Absolutely Freaked Out

[roncg41677]

It is good to know everyone deals with these fears from time to time. Hope that doesn't sound too bad. I know none of us want to dwell on those fears, but in small doses I guess it helps keep us safe?

Thanks for being so honest .

[Zagnut]

Do not ignore that website.

In fact do just the opposite. Never forget that site. Use it to keep you alive. Tuck those images away in your mind and keep those fears controlled but always lurking somewhere in the back of your mind. Use that energy to keep you focused on what you are doing when you ride. Let them serve as a reminder of what letting your guard down or getting wreckless in your attitude can lead to.

Then focus on staying focused and don't let your guard down. Approach every traffic situation like everyone wants to put your picture up on that site.

Everytime some pulls up from an intersecting road, assume they are going to pull out because they dont see you and prepare for it. Every time someone approaches you in the opposite lane, assume they are dialing on their cell phone and are about to wildly veer across the yellow line and prepare for it. Every time you go up a hill, assume there is some jackass passing in a no passing zone on the other side of the hill and prepare for it. Every time you pull up to a red light, assume the guy in the SUV behind you is changing the station on his radio and doesnt realize the light changed to red and prepare for it.

Don't let that site deter you. Let it make you a better rider.
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[ofblong]

Do not ignore that website.

In fact do just the opposite. Never forget that site. Use it to keep you alive. Tuck those images away in your mind and keep those fears controlled but always lurking somewhere in the back of your mind. Use that energy to keep you focused on what you are doing when you ride. Let them serve as a reminder of what letting your guard down or getting wreckless in your attitude can lead to.

Then focus on staying focused and don't let your guard down. Approach every traffic situation like everyone wants to put your picture up on that site.

Everytime some pulls up from an intersecting road, assume they are going to pull out because they dont see you and prepare for it. Every time someone approaches you in the opposite lane, assume they are dialing on their cell phone and are about to wildly veer across the yellow line and prepare for it. Every time you go up a hill, assume there is some jackass passing in a no passing zone on the other side of the hill and prepare for it. Every time you pull up to a red light, assume the guy in the SUV behind you is changing the station on his radio and doesnt realize the light changed to red and prepare for it.

Don't let that site deter you. Let it make you a better rider.
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uhh you gotta prepare for them to pass even in a passing zone. I and a car behind me almost got creamed cause some jack arse did that. Luckily I got far enough over to the right of my lane that he just missed me and the car behind me had slowed down enough that the idiot just missed him as well.

[RhadamYgg]

Do not ignore that website.

In fact do just the opposite. Never forget that site. Use it to keep you alive. Tuck those images away in your mind and keep those fears controlled but always lurking somewhere in the back of your mind. Use that energy to keep you focused on what you are doing when you ride. Let them serve as a reminder of what letting your guard down or getting wreckless in your attitude can lead to.

Then focus on staying focused and don't let your guard down. Approach every traffic situation like everyone wants to put your picture up on that site.

Everytime some pulls up from an intersecting road, assume they are going to pull out because they dont see you and prepare for it. Every time someone approaches you in the opposite lane, assume they are dialing on their cell phone and are about to wildly veer across the yellow line and prepare for it. Every time you go up a hill, assume there is some jackass passing in a no passing zone on the other side of the hill and prepare for it. Every time you pull up to a red light, assume the guy in the SUV behind you is changing the station on his radio and doesnt realize the light changed to red and prepare for it.

Don't let that site deter you. Let it make you a better rider.
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The problem with the site isn't that it doesn't show depictions of bad things that happen to motorcyclists.

The problem with the site is that it puts a veneer of wanting to show things to help save lives - and then does everything it can to indicate that motorcycling is an activity that only fools pursue.

I see more value in searching youtube for motorcycle and motorcycle accident and definitively more information in searching and reading every article on motorcycle accident as possible.

After reading the MSF book - Motorcycling Excellence, the book for the MSF course, and David Hough's book Proficient Motorcycling - then read through all the articles searching 'motorcycle accident' on news.google.com - and you'll read each article and be able to categorize each on as something mentioned in those books and think about how to avoid them.

Some of the articles are particularly depressing - more so that ride2die ever can be. It really looks like he researched the topic for two weeks and put the site together. I've found far more articles and accidents resulting in deaths that are much more depressing than the ones on that site.

RhadamYgg

[JC Viper]

Wear armored jacket and pants along with some good tough boots and a full face helmet to ease your fears a bit. Then read the suggested Proficient Motorcycling books to get a good idea on how to approach riding safely.

I started out on the Suzuki 250 before I read any of the books. I was fine until I was hit by a drunk driver but I got to get up and walk away thanks to my gear. I continued to ride because it just felt good and was a pretty nice way of getting around and reasonably safe so long I didn't do anything foolish like being drunk, tired or reckless.

[Sandibeach]

It's normal, but something you'll overcome. I was in tears by noon the 1st day of my MSF... I thought this isn't for me. I was scarred out of my mind.. sure I was going to hurt myself or someone else. (My MSF course taught things out of order, which is why I felt out of control). My husband was on the other of the end phone telling me to come home... but I said I would see how the afternoon went and if I wasn't comfortable, I was walking away. The afternoon went much better and I came back for day 2 and passed.

I practised in the school parking lot until I was comfortable doing the side streets around my house... I worked my way up... I'm still scared and won't do anything that makes me uncomfortable. So stay in your comfort zone. You have a good starter bike, my husband also started with that.

Even this year, I was scarred for my 1st ride. I told DH that I had forgotten everything (that's how it felt in my head), but once I got on ... it's like riding a bike... it all came back to me!

Yes, there are risks, but if are careful, ride sensability and don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable, etc... you'll be fine.

Enjoy it!!!

[Wordherder]

Ron - Understand where you're coming from. But at some point, you have to trust in your skills and protective equipment.

So. Take a deep breath, exhale. Put 'er in gear and: ENJOY! That's the whole point of the exercise. Worrying's for people who have air conditioning and all those extra wheels!

[ofblong]

Ron - Understand where you're coming from. But at some point, you have to trust in your skills and protective equipment.

So. Take a deep breath, exhale. Put 'er in gear and: ENJOY! That's the whole point of the exercise. Worrying's for people who have air conditioning and all those extra wheels!

your might want to exclude central air cause I dont know what I would do without central air but worry about my sw tank overheating.

[Nibblet99]

Personally I hate that ride 2 die website.

Instead of investigating why accidents occur, investigating measures that reduce risk, and making sensible conclusions. Someone decided "lets just scare people silly" instead, to get their point/adjenda across.

To be honest its no different to some of our newspapers that sensationalise everything and would have you believing that in every street, theres a Al Qaeda peodophile rapist waiting for you.

Disregard it entirely and go do your own research, making your own conclusions about the level of risk, as you go.

Whether or not it weighs up to ride or not, should be your choice to make, fully informed, not scared shitless.

[roncg41677]

To be honest its no different to some of our newspapers that sensationalise everything and would have you believing that in every street, theres a Al Qaeda peodophile rapist waiting for you.

Oh man, now I REALLY have something to be worried about.

Those fears I voiced on the first post have faded way into the background. Tomorrow I'm going to switch the title, and the new battery should be arriving via UPS in a day or two, then I'll be on the road!