line the bike up at if you are turning right. If you pull up at a 90 degree angle from the main road you are at both a challenging angle to see well, and you are making that turn hard work. A better idea is to position your bike at a shallower angle to your exit route, making it a less aggressive turn when you pull away.

Stopping at the junction at something like a 45 degree angle gives you a better field of vision to the right, and it’s still easy to turn your head to the left to check for approaching traffic. Pulling away is now a lot easier.

After that it’s just a case of checking for a gap in the traffic before we make our move. Don’t gamble with a tight space; never think ‘if I go quick…’ to push through a small gap in the traffic as this is a surefire way to put yourself in trouble. Look for a real gap in the traffic on the near lane first, then check left to make sure the opposite carriageway is clear too.

If in doubt, wait. The traffic will clear – you just have to be patient.

And always remember, the next port of call when you are impatient on a motorbike is… inpatients!