Fear? or not?

[MikeyDude]

I have a question for you experienced guys... and even the newer guys that have been riding the roads some...

When you come to a situation that you've never experienced before is your reaction considered fear or caution?

Here's an example: I was riding with a group and we were making a left turn onto a street that was all brick (not pavement). I have not ridden on brick before and know that it's slicker than pavement so I was slower than the rest of the group in making the turn. I was told this is a fear based reaction and that I'm letting my fear hold me back.

I say I was being cautious of a surface that I didn't know, and I didn't know how my bike would react... so I took it easy.

What do you guys think?

[camthepyro]

I think you were just being cautious. I think you had the right reaction. If you're encoutering something for the first time, caution is good. If you are not sure you bike can handle doing something, than don't try to do it.

[NorthernPete]

when you stop having any fear, its time to stop riding I think... nothing wrong with it.

you were observant, and adjusted your riding accordingly.

[Jamers!]

ya its cautius because you are afraid of dropping your bike. If i were to come up to something like that, some situation i had never experiencd i would be extra alert as i would be afraid that i would screw up so id be cautios in what i did. Its fear in the sesne that you would be fearful of hurting yourself or bike, its caution in that you dont want to hurt yourself or your bike.



JWF

[BigChickenStrips]

if not wanting to part ways with your motorcycle before its stopped with a kickstand down is fear, then im full of fear. if its caution, then im ful of that too.

my big fear is hitting gravel in a turn and lowsiding. i ride a lot of raods where people have gravel driveways and that gravel is in every damn turn. but theres niothing wrong with going slower if its a surface/situation you arent comfortable with.

"ride your own ride" even if the rest of the group is doing 90mph, if you arent comfortable, theres nothign wrong with slowing down and riding extra carefully.

good luck and keep the shiny side up.

[9000white]

ride alone then you dont have to listen to a bunch of halfas$ "expert" opinions.

[Kal]

Fear is your bodies way of telling you that you are at risk, listen to that voice it has great interest in you surviving the situation you are in and riding for a long time to come.

There have been times when I havent been able to push a bike the way I know it can be pushed, analysing it later I realised that my body knew the road conditions werent right. Overriding that instinct cost me two drops and a frustrating amount of time that I couldn't ride.

The short version of all that is, if YOU are not comfortable about making a turn or whatever then YOU aren't ready for that turn yet. You will be ready, just not right now. I'd rather slow down for one of my friends than pick up the pieces up off of the road after it went wrong.

[Dragonhawk]

Who the hell are you riding with? Yoda?

The people you are riding with don't know what you're thinking or feeling. They have no right to judge and label your actions. Only you can do that.

[dieziege]

My father tells a story about riding with a bunch of local cyclists through whatever passes for a canyon road in Wisconsin...he was following along with the group, falling further and further behind because he was not totally comfortable with the pace and the road, and when the group stopped they were ribbing him for going so slow.... Well, they reach one curve, all going single file, and the lead guy goes into the trees... and the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh... everyone except my father follows the leader off the road and into the trees.

Now, I thought it was father-BS for a long time... but if you scan the various motorcycling forums the same basic story gets repeated over and over again... one guy goes into a rail and his buddy (or buddies) follows along.

Set your own pace, and if people try and peer pressure you into going faster, just smile and keep setting your own pace. The worst that can happen is people eventually stop hazing you when you are going as fast as they are (but are comfortable with it)... the best is that you will avoid going into a rail with the rest of the group.

Whether it is fear or caution or a well-considered plan for self preservation does not matter.

[kabob983]

You just need a "No Fear" sticker for your bike...let everyone know you've got that attitude!