Fear of death or injury

[Red Mist_imp]

This thread just gets better!

I love the parallel betwixt bikes and flying. I have the same trepidation stepping on board a plane (I don't fly them) as I do jumping on my bike. More so on the plane as although it's statistically safer, I'm NOT IN CONTROL!! Very worrying for me..

I've ridden bikes (well one) at 174mph.

I've nearly killed myself numerous times by 'pushing the envelope' or whatever that expression is, yet I've survived.

I think, just maybe, the risk makes it fun, albeit retrospectively.

How many times (for the non pilots and mere riders amongst us) have you saddled up with a weird feeling of terror or dread about you, expecting this to be your last two wheeled foray, only to come home hours laters totally fine?

And then you wallow in the almost post-coital numbness of survival. Sitting with cold knees and a cold beer, feeling like you cheated death once again, whilst recalling all the highlights of the ride...

In the realm of risk, they can be quite similar. Many years ago on an aviation forum, some of the more statistically inclined members ran years of statistical data and concluded that flying (non-commercially) carried a similar risk per mile as riding a motorcycle. Cages and commercial flying were a lot less risky, but where's the fun in that?

This thread just gets better!

I love the parallel betwixt bikes and flying. I have the same trepidation stepping on board a plane (I don't fly them) as I do jumping on my bike. More so on the plane as although it's statistically safer, I'm NOT IN CONTROL!! Very worrying for me..

I've ridden bikes (well one) at 174mph.

I've nearly killed myself numerous times by 'pushing the envelope' or whatever that expression is, yet I've survived.

I think, just maybe, the risk makes it fun, albeit retrospectively.

How many times (for the non pilots and mere riders amongst us) have you saddled up with a weird feeling of terror or dread about you, expecting this to be your last two wheeled foray, only to come home hours laters totally fine?

And then you wallow in the almost post-coital numbness of survival. Sitting with cold knees and a cold beer, feeling like you cheated death once again, whilst recalling all the highlights of the ride...

If you play your cards right, you can be in control every time you board a plane. All it takes is time and money.

Since you mention it, as a pilot, I do not care for flying commercially. I too prefer to be in control of my fate (not to mention my shoes). I've only flown on a commercial flight once in the past 15 yrs.

This thread just gets better!

I love the parallel betwixt bikes and flying. I have the same trepidation stepping on board a plane (I don't fly them) as I do jumping on my bike. More so on the plane as although it's statistically safer, I'm NOT IN CONTROL!! Very worrying for me..

I've ridden bikes (well one) at 174mph.

I've nearly killed myself numerous times by 'pushing the envelope' or whatever that expression is, yet I've survived.

I think, just maybe, the risk makes it fun, albeit retrospectively.

How many times (for the non pilots and mere riders amongst us) have you saddled up with a weird feeling of terror or dread about you, expecting this to be your last two wheeled foray, only to come home hours laters totally fine?

And then you wallow in the almost post-coital numbness of survival. Sitting with cold knees and a cold beer, feeling like you cheated death once again, whilst recalling all the highlights of the ride...

I have my limits. Last month I started to ride to the airport to do a bit of plane maintenance. In the first 3 miles of the 23 mile ride a distracted cager forced me out of my lane and into the bicycle lane. Another distracted driver came screeching to a stop at a traffic light, right onto the spot where I had been before I escaped into the space between the two cars ahead. The topper was a dove that commited suicide by flying into my faceshield at 45 mph. While I'm not a superstitious person by nature, I was genuinely concerned at what the remaining 20 miles would bring. I turned the bike around and rode home.

In the realm of risk, they can be quite similar. Many years ago on an aviation forum, some of the more statistically inclined members ran years of statistical data and concluded that flying (non-commercially) carried a similar risk per mile as riding a motorcycle. Cages and commercial flying were a lot less risky, but where's the fun in that?

This thread just gets better!

I love the parallel betwixt bikes and flying. I have the same trepidation stepping on board a plane (I don't fly them) as I do jumping on my bike. More so on the plane as although it's statistically safer, I'm NOT IN CONTROL!! Very worrying for me..

I've ridden bikes (well one) at 174mph.

I've nearly killed myself numerous times by 'pushing the envelope' or whatever that expression is, yet I've survived.

I think, just maybe, the risk makes it fun, albeit retrospectively.

How many times (for the non pilots and mere riders amongst us) have you saddled up with a weird feeling of terror or dread about you, expecting this to be your last two wheeled foray, only to come home hours laters totally fine?

And then you wallow in the almost post-coital numbness of survival. Sitting with cold knees and a cold beer, feeling like you cheated death once again, whilst recalling all the highlights of the ride...

If you play your cards right, you can be in control every time you board a plane. All it takes is time and money.

Since you mention it, as a pilot, I do not care for flying commercially. I too prefer to be in control of my fate (not to mention my shoes). I've only flown on a commercial flight once in the past 15 yrs.

