All this excitement - how do you control it?

[leshkin]

Here is a question, to which I couldn't find an answer on this forum (might be my searching technique :roll: ).

How do you control yourself and keep to sensible speeds while riding your bike on public roads? What I mean is what do you say to yourself or do to resist the urge to open it up through a nice sweeping bend or fly away from traffic lights? I keep finding myself doing silly speeds on my way to and from work (all of you know how fast an SV can go). It's not that I try to race everyone (I'm not really a competitive person), it's more like a race against myself.

I know what you're going to say - young and stupid. But everyone has gone through that and people, who managed to stay out of hedges and avoid white vans, are the ones, who can calm themselves down and lead long and hopefully happy biking lives.

I thought about this when a colegue at work showed a phone picture of a bike accident he witnessed this morning. Not sure how the biker faired, but I was told that he was conscious after the crash (I hope he's fine).

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this? Advanced training, experience or meditation? Let me know please before I end up like that guy in the photo :oops:

[Fizzy Fish]

I'm probably not one to talk as I also succumb to the 'red mist'. However I do find that a helpful speed kurb is to think about how long you'd lose your licence for if you were to get clocked at that point in time. Plus advanced training is always a good idea as it helps you to be more aware of potential hazards.

[tinpants]

I think we all succumb to the red mist from time to time but its what you do about it. I think about my kids growing up without a dad, and my wife having to deal with the fact that I'm not coming home and how she's going to tell the kids.









Usually has the desired effect and I put the brakes on a bit.

[Mr Toad]

There are old bikers, and there are bold bikers.

But there are no old bold bikers :wink:

[Peter Henry]

This question can only be answered by yourself in truth. You will have your own reasoning for riding how you do at any given time. 8)

[philipMac]

Well. Threads like this do the trick:
http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=35814

Humans are squashy soft things, and 70 mph lorrys are less so.

[Warren]

to be honest, i dont resist the temptation,

i just make sure i am safe in doing so.


safe from prosection and danger

[lynw]

Ive slowed down a lot this week. But that has to do with reading about a biker dieing last week on a stretch of road I use daily, Full Throttles death on Friday and my mate breaking his leg on Friday when a car did a u turn on him.

I recently posted a link to a visordown thread on Hall13UKs biker fatality, 29th March thread. If you want a bit of sobering up find it and click on the link. Because thats what happens if you overcook it on a corner way too fast with oncoming traffic. The driver was hospitalised and the biker died I would suggest pretty much instantly.

Thats all it takes to slow me down. That and having crashed far too many times already. Ive been very lucky so far. I really dont want to be lucky any more - just not get myself into a situation where I need luck and good gear to help me.

[kwak zzr]

i tend to be a HERO rider in the summer on the welsh lanes, but every now and again you get a scare :? may be a phesant or a sheep in the road or maybe you'll drift across the white line when you corner too fast! these things slow me down and make me think :oops: what if ????? its hard to not ride on the edge because for me thats where the fun is, but try to ride within your limits or you WILL go down! no one gets away with it forever, "me" up to now i think ive been bl@@dy lucky!! :oops:

[jim@55]

i just went on a bikesafe night /talk it wasn,t an actual on-bike night ,just in a classroom/lecture theatre .ther was aguy there (not in the police)whho stood up on stage and gave us a story about his biking life and boy i was humbled .this guy was your typical 'up the establishment type'lost his leg ,the other leg was all skin grafts and his whole body was all scarred.he basically put the message across'ride like a nob and youl prob die or b in a wheelchair'think about it ,i do and coming home i was more aware of whats out there ,,,,more training is a good idea just to b more aware .i really like riding my bike and we all like to go fast ,,only hopefully now its in a safer way ..im not a cop or anything just an average guy that wants to live,..the memories that are burned into my mind slow me down now ,,use the inside of your head,not the outside.

[rictus01]

I truely think it's a case of controlled madness, after all why have anything that goes over 80 mph, I tend to look at it as % of survivability, at times that % will be lower than others, I'm a great beleiver in " at time and place".

30 years and over a million miles, I haven't found a way of stopping myself completly, and I'm not at all sure I'd want to either :shock: .

Cheers Mark.

[Warren]

Ive slowed down a lot this week. But that has to do with reading about a biker dieing last week on a stretch of road I use daily, Full Throttles death on Friday and my mate breaking his leg on Friday when a car did a u turn on him.

