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Lost_in_ohio
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 08:24 am: | 
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I practice emergency braking in abandon store parking lots.....I was messing with low speed maneuverability there too. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 08:29 am: |
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quote:Price of loving motorcycle: a broken body
By G. Don Gale
Sell your motorcycle! Give it away. Push it over a cliff.
Motorcycles are disasters waiting to happen. They're like drugs: The temporary thrill is not worth the long-term danger.
It started with shoddy work by a Utah contractor where Salt Lake's Foothill Boulevard merges onto I-215. The incompetent contractor left an unsafe bump on the left side of the road crossing a bridge. Careful drivers dreaded it. The contractor's incompetence was compounded by careless UDOT inspectors who ignored the imperfection. (In a tacit admission of culpability, UDOT repaired the bump last week — too late to ease one man's constant pain and a young family's crushing financial burden.)
I can blame the author of the article, he states what the problem is, then tells us to get rid of our bikes. He might as well tell everybody to just get rid of all vehicles and ride a bus.
Don't walk in a crosswalk because some driver may not stop. Don't live in a house across the street from a 3-way T intersection because someone may not stop and might run into your house. Don't ride a bicycle on the road because it's worse than riding a motorcycle. Don't ride a bicycle in the woods because a treebranch may fall out of a tree. Don't ride a skate board because you might fall off and hit your head and die. Don't get out of bed in the morning because life is just too dangerous. And don't stay in bed all day because that is dangerous too.
'scuse me now, the sky is falling, I have to run to walmart and buy a new helmet and some knee and shoulder pads, working at this computer is just too dangerous. I wonder if there's a basement to this building in case a plane falls out of the sky, nevermind as there's probably dangerous gasses in the basement. 
The next time a doctor or nurse calls a motorcycle a suicycle, just ask them if they've operated on the wrong person lately or accidently given out the wrong medication. A hospital is a dangerous place to be. "G. Donald Gale" is a bag of hot air. That apple has a worm in it, I'd better throw away this banana.
Is it Monday today? Feels like it. |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 09:00 am: |
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I can reduce risk to ZERO in any activity - by non-participation.
Sure, people can structure their lives to where their risks are minimized but like MANY people, I take risks.
I have been known to go outside with short sleeves and WITHOUT a hat - even doing so without sunscreen!!! Really, I know that might shock many of you but I'm not making that up - I'm that kinda guy.
I've actually crossed the street at places other than the crosswalk or intersection. Yes - I know I'll be chided for doing so but hey, I'm a risk taker - I'm that kinda guy.
I've even been late to meetings at work and have actually taken to jogging - WHILE CARRYING A PEN OR PENCIL!!! No, REALLY - I am a big risk-taker and sometimes I just DO this kinda thing.
Just don't tell Mommy that I ride a motorcycle, OK? |
Limitedx1
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 09:42 am: |
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last night some idiot on a crotch rocket tries to pass a car that was making a left hand hand turn at the crest of a hill. well his dumb @$$ went to pass on the left side of the van......BANG, my sister and her fiance watched the whole thing from there porch. no turn signal from the obviously lost mini van, but what ignorance to follow too close and then pass on the left (the only other road was one on the left).
i would rather wait another minute than wreck my one off buell.
p.s. people who lay motorcycles down cant control them when it really get nitty gritty! |
Ryker77
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 09:44 am: |
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Glad to see that I am not th only nutcase that practices emergency stopping and evasion techniques.
I would love to ride some experts side by side to compare what I do to what should be done. And visually see how much quicker they stop or how the stop and manuever the bike at the same time. |
Wtcardr
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 09:46 am: |
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BEING AN MSF AND RIDER'S EDGE INSTRUCTOR MYSELF, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE YOUNG MAN WAS TAUGHT TO "LAY IT DOWN." THAT IS NOT AN OPTION. LAYING IT DOWN MEANS YOU DID NOT KNOW HOW TO BRAKE PROPERLY. ALSO PROBABLY FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY. JUST MY THOUGHTS. THESE THINGS ARE EASIER TO DO WHEN OLDER, WISER, AND MORE EXPERIENCED.}} |
Mikej
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 10:32 am: |
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quote:I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE YOUNG MAN WAS TAUGHT TO "LAY IT DOWN."
Watching this movie one too many times:
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Swordsman
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:21 am: |
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Yeah, the author says he was "taught" to lay it down, but didn't mention any professional training program. Probably a relative or a friend "trained" him to do that... surely wouldn't have been as MSF instructor.
~SM |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:36 am: |
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The bottom line is that you are responsible for your own safety no matter what the conditions are. G. Don Gale wants to blame everyone but the kid, but the kid is the one who made every decision that lead up to his accident. If he hit a vehicle from behind, he was following too closely and didn't have the necessary skills to ride his way out of the situation he put himself into.
There is no substitute for situational awarness. How many of us have saved our own lives before? |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:45 am: |
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Fortunately, the young man who broke both legs is home again. He is confined to a hospital bed.
So is this guy at home or in hospital?
Also sounds like he wasn't wearing any protection apart from a helmet.
He was too close & too fast, but hey it's gotta be somebody elses fault hasn't it?
If he had time to "lay it down" he had time to stop, this is bollocks, it's just an anti motorcycle diatribe.
I had a head-on with a van saturday & ok I ain't dancing today but I'll be driving again by the end of the week & back in the saddle as soon as I damn well can.
WEAR YOUR GEAR!!! that's what it's for. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:54 am: |
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I think this is a scathing call to ban Jeeps from the road (they really are more fun off road) and BIG SUVs from existence too, go get a slow minivan, the number of drivers that actually know how to engage the 4x4 (by their own admission) is less than 10%, those that use it less than 4%! Where is the safety course that requires SUV owners to navigate an obstacle course and driving test before issuing them a license ? Want a cash cow? that is it. State imposed drivers education and specific testing for SUV drivers ... |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 12:29 pm: |
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Another thing... that G. Don Gale really bugged me when he didn't admonish all his readers to WATCH OUT FOR MOTORCYCLES. If anything, he's created a more hostile environment for all of us who are still out there. |
Alchemy
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 04:31 pm: |
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Dhlen32, Steve_A and Wolfridgerider, Thanks for the comments.
About 25 years ago I had a situation a bit more complicated but essentially an unavoidable collision into a station wagon that had stopped in the midst of making a right turn. Burned off most of the speed but at the very end, dumped the bike and rode it into the rear of the car. Things happen fast and I don't think my body hit the car. Bike took a fair amount of damage. Very little damage to the car. No broken bones. I use the experience to keep my humility quotient in the appropriate range.
Swerving was not really a safe option due to the position of the car and on-coming traffic. Right up to the end I was hoping the car would simply start moving and complete a little more of the turn to give me an escape route but it was not to be. You can't count on anybody else to give you an edge on safety. You have to attend to it yourself. |
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