Well, That Was Quick (Warning, Volvo Related Content)

Mike crashed twice in several 100 thousand miles over 15 years or
something (I'm not counting a couple of racetrack accidents, those are a
whole different beast). Reed has totalled a number of bikes in something
like 2 years of riding, within hours or days of getting said bikes.

*THAT* would be a difference.

I've been riding 4 years now, and clocked about 48000 miles, and had one
minor lowside-on-gravel incident last winter. I'd like to think this is a
far more typical new-rider experience. I still consider myself a relative
newbie, btw.

 

["Followup-To:" header set to ba.motorcycles.]

Just saying you hit an SUV doesn't quite do justice to the story, though...


-Josh

 

First of all I'm not going to chime in about my own safety record.
Y'all should know by now that lavishing heaps of attention on your
motorcycle or bragging about your abilities is bad juju!

But ultimately... this is a free society. Sort of. Four more years of
Bush ought to fix that!

So, if Moike wants to do wheelies, more power to him. If he hurts
anyone than himself there is a fairly adequate system that will
bankrupt his ass pretty nicely. Besides, there's no shortage of cops
to bust his balls if he pisses off too many greyhairs.

If Reed wants to continue playing pincushion for fate more power to
him too. I kinda admire the guy's tenacity, though I'd wish he'd wise
up. Methinks if Reed didn't have this soft underbelly of half-assed
approaches Moike wouldn't be able to have fun poking at it.

 

Reed is no Mary Magdalene, nor is Moike a stoner (at least in the
Biblical meaning of the term).

One can only infer Reed's motives in posting his crash tale. Perhaps
part of it was to be reminded that there are people here who have care
and concern for him. Another part is to "think out loud" an
introspective process.

As a part of the process of morbidity, we need to ask ourselves
periodically if it is time to hang up the keys. It's never an easy
decision, but one that comes with the privilege of driving and/or
riding. Getting injured is usually one of those occurrences that
triggers this question, and Moike is perhaps more qualified than most
to give voice to it, having answered the question in the negative for
himself.

If Reed comes to the same answer for himself, then sanity compels him
to ask what he should do in the future to improve his street safety
record. The two points that come to my mind are to be more strict
about riding defective equipment (especially with a passenger he
presumably cares for) and making allowances for the fact that others
who are using the same roads he does may not have the skills,
perceptions and reflexes that he brings to the task of riding.
R, UB

 

And that is not at all unusual for a newbie.

You know, what pisses me off about all this picking on Reed is that you all
stand there on your soapboxes abusing Reed, implying he's incompetent and
dangerous, and should give up riding, but if anyone told YOU that you and
motorcycles were dangerous (after all, you HAVE crashed and I know Mike at least
has been seriously injured in a crash) you'd be extremely abusive.

And yet here you are doing it to Reed.

And what pisses me off *most* of all is that you are being entirely
unconstructive in your abuse. Instead of strongly urging Reed to learn more
about riding and to practice better risk management, you are being entirely
negative.

And in over 30 years of rider training I've learnt that all that negative people
succeed in doing in this sort of situation is to get the rider to say "****
you!" and go on his merry way, learning not a thing.

So perhaps it's time for a few people to get down off their soapboxes and lend
Reed a helping hand...

 

Hear hear.

Well spoken.

 

["Followup-To:" header set to ba.motorcycles.]

Have you not been paying attention for the past couple of years? Reed's been
posting stories like this since he started riding, and people have given him
plenty of constructive criticism. They *have* urged him to learn more about
riding and to practice better risk management. It's not entirely surprising
that, given that his reappearance after a long absence was followed almost
immediately by a crash report, people would give him a lot of grief over it.


-Josh

 

Or glue their arse to the seat when doing wheelies.

--
muddy

Testing the limits of gravity since 1947.

icq - 219328929

 

When things are going well, I'm happy.

When things go poorly, at least I've got something good to bitch about.

Knitting injuries just don't have the same drama.

Chicks dig scars.

Right?

Reed.

 

Yeah, that was fun. Wish I'd posted about it, I don't even remember it
terribly well anymore.

Well, I'm building my karma back up now, right?

Reed.

 

Correct, dropped it while parking.

I also dropped the BMW in a parking lot once, and the NX650 in a parking
lot once.

Reed.

 

Haven't really found much else to do yet.

Reed.

 

Actually there are many times when legally it is the other guy's
responsibility to look out for me. But since they often fail to do
so, I have taken it upon myself to do what it takes to avoid being
taken out. That does not absolve them of their responsibility. As
for making myself more visible, I am at least as visible as a
pedestrian or someone on a bicycle. I do nothing to camouflage
myself. My lights are on night or day. It is not my responsibility
to become a flashing neon sign in order to be seen.

 

Actually there are many times when legally it is the other guy's
responsibility to look out for me. But since they often fail to do
so, I have taken it upon myself to do what it takes to avoid being
taken out. That does not absolve them of their responsibility. As
for making myself more visible, I am at least as visible as a
pedestrian or someone on a bicycle. I do nothing to camouflage
myself. My lights are on night or day. It is not my responsibility
to become a flashing neon sign in order to be seen.[/QUOTE]

You'd still get taken out.....

RickB <you'd just give them a brighter target>

 

That's what happened though. It was the only other vehicle for 1/2 mile in either
direction. And I *RAN* *IN* *TO* *IT*. Those damned things are just so
hard to see.

I did about $3500 of damage to the SUV.

I broke a blinker on my bike. I didn't even scuff the paint.

I just might be the anti-Reed.

-B

 

I don't think it's fallen on deaf ears, just on young, overconfident and
unlucky ears.

I've ridden with Reed a few times. He's actually pretty competent when
it comes to handling the mechanical aspects of riding. If I'd had any
doubts about his ability to ride, I would not have sold the bike to him
in the first place.

I was much less skilled than Reed after having ridden for the same time
period. He has picked up a lot of skill. But what he lacks (other than
luck) is experience. I'm a safer rider now than I was 10 years ago only
in part due to skill. Knowing what to expect and how to cope with
sketchy traffic situations is something one learns by doing. And lets
face it, the Bay Area doesn't have the most forgiving roads to learn on.

Being 22 (23?) doesn't make one any more cautious either.

But, just to get all of you to shut up:
Reed, sign up for the ERC when you and your bike are put together. We
can take donations to pay for the class.

I'm impressed he had the balls to post about it.

-B

 

Fuckin A !
Well said.

Anyone want to meet me for a wheelie clinic at City College of SF parking
lot?
If so , please don't forget to wear some really good boots and all the rest.
By the way , why is it that my R1100RS can't do wheelies? I seem to remember
it had something to do with the heated grips...

 

It depends on whose bones are knitting.

If this is your motivation, you might live both longer and happier if
you got yourself neutered.

Try thinking with the other head.
;-}

R, UB

 

With apologies for sounding harsh, it doesn't seem that he has so far set
the bar all that high himself. Thankfully, he has come out of more than
one scrape more or less in one piece, so he gets another chance to try to
notice some patterns that lead to getting surprised. If I could help him
figure it out from my armchair, I'd be glad to, but I can't. The most I
can do is say his record up to this point worries me and I hope he figures
this out.

ab

 

It's not a bad idea, but I personally don't have enough information with
which to help him find the crux of what is happening. You're right that a
lot of new riders fall down. Quite a few hit (or are hit by) cars too, but
that is often much more serious. It also raises the possibility that the
problem isn't rooted as much in operating the motorcyc,e as it is in
predicting traffic or something like that. I'd feel like I could be of
more use if I rode around town with him a bit.

ab