Is riding really going to kill me?

[AF4iK]

yup ur dead

^ Bahah

The amazing thing about life is none of us will make it out alive anyway.

Uh, speak for yourself. I plan to make it out of life alive! See I met this dorky looking dude in a silver robe who told me if I follow him and drink the kool-aid my consciousness will be transferred to an alien spaceship.

[Tango5]

^ Bahah



Uh, speak for yourself. I plan to make it out of life alive! See I met this dorky looking dude in a silver robe who told me if I follow him and drink the kool-aid my consciousness will be transferred to an alien spaceship.

You ran into Nicholas Cage?

To the OP; something that may help you feel more confident is to understand that there are many things you can do to reduce your risk, it's not some mindless activity totally out of your control. Motorcycling is like any other activity, the more you do it the better you get. Some people, through good judgement, training, ongoing study, hard work, and practice, raise their level of motorcycling proficiency to a much higher level than those who choose not to do any of those things. One of these groups contributes much more to the numbers that make up the accident statistics. I doubt I have to tell you which one.

My advice; take it one step at a time, you don't have to decide right now to be a rider for life and live with some statistical albatross hanging around your neck. Just start... commit to being the best rider you can be... you can always stop if you think it's not for you.

Remind your friends and family that if you had chosen to make fine furniture they would not be warning you about every craftsman that cut off his fingers. http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...lesaw-injuries

[Lean_Way_Low]

OP, maybe it would be helpful to accept that life has no true point. Do you feel like it or not? Hope this helps.

[AF4iK]

OP, maybe it would be helpful to accept that life has no true point. Do you feel like it or not? Hope this helps.

An alternative if I may: The point of life is to experience. Go get a bike!

[skip]

Well I been riding....17 years now and have just passed 3/4 million km on the street (commuting adds up fast) with a number of years playing on the track. I am still very much alive.

As for collisions I would say the most common is being turned into by a left turning car that "didn't see you" followed by being lane changed into. If you are alert and trust no one on the roads you stand a better chance.

[Orangepeel]

Curiosity doesn't kill the cat, it always seems to figure out a way to land on all fours .

What I mean by that is that your curiosity to ride won't kill you, but do as much as you can to ride with the ability to ride safe, and the knowledge to ride with all intentions of making it to your destinations in one piece .

You have good friends who care for your safety. That is something maybe to your advantage? They will be more aware of bikes (hopefully) and drive with more interest as to who is sharing the road with them !

[Pedagogue]

Obviously, riding a motorcycle is dangerous. We all know that. As stated, once you start riding you will know if it is for you or not. But damn is it fun. The best thing to remember is to ride like you are invisible. I find that mindset helps me to ride safe. Good luck.


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[jukon]

Riding a motorcycle is like many activities in life. You can do it smart or stupid. Stupid is always a risk.

[jay-d]

Obviously, riding a motorcycle is dangerous. We all know that. As stated, once you start riding you will know if it is for you or not. But damn is it fun. The best thing to remember is to ride like you are invisible. I find that mindset helps me to ride safe. Good luck.


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This!

Invisible is right. Not invincible like some clowns.

[throttle]

No is the answer you want to hear.

[thowe]

If riding doesn't kill you something else will, choose wisely!

[skitta]

[QUOTE=Orangepeel;1752999...You have good friends who care for your safety. That is something maybe to your advantage? They will be more aware of bikes (hopefully) and drive with more interest as to who is sharing the road with them ![/QUOTE]

I have thought the same thing many times! I truly believe if more drivers actually know someone who rides a motorcycle, it makes them more aware of our presence. Before I started riding, if I was driving, the sound or presence of a motorcycle did not get my attention. Now, when driving, if I hear a motorcycle, I really tune in to which direction it is coming from. I will sometimes even move over to the right, and slow down, just so I can get a look at the bike

OP. Some good advice has been given. I know people who are not happy that I ride. But, that is because they care and love me. And for that I am grateful. I am blessed! However, I still chose to ride and I do my very best to ride as defensively as possible. Personally, if I'm not comfortable with the way someone is driving, I will pull over and let them pass. And there's no way in h-ll I'm going to confront a driver. When all is said and done, you have to do for you, and those who love and care about you, need to respect your choice(s). Good luck!

