Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:46 am
in advance i apologize for the length. but i am a "preacher" and we tend to be long-winded.
to bring this back on topic....
i started riding 3 years ago. i got some resistance from my wife but not a lot. i think the lack of resistance had to do with our history and timing.
our history - my wife knows that i'm a pretty safe guy. i'm not a daredevil. i don't look for the rush in events. don't get me wrong, i like things like roller-coasters but i don't feel the urge to go cliff jumping, skydiving, etc. so when i shared that i wanted one for transportation she knew that's what i wanted.
she also knows i'm a researcher by nature. just about the only major decision in my life i didn't research was getting a stinkin' chihuahua. (really should have researched that decision.) so she knew it wasn't a quick - i want it - moment. she knew i would have researched the safety aspects and there would have to be a solid reason behind it.
there was a reason behind it... if you remember, three years ago was when gas prices started going up. we had just moved to a new house that put me 30 minutes from work. i could drive my truck which got 20 mpg or get a bike that gets 50 mpg. and since i am primarily a commuter, the math does work quite well for me in saving gas.
the research... we had just had our first child. i didn't want to go and get myself killed. in my research i found out how to bring my chances of getting seriously injured/killed down... and then took those steps.
- i looked into the BRC and took it. aced the written and lost 3 points in the box. pretty good score if you ask me.
- i researched gear. i didn't want a full-faced helmet. but when i did the research i soon found out that is the kind of helmet i should get. i always wear boots, a proper riding jacked with armor, and gloves. i did have pants but i got too fat for them. trying to take care of that now.
- i called my insurance company to find out how much it was going to be.
- any other item that could be researched was.
when i shared my research with her and that i would be dramatically dropping the statistical chances of me getting into trouble she was much more at ease.
all of these things helped. the only thing she asked was that i get life insurance before i start riding just incase something were to happen. that's understandable. she's a stay home mom. she shouldn't have to worry about the house and bills on top of dealing with all the grief and whatnot if i were to die (on a bike or walking down the street).
the timing was also good. she saw me interested in watching shows like biker build off and american chopper and knew i liked bikes. for "fun" i would look through the bargain trader, craigslist and ebay at bikes.
there were many more little things over time that showed it wasn't a spur of the moment deal for me but something i had wanted for a while and wasn't going away. by the time the gas prices shot up, it was actually my wife who brought up that we could have money on gas if i had a bike. that was a big green light for me. time to take the class.
now three years later she ever now and then says things like "if i were to ride i would want a bike like that." or "i think i could ride that bike." or "would that bike be too big for me to ride?" if we didn't have two small kids (ages 1 & 3) that are with her everywhere she goes i think she'd have one pretty soon. we'll just have to wait a few years for that.
hope that helps some.
to bring this back on topic....
i started riding 3 years ago. i got some resistance from my wife but not a lot. i think the lack of resistance had to do with our history and timing.
our history - my wife knows that i'm a pretty safe guy. i'm not a daredevil. i don't look for the rush in events. don't get me wrong, i like things like roller-coasters but i don't feel the urge to go cliff jumping, skydiving, etc. so when i shared that i wanted one for transportation she knew that's what i wanted.
she also knows i'm a researcher by nature. just about the only major decision in my life i didn't research was getting a stinkin' chihuahua. (really should have researched that decision.) so she knew it wasn't a quick - i want it - moment. she knew i would have researched the safety aspects and there would have to be a solid reason behind it.
there was a reason behind it... if you remember, three years ago was when gas prices started going up. we had just moved to a new house that put me 30 minutes from work. i could drive my truck which got 20 mpg or get a bike that gets 50 mpg. and since i am primarily a commuter, the math does work quite well for me in saving gas.
the research... we had just had our first child. i didn't want to go and get myself killed. in my research i found out how to bring my chances of getting seriously injured/killed down... and then took those steps.
- i looked into the BRC and took it. aced the written and lost 3 points in the box. pretty good score if you ask me.
- i researched gear. i didn't want a full-faced helmet. but when i did the research i soon found out that is the kind of helmet i should get. i always wear boots, a proper riding jacked with armor, and gloves. i did have pants but i got too fat for them. trying to take care of that now.
- i called my insurance company to find out how much it was going to be.
- any other item that could be researched was.
when i shared my research with her and that i would be dramatically dropping the statistical chances of me getting into trouble she was much more at ease.
all of these things helped. the only thing she asked was that i get life insurance before i start riding just incase something were to happen. that's understandable. she's a stay home mom. she shouldn't have to worry about the house and bills on top of dealing with all the grief and whatnot if i were to die (on a bike or walking down the street).
the timing was also good. she saw me interested in watching shows like biker build off and american chopper and knew i liked bikes. for "fun" i would look through the bargain trader, craigslist and ebay at bikes.
there were many more little things over time that showed it wasn't a spur of the moment deal for me but something i had wanted for a while and wasn't going away. by the time the gas prices shot up, it was actually my wife who brought up that we could have money on gas if i had a bike. that was a big green light for me. time to take the class.
now three years later she ever now and then says things like "if i were to ride i would want a bike like that." or "i think i could ride that bike." or "would that bike be too big for me to ride?" if we didn't have two small kids (ages 1 & 3) that are with her everywhere she goes i think she'd have one pretty soon. we'll just have to wait a few years for that.
hope that helps some.
