Safety Forum?

[Duc Man]

I was pronouncing it wrong, thanks for the link

[aschendel]

and i didn't know what it meant, so "thanks" from me as well.

a.s.

[Deplorable, thank you!]

http://www.alivetoride.com/motorcycle_riding_tips_reaction_time

http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html

So are these something  useful to get the reaction/following distance started?

Or do I misunderstand the concept?

[Mike Duluth]

Death don't come much quicker than that.

[Ray916MN]

I think you underestimate the group.


My screen name does not represent how I view myself, rather it is a mocking of those who have felt the need to call me 3 very similar names in the past 3 months----all obviously were looked up in the dictionary, since they are all on the same page of the dictionary and since I don't view these words as words used in everyday language. So if you want to pick out my name as a reference for a reason you have no hope........

The willingness and intent to mock makes me even less confident that open collaboration is possible.

Definition: to attack or treat with ridicule, contempt, or derision. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mock

[aschendel]

http://www.alivetoride.com/motorcycle_riding_tips_reaction_time

http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html

So are these something  useful to get the reaction/following distance started?

Or do I misunderstand the concept?

The first article being in metric is a drawback, but the 2nd one was awesome, in my opinion.

a.s.

[Jared]

Alright, back on topic.  What are some possible topics that might make a sticky?  The Wikipedia style format could make it tough having to actually cite credible data/studies for the content.  How would you be able to qualify/quantify something like the importance of vision/looking up the road.  Would it be sufficient to reference something like a well respected resource (i.e. Twist of the Wrist etc)?

Good safety topics:
-Gear
-Vision
-The PACE - Break this up into sub-topics
-Bike maintenance
-Deer/seasonal dangers?
-Effective braking

What else?

[Deplorable, thank you!]

Following distance
Passing (group scenario mostly)
Speed (cornering or otherwise)
Skills practicing (learning)
Riding within your own limits (knowing your own limits mentally and physically)


oops, a little slow on the addition

[Aprilian]

What "Ride your own ride" is and how to know if you are pushing too hard.
I liked how Pat Hahn looked at having a "strategy" before riding.   Perhaps we could ask him to guest write a post on that?
Ways to improve your skill-related safety margin (classes, parking lots, trackdays, racing, etc.) - Lloyd's "Skills practice"
And "How to talk to a fellow rider when you spot a potential problem"

[Mike Duluth]

One of the biggest things that I have had a problem with is brain freeze. Not the kind from eating ice cream too fast, but when crap starts to go wrong and you stop doing all the right things and and your brain locks up. As I get older I find it harder to keep my eye on the ball when crap starts to go wrong. I think most of you know what I'm talking about because I hear others say, I just straitened up and rode right of the road, or I don't remember anything just before the crash. Is there any info out there about why this happens and if there is anything you can do about it?

[Duc Man]

One of the biggest things that I have had a problem with is brain freeze. Not the kind from eating ice cream too fast, but when crap starts to go wrong and you stop doing all the right things and and your brain locks up. As I get older I find it harder to keep my eye on the ball when crap starts to go wrong. I think most of you know what I'm talking about because I hear others say, I just straitened up and rode right of the road, or I don't remember anything just before the crash. Is there any info out there about why this happens and if there is anything you can do about it?

Geritol

[pkpk]

One of the biggest things that I have had a problem with is brain freeze. Not the kind from eating ice cream too fast, but when crap starts to go wrong and you stop doing all the right things and and your brain locks up. As I get older I find it harder to keep my eye on the ball when crap starts to go wrong. I think most of you know what I'm talking about because I hear others say, I just straitened up and rode right of the road, or I don't remember anything just before the crash. Is there any info out there about why this happens and if there is anything you can do about it?

I would imagine part of this is due to the tendency to put more time into racing and other sensory-ladened activities that exercised you reflexes in your younger days.  Family, work and other activities sort of put a crimp on these activities as we age (and become more responsible.  )  Consequently I think we lose our edge as we get "comfy in our recliners."

I share the same fear as you.  As the deer incidents came rolling in this season, I found myself wondering if I could handle these situations without completely panic locking brakes.  I have yet to develop a strategy, beyond just slowing down to give me time to think.  I am considering replacing my DL1000 with a smaller bike to do more DCTC weekends to restore some reflex.  Dunno if that's the answer, not sure what else to do.

[Aprilian]

Without getting too deep into one of the sugested topic areas, I'll share my way to avoid brain freeze.   I sometimes find that I am daydreaming or thinking of my day or having an imaginary argument in my head.  When I notice that is happening, I start to do an energetic, funny color commentary (out loud if necessary) about what I am seeing and what I would do if something comes up and that seems to get me back into the part of my brain that has the panic braking training and other skills.   You can actually practice this (and many other riding skills) while driving in the car.  I find when I do this, I often then drift into a "zone" of paying full attention.   I have also had the realization while doing this that I was kidding myself about deploying a skill I hadn't practiced recently and it incented me to go to the Zoo (my favorite practice ground).

[Mike Duluth]

I suppose I'm just wishing for a solution to getting older. I crashed pretty bad a couple of years ago and can't seem to get it back for some reason. Last season was a lot better but still find myself goin stiff from time to time. One time last summer I came into a corner pretty hot and I had another rider on me pretty tight, checked my mirror to see where he was and went wide just like that. Normally I would have just droppped the bike back into my line, but instead I went with just keeping the bike on the road. If there would have been a car comin I would have been fkd. I had plenty of margin to get back where I belonged but couldn't make myself do it. Nothin happened but still pretty scary. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that has this problem.

[Jvs]

Ha mike now that u mention it, I remember i had that same exact thing happen when we rode through jay Cooke this summer. The corner got real tight and as soon as i lost focus, i panicked as ended up going real wide almost off the road.
As ur signature says: push harder, I understand this in the sense that we don't need to ride harder on the street but push harder coming through this corners and 9 times out of 10 the bike will pull you through. Good interpretation?