Fear of death or injury

[Tortuga_imp]

O.k, I just watched a whole load of crash compilation videos on YouTube.

Some were the funny type where old granny has a go on young Timmy's new 80cc dirt bike round the grade and wheelies off the back at 3 mph.

Some were the horrific Russian high speed jobs where the rider is flung spinning through the air like a rag doll as the bike somersaults and disintegrates down the road.

Some, are the sort of 'first person view' a helmet cam offers and we see our GoPro hero misjudge a corner, or get hit by a car on the wrong side of the road head on.

Sometimes it's their buddy in front that bites the dust.

Watching these videos always leaves me with a very real and quite sickening sense of my own mortality, particularly in respect to my 'choice' to ride a motorbike for 'pleasure'.

If I were an impoverished Chinese factory worker or lived in a slum in India, having a cheap crappy scooter would be life-enhancing, and a great alternative to walking or riding a water buffalo (in leathers).

The fact is, I'm a lucky swine who was born in the right part of the world, has a relatively easy job that pays reasonably well.

I have a nice top-of-the range car to swan about in and go shopping, Mrs. T (well GF. T) has one too, so we can see that the bike is a mere indulgence.

Now that's all good and well, but it's when I mentally analyse the risk and watch these wretched videos that I ponder such questions as

"Maybe if I sold my bike or never rode it I'll avoid a gruesome horrific early death, or becoming paralysed or an amputee?"

I don't want to become like that because then you would love a life devoid of risk, or excitement, which are essential parts of our being. (I think).

Be honest guys, does this ever bother you? Or am I just a big poof?

This is the sort of video, for the uninitiated.
I don't expect any replies for 20 minutes, I mean you'll have to read the post, then watch the video, then have a stiff drink.

By the way Spaceman, I've already pre-empted your reply;

"You're right Tortuga, it's just you..you big fairy!"

 

[Captain Klutz_imp]

Alright; had the drink.

Unbelievable, what risk some people are willing to take. Since I own a motor bike, I'm accepting a risk larger than a car owner. I try to reduce the excess risk by a) wearing proper gear and b) thinking everyone else is an idiot and will do a left turn when I least expect it or hit the break pedal real hard (so I tend to keep plenty of distance). Oh, and last but not least, obey the rules... Keeping in mind it could be my little daughter running on the street after her ball makes it easy for me to adhere to the speed limit. Sort of. Most of the time, anyway.

I'm not an adrenaline junkie, else I wouldn't have ordered a CB 1100 EX with spoked wheels.

But then, in some nightmares, the brakes of my bike fail. Boy, am I glad when I wake up and everything's ok. So I do have some inherent fear of losing it. MAybe that's a good thing! It tells me I'm no Superman, only Captain Klutz.

This post intentionally blank of smileys and frowneys.

 

[MFGUSA_imp]

I review them every once in awhile too Tortuga, and as gruesome as they can be I consider them a reality check. But I still get on my bike and rely on my instincts and better judgment to keep me alive. Besides, I think most of them are filmed in third world countries devoid of rules that we may take for granted. Germany, France and Italy all have the Autobahn, yet because of driver training and discipline, it works there.

I live near the U.P. of Michigan and fear for my life every day!

 

[Tortuga_imp]

Alright; had the drink.

Unbelievable, what risk some people are willing to take. Since I own a motor bike, I'm accepting a risk larger than a car owner. I try to reduce the excess risk by a) wearing proper gear and b) thinking everyone else is an idiot and will do a left turn when I least expect it or hit the break pedal real hard (so I tend to keep plenty of distance). Oh, and last but not least, obey the rules... Keeping in mind it could be my little daughter running on the street after her ball makes it easy for me to adhere to the speed limit. Sort of. Most of the time, anyway.

I'm not an adrenaline junkie, else I wouldn't have ordered a CB 1100 EX with spoked wheels.

But then, in some nightmares, the brakes of my bike fail. Boy, am I glad when I wake up and everything's ok. So I do have some inherent fear of losing it. MAybe that's a good thing! It tells me I'm no Superman, only Captain Klutz.

This post intentionally blank of smileys and frowneys.

Now I'll start having that 'brake fail' dream to go with my '80mph front puncture' and 'going to work with no trousers' on dream!

I review them every once in awhile too Tortuga, and as gruesome as they can be I consider them a reality check. But I still get on my bike and rely on my instincts and better judgment to keep me alive. Besides, I think most of them are filmed in third world countries devoid of rules that we may take for granted. Germany, France and Italy all have the Autobahn, yet because of driver training and discipline, it works there.

I live near the U.P. of Michigan and fear for my life every day!

