Is riding really going to kill me?

[PLau]

Three most important things you can do to help yourself;

1) always wear a helmet
2) never drink and ride
3) get a class M license



Take a look at any of the large scale motorcycle accident reports (eg. Hurt); most deaths/injuries occur as a result of ignoring a combo of those rules.

Don't know how getting an M class license will save your life...

[jooce]

Don't be discouraged. Just be safe, practice emergency situations like braking, swerving. wear you "GEAR"

[Hammer]

Is it Dangerous? Yes
Can it Kill you? Yes
Are you willing to take the risk? Only you can answer this

Riding takes a lot of concentration and practice, it's definitely not like driving a car...

As for people discouraging you... everyone is entitled to their own opinion...
however ask anyone that rides, how riding makes them feel?

The Decision is yours

[Tango5]

To introduce a lighter side to this question; according to Jeremy Clarkson "you will be killed"

http://www.mikelief.com/archives/001958.html

[Spinner]

I am a new old rider. Have had my M license since I was 19 and for my 60th bd went out and bought a bike. I have the same issues that the op has however every time I have been out on the bike in the past 10 dys I have come home with a smile on my face. I ride a road bicycle around the city and we all know how dangerous thosenar I have figured out that I need tons of practice, the course I am registerdmforma Centential for old guys and mor practice.

Been through 2 helmets in the past 10days and finally committed to buying a full face in the next days or 2. Ordered boats from Docs leather on the weekend have my leathe and ready for the parking lots. Keep safe, keep your eyes up and take your time.
BTW it was a toss up between a new road bike or a Vulan 500 - the Vulcan won oh it was cheaper than the road bike lol

Cheer

[missusfinz]

I have a friend that used to go on about the dangers of riding.
Believe it or not he was in an accident where a motorcycle T-boned him at an intersection.
He was in hospital for quite a while.
Mind you, the idiot on the bike died.
But I did see the irony.
Everybody is going to die.
If you look at the stats. Most people die on Bikes from their own hand.
Intersection collisions are next biggest.
Slow down and be aware of dangers at the intersection.
Ride safe and you will stay on the planet long enough to die of cancer...

[conundrum]

I haven't been riding long (new this year), but this question does run through my mind pretty much every time set out. To me, it's a good thing, as it keeps me more alert to what could happen, vs thinking 'it will never happen to me', and then missing something that happens on the road.

missunfinz also makes a good point (post above), in that a lot of accidents that are reported are due (in some way) to the rider themself, and there might have been something they could have done to either prevent the accident or reduce the risk/aftermath:

- Wearing proper/full gear vs nothing at all/minimal gear.
- Riding with the limits vs beyond their skill set or weather conditions.
- Refraining from drinking and riding.
- Refraining from speeding, lanesplitting, aggressive riding.
- Giving a car the right of way even when they are in the wrong.
- Treating all cars/vehicles as unpredictable, and expecting other motorists to play by the rules of the road/know how to actually drive a vehicle.
- Riding with proper training vs without any or even a license (I think HURT included this one, shocking as it is).
- Not buying a motorcycle that is well beyond your skill level (in my RTI course, they mentioned how one guy a few years back could barely ride a CBR125R but had already bought a Hayabusa).

Note that I am not saying the rider is always at fault (quite typically they're not), however there are things you can do to reduce the risk. Another good example is trying to make yourself more visible at intersections, since there is always the risk other drives didn't see you.

Really, all you can do is take control of what you can control, ride as safely as you possibly can (knowing you are the smallest thing out there with the least protection), and whatever will happen will happen.