 Don’t Ride In A Hurry
When I first found this forum I figured it would be a great place to learn about motorcycles but honestly I didn’t think that I could “learn” to ride by reading…
One of the many tips I’ve read here is “Don’t Ride In A Hurry” If you’re late take the car don’t try and make up time cuz your bike is faster.
Not a problem, common sense. You’d have to be an Idiot not to be able to figure that one out. So guess what…
Yesterday I had a meeting down at Doheny State Beach, exactly one mile from my house, a straight shot with just two stop lights. One, at a small side street the other a big intersection at PCH.
Long story short, I was late and even though I was less than five minutes away I took off on the bike in a hurried state and there it was…
I was missing the shift, I wasn’t “scanning” as I rode, I even rode through the first light on a stale yellow without even noticing until I was almost through the intersection.
I hit the red light at PCH and was pissed. Gunning the engine I stalled in first trying to start off the line.
And then it hit me: A simple one-mile ride could have gotten me dead! Not the reason I got this bike. At the end of my 4.5-minute ride I was actually pretty shaken up. Not that anything bad happened or even came close to happening but at the fact that I had completely ignored/forgotten all the advice I had read on these boards.
Needless to say my 4.5-minute ride home was much different and once I got home I sat myself down and really thought about what had just happened. If you’re new (like me) or maybe if you’ve been doing this for a while it may seem like I’m making too big a deal out this but one thing but I’ve come to realize after 50 years that I am not invincible and that (the good news) is that I am teachable – Not overly bright but teachable none the less.
I just want to again thank all you guys for taking the time to post the tips and advice that could end up saving someone’s life.
And yes, you can learn how to ride by reading….
Thanks again…
Michael
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