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For the 'look where you want to be' go practice on a bicycle. Preferably an old heavy one so you have a chance of noticing that you're muscling it to avoid going where you look.

Cool!

I just signed up to take the BRC for the second time. I have my endorsement and I took the class four years ago at WVU-P. I just haven't riden that much at all. So, I'm really nervous when I'm on my bike. I think retaking the class again is smart choice on my part.

My class is on June 26th in Marietta, Ohio. The class is only $25 in Ohio, vs $100 here in West Virginia.

The classes will be booked way out pretty soon. Sign up for the first available class and show up the first day of the next class they are giving. If you let the instructor know you are there and someone doesn't show up by the end of the first video they will probably put you into that class so that they have a full class for that weekend. Also if they have more than one site and the class you are at all shows, you may ask the instructor to call their other sites to make sure that all the other classes filled. Sometimes you may have to drive a little bit to get to another site for the rest of the weekend but, they will be happy to have a full class and you will get your class sooner. So what they do is run you through the classroom work the first night at the site you are at and then you go to the site that had the opening the next day. Just a little industry secret.

WVUbdsrfl wrote:I know I still have a month to go before my class, but I can't seem to get a grip on the "Look where you want to go" concept.

I hear people say that if you look at the curb in a turn you'll likely hit it.

Does that concept really only apply when you're out in the open. Meaning that doesn't happen when you're driving a car does it?

This most definitely does apply when driving a car, as well, and it also very much applies to crowded trafficky situations.

As someone else pointed out, there are two things with the 'look where you want to go'. First, by keeping your head and eyes up, looking far far far ahead of you, you are increasing your field of vision. You can see more when you look out at the horizion than you can if you look down at the ground/hood ornament/etc.

Looking far ahead also changes your perception of speed. Try it sometime... when you're on a long straight road, look down at the lane lines and see how it feels like they are flying by; then look at the horizon and see how it feels like it takes forever to get there.

That sense of slowing down - combined with the increased vision - is a good thing. If you've been looking far enough ahead, you have already gotten a sense of what is coming and you don't need to look at it any more.

The opposite is, essentially, target fixation. Target fixation occurs when you look at something that is relatively close and your brain goes "OH MY GOD THAT <pole, guard rail, drop-off, SUV, etc.> IS FLYING AT ME!!" There are typically two outcomes at that point: hit the brakes/slow down or panic, freeze and hit the object in front of you.

Soooo... how does this apply to turning your head and cornering? Well, if the idea is to 'keep your head and eyes up' and to 'look where you are going', then when you are cornering, in order to look where you are going, you have to turn your head.

Try it in your cage sometime. Find a curve and force yourself to look at the place where the lane line vanishes from sight as you go through. You'll find that you're faster and smoother. When you've gotten in the habit, do it with a passenger for even more fun - they'll fixate and freak out at how fast you're going.

Hey guys,
I'm really excited for the class, less then 2 weeks left!
The bike bug is definitely biting me hard, especially with all the nice weather we've been having and seeing other out on their bikes.

I have another question about the class though.
You're required to wear a long sleeve jacket or t-shirt for outdoor part of the class.
I have a light duty zip up Carhart jacket, would that be fine or should I try to find something else?

Thanks all!

Anything with long sleeves will work. My advice is to bring layers (including rain gear) even if you don't think you'll need them.

WVUbdsrfl wrote: When I was younger, before I was old enough to get my license, I would ride bicycle with my pals almost 203 miles everyday.

Seriously? That's more than professionals training for the Tour de France. I used to ride 20 a day.

RockBottom wrote: Seriously? That's more than professionals training for the Tour de France. I used to ride 20 a day.

Ha! No, that's a mistake. I had meant to put a hyphen, so it should've been 2-3 miles.
I can't believe I missed that.

My class starts tomorrow, wooo!

Holy cow I had such a blast out on the range today!!
I was riding a nighthawk, which is what most of the class had.

I now understand the look where you go concept.

I felt like I was doing pretty well, I was a little hesitant with swerving and quick stopping at first but got the hang of it. I think the exercise I enjoyed the most was cornering using Slow Look Press Roll. It's so much fun to get on the throttle as you come out of the turn.

I found I sometimes over thought the skills and things where much easier if I just let them happen, so to speak.

I'll be honest, I felt really cool looking at my reflection in the tank while sitting on the seat.

Can't wait for tomorrow!!