10-21-2015, 12:29 AM
I've been an insurance agent for the past 30+ years. Sometimes folks tell me, directly or otherwise, that insurance is a "necessary evil" which doesn't exactly put my chosen profession in the finest light. My response to this pseudo-criticism is that I explain that what I do, what the insurance companies I represent do, is allow you to take certain risks in your life, be they fiscal or physical, that you may not have taken otherwise. Many people could not take the risk of injuring someone while operating an automobile if not for insurance. They might not be able to afford the vehicle in the first place if not for a car loan and the lender wouldn't take the risk of funding the purchase if the vehicle didn't have insurance coverage. Many people would avoid some of the riskier recreational activities of life if not for boat, motorcycle, life, health, or accident insurance. I like to think that what I do gives folks an opportunity to get out there and do the best stuff of life.
I view motorcycling as one of those riskier things that brings joy to my life. Because of my background, I think I pay extra attention to mitigating the risk so to maximize the joy. All the gear, good tires, a well maintained bike combine to make me feel comfortable enough to ride out of my garage and out onto the street. I don't think I would be as aggressive through turns if it were not for the trust I have in my equipment to keep me reasonably safe. Still, I apply risk management techniques to my riding (nearly) all the time. I try to anticipate what that driver at the next cross street might do that could injure me and I adjust my speed and lane position accordingly. I scan my horizon for any other potential dangers and make similar adjustments based upon assuming the worst case scenario. Surprisingly enough, having the right gear and applying these sorts of techniques habitually is actually quite liberating--these things give me the freedom to 'push the envelope' sometimes because I have properly assessed the risk of doing so and because I have the safety-net of my equipment, just in case my risk assessment was a bit off.
Sometimes you have to take risk to get the reward, but you don't have to take all the risk to get some pretty good rewards.
I view motorcycling as one of those riskier things that brings joy to my life. Because of my background, I think I pay extra attention to mitigating the risk so to maximize the joy. All the gear, good tires, a well maintained bike combine to make me feel comfortable enough to ride out of my garage and out onto the street. I don't think I would be as aggressive through turns if it were not for the trust I have in my equipment to keep me reasonably safe. Still, I apply risk management techniques to my riding (nearly) all the time. I try to anticipate what that driver at the next cross street might do that could injure me and I adjust my speed and lane position accordingly. I scan my horizon for any other potential dangers and make similar adjustments based upon assuming the worst case scenario. Surprisingly enough, having the right gear and applying these sorts of techniques habitually is actually quite liberating--these things give me the freedom to 'push the envelope' sometimes because I have properly assessed the risk of doing so and because I have the safety-net of my equipment, just in case my risk assessment was a bit off.
Sometimes you have to take risk to get the reward, but you don't have to take all the risk to get some pretty good rewards.