[switchx]

Other than those mentioned. a few thing that i have learn.

-Never stay at a blind spot of a car or a truck. Pass them if you can safely do so or stay behind them and make sure they can see you
-Never ride when you are tired or emotional.
-I tend to stay off major road as there are more traffic. I enjoy the smaller roads and the curve. It's more fun and I can actually enjoy it.
- Ride with someone if you can. If anything happened, they can help.

[Ravo]

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.

[AF4iK]

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.

LOL I like how you listed a statistical corollary as a preventative measure (#3). Get your M boys and gals or suffer the consequences!

[Kri$han]

I'll offer my $0.02 as well here (This thread will be worth more than gold, since everyone else is too, LOL).

Motorcycle accidents happen when 1 or more of the following 3 things happpen:

1) Alcohol/Riding under the Influence: The rider has disabled his/herself in some way, and the required attention needed when riding suffers

2) Testosterone: Excessive speed, aggressive riding and -generally speaking- not having enough respect for the rules of the road, the abilities of your machine AND your riding abilities combined with unpredictable road conditions WILL get you into trouble

3) Not being seen by cagers: This can be YOUR fault, their fault, or a combination of both. Sometimes people will ride in another car's blind spot, and then get mad when they get cutoff (wtf)... Left-turn accidents (SMIDSY) will get a lot of riders, too. These are largely preventable if you ride with common sense, such as avoiding blind spots, and doing the "SMIDSY" wobble: When approaching an intersection or area where a driver intends to turn in front of you, wiggle your bike or yourself to alter your silhouette. This will help the driver gauge how fast you are approaching, and avoids "motion blindness" (google it). I've used this MANY times since learning about it, and witnessing people change their minds about turning in front of me proves it works.

There will ALWAYS be risks in EVERYTHING you do (even crossing the street!); but if you are prepared and educated you can mitigate these risks. In terms of riding: educating yourself by reading safety tips, training your bike-handling skills by taking riding courses, wearing appropriate protective riding gear, and knowing of the three risks above will minimize your risk out there on the road. It's worked for me so far.

Cheers, and enjoy the ride! **** what people who don't ride think, cuz they'll never understand. All the **** we put up with as riders it TOTALLY worth it, IMHO.

[rafiki911]

Wait till you become the confessional for people who nearly hit a biker. I get it about once a month.
"Oh yesterday I went to change lanes and realized last second that there was a bike there. I nearly hit the guy"
I feel like responding back with "Your penance is 10 shoulder checks and 15 mirror checks"

^This made me laugh out loud.

My 2 cents...Anything you do or don't do in life may result in death... If you feel the urge or have a pull to doing something in life get all the information you need to do so safely if that is a concern to you.

You can take the basic course, there are advanced courses as well as track and dirt bike courses you can take as well to give you the best chance at being a skilled and safe rider.

You can also wear protective gear as well.

With all the advise given and even with you taking all the precautions to being a safe rider you still may die... that's life.

We are all going to die some day and no one knows how or when... I was hit by a car while standing on a side walk, I could have died then.

What I'm saying is if you base your choices in life around "what if's" and other peoples opinions you're not living.

[Kibosh3]

What I'm saying is if you base your choices in life around "what if's" and other peoples opinions you're not living.

Amen, brotha.

[rafiki911]

Amen, brotha.

Thanks, but it's sista

[SXE MX6]

yes, riding a motorcycle will kill you.

so will:

driving a car
walking
eating
sleeping
work
kids
wife/girlfriend
friends
drinking
smoking
drugs
having wild orgys
telling your best friend you slept with his mom/dad
holding in a fart too long

and the thing you should never do is breathe the air. That is probably the most toxic of all things.

Do, don't do any of those, and you probably will never die.
Ohh.....wait yes you will, we all will......

So, instead of worrying about "I might die", get out, learn to ride, and enjoy yourself.
We all know that were gonna die someday, and nobody knows when that will be.

Cheers