I recently posted a link to a visordown thread on Hall13UKs biker fatality, 29th March thread. If you want a bit of sobering up find it and click on the link. Because thats what happens if you overcook it on a corner way too fast with oncoming traffic. The driver was hospitalised and the biker died I would suggest pretty much instantly.

Thats all it takes to slow me down. That and having crashed far too many times already. Ive been very lucky so far. I really dont want to be lucky any more - just not get myself into a situation where I need luck and good gear to help me.

dont mean to derail or anything, but about 5 mins ago, i just quoted what you said at the top there,

then my quote is gone, along with what you just said.

am i going mad ?


ok- i am going mad, that was in a different thread.

feel silly now - should really sleep :oops: :oops: :oops:

[thor]

I like all my limbs where they are.

But yeah, sometimes it's hard.

[philipMac]

Yeah.
I mean, its a lot like vertical caving, or climbing. If you a mistake, the penalties are so severe, ie probably death, that it focuses you.
You just cannot make mistakes. Then, all you have to look out for is bad luck.

So, you have to not make mistakes, and also be ready for bad luck.

And, then, I have a nasty habit of realising that I was a crap driver 6 months ago compared to how I am now. And, I have been driving for about 10 years.

Also, like lyn said, I have crashed a LOT. Like, far too often. I dont even rememeber how often now, only the biger ones. And the first one :roll: I reckon a lot of my luck is used up.

[madmal]

to try and maintaine CONTROL is an issue that comes with life experience. no matter what you apply it to.

we all sucumb to the red mist even if for a split second. but that could be the difference between living it or losing it.

when you lose a couple of friends from bike related incidents and have family of your own, you look at the whole perspective of riding a bike differently.

enjoy your riding but think how your actions will affect others :wink:

track day, advanced training :!:

[fizzwheel]

I dont really know how I control it, I just get up to a speed where I feel comfortable for the road I'm on and the road conditions.

Alot of the time I'm riding out with E.d. Often shes behind me and sometimes I think about what it would be like for her if I rode like a moron and came off in front of her. What she'd do and how it would effect her and that makes me keep my speed sensible. I think about what it would be like for somebody to have to tell my family that I had come off and hurt myself or possibly worse.

The other thing I think about is how I dont want to prove my mum right when she said that I would crash it. I want to stay on just to prove her wrong if that makes sense.

Every now and again I get the red mist and ride beyond what I would normally do but it doesnt last very long.

I dont think I ride slow but I dont think I ride like a nutter either. I always for me seem to find the middle ground in between where I enjoy how I ride but I dont feel like I'm going past my limit anymore. I used to get this alot when I started riding and whilst I was lucky and I didnt crash I had lots of brown trouser moments where I came very very close.

[jonboy]

Control? What's that? :shock: :lol:

I suppose awareness of my own mortality, the potentially fatal aspects of certain road hazards, and that rubber only sticks to tarmac so much until it lets go.

Most accidents occur through either blind stupidity, focussing on just one aspect of the road ahead (instead of taking it all in), and riding way outside of your own skill/experience envelope. And gaining skill and experience takes time, a lot of time.


.

[K]

How do you control it - you don't. You just learn where and when it is appropriate and safe. :wink:

[Jelster]

How do you control it - you don't. You just learn where and when it is appropriate and safe. :wink:

That's sort of what I was going to say....

You just learn to judge when the time and place are NOT right.... M25 is a good a example, the amount of unmarked cars on there is quite high, just don't ride like a k*ob, especially around other road users.

......

[PsychoCannon]

The constant pain in my left knee (which I skinned to the bone last time I came off) helps remind me to slow down :)....occasionally.....

[Mr Toad]

. . . my left knee . . .


I remember when I had one of those :shock:

[K]

. . . my left knee . . .


I remember when I had one of those :shock:

See, I've still got most of mine...

... now if only I could remember where some of the bits of it have floated off to?!

And answer me this - why is it always the LEFT leg they manage to get mangled up in programs like Casualty and moves n stuff? :evil:

[lynw]

Have to say the pics in the thread in Biking Issues of Andy_13UKs accident are very, very sobering.

No offence to Andy but that had to be some impact speed, and I think hes very, very lucky to still be here.

End of the day you have to know your limits, know your bikes limits and occasionally obey the speed limits because some of them are there for a very good reason ie to stop you having an accident.

I think most of us who have learnt to control it to appropriate times/places have done so through the pain of learning the hard way when its not appropriate. We've just all been lucky the circumstances have meant we are here to tell the tale - wonky knees or not. Like PsychoCannon says, nothing like a bit of pain to remind you to slow down at times.