I agree, it's good to 'ground yourself' with these vids, as you see how quickly your day can turn I to a world of hurt!

(P.s. It's only Germany that has the 'autobahn' to my recollection. I was driving down one in January this year in sub zero temperatures and being passed by Audis at around 130mph. The slip roads are deadly 100 degree sweepers that you're forced to hit at 80mph minimum when it's busy. Nice road surface though!)

 

[CB4ME_imp]

I review them every once in awhile too Tortuga, and as gruesome as they can be I consider them a reality check. But I still get on my bike and rely on my instincts and better judgment to keep me alive. Besides, I think most of them are filmed in third world countries devoid of rules that we may take for granted. Germany, France and Italy all have the Autobahn, yet because of driver training and discipline, it works there.

I live near the U.P. of Michigan and fear for my life every day!

I'd fear all those frost heaves - My folks lived near Copper Harbor and some of the roads were bad!

Captain - excellent points. And fear can be a good thing.

Last year Harford County Maryland set an unfortunate record - kids on crotch rockets failing to negotiate a corner at extremely high speeds, cruiser riders with those teeny weenie beanie helmets dropping their bikes and bonking their heads, bikes running into the back of other vehicles (called not paying attention) and of course collisions caused by idiot cagers.

As motorcyclists, we all take risks. I hope we all follow the Captain's strategy in minimizing those risks. Be careful out there.

 

[Greg_imp]

Me too on the YouTube gore!

But:

Many of those splats are preceded by rank stupidity on the riders' part.
There are plenty of horrifying videos that aren't motorcycles. Check out "drifting saudi arabia".
The average person dreads a sudden and horrifying death while day after day doing "normal" things that are inexorably leading them to a hospital bed with tubes inserted, out of their minds on medication; slow motion death by lifestyle.
I'm not normal, and I got that way by having a lengthy brush with death in spite of being "safe" in every possible way.
Everyone is going to die and it's a damn shame to die without ever living.

 

[Tortuga_imp]

I review them every once in awhile too Tortuga, and as gruesome as they can be I consider them a reality check. But I still get on my bike and rely on my instincts and better judgment to keep me alive. Besides, I think most of them are filmed in third world countries devoid of rules that we may take for granted. Germany, France and Italy all have the Autobahn, yet because of driver training and discipline, it works there.

I live near the U.P. of Michigan and fear for my life every day!

I'd fear all those frost heaves - My folks lived near Copper Harbor and some of the roads were bad!

Captain - excellent points. And fear can be a good thing.

Last year Harford County Maryland set an unfortunate record - kids on crotch rockets failing to negotiate a corner at extremely high speeds, cruiser riders with those teeny weenie beanie helmets dropping their bikes and bonking their heads, bikes running into the back of other vehicles (called not paying attention) and of course collisions caused by idiot cagers.

As motorcyclists, we all take risks. I hope we all follow the Captain's strategy in minimizing those risks. Be careful out there.

I'd fear all those frost heaves - My folks lived near Copper Harbor and some of the roads were bad!

Captain - excellent points. And fear can be a good thing.

Last year Harford County Maryland set an unfortunate record - kids on crotch rockets failing to negotiate a corner at extremely high speeds, cruiser riders with those teeny weenie beanie helmets dropping their bikes and bonking their heads, bikes running into the back of other vehicles (called not paying attention) and of course collisions caused by idiot cagers.

As motorcyclists, we all take risks. I hope we all follow the Captain's strategy in minimizing those risks. Be careful out there.

Sounds pretty terrible. Wrong gear, wrong speed and wrong attitude is a sure fire way to eat gravel!

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

I think it was Jorge Lorenzo who said "if we ever really believed that we were going to crash at speed, we would never get on the bikes." Most of us dont truly internalize the risks we take. We think it'll happen to the other guy, or that we have special circumstances that make us immune, like living in the country, ATGATT, riding carefully, etc. Of course none of that matters when your day comes.

I've had two major wrecks that left me seriously f'd up for months. One time was my fault, one time wasn't, but it didn't matter. Both times there was never any doubt in my mind that as soon as I could, is ride again. In fact, the first time I expoxied a paint stir stick to my cast so I could shift the bike. Whatever the risks, its worth it to me.

 

[the Ferret]

You don't get my age without beginning to think about your own demise.

Who doesn't know riding a motorcycle is dangerous and can get you hurt or killed?

Like the good Captain I ride with my head.

I won't watch those gore vids on purpose. I also don't watch operations on TV. I even turned off Dr Pol last night. I don't like gore.

Over 34,000 people died in their cars last year in the US surrounded by a metal cage and a slew of air bags.