This thread just gets better!

I love the parallel betwixt bikes and flying. I have the same trepidation stepping on board a plane (I don't fly them) as I do jumping on my bike. More so on the plane as although it's statistically safer, I'm NOT IN CONTROL!! Very worrying for me..

I've ridden bikes (well one) at 174mph.

I've nearly killed myself numerous times by 'pushing the envelope' or whatever that expression is, yet I've survived.

I think, just maybe, the risk makes it fun, albeit retrospectively.

How many times (for the non pilots and mere riders amongst us) have you saddled up with a weird feeling of terror or dread about you, expecting this to be your last two wheeled foray, only to come home hours laters totally fine?

And then you wallow in the almost post-coital numbness of survival. Sitting with cold knees and a cold beer, feeling like you cheated death once again, whilst recalling all the highlights of the ride...

I have my limits. Last month I started to ride to the airport to do a bit of plane maintenance. In the first 3 miles of the 23 mile ride a distracted cager forced me out of my lane and into the bicycle lane. Another distracted driver came screeching to a stop at a traffic light, right onto the spot where I had been before I escaped into the space between the two cars ahead. The topper was a dove that commited suicide by flying into my faceshield at 45 mph. While I'm not a superstitious person by nature, I was genuinely concerned at what the remaining 20 miles would bring. I turned the bike around and rode home. Well when we pilots can control the weather that will be real control! But we can choose not to fly as you chose not to ride. And we have to ask ourselves the difficult question, as this wounds our pride: "Am I having all these incidents and near misses because the world is just out to get me today, or am I "off" and not picking up on or anticipating things?"

The world doesn't normally change that much in a day; with that many close calls it's probably a good move to head back for the barn, regardless of why.

My late father was flying reconnaissance in a Mustang when he was shot down. Waste of a plane. He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp.

Very good thread this, centered on risk taking. For those with an interest in WWII aircraft and the Spitfire especially, a link to a short film about US reconnaissance pilots who flew the iconic plane.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ie3SrjLlcUY

My apologies for getting off topic a bit.

Very good thread this, centered on risk taking. For those with an interest in WWII aircraft and the Spitfire especially, a link to a short film about US reconnaissance pilots who flew the iconic plane.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ie3SrjLlcUY

My apologies for getting off topic a bit.
Thanks for that, Redbirds. Fascinating. So the US pilots were flying Spitfires while my father, a Pommie, was flying a Mustang for photo reconnaissance.

Why the dickens did you bring that up?

How could he possibly have guessed, or is this "wrapping in jeweller's cotton" part of some never ending historical slide? What a horrible thought.

Warning: this post may contain the hint of a pun.

I hope you googled that up. If not, then not only are you a gentleman, you are also a scholar. And that's scary.

Quote:part of some never ending historical slide?. I am afraid so.

Cheers

I hope you googled that up. If not, then not only are you a gentleman, you are also a scholar. And that's scary.

Quote:part of some never ending historical slide?. I am afraid so.

Cheers
Pterodactyl, I'm afraid I googled it, but I have read Bleak House a very long time ago. The Tasmanian author, Richard Flanagan, has written a curious novel about Dickens and other things. It's called Wanting.

It's the six degrees of separation thing. My first instructor was on RAF loan. He was a remarkable man. His last tour was PR Spits. Sky blue colour and pressurised, not sure which model, probably about the Mark VIII so so. He would say that he preferred the peace of high altitude flight to mixing it at low level with those with teeth. This from a man who started on Hurricanes in '40 and was a DFC and more. A real gentleman with a sense of modesty that was remarkable. When pushed for "warries" they were always about his colleagues rather than himself. I think I was one of his greatest challenges. When he passed me on his only comment was "If you last a thousand hours you will probably be OK".

Our American friends, I think Tom Brokaw specifically, coined a phrase the Greatest Generation. That, of course, simplifies history somewhat, however your Dad, and all those others from that era could give us some valuable lessons in the "Right Thing", rather than the "Right Stuff".

Have read and enjoyed the The Unknown Terrorist so will give Wanting a burl.

Cheers[/u][/b]

Very different books. The Unknown Terrorist was a different style of books from his others.

Very different books. The Unknown Terrorist was a different style of books from his others. Speaking of reading, Robert Howard gave me a good idea for a name for my gunmetal FZ8: Dark Agnes

She's another of his greatest characters. Tolkien simply channeled her when he created Eowyn.

In point of fact Tolkien lifted every single element and character in TLOTR from REH. Howard scholars have already done a fine forensic analysis on this lively topic.

Dark Agnes is a bad-ass, sword-wielding wench who doesn't take any crap (can I write that?) from disrespectful men. Generally a dagger in the heart or a sword through the neck is the result of disrespect.

It were better for me that I respect her. As a foe the doxy had rather take my head.