[Daimo]

Theres a time and a place.

Its quite hard for me as i've had someone walk out in front of me and i took him out. Totally his fault, walked between a barrier (roadworks covering gap) and walked out in front of a lorry without a care in the world. I had no chance.

That incident alone made me think long and hard about riding through town. Im now MUCH more placid and try not to put myself in the situation of someone walking out in front and me not being able to stop in time.

tbh, i feel much safer for it as well, and it doesn't add any journey time really, not with all the lights and traffic in the city.

However, when i get to the a2 its much harder. I tend to have a quick blip through the box and then take it easy the rest of the way. Too much to loose.

When im out at the weekends, i've usually got the missis, a good reason not to try anything dangerous at all.

But for me, its just self control. Go to do it, think about it quickyl first, usually opt out.

I don't mind giving it a quick blip in 1st n 2nd when going from lights etc, but then im back off the throttle again so never really get any speed up anyway.

[Balky001]

Best way to slow down is have your own crash - you'll be a little lighter on the throttle after than :wink:

I find it hard to keep to limits especially when I have 'Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time' playing in my head as I filter :wink: :wink:

[Daimo]

Best way to slow down is have your own crash - you'll be a little lighter on the throttle after than :wink:

I find it hard to keep to limits especially when I have 'Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time' playing in my head as I filter :wink: :wink:

LMFAO ha ha, you know i've had that thought.........

Agreed, it sometimes takes and accident to realise..

[Viney]

Best way to slow down is have your own crash - you'll be a little lighter on the throttle after than :wink:
many a true word spoken in Jest

[PsychoCannon]

Sad but true :)
It wasn't until I had a few smashes before it finally settled in that it doesnt matter if you can drive well or just think you can at speed at the end of the day slowing down just makes a lot of inevitable accidents suddenly managable run in's with ****s instead :) (Which are a lot cheaper and easier on the internal organs if none the less frustrating).

I got to admit though a few near misses will do the trick to a similar extent though :)
Had a bend I loved (M1 - Junction 6 southbound) went round that knee on the deck.

A month ago I was on a rail replacement bus and suddenly i recognised the road, we came out from a little side road right on the apex of that same off ramp from the M1 that I had never seen in my year+ of coming down it, the bus very slowly turned across that entire lane, If I had been on my bike that day tearing round with my knee down I wouldn't of stood a chance and my last thoughts would of been "Where the F**K did that come from" :D.

[philipMac]

I had never seen in my year+ of coming down it, the bus very slowly turned across that entire lane, If I had been on my bike that day tearing round with my knee down I wouldn't of stood a chance and my last thoughts would of been "Where the F**K did that come from" :D.

been there, done exactly that. (I was on a bicycle at the time.) I actually went back, to have a look to try and convince myself they hasd just build the road.
That's what I meant by luck. A little bit of ****ty luck can cost you a lot.
Its all very good talking about control though, we all do brain dead things though. My favourite was "commited roudabouts", ie, where you stream in doing 60 no matter what, dont even try to break, hurl the bike through the roudabout.
The logic being that at that speed you will be going faster than everything, so you can enter the roundabout... ehhh, forget it. No logic.

[leshkin]

Accidents? I had one a year ago. Stayed off the bike after that. Mainly because of my cousin also having a major off round about the same time as me and ending up in hospital for 3 months with a caved in scull and a huge metal plate in his head. I even thought about selling the bike, because the Insurance guy said it would cost more to fix it then just to scrap it. A year later and a load of ebaying for parts I decided that if you love doing something enough, you should do it no matter what other say. Fixed the bike and been enjoying over the last couple of months.

I guess it's really up to the individual to deal with themselves. I'm thinking about a bikesafe course and then an Advanced rider Cert. I hope this will make me a safer (not slower) rider.

Will the bikesafe people have anything against my CCC can without a baffle? Anyone done it with a dodgy pipe?

Thanks for your input guys and girls. I hope to avoid blind drivers next time :)

[Patch]

How do you learn to control yourself?

Good judgement

How do you develop good judgement?

experience

How do you get experience

Poor Jusgement


The reality is that you will learn, either by the painful experience of crashing yourself, burying too many of your friends or losing your license for a while after Mr Plod has a chat.

It may well take all three in your case as it did in mine.

The other way is to lean by wisdom and that is by learning from those that have gone before. Don't get me wrong it's not about riding at the speed limit, its about hearing the the little voice inside your head which pops up and says "this feels wrong" and then having the brains to listen to it.