How to live an exciting life

[repiV]

I'm sorry for preaching.


I've been wanting a bike too, but just so you know. 56 HL netters may have died since joining this forum.

Life isn't fair. Just because you are good doesn't mean you won't get screwed by some little variable like a sand patch, someone washing their car and the soapy water runs down into the street as you round the corner, a stick in the road, a tire puncture, someone didn't see you

my dad is a surgeon, and when he was younger he had to cover the emergency room, and there is nothing worse than motorcycle accidents besides war.

I'm guessing that everyone who rides, there is a better chance that you will be involved in an accident one day than not.

be careful is all i'm just warning you to drive right - especially on any roads you haven't ridden before.

I almost died in a car accident because my car decided it was a good time to go sideways into a tractor-trailer, but I was either lucky or good and pulled it back into my lane fishy just feet before the truck came.

Speed is the factor that makes it dangerous.

IIRC - in a car you several times more likely to die for every 10 mph over 60mph. but you are on a bike. I pity the fool.

Hehe. You do know I've spent the last seven months recovering from a 60mph accident involving being catapulted into a tree right?
I'm fairly fixed up now, although I still walk like an old cripple and every step hurts. My mechanic should be finished with the repairs in a couple of days. :thumbs:

There is nothing on this earth that mere mortals like us can afford which compares to riding a bike fast. Nothing. I have been reduced to fits of insane gleeful laughter on many occassions, I have a freedom that only the few can dream of, and every journey is an adventure.
I've flown RAF aircraft that they use to train fighter pilots, and riding is just as exciting.

It's worth it - and part of living an exciting life is accepting that danger comes with the territory. Anything worth doing carries some sort of risk, whether emotional, financial or physical.

I also disagree with your premise that "speed is dangerous". Come off on a racetrack at 150mph and you'll probably walk away without any serious injuries. Get hit by a car at 30 and you'll probably suffer broken bones. Real road safety is far too complicated for such trite sentiments.

 

[VirusType2]

no. Course I didn't know, but just supports what I was saying. see my brother was catapulted off his bike and went through many smaller trees and bushes before coming to a stop at a tree as well.

broke his collar bone and his ankle.

I've seen a rider get launched from his bike at only about 15 - 20 mph, and he flew through the intersection tumbling like he would never stop. He was wearing one of those 'hog' helmets and it flew off immediately. when he stoped moving from inertia, he wasn't moving. I drove into the McDonalds on the corner and had them call an ambulance and the whole town seemed to gather as the sun went down, and he was lifted away many hours later in a helicopter ride.

Don't know if he lived or not. I never saw him moving again after he was launched - simply from a new white line of paint at the light. Probably was just doing a little low speed cruising since it was so nice out.


anyway, I only spent the time talking with you about it because I care.

And you are right I guess - it's not speed that kills, it's that sudden stop. No really, it's dumb luck sometimes. I saw a guy walk away after a 200 mph car chase ended in a crash on the highway. (worlds scariest police chases - FOX)

 

[repiV]

no. Course I didn't know, but just supports what I was saying. see my brother was catapulted off his bike and went through many smaller trees and bushes before coming to a stop at a tree as well.

broke his colar bone and his ankle.

But what are you saying, exactly?

Operating an inherently unstable machine which is far faster in real world terms than any car and far less idiot-proof, whilst having scant more protection against impact than your average pedestrian, quite obviously involves an element of danger. I accepted from the outset when I started riding last April that I would at some point suffer serious injuries during my riding career, especially given that it's my sole means of transportation and I commute through 40 miles of the most dangerous traffic London has to offer on a daily basis. Just as a rugby or ice hockey player accepts those same risks.

On the other hand, it's entirely possible to ride a bike for many years and not get hurt. The thing is that riding a bike requires an incomprehensibly greater level of skill and finesse than driving a car, and the consequences for making a mistake are orders of magnitude worse. Personally, I take great pride in having a skillset and level of roadcraft that 99% of car drivers could only dream of, with a mere six months riding experience. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've seen a rider get launched from his bike at only about 15 - 20 mph, and he flew through the intersection tumbling like he would never stop. He was wearing one of those 'hog' helmets and it flew off immediately. when he stoped moving from inertia, he wasn't moving. I drove into the McDonalds on the corner and had them call an ambulance and the whole town seemed to gather as the sun went down, and he was lifted away many hours later in a helicopter ride.

Don't know if he lived or not. I never saw him moving again after he was launched - simply from a new white line of paint at the light. Probably was just doing a little low speed cruising since it was so nice out.

How exactly did he "get launched from his bike"? Was he hit by a car? It sounds like he had absolutely no idea what he was doing and paid the price, especially considering he didn't wear his helmet correctly. Idiots die on bikes. That's an argument against idiots, not bikes. Unfortunately, in your country anyone can pass a pointless written test and then go and buy a bike for 9k which is faster than a Bugatti Veyron and which requires infinitely more expertise to control. It's no surprise whatsoever that so many are killed.

anyway, I only spent the time talking with you about it because I care.

I appreciate that. I hope I can also take the opportunity to counter some misconceptions. The key thing is that accidents don't "just happen", and just because they can be caused by other people, doesn't mean that you cannot avoid them. On a motorbike, you have to have the attitude that EVERY accident is your fault, because you are the one who is going to die. If I didn't actively take steps to anticipate and counter the stupidity of others, I would get hit on a daily basis on my commute. People just don't see bikes.
But you are never a hapless passenger at the mercy of fate. The performance and size of a bike actually gives you unparalled power to control your environment, you never have to be stuck somewhere you don't want to be. Utilising these advantages are key.

And you are right I guess - it's not speed that kills, it's that sudden stop. No really, it's dumb luck sometimes. I saw a guy walk away after a 200 mph car chase ended in a crash on the highway. (worlds scariest police chases - FOX)

It's especially dumb luck when it comes to motorcycle accidents. You simply cannot predict the outcome based on speed at all. Any accident can be fatal. The only way to think is to avoid having an accident in the first place.

 

[Sheepo]

Live prepared to lose everything and you will never lose anything

Also, a good idea for just life in general

 

[JNightshade]

I try to live my life in the most exciting ways possible. For me, that means spontaneity to the utmost degree.

 

[Jintor]

I try to live my life in the most exciting ways possible. For me, that means spontaneity to the utmost degree.

...and, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that is why I implore you to find my client 'not guilty'.