Now..... are you afraid to drive your car?

 

[pechorin75_imp]

I think it's good to watch stuff like that from time to time, just as a reality check. Over the years I feel like I've developed a pretty good "spidey sense" for potentially dangerous on-the-road situations...but nobody's 100%, and the occasional reminder that we're playing for all the marbles isn't a bad thing.

For me, there are two times when I know I need to be especially careful: 1) Anytime I just don't feel "right" for any reason--whether I can articulate it or not; and 2) When I feel like everything's perfect.

I'm not a religious person, but I had an experience some years ago that made me wonder about guardian angels. I was riding on the freeway in very light traffic, good weather, middle of the day. Only one car nearby; it had recently merged and was maybe 100 feet ahead in my lane. Not super-close. All of a sudden, for no reason I could identify, the strangest feeling came over me--very uncomfortable, anxious; a kind of dread. Totally out of the blue, like nothing I'd ever experienced. It was powerful enough that I almost immediately backed off the throttle and started putting space between me and the car ahead, because that was the only thing around that might cause a problem.

Just a few seconds later, for no reason I could see, the car just *slammed* on its brakes: total panic stop, from 65 mph down to 20 or so in the middle of an empty freeway. By that time, I was far enough back that I swerved and went around with plenty of space. Would I have reacted quickly enough if I'd stayed where I was? I like to think so...but I also think there's a good chance I'd have gone for a short flight without wings. And that was back in my pre-ATGATT days.

Since then, I pay more attention to "gut feelings." On several occasions I've walked out to the garage, stood there for a minute, then turned around and walked right back in the house.

 

[MFGUSA_imp]

Germanys roads are twice the thickness of US roads from what I recall. In '08 my wife and I rented a Audi A3 turbo diesel and I bumped 130mph a few times. Never did drive there in the winter and never on a bike though. The only accident we saw involved a Jeep and Ford van. Go figure.

 

[the Ferret]

"On several occasions I've walked out to the garage, stood there for a minute, then turned around and walked right back in the house."


Yea me too, because I usually forgot what I was headed out there for (could be the basement, or the kitchen for that matter.)

 

[pechorin75_imp]

"On several occasions I've walked out to the garage, stood there for a minute, then turned around and walked right back in the house."


Yea me too, because I usually forgot what I was headed out there for (could be the basement, or the kitchen for that matter.)

Ha! That's been known to happen on occasion, too (usually because I forgot the key).

 

[Tortuga_imp]

I think it was Jorge Lorenzo who said "if we ever really believed that we were going to crash at speed, we would never get on the bikes." Most of us dont truly internalize the risks we take. We think it'll happen to the other guy, or that we have special circumstances that make us immune, like living in the country, ATGATT, riding carefully, etc. Of course none of that matters when your day comes.

I've had two major wrecks that left me seriously f'd up for months. One time was my fault, one time wasn't, but it didn't matter. Both times there was never any doubt in my mind that as soon as I could, is ride again. In fact, the first time I expoxied a paint stir stick to my cast so I could shift the bike. Whatever the risks, its worth it to me.

Wise words Spaceman. "If you fall off the horse.." And all that.

You don't get my age without beginning to think about your own demise.

Who doesn't know riding a motorcycle is dangerous and can get you hurt or killed?

Like the good Captain I ride with my head.

I won't watch those gore vids on purpose. I also don't watch operations on TV. I even turned off Dr Pol last night. I don't like gore.

Over 34,000 people died in their cars last year in the US surrounded by a metal cage and a slew of air bags.

Now..... are you afraid to drive your car?

Yes but how many cars compared to bikes are there compared to bikes, and what's the death rate for either mode of transport?

 

[Guth_imp]

I hope that I'm never seriously injured, or lose my life in a motorcycle accident. However, I do realize that it is always a possibility. I think about it every single time I get ready to head out on the bike and I'm always sure to let my wife and son know that I love them before I leave.

Like others, I do my best to stay in my head while riding, maintaining the utmost concentration and paying attention to the task at hand. I've taken the MSF course and I do tend to ride fairly conservatively. I'm aware that as much as we try to avoid accidents, there are still, and always will be some elements that are out of our control. All of that said, I love to ride.

I developed my interest in motorcycles through my dad. They were more of a hobby for him than a lifestyle choice and he probably spent more time working on them (his own and those of his friends) than he did riding them. For safety reasons, he ended up selling his last bike in when he was in his late 40's after experiencing a close call. A few years later, he ended up dying of a heart attack at the age of 52. We might be able to minimize our risks in life, but we have no control over the final script. In the end, for me it's all about finding a balance in life.

