Riding in the Rain

Got an e-mail from a friend this week, telling me about a motorcycle crash in Louisville. It happened when the rider rode into a storm (happened to be in Louisville, Kentucky, my old home town) and crashed on the wet roads. He suffered severe injuries, the bike took heavy damage, and he is still (and will be for some time) in the hospital, and in recovery.
I have been riding for many years, and let me tell you...rain happens. I also have some good advice.
1). When you come upon rain, if you have rain gear, pull over and put it on. If you expect rain (clouds or the forecast calls for it) be dressed for it.
2) If it is raining, slow down, and then slow down some more. Speed is not your friend on wet roads.
3) Especially early, try to stay off of, and keep from crossing, the oil trail that runs down the center of each lane of (virtually) every road. Especially early on this mixture of motor oil, transmission fluid and antifreeze is deadly slick.
4) More than anything else, if the rain is especially severe, and you are at all uncomfortable, find a place to pull off and wait it out. Find a place with food, a mall, or if all else fails even a highway overpass and wait the storm out. Better to get to where you want to go later than you planned, than not to get there at all.
Rain is nothing to take lightly. I often change my motorcycle plans due to forecasts, or have called a planned ride early due to gathering clouds. Be especially careful around thunderstorms as they have special and deadly dangers including electricity, hail and high winds. Ride with safety foremost in your mind always!