Wisdom
Originally posted by BudBandit
Part of being a really good rider is to make allowances for likely and even not so likely events that could have a significant impact. With greater experience, you are able to more accurately create probability maps of the stupid things that can happen and you can plot a course to avoid the more common areas of exposure.
Originally posted by RSRider
I would say listen to the budbandit, as he is the guru of all that is nonfucktardedness. Aside form that, I would tell you this:
5. Everyone is out to kill you, ride accordingly. (as above, people are idiots behind the wheel, even more so now that there are cellphones, ipods, tv’s and other distractions inside the cab of a vehicle today. It’s a wonder we even make it from point A to point B.)
6. Concentrate (whenever I catch myself daydreaming while riding, I refocus immediately. They say that riding a motorcycle requires the same concentration level as flying a plane, without the autopilot.)
Originally posted by budman
Being on the street really demands a margin for error.
Not allowing yourself one is just asking for an increased chance of an accident and the street is so damn unforgiving. Everyone has to judge what the margin for error is and what it is taking account of.. as in gravel, a bicyclist, a cage on the wrong side of the DY or whatever. The more miles you pile on the more times you find yourself using that margin and perhaps it should/will increase overtime.
Motorcycling is risky.. and minimizing the danger is up to each of us to apply to ourselves.
Originally posted by silversvs; First things that come to mind:
Simple fixes; high visibility gear, modulated headlight, lane position.
Mandatory fix: ride defensively and ANTICIPATE that every vehicle approaching you will turn left in front of you, every vehicle at every cross street or driveway will pull out in front of you, every vehicle parked on the side of the road will initiate a u-turn in front of you, every vehicle in front of or beside you will turn left into you, and every vehicle behind you doesn't see you and will rear end you if you slow or stop.
Once you establish that mindset, you will start planning your escape routes for all of the above scenarios for every vehicle you see on the roadway.
Once you develop the habit of having this internal dialogue of perceiving the threat, developing a reaction plan, then being ready for the threat to occur, it will become second nature.
Once that is ingrained in your thought process it becomes a subconscious process that occurs on every ride at all times. When that kicks in, you will find that you are sooooo much more alert to everything around you as you ride, you're never surprised by other drivers, you flow more fluidly with traffic, and your "oh shit" moments are far and few between.
It takes a lot of miles to develop this mindset and a lot of mental rehearsals to get it ingrained in your thought process. But once you do, you will be a much safer and much more competent rider.
)
