Russian Roulette

[Luckypants]

On the risk / parent hood thing, you cannot change your way of life because you are worried of leaving them behind. They won't give you the same consideration! Just ensure that they would be provided for if the worst should happen.

Conversely, you will become more risk aware as a parent and so you WILL modify your behaviour. You will take less risks, but on a bike that is probably a good thing IMHO.

I have boated to a very high standard and come close to losing my life whilst doing it. I still boat. I still assess each rapid based on my knowledge, water levels, how I'm paddling, who I'm with etc etc. My behaviour was / is not modified by having kids except in those situations where the go / no go was 50/50 - at that point it tended to swing it towards no go. I now go boating with my kids and have passed on that assessment of risk (although my son is too brave for my liking!) to them.

Biking for me is the same, although the decisions about go / no go are more frequent and have to be made very quickly at each bend, overtake, juction etc. I use my own criteria for risk assessment and being a Dad is not one of them.

I have to ask Baph- how do you do it? Plod turns up again and the other guy is arrested!

I think you should set up a sticky thread with all your antics to keep us amused!

Originally Posted by thedonal

I have to ask Baph- how do you do it? Plod turns up again and the other guy is arrested!

I think you should set up a sticky thread with all your antics to keep us amused!

In that circumstance, I hadn't done anything wrong.

I went for the overtake, doing everything properly (except perhaps my speed, but I wasn't watching my speedo, and WVM isn't going to complain about that as he was trying to do the same as me, implying his speed was the same as mine - almost).

WVM tried to move into me, I gave audiable warning (horn) to no avail.

I was calm & collected whilst talking to the copper, they were too busy working out why we were arguing to look at my bike, so they didn't see the loud can or small plate issues (even if they're aware of the laws around it).

WVM was F'ing & blinding. He was cautionned for swearing at me, and he promptly told the copper where to go, so I was told to have a nice day & continue with my journey. They no longer cared about our minor disagreement. All that mattered was he was swearing at the copper.

No. Never thought of biking as being that risky, but I can see that it would be easy to up the risk to a RRoulette level. Overtakes on blind corners etc etc.

Considering a lot of speed cameras are sometimes just an empty box you could play Russian Roulette with your licence!

RR

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Baph

In that circumstance, I hadn't done anything wrong.

Do you not think though, if you had waited for WVM to complete his idiot overtake then you would have avoided the whole situation in the first place.

One day your going to come off worse in a situation like that. I know I know its your choice etc etc...

Its like the people on roundabouts when somebody pulls out on them, that speed up and then brake really hard and blow the horn, if they just let off the throttle and made some room then they wouldnt get into that confrontational state in the first place.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Do you not think though, if you had waited for WVM to complete his idiot overtake then you would have avoided the whole situation in the first place.

Split second decision I went with my gut. I saw the possibility of him moving out, and figured I could get by before he moved.

I remember thinking just before moving out "Shall I? Yes." Gut reaction, and yes, one day trusting my gut could well end worse for wear.

Good question.

Thing is all the things I have done, riding a motorcycle has always been my closest shaves. Certainly was a risk for sure.

Something Colin Edwards said was if you are scared then you shouldnt be there. I think that could describe riding a road bike as well.

Originally Posted by The Basket

Something Colin Edwards said was if you are scared then you shouldnt be there. I think that could describe riding a road bike as well.

A phrase I often repeat to myself "Never go where angels fear to tred."

Originally Posted by K

Didi mau didi mau, three bullet, ten dollar.
Prase bets preese.

I was worried nobody would get my De Niro joke Thanx K

Sometimes the Russian Roulette game is loaded against you.

I got knocked off the bike on Tuesday night - I was stationary and the idiot in front reversed 3 ft back into me! And this was in a car park! Basically he wanted to turn right out of the car park (wrong way up a one way road) but cars were coming towards him so he "kindly" reversed to let them all go so that he'd be able to whiz up the road the wrong way. Unfortunately Mr FordFocus couldnt be arsed to look behing him.

Luckily no damage to the bike but my arm & knee are a bit achy - those crash bungs aint half good.

It's safer on the road than in the car park !