Motorcycle Accidents – a How to Guide Part 1
What does it take to get into an accident while riding?
Part 1 will explore conditions that result in a rubber-side-up effect.
A facetious list of do’s to make sure we have a really bad time while riding
Part 2 will take on a more serious look at accident-survival and reflect on the best ways to have an accident.
So, what do you have to do around here to get into an accident?
1. Make sure you ride intoxicated.
2. Make sure your attention is elsewhere. This happens when you ride irritated, pissed off, upset over god knows what, etc.
3. Make sure your focus is on the guy who cut you off. For every guy that cuts you off there are 10 more waiting to plow right into you. Instead, consider it a great opportunity to practice control over your emotions and maintain an indifferent state of mind.
4. Make sure you ride stiff on the bike. Squeeze the handlebars as tightly as possible and make sure your forearms fatigue quickly and are useless for when you need them the most.
5. Make sure you ride in people’s blind spots. Also, assume everyone can see you.
6. Make sure you ride beyond your capabilities.
7. Make sure you ride beyond your bike’s capabilities.
8. Make sure you never inspect your bike. (T-CLOCS anyone?)
9. Relax, what can happen 2 miles away from your house while picking up a loaf of bread? Turns out, everything. Most accidents happen on short rides, 5 minutes away from the rider’s house.
10. Make sure you do not adjust for changing riding conditions. This could be anything; here are some examples: Time of day (daytime into nighttime), change in weather patterns (sunny to rain), traffic congestion (mid-day into rush hour), surface conditions (asphalt to gravel, dry to slippery, etc.) and so on.
I think we have all done at least one of these at one point or another. Is your bad habit on the list? Do share, you are amongst friends.
Next up, we will discuss the best ways of going into an accident.
I was fortunate enough to hear a few experts on this topic discuss it at some length. The panel was comprised of motorcycle racers and Hollywood stunt-men; amongst others.
I think they shared some invaluable information that I hope none of us ever need to use.
Part 1 will explore conditions that result in a rubber-side-up effect.
A facetious list of do’s to make sure we have a really bad time while riding
Part 2 will take on a more serious look at accident-survival and reflect on the best ways to have an accident.
So, what do you have to do around here to get into an accident?
1. Make sure you ride intoxicated.
2. Make sure your attention is elsewhere. This happens when you ride irritated, pissed off, upset over god knows what, etc.
3. Make sure your focus is on the guy who cut you off. For every guy that cuts you off there are 10 more waiting to plow right into you. Instead, consider it a great opportunity to practice control over your emotions and maintain an indifferent state of mind.
4. Make sure you ride stiff on the bike. Squeeze the handlebars as tightly as possible and make sure your forearms fatigue quickly and are useless for when you need them the most.
5. Make sure you ride in people’s blind spots. Also, assume everyone can see you.
6. Make sure you ride beyond your capabilities.
7. Make sure you ride beyond your bike’s capabilities.
8. Make sure you never inspect your bike. (T-CLOCS anyone?)
9. Relax, what can happen 2 miles away from your house while picking up a loaf of bread? Turns out, everything. Most accidents happen on short rides, 5 minutes away from the rider’s house.
10. Make sure you do not adjust for changing riding conditions. This could be anything; here are some examples: Time of day (daytime into nighttime), change in weather patterns (sunny to rain), traffic congestion (mid-day into rush hour), surface conditions (asphalt to gravel, dry to slippery, etc.) and so on.
I think we have all done at least one of these at one point or another. Is your bad habit on the list? Do share, you are amongst friends.
Next up, we will discuss the best ways of going into an accident.
I was fortunate enough to hear a few experts on this topic discuss it at some length. The panel was comprised of motorcycle racers and Hollywood stunt-men; amongst others.
I think they shared some invaluable information that I hope none of us ever need to use.
6 Comments
--------------------------------
11. Tailgate big trucks so that when the re-tread tire blows out, the 10 pound piece of rubber that is flying at you at 65mph can knock you off the bike.
12. Constantly swerve in and out of lanes at 85mph making sure you cut as close as possible to other cars and especially trucks.
13. Play around with your GPS, cellphone, iPod or other gadget while in heavy traffic.
14. Go as fast as you can around blind curves, especially at dawn and dusk through wooded areas where dear and other nocturnal animals live.
15. Make sure you lean hard and heavy when riding over wet leaves and fresh grass clippings that may be in the road.
16. Get the biggest bike you can find and make sure it is so big that you can't put your feet level on the ground.
17. Even though your bike is making strange noises and it wobbles around at highway speeds, just keep riding and never take it to the shop to get it checked.
I hope this list helps.
-----------------------------------
18. Let your passenger get as drunk as possible. Then let them pass out on the back of the bike on the ride home.
19. Pass as many slow moving cars and trucks at curves and intersections as possible.
20. When in urban areas, drive as close as possible to parked cars as you can.
21. Go to bike night and do wheelies and burn outs in the parking lot.
22. Put sport bike tires on your sport touring bike. Then blast down the highway at 120mph. Make sure you have a passenger so the extra stress will make them fail quicker.
I could go on, but I need so leave some comments for others.
23. whatever you do, NEVER adjust your rear view mirrors so you can see behind you...it is much more fun to be "surprised"
24. If you have a bike with a chain, don't even THINK of lubing the chain every 300 miles....it's a chain after all...it should last forever, right?
25. NEVER ever pay attention to the size of your gas tank, the amount of gas you have, the mpg you get or the trip odometer (don't even think of resetting the trip odometer if you are unlucky enough to have one.....). It's much more fun to find yourself running out of gas on a major highway and then figuring out where to dump your bike with the least amount of trouble, right???
26. Trust every driver of every vehicle on the road with you. After all, they all have licenses and are capable drivers, right?
give me time....I can go on and on with these!!!
which reminds me, I need to lube up my chain :-)
Click here to sign up now.