Last week the weather was beautiful, the birds were singing and the smell of spring was in the air. I had almost forgotten what it was like to be out on the streets around Pittsburgh with my motorcycle.

Apparently many motorists forgot what it was like to have motorcyclists out on the streets as well. With seven days under my belt I would have to take my gloves and riding boots off to count all of the hazards that I encountered during the first unofficial riding week of the year.

It's usually during this time of year that I get a call from my mom telling me to watch out for gravel, watch out for the rain, watch out for the potholes, watch out for the deer, etc. Mom is just being mom. She does have a valid concern with all of these hazards on the roadway, but I think there is something more dangerous to look out for on the roadway.

The biggest road hazard that I have encountered was that elusive creature known as the distracted driver. You may have seen them in your commute. In fact, you may be one of them. Not sure? Let's take a look at a few scenarios.

Do you pick up your cell phone and talk without a hands-free device? Do you text while driving? Do you punch in the address of your GPS while in motion and wait for it to pick up your location? If you answered yes to any of the questions, you are a distracted driver.

Do you have a minivan full of children who are being "kids"? My wife and I do -- as do most parents. If you are turning around to pick up a chicken nugget that fell to the ground, or switching movies in the DVD player, you are a distracted driver.

If you are switching CDs, flipping through your MP3s or looking at your radio display to see what song is currently playing, guess what? You're a distracted driver. And please don't get me started on the suits that read the paper on their way into work, or the beautiful women who do their hair and apply makeup as they creep along at 5 mph.

Eating is another no-no that creates a distraction while driving. I mean how safe can you be driving two tons of steel and plastic down the highway at 50-plus MPH steering with your knee, holding a burger in one hand and digging for fries in the bag with the other? Don't laugh, I'm sure just about everyone has done the knee steer at one time or another.

Distracted drivers have become part of our culture. As motorcyclists, we know they are out there and we've become relaxed, complacent and numb to those who aren't in total control of their vehicles. When we get this way, we set ourselves up for trouble.

If you spot a distracted driver, the best thing that you can do is distance yourself. If they are paying attention to their texts and not the road, chances are they'll be stopping really fast sooner or later. If you maintain a three- to four-second distance between you and vehicle in front of you, that should give you ample time to slow down and stop if necessary.

Watch out for the people with their phone up to their ear. They are more likely to merge into your lane because they can't see you.

As far as the potholes and the gravel are concerned, that's an easy fix. It's more of an offensive riding style. The best thing to do is to seek the potholes in advance by active scanning and plan on how you are going to go around them. You watch out for the gravel and react accordingly, mainly by taking it a little slower on your chrome horse.

The defensive riding style comes out when you are with distracted drivers. They are everywhere. You have to anticipate every move an automobile operator is going to make. Assume it's going to be the wrong move so you aren't surprised when it happens. I've lost all faith in turn signals, stop lights, and stop signs. I always wait for the other person to make the first move.

There are a lot of distractions on the roadway. If you operate a motor vehicle, please watch out for motorcycles. If you operate a motorcycle, please watch out for motorists. We have to share the road. There is no way around it, but we can make it a safer place by doing our part and following the rules of the road.

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