Doin' the swerve

The evidence shows in most emergency situations where rider input is required to avoid an accident we will revert to our habits. Knowing your swerve like you know how to do that thing you do on the dance floor takes practice. One way to get into the habit of pushing on the bars, a habit you will need in a swerve, is to ride twisty roads that require attention to counter steering and lean limits. If you are timid to lean the scooter over in sharp turns it is likely that when it comes to doing the swerve you aren't going to do so hot either. If you are leaning your bike regularly and it comes to you as second nature then the emergency swerve will come naturally also.
Road attacks by lane obstacles will differ and call for heads up judgment of each situation and a quick reaction by the rider. Would slowing or stopping be more sensible than swerving, is the asshat turning left in front of you going to stop once he sees you and the headlight on the motorcycle or is he going to gas it. Should you go left and around possibly taking you into a head-on situation with oncoming traffic or center Island, or should you go right hoping the car stops and you have room to your right to make a move. Your attention should be on the moment, not on how to maneuver your scooter.
A Swerve might be needed because of the carcass of an unlucky Platypus lying in your lane, in which case you have determined it isn't moving and doesn't require much sweat, but it does require you to check lanes before you do the swerve because your buddy might have just rolled up alongside you to tell you he's hungry …again. If a live animal is in your lane forget the swerve and concentrate on braking and the strength of conviction to go straight. In most cases animals in the road will throw the fake move on you and go back to the lane you were thinking of swerving into, in any case, get slowed down.   
Doing the swerve will require traction and shouldn't be shared with the traction required by braking or accelerating. Scrubbing off speed by down shifting, and some skillful braking should all be done before the swerve and when both tires are in line. If you haven't been practicing swerving maneuvers with your buddies what's stopping you, surely you don't expect to learn 'the Swerve' in the two seconds you will have to respond in an emergency.
Hammer   
ALR Road Captain, Omaha Post 1