With all of that said, I wish everyone here safe travels whenever you happen to be out on two wheels.

 

[Tortuga_imp]

I hope that I'm never seriously injured, or lose my life in a motorcycle accident. However, I do realize that it is always a possibility. I think about it every single time I get ready to head out on the bike and I'm always sure to let my wife and son know that I love them before I leave.

Like others, I do my best to stay in my head while riding, maintaining the utmost concentration and paying attention to the task at hand. I've taken the MSF course and I do tend to ride fairly conservatively. I'm aware that as much as we try to avoid accidents, there are still, and always will be some elements that are out of our control. All of that said, I love to ride.

I developed my interest in motorcycles through my dad. They were more of a hobby for him than a lifestyle choice and he probably spent more time working on them (his own and those of his friends) than he did riding them. For safety reasons, he ended up selling his last bike in when he was in his late 40's after experiencing a close call. A few years later, he ended up dying of a heart attack at the age of 52. We might be able to minimize our risks in life, but we have no control over the final script. In the end, for me it's all about finding a balance in life.

With all of that said, I wish everyone here safe travels whenever you happen to be out on two wheels.

Very poignant words there.

As you rightly say, we could cease to be at any time, for any reason, so let's try to be careful and enjoy our bikes 'responsibly'.

 

[rboe]

I've seen one or two of those vids and don't care to see any more. Kinda like the gory film we had to watch in Drivers Ed to scare the bajeebers out of beginning drivers ( kids should still get those; especially the ones involving texting). I don't believe in fate and when your time is up it's up. We have a lot more control (aside from choosing our genes) over how we go by our actions. Sometimes it's the actions of others. Do your best.

Reminds me of PSA on Minnesota TV in the 70's. Whether the mirror hits the rock or the rock hits the mirror, it's going to be very bad for the mirror.

 

[pechorin75_imp]

Just for the record, for those who didn't watch the video...I didn't see anything that I'd remotely qualify as "gore." Certainly a few bad accidents, in which there would have been some ugly injuries (if you could see them) and probably a couple of fatals--but nothing that's going to turn your stomach. The solid majority of it is low-speed stuff where you see the rider get up and walk around.

 

[Gingersdaddy_imp]

I hope that I'm never seriously injured, or lose my life in a motorcycle accident. However, I do realize that it is always a possibility. I think about it every single time I get ready to head out on the bike and I'm always sure to let my wife and son know that I love them before I leave.

Like others, I do my best to stay in my head while riding, maintaining the utmost concentration and paying attention to the task at hand. I've taken the MSF course and I do tend to ride fairly conservatively. I'm aware that as much as we try to avoid accidents, there are still, and always will be some elements that are out of our control. All of that said, I love to ride.

I developed my interest in motorcycles through my dad. They were more of a hobby for him than a lifestyle choice and he probably spent more time working on them (his own and those of his friends) than he did riding them. For safety reasons, he ended up selling his last bike in when he was in his late 40's after experiencing a close call. A few years later, he ended up dying of a heart attack at the age of 52. We might be able to minimize our risks in life, but we have no control over the final script. In the end, for me it's all about finding a balance in life.

With all of that said, I wish everyone here safe travels whenever you happen to be out on two wheels.

+1 Guth, I told my wife life is short and I want to enjoy it to its fullest. If I die bicycling, kayaking, motorcycle riding etc., I died doing something that I loved to do. There is risk in everything we do, but its not going to keep me from an adventure. A little fear is a good thing, reminds us to be careful.

 

[PowderToastMan_imp]

Me too on the YouTube gore!

But:

Many of those splats are preceded by rank stupidity on the riders' part.
There are plenty of horrifying videos that aren't motorcycles. Check out "drifting saudi arabia".
The average person dreads a sudden and horrifying death while day after day doing "normal" things that are inexorably leading them to a hospital bed with tubes inserted, out of their minds on medication; slow motion death by lifestyle.
I'm not normal, and I got that way by having a lengthy brush with death in spite of being "safe" in every possible way.
Everyone is going to die and it's a damn shame to die without ever living.

Exactly! Rather live a little with the risk of dying early than not-live and be miserable for a long time. And I think those of us who are actively doing things to mitigate the risk are in a fairly good position (not to say that you magicially become invincible by being a safety nut, but the statistics start to slide a little in our favor IMO).

For my wife's sake I do have this bad feeling that it is selfish of me to pursue such a high risk activity, but if I stop riding entirely, I feel like I will pretty much be dead on the inside anyway.
I could get hit by a car and die crossing the street on foot going to 7-eleven, or in the car on the way to/from work but am I supposed to stop doing those as well?