Is biking too dangerous?

Hi All

My Dad nearly died recently, for the first time in my life I realised just how fragile life is.

I'm left wondering if riding a bike is a bit daft. I've always been of the opinion 'It's worth the risk (albeit small)' but now I'm thinking otherwise.

Has anyone else had any thoughts like this? I'm guessing if you did and stopped riding you probably won't be on the forum anymore but I'll try anyway.

Thanks

[dizzyblonde]

Ride safely, and your not a dangerous risky rider, then no its not too dangerous.
I am a mother first and a biker second. I ride with this in mind.
I don't ride to show off, I ride for me.

If I stopped riding it would drive me insane, but I'm pretty certain if I ended up like my other half, full of trick bit scaffold, I would probably give up....

...but thats my feelings and nobody elses.

but if you have this attitude you would never really do much surely? everything has an element of risk to it

[yorkie_chris]

Is it worth it? Yes.

That's sort of where I am ad53ggz, but there's an element of putting yourself in harm's way

[Spiderman]

People tell me all the time that riding a bike is dangerous. The reality is crossing a road can also be dangerous if you dont have your wits about you and even if you do there may be a time that some drunk in a car decides to share the same bit of tarmac as you with disasterous consequences. Point i'm making is anythign can happen to any of us but we all carry on hoping nothing ramdon will and planning as well as we can for the other stuff.

Very sorry to hear about your experience and your dad, that must be scary.

I always try and remember that the only guarantee we get when we come into this life is that someday we will leave it again. Hopefully there will be a big old gap between those 2 events that will be filled with fun and joy of all kinds tho

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by jamesw1024

but there's an element of putting yourself in harm's way

But thats an everyday thing. You might get knocked over by a bus when crossing the road for example.

I'm of the opinion that the enjoyment I get from riding outweighs the risks. You can do lots of stuff to mitigate risk, such as training, bikesafe, IAM etc etc, but at the end of the day when its your time its your time.

Life is for living, not hiding away IMHO. I'd much rather go because somethings happened riding my bike, that because I've had a heart attack because I am a couch potato that never did anything with my life.

[glang]

its a difficult one that I guess nearly everyone thinks about at some stage. One thing, dont forget that many people die in cars and nobody even thinks for a second before settin off! I try to bear in mind the risk of riding and this acts as deterent for being too stupid.

After your world has been shook up like yours so recently has, you’ll look at a lot of aspects of your life and wonder what you can do make your life a better one. Its no doubt a really tough time for you and the people closest too you but a person is at their best when they are happiest and if riding makes you happy then ride. As they say, smile and the world will smile with you.

If this is a question of biking as a dangerous method of transport and you have dependants that you’d hate to leave behind. You’d have to start asking yourself the same question about everything, you’d only cross roads and traffic stops. You’d never sit under a tree, You’d never go into a 24/7 store after 11. You see what I’m getting at?

If you ride to ride then its definitely not dangerous, it’s a hobby and maybe the question is really about your riding style and if your asking the question then I’d put money on yes you ride too dangerously so maybe tone it down a bit. If you ride for a purpose ie a commute then ride to arrive think of your self as a car with 2 wheels and no roof, don’t filter and don’t cut ques and to your best to keep your self visible to other road users.

You found bikes for a reason, IMHO stay with bikes.

[flymo]

actually makes me feel the opposite, I'm not reckless with my life but I do feel that you have to get on and live it. You only get one life and its not a rehearsal.

Live it to the max.